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Baker's Dozen

Paid Attention: Johnny Dean Of Menswear's Favourite Albums
Wesley Doyle , June 23rd, 2014 08:11

With a new single from the rejuvenated Menswear recently released, frontman Johnny Dean talks about sax appeal, music as maths and why pop is as much about what you see as what you hear

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Duran Duran - Duran Duran
Rio is the classic album isn't it? It made a real impact on me because it seemed so new and they looked really weird and odd. I was way too young for The Beatles but I think Duran Duran were my generation's equivalent. They were still a bit rough round the edges on the debut and still a little bit punky. In particular 'Friends Of Mine' could be by some cool new wave punk band but I liked the way it was really synthy as well. Nick Rhodes is a pioneer but they're all awesome, incredible musicians. John Taylor is an amazing bass player and anyone who disagrees with that can fuck off. Ask Nile Rodgers - he knows what a good bass player is. For me Duran Duran were what a band should be, how they sound, how they should act. They looked like a gang but one who could read books and paid attention to their hair. I get hooked by bands with a strong image, and they made that as much a part of their presentation as the music and I think that's important.