Nick Rhodes Disses Bond Songs

Hardyboy

In the Inflated Ego Department, Nick Rhodes of Duran Duran has sounded off on the post-AVTAK Bond themes in an interview with Contact Music. Here are his comments in full:

NICK RHODES hates all the JAMES BOND theme songs which followed DURAN DURAN's 1985 track for A VIEW TO A KILL, and insists the band should have been asked to record the song for new 007 movie CASINO ROYALE. The keyboardist believes the subsequent theme songs have lost their way because the chosen artists haven't cared enough about the suave super spy character. He says, "I think they lost their way after we did it. I haven't heard the new one, but I've heard it isn't great, which is disappointing if it's true. "They've all been a bit s**t to be honest. I think it's time we did another one. I know a lot of people would like that as the song and the film are cult classics. "It was a different kind of song for Bond back then but we made sure it had the classic Bond ingredients, which the new songs don't seem to have."

Feel free to comment away. . .

MBE_

Charming. ) Well, at least he's speaking in his own field unlike Cornell who dismissed all previous Bond films and actors before bestowing us with his "musical" contribution after he'd deemed a Bond film worthy of his talents. But who knew AVTAK the film was now considered a cult classic?

MBE

JennyFlexFan

MBE_ wrote:

Charming. ) Well, at least he's speaking in his own field unlike Cornell who dismissed all previous Bond films and actors before bestowing us with his "musical" contribution after he'd deemed a Bond film worthy of his talents. But who knew AVTAK the film was now considered a cult classic?

MBE

You better believe it is!

Loeffelholz

Well, if Nick Rhodes says it, that's good enough for me ) Telling that he hasn't bothered to even listen to the new one before slagging it...Well, with a hairdo like he sported in 1983, why trust what goes on directly beneath it? B-)

His opinion of past (and present) Bond songs is more or less equal to Cornell's---or my own, or anyone else's here---when added to genuine legal tender, it's good for all debts, public and private :v

I wonder if he's gotten his licence to sell real estate yet?

Barbel

Hardyboy wrote:

Nick Rhodes: "the chosen artists haven't cared enough about the suave super spy character."

He may have a point there, at least about some of the chosen artists (fill in names according to personal taste) but IMHO it's as much if not more to do with the songwriters (again personal tastes will inform the choice) and whether THEY care enough.

"It was a different kind of song for Bond back then but we made sure it had the classic Bond ingredients, which the new songs don't seem to have."

Some do, some don't- again, it's down to the writing.

Sir Hillary Bray

I agree that no song since 1985 has even come close to matching AVTAK. But do we really need a bloated 80s pop star taking shots from the sidelines? You and the boys made a great Bond song back in the day, Nick -- now sit down and shut up.

jetsetwilly

MBE_ wrote:

But who knew AVTAK the film was now considered a cult classic?

Perhaps he was speaking to the same journalist as Daniel Craig, and his finger slipped on the key

Rhodes doesn't seem to have noticed that Duran Duran went down the skids a lot faster than Bond themes after 1985...

MBE_

jetsetwilly wrote:

MBE_ wrote:

But who knew AVTAK the film was now considered a cult classic?

Perhaps he was speaking to the same journalist as Daniel Craig, and his finger slipped on the key

Rhodes doesn't seem to have noticed that Duran Duran went down the skids a lot faster than Bond themes after 1985...

MBE

Dan Same

I agree with him that the Bond songs went downhill after AVTAK. However IMO it had nothng to do with the (alleged) brilliance of AVTAK, but rather because they were just plain bad to begin with. (Well, a couple weren't all that bad.) Personally, I think that the last truly good theme song was "All Time High."

MBE_

More proof that one person's good Bond song is another's ear worm. I loathe All Time High, or I would loathe it if I could manage not to nod off during it.

MBE

Dan Same

MBE_ wrote:

More prrof that one person's good Bond song is another's ear worm. I loathe All Time High, or I would loathe it if I could manage not to nod off during it.

MBE

Fine, but if you insult GF, then there's going to be trouble.

MBE_

Dan Same wrote:

MBE_ wrote:

More prrof that one person's good Bond song is another's ear worm. I loathe All Time High, or I would loathe it if I could manage not to nod off during it.

MBE

Fine, but if you insult GF, then there's going to be trouble.

