В интернете довольно мало информации про Reportage - собрала здесь, что нашла. Этот альбом мог бы выйти в 2006 году, после Астронавта. Есть информация, что там 14 песен, известны только названия половины из них: Criminals in the Capital, Under the Wire, Traumatised, Judy Where Are You?, 48 Hours Later, Transcendal Mental, Nobody.
Даже обложка к нему была готова: "Reportage" had artwork that was advanced as the music was – the 'rough mixes' stage. JT"
А потом его вдруг не стали выпускать, отделавшись дурацкой отговоркой.
Initially, the group had an album with the working title Reportage completed. Surprisingly, Rhodes says it was a very politically-oriented album dealing with the war in Afghanistan and various political leaders.
Мне уже смешно.
С какой радости Duran Duran писать песни о войне в Афганистане? Или в Ираке, если верить Википедии. Едва ли для Саймона большая проблема переписать тексты, если вдруг ребята поняли, что их занесло куда-то не туда. В свое время он, например, довольно лихо переделал Butt Naked в Be My Icon.Ближе к истине кажется другая версия: дюраны поцапались между собой из-за этого альбома. Он не понравился Энди - тот считал, что запись сырая, никуда не годится. Остальные четверо, вероятно, думали иначе. Сам Энди Тейлор в своей книжке написал об этом так:
[...] I hadn't disagreed with Sony in 2005 when they'd rejected JT's painful production of Reportage [our unreleased album], and I wasn't alone, but nobody had the balls to tell Nick and John that the album just wasn't up to it. JT couldn't see this, or more to the point, feel it. They knew how I felt but in their ignorance ignored the one guy who was being straight and actually knew how to operate the machine. Occasionally [like on most days] I get asked by fans if I would ever consider joining Duran Duran for a third time? Sadly, I don't think there's any likelihood of that and the direction they've taken would not be of my choosing. Aside from anything else it would mean Nick and I have had more make-ups and break-ups than Liz Taylor and Richard Burton! So there's not a cat in hell's chance - it's over. Like all divorces, it was inevitable that at some stage the lawyers would become involved. Our financial affairs had always been a bit of a complex web to say least, and no severance was ever going to be easy, particulary one as sudden and deceptive as my exit from the band. there were no farewell or handshakes and there was not even time to arrange for all of my musical equipment to be sent back to me'.
Энди обиделся за то, что его выставили за дверь и запретил издавать Reportage в каком-либо виде. А значит, даже сэмплы оттуда взять было нельзя.
Worse news followed when the four remaining members learnt from Taylor's lawyer that he would injunct any attempt on their part to release the Reportage recordings. "It's always been quite a difficult, abrasive relationship," LeBon says.
Пришлось в срочном порядке менять все планы, в том числе в отношении продюсеров. Изначально Тимбаленда приглашали на два сингла, в конечном итоге выпустили с ним целый альбом.
Когда слушаешь, о чем говорят дюраны (в особенности Саймон), можно захлебнуться слюной. Есть еще несколько секунд о работе в студии - впечатление по ним составить нельзя, они больше на саундчек похожи.
Пара слов про одну из песен: "There is one song of 'Reportage' called 'Judy, Where Are You'. Nick told me [in the airport lounge before their departure to Manila] that the song is about their friend in New Orleans who went missing after the Katrina. Nick said it's a beautiful song and has got the kinks' influence.
Кто знает, может альбом еще увидит свет. Во всяком случае Ник не исключает такой возможности.
Rhodes says the group hopes to release "Reportage," the album it scrapped in favor of "Red Carpet Massacre" that features the last work original guitarist Andy Taylor did with the band. "We want it to come out one day," the keyboardist says. "It's a really interesting record...more of an edgy, indie rock album, obviously going back to our earlier roots. There are a lot of songs I'm very proud of that I'd like people to hear."
