A break from the usual weekend radio silence to report on a very exciting story over at Slicing Up Eyeballs: EMI's Dutch Web site has added reissues of Duran Duran's Notorious and Big Thing to their catalogue schedule. Both titles have a release date of June 7, and will ostensibly serve as companion pieces to the great, recent deluxe editions of the Duran discography (Rio and a vintage live show, Hammersmith '82, were released last fall, and 2 CD/1 DVD versions of Duran Duran, Seven and the Ragged Tiger, and the Duran side-project Arcadia's So Red the Rose are due in the next two months).

These two Duran LPs are two of the more intriguing entries in the band's catalogue. Recorded after the departure of guitarist Andy Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor, these more "mature" sounding albums signified the beginning of the end for worldwide Duran-mania but opened the door for some intriguing new sonic directions. Notorious was more of a straight-ahead rock record than its predecessors, with a heavy dose of funk courtesy of producer Nile Rodgers. And Big Thing dabbled both in Chicago house and more atmospheric ballads than the traditional New Wave sounds of yore. And each had a handful of hits or just great singles, including "Notorious" and "Skin Trade" from the former album and "I Don't Want Your Love" and "All She Wants Is" from the latter.

As of March 3, track lists have been released for each, along with a boatload of extras, viewable after the jump. For posterity purposes, my original speculations have been retained after the listings.

Notorious: Special Edition (Originally released as EMI DDN 331, 1986)

Disc 1: Original LP, single versions and B-side

1. Notorious
2. American Science
3. Skin Trade
4. A Matter of Feeling
5. Hold Me
6. Vertigo (Do the Demolition)
7. So Misled
8. Meet El Presidente
9. Winter Marches On
10. Proposition
11. Notorious (45 Mix) (7" A-side - EMI DDN 45, 1986)
12. Skin Trade (Radio Cut) (7" A-side - EMI TRADE 1, 1987)
13. We Need You (B-side to "Skin Trade" - EMI TRADE 1, 1987)
14. Meet El Presidente (7" Remix) (7" A-side - EMI TOUR 1, 1987)

Disc 2: Live material and remixes

1. Notorious (Live) (from Duran Goes Dutch EP - Capitol SPRO-79097/8, 1987)
2. Vertigo (Do the Demolition) (Live) (from Duran Goes Dutch EP - Capitol SPRO-79097/8, 1987)
3. New Religion (Live) (from Duran Goes Dutch EP - Capitol SPRO-79097/8, 1987)
4. Hungry Like the Wolf (Live) (from Duran Goes Dutch EP - Capitol SPRO-79097/8, 1987)
5. American Science (Live) (from Duran Goes Dutch EP - Capitol SPRO-79097/8, 1987)
6. Notorious (Extended Mix) (12" A-side - EMI 12 DDN 45, 1986)
7. Skin Trade (Stretch Mix) (12" A-side - EMI 12 TRADE 1, 1987)
8. Meet El Presidente (12" Remix) (12" A-side - EMI 12 TOUR 1, 1987)
9. American Science (Chemical Reaction Mix) (from Master Mixes EP - Capitol VB-15320 1/2, 1987)
10. Skin Trade (Parisian Mix) (from "Meet El Presidente" 12" promo - EMI 12 CLUB-TOUR 1, 1987)
11. Notorious (Latin Rascals Mix) (12" A-side - EMI 12 DDNX 45, 1986)
12. Vertigo (Do the Demolition) (Mantronix Mix) (from Master Mixes EP - Capitol VB-15320 1/2, 1987) **
13. Notoriousaurus Rex (from Master Mixes EP - Capitol VB-15320 1/2, 1987) **

DISC 3: DVD

1. Working for the Skin Trade live concert (previously unreleased on DVD):
   Intro
   A View to a Kill
   Notorious
   New Religion
   Vertigo (Do the Demolition)
   The Chauffeur
   Save a Prayer
   Skin Trade
   Hungry Like the Wolf
   The Wild Boys
   Outro
2. Notorious (Music Video)
3. Skin Trade (Music Video)
4. Meet El Presidente (Music Video) (previously unreleased on DVD)
5. Notorious (Live on Top of the Pops - 11/6/1986) (previously unreleased on DVD)