No trouble here. I like Goldfinger -- it's brassy ballsy fun. Though it isn't my favorite Bassey Bond song -- that honor goes to Diamonds Are Forever.

MBE

Hardyboy

MBE_ wrote:

More proof that one person's good Bond song is another's ear worm.

True that: I didn't want to mention this earlier for fear of riling certain members, but I can't stand Duran Duran's AVTAK song. The melody is fine--the instrumentals on the soundtrack album are the highlight of a very mediocre score--but otherwise I find it an overproduced, screeching mess. So there!

As for post-AVTAK songs, perhaps the title songs haven't been up to snuff (though I have a fondness for the very Bondian TWINE), but in my opinion some of the closing songs really clean AVTAK's clock--"If There Was a Man," "If You Asked Me To," and "Surrender" all come to mind.

MBE_

I have issues with AVTAK as well, it's not a favorite of mine. It has energy I'll give it that but I'm not thrilled about the vocals (though they're eons better than Cornell's cat screechings) and the relentless OTT-ness.

I also think the closing songs to TLD, LTK and TND are easily superior to their opening songs (though TND has grown on me a bit over the years, the others have not) as well as other songs in the series. I love Garbage's TWINE, it's one of my top 5 Bond songs.

MBE

emtiem

I can't actually disagree with im; they have all been a bit lacking. I'm not sure that's because of a lack of understanding or just a lack of John Barry, quite frankly. I quite like Daylights but after that I think the only one which has any worth is probably Tomorrow Never Dies (and that's not exactly memorable)- everything else Barry wasn't involved with has just been a spoof of Bond songs. Actually, although it's no great song by a long way, at least Die Another Day manages not to follow the old Goldfinger spoof path.

taity

YES! emtiem you get a prize for saying exactly what I was thinking.

The last few themes have been Goldfingered inspired rubbish. When Goldfinger came out, it had class. But that was 1964 it was made. When looking back at some of the other big name themes - TB, YOLT, OHMSS, Nobody does it better, FYEO, AVTAK they sound nothing like GF. One moght say that it was part of a larger problems with the last four movies being nothng but Bond cliches, but thats in another topic.

I do like AVTAK, very up beat and modern. TLD was also a good theme, but I do agree with what Rhodes said. He could have been more diplomatic about it.

And JFF (and others) a cult classic is a movie that some people like, but the majority of the population deem it to be ****e.;)

JennyFlexFan

Um... isn't that what it is? My NSA brethren, myself, and others are lovers of AVTAK. While the majority of people despise it.

Oooooooooh, wait I got it, you're saying NO ONE likes AVTAK. taity, taity, taity... do you want me to work my magic in turning this board into ANOTHER AVTAK argument? I've been known to do that, you know.

Hardyboy

JennyFlexFan wrote:

... do you want me to work my magic in turning this board into ANOTHER AVTAK argument? I've been known to do that, you know.

And the mods have told you what will happen if you do!

JennyFlexFan

I used to do it on purpose but now I do it inadvertantly so your statement holds true. So I shall refrain from some senseless AVTAK-ing.

taity

JennyFlexFan wrote:

I used to do it on purpose but now I do it inadvertantly so your statement holds true. So I shall refrain from some senseless AVTAK-ing.

Your right, supporting AVTAK is senseless. On the plus side it did have a wicked theme song, and thats what we were talking about so ill refrain from provking you anymore/

Monique

MBE_ wrote:

More proof that one person's good Bond song is another's ear worm. I loathe All Time High, or I would loathe it if I could manage not to nod off during it.

MBE

Oh God, me too! No matter what she sings, she always sounds off key to me. That is probably my least favorite theme. Well..bottom 3 anyway.

jetsetwilly

Monique wrote:

MBE_ wrote:

More proof that one person's good Bond song is another's ear worm. I loathe All Time High, or I would loathe it if I could manage not to nod off during it.

MBE

Oh God, me too! No matter what she sings, she always sounds off key to me. That is probably my least favorite theme. Well..bottom 3 anyway.

All Time High is right up there with For Your Eyes Only on the bleh scale. The song starts, continues, then finishes, and frankly, I can barely remember what happened in between. It's like someone vocalised "insipid". Put it this way: recording a Bond theme gets you a place in cinematic music history. Do you think Rita Coolidge deserves to be there?

heartbroken_mr_drax

the best bond songs after AVTAK were:
GE
TLD

DAD is ok, i enjoy it, even though it doesnt really fit a bond film.

