Duran are featured in the November 1997 issue of Request, a magazine available only at Sam Goody and Musicland stores.

There are two different articles, one a 2-page fashion spread: Duran Duran defined the united colors of MTV throughout the '80s. The new-romantic heroes wore suits of royal blue, lavender, pastel green, and white, with matching skinny ties--except for bassist and future Power Station member John Taylor, who favored fedoras and leather pants with a chain wrapped around mid-thigh. (Why he wore the chain was a mystery. Like his fellow Durannies, he was a lover, not a fighter.) In the androgynous '80s, both boys and girls wanted to know the beauty secrets of Simon LeBon, Nick Rhodes, and the three Taylors (Andy and Roger being the others). The hair was long in the back, short on the sides, and fluffy on top, and its hues changed with every exotic locale of every glamorous video. While all of them had better makeup jobs than their supermodel girlfriends, the most accomplished was Rhodes, who always made sure his lipstick matched his hot-pink shirts.

Considering that Duran Duran was born in the '80s, a decade that produced more than its share of one-hit wonders who shot to the top of the charts only to ricochet straight into the "Where are they now?" files, the band's return to the top of the heap with Duran Duran in 1993 was impressive. This month LeBon, Rhodes, and guitarist Warren Cuccurullo release their 12th album, Medazzaland. Let the member of a-ha and Flock of Seagulls pray for a Grosse Point Blank 2 soundtrack; Duran Duran has survived not by looking back, but by looking good. -- by Sara Sherr & Chris Nadler

ŠAnd a review of Medazzaland in the "Geezers" section: Like the Nazis used to say, if you're going to lie, tell a big lie, and the guys in Duran Duran are nothing if not musical totalitarians; as David Bowie did in the "Diamond Dogs" era, they set out to make the apocalyptic future sound thrilling. It works on Medazzaland (Capitol) because Simon LeBon delivers the band's sci-fi lyrics with the perfect mix of bombast and jaded ennui. To complete the Bowie analogy, ex-Frank Zappa pro Warren Cuccurullo fills Duran Duran's Robert Fripp/Reeves Gabrels role, building layers of guitar underneath the disco beat.