Digital-Only Material

Notorious Dub EP

1. Skin Trade (S.O.S. Dub) (from "Meet El Presidente" 12" promo - EMI 12 CLUB-TOUR 1, 1987)
2. Meet El Presidente (Meet El Beat) (12" B-side - EMI 12 TOUR 1, 1987)
3. American Science (Meltdown Dub)  (from Master Mixes EP - Capitol VB-15320 1/2, 1987)
4. Vertigo (Do the Demolition) (B-Boy Mix) (from Master Mixes EP - Capitol VB-15320 1/2, 1987)

Live at the Beacon Theater, New York City - 8/31/1987

1. Introduction/A View to a Kill
2. Notorious
3. American Science
4. Union of the Snake
5. Vertigo (Do the Demolition)
6. New Religion
7. Meet El Presidente
8. Election Day
9. Some Like It Hot
10. The Chauffeur
11. Skin Trade
12. Hold Me (incorporating Dance to the Music)
13. Is There Something I Should Know?
14. Hungry Like the Wolf

VINYL: LP 1 is the original album. LP 2 is the Master Mixes EP (Side 1: American Science (Chemical Reaction Mix), Vertigo (Do the Demolition (Mantronix Mix), Skin Trade (Parisian Mix); Side 2: American Science (Meltdown Dub), Vertigo (Do the Demolition) (B-Boy Mix), Notoriousaurus Rex)

Big Thing: Special Edition (originally released as EMI DDB 33, 1988)

Disc 1: Original LP

1. Big Thing
2. I Don't Want Your Love
3. All She Wants Is
4. Too Late Marlene
5. Drug (It's Just a State of Mind)
6. Do You Believe in Shame?
7. Palomino
8. Interlude One
9. Land
10. Flute Interlude
11. The Edge of America
12. Lake Shore Driving

Disc 2: Singles, B-sides and Remixes

1. I Don't Want Your Love (Shep Pettibone 7" Mix) (7" A-side - EMI YOUR 1, 1988)
2. All She Wants Is (45 Mix) (7" A-side - EMI DD 11, 1988)
3. I Believe/All I Need to Know (previously unreleased extended version, original version was B-side to EMI DD 11, 1988)
4. The Krush Brothers LSD Edit (B-side to "Do You Believe in Shame" (Simon Version 7") - EMI DDA 12, 1989)
5. God (London) (B-side to "Do You Believe in Shame" (Nick Version 7") - EMI DDB 12, 1989)
6. This is How a Road Gets Made (B-side to "Do You Believe in Shame" (Nick Version 7") - EMI DDB 12, 1989)
7. Palomino (Edit) (B-side to "Do You Believe in Shame" (Nick Version 7") - EMI DDB 12, 1989)
8. Drug (It's Just a State of Mind) (Daniel Abraham Mix) (B-side to "Do You Believe in Shame" (John Version 7") - EMI DDC 12, 1989)
9. Big Thing (7" Mix) (previously unreleased)
10. I Don't Want Your Love (Big Mix) (12" A-side - EMI 12 YOUR 1, 1988)
11. All She Wants Is (US Master Mix) (12" A-side - EMI 12 DDX 11, 1988)
12. Big Thing (12" Mix) (previously unreleased)
13. All She Wants Is (Eurohouse Mix) (12" A-side - EMI 12 DD 11, 1988)

Disc 3: DVD

1. Big Thing Live - Palatrussardi, Milan, Italy, 12/12/1988 (previously unreleased on DVD)
   Introduction/God
   Big Thing
   I Don't Want Your Love
   Hungry Like the Wolf
   Do You Believe in Shame?
   All She Wants Is/Planet Earth
   This is How a Road Gets Made/Winter Marches On
   Palomino
   Too Late Marlene
   Girls on Film
   Notorious
   Skin Trade
   Is There Something I Should Know?
   The Wild Boys/Drug (It's Just a State of Mind)
   Band Introduction/Save a Prayer
   The Reflex
   Rio
   The Edge of America
2. I Don't Want You Love (Music Video)
3. All She Wants Is (Music Video)
4. Do You Believe In Shame? (Music Video) (previously unreleased on DVD)

