As previously reported, TV Mania - the short-lived, little-heard side project of Duran Duran's Nick Rhodes and former guitarist Warren Cuccurullo - is finally getting a release after years in the vault.
The concept sounds surprisingly relevant: a musical treatise on an overly media-saturated couple, culled from snippets of original studio creations and found sound. But it's not something crafted by an upstart artist in 2013 - it was finished nearly 15 years ago, before the Internet really took hold on pop culture. And it was made in part by a group who'd been on the edge of pop and dance music since the early '80s. Duran co-founder Rhodes and Cuccurullo (a featured session/touring member since 1986 and the permanent guitarist since 1990) were experimenting heavily with new sonic landscapes in the studio, and eventually crafted the "social junk-culture triptych opera" Bored with Prozac and the Internet? in the late '90s. Their approach factored heavily into the Duran sound at the time, between TV Mania's credited production on Medazzaland (1997) and Pop Trash (2000) and vocalist Simon Le Bon's bout of writer's block at the time.
Ultimately, of course, the TV Mania album was never released, likely due to the band's waning commercial fortunes at the time of recording, followed by a sudden upsurge for the band, albeit without Cuccurullo, as the original five-man lineup reunited in 2001. (Rhodes, Le Bon, bassist John Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor remain part of the group, with Dom Brown as unofficial guitarist since 2006.)
But after years of Rhodes saying a release of the project would be a superb idea, it's finally happening. The keyboardist recently found the original master tapes, thought to be lost, and will release them on vinyl and digitally March 11. Remixes will be commissioned of key tracks (at least one with Cuccurullo's participation), and a limited edition vinyl box released by The Vinyl Factory (with whom Duran collaborated on a special edition of their last album, All You Need is Now) will feature collectibles including a personal Polaroid photo from Rhodes and a note from Cuccurullo.
Pre-order links have yet to go live, but the official track list for the standard album is below:
TV Mania, Bored with Prozac and the Internet? (The Vinyl Factory (LP)/The Orchard/Beatport (digital), 2013)
- What About God?
- Euphoria
- Beautiful Clothes
- You’re Dreaming Pal
- Paramount
- What’s in the Future?
- I Wanna Make Films
- Yoghurt and Fake Tan
- Grab the Sun
- Using a Hidden Camera – Eyes in the Sky
- People Know Your Name
Recorded approximately 1995-2000. Produced by TV Mania, Mark Tinley and Anthony J. Resta. Mixed by Bob St. John.
I'm really more interested in the rumored release of Reportage, which is hopefully happening as well. I didn't like Medazzaland all that much, so not really sure what to expect from TV Mania. But I will check it out for sure.
Sources close to the band say Reportage is complete garbage. I hope they bury it
No CD? It will take a lot of good word of mouth about sound quality to get me to buy a "digital only" release.
I absolutely loved Medazzaland. Yes, it clearly was a little 'out there' but I love when bands do that and do it well.
I agree with you Brian, disappointed no cd. I wonder if the vinyl will have a download card? I might just have to buy it on general principle. The joys of collecting!
Really looking forward to this release. Hope they really promote it because a LOT of people still LOVE D2!