Monique

jetsetwilly wrote:

Put it this way: recording a Bond theme gets you a place in cinematic music history. Do you think Rita Coolidge deserves to be there?

Truthfully...no. I think her ex-husband had a far more impressive and interesting career. I never cared for Rita much. As for Sheena, I always thought she was lucky to have the place of honor of being the only artist to show her face during the title credits. The FYEO theme sticks in my head for days after I watch the movie though..I wish it was as forgettable for me jetset. )

JennyFlexFan

taity wrote:

JennyFlexFan wrote:

I used to do it on purpose but now I do it inadvertantly so your statement holds true. So I shall refrain from some senseless AVTAK-ing.

Your right, supporting AVTAK is senseless. On the plus side it did have a wicked theme song, and thats what we were talking about so ill refrain from provking you anymore/

taity, if you provoke me like this again...

Anyway, here comes JFF, defender of the not-so-loved Bond movies and theme songs! I'm rather fond of 'All Time High' and 'For Your Eyes Only' and in my opinion, very strong love themes (especially FYEO). Rita sounds a bit off-key in some parts, but I still love the song, as it flows beautifully in John Barry's score and FYEO flows beautifully respectively, in Bill Conti's score. These are easy-to-translate theme songs into a score and are each wonderful in their own right. Same as NSNA, actually. None of these to me are insipid.

Loeffelholz

I'm not particularly crazy about 'All Time High,' but I confess to loving Rita Coolidge's voice, in one particular song: "We're All Alone," which I think came out in '78, and is the soundtrack to a special moment in The German's past... ;%

Every time I hear it, I am transported through time...and space...

Barbel

Loeffelholz wrote:

I'm not particularly crazy about 'All Time High,' but I confess to loving Rita Coolidge's voice, in one particular song: "We're All Alone," which I think came out in '78, and is the soundtrack to a special moment in The German's past... ;%

Every time I hear it, I am transported through time...and space...

And that's the magical quality of music- it causes direct effects on the emotions without passing through the filters. Very Proustian, Loeffelholz 8-)(btw, that song came out in '77).

Moonraker 5

Monique wrote:

jetsetwilly wrote:

Put it this way: recording a Bond theme gets you a place in cinematic music history. Do you think Rita Coolidge deserves to be there?

Truthfully...no.

Reminds me of a comment a mate made when he heard You Know My Name...

"Who is this guy anyway? Doing a Bond theme is joining an exclusive club - Shirley Bassey, Tom Jones, Louis Armstrong, Paul McCartney, Duran Duran, Tina Turner, Madonna...Chris Cornell?" And what about Rita Coolidge, I asked. "Oh yeah...forgot about her." 'Nuff said.

emtiem

And was Shirley Bassey riding that high when she got the gig? I'm not sure. Maybe she was. I don't think Matt Munro was doing amazing business at the time- they just voices which suited the songs.

As for FYEO and All Time High- yeah, they're always the tracks I skip through if I have my Bond cd on. Where Nobody Does it Better sounds Bondy somehow these just dont.

Moonraker 5

emtiem wrote:

And was Shirley Bassey riding that high when she got the gig? I'm not sure. Maybe she was. I don't think Matt Munro was doing amazing business at the time- they just voices which suited the songs.

Going by my folks, Matt Monro was certainly well known (in the UK at least) in '63 and my mum was already a fan of the Bassey when she landed Goldfinger; though that broke her into the American market, she was already established here. But it's a mute argument anyway, as back then Monro had no predecessors and Bassey just had Monro! There was no exclusive club; Bond hadn't become cemented as an ad infinitum series, as time's gone on the tradition's become heavier. This is 40 years down the line, 19 artists and performers later.

Napoleon Plural

Rhodes isn't far off the mark at all. And Duran Duran went on to do very good Bondian songs with Come Undone and Ordinary Day (tho that's about it).

Odd that Barry would have come back for TND if he could have been allowed to do the theme song. But no, they want a modern pop act. Now, tell me, just how is Crowe's TND, or any of the others bar Madge's drek, anything that Barry couldn't have improved upon either creatively or in terms of chart placing?