The James Bond franchise has confirmed to be a profitable enterprise for musicians. Within the 60 years because the first 007 film was launched in 1962, every movie has been given its personal distinctive theme music, performed out over an clever and unavoidable opening sequence. From Shirley Bassey to Jack White, each artist has tried to place their very own stamp on the enduring section whereas trying to seize the mystique of Bond and honour John Barry’s unique rating. Some select to be stern and severe; others lighthearted and energetic. Usually, the tracks find yourself rocketing into the charts, simply as Eilish’s No Time To Die did in 2021. Nonetheless, there’s solely been one artist who has efficiently landed a primary hit on the Billboard Scorching 100 with a 007 providing, and that’s Duran Duran.
Written for 1985’s Moonraker starring Roger Moore, ‘View To A Kill’ is a masterclass in ’80s camp. That includes synthesised orchestra hits, Stylish-esque funk guitar and pounding reverberated snares, the only appears to have been designed with the set goal of giving The Jesus and Mary Chain followers pop-induced aneurysms. Alternatively, American audiences couldn’t get sufficient of it.
In accordance with bassist John Taylor, Duran Duran agreed to make the observe after he was approached by Bond producer Albert ‘Cubby’ Brocolli at a celebration. Taylor, who was extraordinarily drunk on the time, advised Brocolli that he was a long-time fan of the Bond movies. Certainly, the musician had beforehand acknowledged his in depth Bond video assortment in a number of interviews and acquired an Aston Martin with the cash he’d made with the band. He advised Brocolli that he thought the music in the previous few movies had been fairly mediocre, citing Sheena Easton’s ‘For Your Eyes Solely’ because the worst offender.
Talking to Matt Bendoris in an interview revealed on Duran Duran’s web site, Taylor defined: “I met Bond’s legendary producer Cubby Broccoli and with the arrogance of youth I requested him, ‘So when are you going to have a good theme tune once more?’ It wasn’t a knock at Sheena Easton, however there hadn’t been one in years. So Cubby despatched the movie composer John Barry to satisfy me and we wrote ‘A View To A Kill’ in my entrance room.”
Wanting again on the music in 2012, Taylor stated: “Bond songs must be huge songs, don’t they? They must have the grandiosity. It’s like designing a Rolls-Royce. You need it to be utterly cutting-edge, nevertheless it’s at all times going to have the honking nice radiator grill on the entrance. There’s sure standards that must be fulfilled. However I believe we nailed it with that music. We actually did nail it.”
That they did. On launch, ‘A View To A Kill’ soared straight to the highest of the US Scorching 100, making Duran Duran the one artist to have secured the highest spot with a Bond theme. With the help of Princess Diana already within the bag, the only cemented the band as one of many largest acts on the planet.
