Somehow, one never expects to see words such as “pioneering,” or “groundbreaking” used in reference to 1980s glam sensations Duran Duran. But then again, who could have ever guessed that David Bowie would someday dabble in securitization in the global bond markets?
Yet such accolades may well be in order given a recent press release touting Duran Duran’s stab at a “second” career. While precise details remain vague, the five original members of Duran Duran have commissioned five custom-designed avatars to represent the group in the popular MMORPG game Second Life.
The virtual version of the group will become immersed in the Second Life game, where they will be free to inhabit a “fantasy, luxury island” replete with “in-world” concerts and media appearances designed to accompany the band’s real-world engagements.
Keyboardist Nick Rhodes had this to say of the project:
“Second Life has brought a third dimension to the internet; it is the new frontier where dreams have become reality. Whatever you can imagine is now possible. When the video revolution began we instantly saw the opportunity to experiment and explore a new form of expression to enhance the musical experience. Second Life is the future right now, offering endless possibilities for artists. Our community will be able to help develop the island into a fully functional, futuristic utopia, where you can never be quite sure what to expect. Duran Duran are thrilled to be the first band to become citizens of Second Life and are rehearsing now for our first concert there in the coming months.”
For critics of our hideously-aging rockers touring to raise money for their pensions, the avatar route seems like a nice fix. Now you can tour until you're in the grave, while keeping that youthful, fresh appearance we demand from our popular music icons.
Personally, we’re more than a bit concerned that a band who often seemed off in their own fantasy world (anyone remember the video for Rio?) in real life is now setting off to inhabit their own “fantasy, luxury island” in imaginary space.
Then again, if we've learned anything from Jimmy Buffet and his flock, perhaps it’s best to quarantine aging rockers to fantasy islands in imaginary spaces.
Just imagine, a world without parrot-heads...
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