Duran Duran: Rare and unseen photographs published

Rare and previously unseen photographs charting the early days of Duran Duran as well as 1980s youth culture in Birmingham have been published in a series of books.

Images of other acts such as Dexys Midnight Runners, Spandau Ballet and Boy George also feature.

Photographs in the three-volume set, Duran Duran en Scène, were taken by Paul Edmond as a teenager in the city.

He died in 2015 and his archive has been held and now revealed by his sister Maggie K de Monde.

“He was an amazing photographer and quite renowned,” she said.

The three volumes contain about 200 images, many of which have never been seen before, she added.

The photographs span from 1979 to 1982, which was “a really important time in Birmingham’s musical history,” Ms de Monde explained.

Duran Duran were formed in the city in 1978 and released their debut single, Planet Earth, in 1981.

“Paul was taking pictures of the band when they were recording it before it became a hit, so it was really early days,” she said.

The band was resident at the city's Rum Runner club, but he also captured them playing at other venues including the Cedar Club and Aston University.

Playthings, Ms de Monde's band at the time, had even supported Duran Duran.

She also went on to have success with bands Swans Way and Scarlet Fantastic.

"It was just an incredible time to be around," she said.

Martin Tracey, who has written introductions to the three volumes, said the photographs were the “defining images of a band still displaying some form of innocence, not yet understanding what they would go on to achieve”.

“Not many photos like that exist of any band, let alone this period, but he just caught things in the moment which is just priceless,” the musician turned author said.

Other photographs include Boy George, who has written the foreword to one of the books, as well as Annie Lennox of the Eurythmics.

It was "quite a broad spectrum of bands that were rising on the scene, but none of them had made it then as such, and that’s what makes it so beautiful,” Mr Tracey added.

The images also show “ordinary kids on the streets or in clubs," explained Ms de Monde, as well as fashion designers in the city at the time such as Patti Bell and Jane Kahn.

“Every night we used to go from club to club, dressed like peacocks,” she added.

“We’d start off at someone’s house and then go to Holy City Zoo and then to the Rum Runner.

“My brother always managed to just be in the right place at the right time.”

The books were like a “time capsule of the creative scene that was happening in Birmingham at the time,” Ms de Monde said.

Her brother, who went on to work for magazines such as Sounds and New Sounds, New Styles, died in a car crash in 2015.

“These books are a really good way to honour and celebrate his memory and legacy,” she added.

The three-volume set, Duran Duran en Scène, is published by Andrew Sparke Books.

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