Digital-Only Material

Big Thing Dub EP

1. I Don't Want Your Love (Dub Mix) (from 12" promo - EMI 12 YOURDJ 1, 1988)
2. All She Wants Is (Euro Dub Mix) (12" B-side - EMI 12 DD 11, 1988)
3. All She Wants Is (Eurohouse Dub) (from UK 12" promo - EMI 12 DD-DJ 11, 1988)
4. All She Wants Is (US Master Dub) (from US 12" promo - Capitol SPRO-79483, 1988)

BBC in Concert: Live at the Manchester Apollo (recorded 4/25/1989, broadcast 5/25/1989)

1. Big Thing
2. I Don't Want Your Love
3. Hungry Like the Wolf
4. Palomino
5. A View to a Kill
6. Skin Trade
7. Girls on Film
8. Notorious
9. Save a Prayer
10. Get It On
11. The Reflex
12. Rio

VINYL: LP 1 is the original album. LP 2 is a 12" mix EP (Side 1: I Don't Want Your Love (Big Mix), All She Wants Is (Eurohouse Mix); Side 2: All She Wants Is (US Master Mix), Big Thing (12" Mix))

 

ORIGINAL POST/SPECULATION: Based on my knowledge of the Duran catalogue, here are some of the things we could be getting on the forthcoming Notorious/Big Thing sets:

Lots of rare audio material. The other reissues have managed to combine previously-released B-sides and remixes (all of which are commonly found on EMI's great singles box sets, The Singles 81-85 and The Singles 1986-1995) with rare or unreleased material (such as the BBC sessions on the upcoming Duran Duran reissue or the U.S. remixes of Rio that made their CD debut on the new reissue). I think that Notorious and Big Thing will skew heavily toward songs that are unreleased or very hard to find on CD. This includes:

• Duran Goes Dutch: a live EP recorded in The Netherlands on the 1987 Strange Behaviour Tour. These tracks were released once on CD, as a bonus disc with original Japanese pressings of Big Thing. You can listen to the tracks on Wolfgang's Vault. I like 'em a lot - the band had a strong tour going this time around, utilizing a full horn section (Duran sideman Andy Hamilton, who'd done the sax work on Rio and Ragged Tiger plus brass heavyweights Stan Harrison and Mac Gollehon) and some great presence by guitarist Warren Cuccurullo (who'd later become a full-time member of the band) and drummer Steve Ferrone.
• Master Mixes, a very rare EP of Notorious remixes released by Masterdisk in the U.S. Several mixes were commissioned for singles that never materialized (including mixes of "American Science" and "Vertigo (Do the Demolition") and many of them remain unreleased on CD.
• Other hard-to-find remixes. The 1998 remix compilation Strange Behaviour marked the only CD appearance of the promo-only dub version of "I Don't Want Your Love"; seeing as how several of the rarest mixes from that set have appeared on these new reissues, I be that'll end up on this new set. Same goes for a few remixes of "All She Wants Is."
• Demos and unreleased material. Lots of rough versions of songs from this era have been heavily bootlegged, so getting those in cleaner form on CD would be a treat. There's also a chance to get the oft-discussed but unreleased remix of "Drug" (from Big Thing) produced by house music pioneer Marshall Jefferson and intended for a single release. My personal favorite from the unreleased pile is actually a live recording from the Strange Behaviour Tour that saw The Bangles join the band onstage for a rendition of their hit "If She Knew What She Wants."

Video content galore. Some of the videos from the Notorious/Big Thing era, all chronicled on the VHS release 6ix by 3hree, were left off the Greatest DVD compilation (namely "Meet El Presidente" and "Do You Believe in Shame?") and have never been released to disc. But there's some long-form stuff out there that's pretty good too. Specifically, two pieces from the Notorious era - the 1988 live show Working for the Skin Trade and the arty 1987 tour documentary Three to Get Ready - would be sensational to get on DVD.