Waiting for the Night Boat

And so it came to pass that the release date of Duran Duran's new single popped up on Twitter at 22:34 (UK time) on 9th April in an oblique comment from Katy Krassner: It will come out "sometime between Roger and John's birthday."

Great success! New original Duran Duran music is on its way! It's been a while... but how long?

Cherry Lipstick took to its dusty library in the cellar of CLHQ and did some research...

Assuming that this music ('single'?) is released in May 2021 it will be 4 years 5 months since the last original release from Duran Duran. That was, of course, As Seen From A Distance which was released as part of the deluxe Paper Gods vinyl set on 5th December 2016.

This means that it is confirmed that this is the longest we have had to wait between new pieces of music.

Oh, you say, I knew that already! But did you? Because actually it is has ONLY JUST recently beaten the record. In ascending order, here are the previous record holders:

Fallen Angel (29th March 1993) to Out Of My Mind (27th March 1997): 4 years

This Lost Weekend (May 2011) to Pressure Off (19th June 2015): 4 years 1 month

Pop Trash (19th June 2000) to Sunrise (28th September 2004): 4 years 3 months

So if you want to count cover versions / Five Years, the Pop Trash / Astronaut gap is actually the longest in Duran's history.

The longest run in the 1980s between original releases was from We Need You (31st January 1987) to I Don't Want Your Love (19th September 1988): 1 year 8 months.

And the shortest gap between records (not counting lead singles to albums)? Faster Than Light (13th July 1981) to My Own Way / Like An Angel (16th November 1981): 4 months 4 days.

*Info as correct as possible. If any of the dates or info here is wrong, please contact @Lipstick_Cherry

And while you are waiting, please check out the CL Store where various print issues are available, as well digital downloads of the fanzines from the 1990s, several available for free.