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Aug 30, 2023 By Mark Redfern Photography by Stephanie Pistel

Duran Duran have announced a new Halloween-themed album, Danse Macabre, and shared its first single, title track “Danse Macabre.” The album is a mix of originals, covers, and new versions of older Duran Duran songs. Danse Macabre is due out October 27 on Tape Modern via BMG, just in time for Halloween. Check out “Danse Macabre” below, followed by the album’s tracklist and cover artwork.

The album includes covers of Billie Eilish’s “Bury a Friend,” Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer” (feat. Victoria De Angelis of Måneskin), The Rolling Stones’ “Paint It Black,” Siouxsie and the Banshees’ “Spellbound,” Cerrone’s “Supernature,” and The Specials’ “Ghost Town,” along with the Rick James-inspired “Super Lonely Freak.”

Danse Macabre features former bandmates Warren Cuccurullo (collaborating with the band for the first time since 2001) and Andy Taylor, as well as Nile Rodgers and producers Josh Blair and Mr Hudson.

The album came about when the band—Simon Le Bon, John Taylor, Nick Rhodes, and Roger Taylor—played a show in Las Vegas on Halloween in 2022.

Nick Rhodes had this to say in a press release: “The song ‘Danse Macabre’ celebrates the joy and madness of Halloween. It is the title track of our forthcoming album, which gathers together an unusual mix of cover versions, reworked Duran Duran songs and several new compositions. The idea was born out of a show we played in Las Vegas on October 31st, 2022. We had decided to seize the moment to create a unique, special event…the temptation of using glorious gothic visuals set to a dark soundtrack of horror and humor was simply irresistible.

“That evening inspired us to explore further and to make an album, using Halloween as the key theme. The record metamorphosed through a pure, organic process, and not only was it made faster than anything since our debut album, it has also resulted in something none of us could have ever predicted. Emotion, mood, style and attitude have always been at the heart of Duran Duran’s DNA, we search for light in the darkness and darkness in the light, and I feel we have somehow managed to capture the essence of all of that in this project.”

Simon Le Bon says: “It’s about a crazy Halloween party. It’s supposed to be fun!”

John Taylor says: “After all these years, Danse Macabre offers an interesting insight into the personality of the band. The music packs a real punch.”

Roger Taylor adds: “I hope you take a journey with us through the darker side of our inspirations into where we’re at in 2023. Maybe, you’ll leave with a deeper understanding of how Duran Duran got to this moment in time.”

Danse Macabre is the band’s 16th studio album and follows 2021’s FUTURE PAST. In 2022 the band was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

Read our recent interview with Duran Duran’s Roger Taylor.

Danse Macabre Tracklist:

1. Nightboat
2. Black Moonlight
3. Love Voudou
4. Bury a Friend
5. Supernature
6. Danse Macabre
7. Secret Oktober 31st
8. Ghost Town
9. Paint It Black
10. Super Lonely Freak
11. Spellbound
12. Psycho Killer (feat. Victoria De Angelis)
13. Confession in the Afterlife

Duran Duran Tour Dates:

08/31 – Minnesota State Fair – St. Paul, MN*
09/01 – Huntington Bank Pavilion at Northerly Island – Chicago, IL*
09/03 – CMAC – Canandaigua, NY*
09/06 – TD Garden – Boston, MA*
09/07 – Wells Fargo Center – Philadelphia, PA*
09/09 – PPG Paints Arena – Pittsburgh, PA*
09/10 – Blossom Music Center – Cuyahoga Falls, OH*
09/13 – Capital One Arena – Washington, DC*
09/16 – Little Caesars Arena – Detroit, MI*
09/19 – Scotiabank Arena – Toronto, ON*
09/20 – Bell Centre – Montreal, QC+
09/22 – Forest Hills Stadium – Queens, NY**
09/23 – Ocean Casino Resort – Ovation Hall – Atlantic City, NJ

** w/ Grace Jones, Nile Rodgers & Chic and Bastille
* w/ Nile Rodgers & Chic and Bastille
+w/ Nile Rodgers & Chic

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