Wednesday, April 4, 2012

D is for Duran Duran. And David Bowie. Oh! And Def Leppard


I spent a good portion of my youth pining over Rikki Rockett, the drummer for the band Poison (and now burying my head in shame.) Hey, I was young...and he played (plays?) the drums. But I wasn't the only one with a rockstar crush...

Jessica Bell and I have teamed up for the A-Z blogging challenge this year to talk about our musical muses - a band/artist or song that has inspired, or affected us.  (Oh, and in case you thought I was just about to dish about Jessica's rock star crushes...psyche!)

DURAN DURAN didn't inspire me the same way some of the other musicians in this blogging challenge have, but the band certainly had an impact. Because while I was crushing on Rikki, my childhood best friend, Cristy, was all about Simon Le Bon and Duran Duran.

Hard not to become a fan of the music with songs like this:



Back when MuchMusic and MTV played more music videos than other stuff, the video for this song became one of my favorites - and may have been the original catalyst into my desire to write scripts. Great video, right?

But if we're talking pure inspiration, I've got another "D" artist in mind - DAVID BOWIE.

This picture is from Labyrinth, where David Bowie plays the Goblin King. (Damn, I wish I'd written that movie.)

Labyrinth ranks right up there with The Princess Bride, The Dark Crystal, Willow, and Legend for movies that pretty much defined my youth and allowed me to believe in magic. (Though, I admit to being a bit creeped out by David's crotch-grabbing tights in Labyrinth.)

While Bowie's acting leaves a little to be desired on the big screen, he lacks nothing when it comes to performance excellence in his music. I had the pleasure of enjoying the GLASS SPIDER tour, where I fell in love with songs I didn't even know he sang.

Of course, I'll leave you with a song I have always known he sang, because it comes straight from Labyrinth, Dance Magic. (You remind me of the babe...)


But I can't stop there, because those who knew me would call foul if I didn't mention the other "D" band that had a major impact on my life. DEF LEPPARD. 

While I was pining after Rikki, and Cristy was ga-ga over Simon Le Bon, another important friend in my life would have - and still would - do anything for Joe Elliott. I didn't mind Jennifer's obsession (not only because she supported mine) because Def Leppard has some amazing tracks. Including this one:



And before anyone calls me on it, yeah, maybe I changed the lyrics to this song a little when I was a kid...

"I'm outta luck, outta love,
Got a photograph, picture of,
Rikki Rockett, you're too much,
You're the only man I wanna touch..."

* cough *

Ok, enough personal humiliation. Who are your favorite musical "D" bands or artists?

Now, go check out some of the other blogs taking part in the A-Z Blogging challenge, including my Dawn Dalton blog where I'm talking about awesome YA books, and the Most-Wanted Monsters blog where Judith and I are writing poems and talking smack about some creeptastic beasties.

- Dawn

19 comments:

  1. Hahaha! Noice choices :) Did you know that I got my first gig in Athens auditioning with the cover of one of Duran Duran songs? :) Can't even remember which one. That's how much I liked it. LOLOL

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    1. You don't remember the song? Any lyrics? Now I'm super curious! Why did you even pick that song?

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  2. there is everything to love about this post, and all the Ds you included!

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    1. MI!!!!! My heart is full once again to see you HERE not only in the blogosphere, but on MY blog. If all I needed was Duran Duran, or David Bowie, or Def Leppard to bring you back, I would have done it LONG ago...<3

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    2. haha, you are too funny! i think of you all the time, did you know that? and you are my inspiration to start writing again. I WILL GET BACK TO MY MANUSCRIPT!

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  3. You are so awesome! I love your lyric changing! It's funny, I grabbed my Def Leppard greatest hits album the other day and was dancing around the house to it! My favourite song is Pour Some Sugar On Me - sounds like something you'd pole dance to, though LOL!

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    1. LOL...I personally have never pole danced to Def Leppard (or any song, just to be clear), but yes, I can TOTALLY see it now. Hmmm.... Thanks for not making too much fun of my lyrics :-D

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  4. David Bowie is great, only last week i was listening to the Reality Tour album :)

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  5. You hit two of my faves... and while I like Def Leppard too, I'd have to pick Depeche Mode over them.

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    1. I totally forgot about Depeche Mode. Some really great songs - and some amazing memories. Thank you! (*goes and digs out DM CDs*)

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  6. Pour Some Sugar on me was number one on MTV for like the entire summer when I was in fifth grade. Good times.

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    1. It did have an amazingly long run at the top!

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  7. I LOVE Duran Duran! I had posters of them all over my room. And David Bowie as the Goblin King? Brilliant. I remember being attracted to him and slightly confused by my attraction at the same time. :) Great D choices!

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    1. OMG, Shannon I am totally nodding my head. Yes, attracted AND confused! Hilarious.

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  8. Nice! Just have to add a little Depeche Mode and I am all set!

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    1. Yup, I agree. DM should have been on this list...

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  9. Didya ever see that episode of Flight of the Conchords with Bowie? Awesome.

    I'd pick Duran Duran too.

    Visiting from A to Z.

    prose-spective.blogspot.com

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  10. I'm a goldie oldie type and don't have a particular fave but David Bowie rocks even after all these years.
    dreamweaver

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