Duran Duran Enlist Nile Rodgers, Janelle Monae in Lively ‘Pressure Off’ Video
Duran Duran seem to have a lot to celebrate, it’s not often a band gets to its 14th studio album, Paper Gods. “That’s true. What do you call those horses, not the favorites – the ones with the really long odds? In the Eighties, you could have gotten really long odds on us making it through,” singer Simon Le Bon told Rolling Stone. “If you were betting on bands that might make a 14th album? We would not have been in the top ten.” Still, they’re going strong and in their new video for “Pressure Off,” the band seems to be enthusiastically basking in the moment.
“Pressure Off” cowriter Nile Rodgers and featured singer Janelle Monáe join Le Bon, keyboardist Nick Rhodes, drummer Roger Taylor and bassist John Taylor for the song’s playful new video, which complements the funky, feel-good vibe of the track. The black-and-white four-minute-plus clip opens with Le Bon, John Taylor, Rhodes and Rodgers, who are all clad in black, and Rodgers opening riffs get everyone moving grooving before Roger Taylor enters the frame and the beats kick in.
The camera quickly moves between close-ups of each of them performing and then Monáe joins the fun, which includes a lot of dancing and jumping around. “Everybody everywhere, feel it in the air. Oh yeah, it’s time to take the pressure off,” they sing. “Everybody everywhere, step out into the future. It’s time to take the pressure off.”
“Pressure Off” is the first single from Paper Gods, which was released September 18th. The album features a bevy of guests, including Mark Ronson, Mr. Hudson, Mew’s Jonas Bjerre, former Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist John Frusciante and Lindsay Lohan.