Red Carpet Massacre

The band did its initial recording for its follow-up to Astronaut with producer Michael Patterson between September 2005 and April 2006. Roger Taylor said in March 2006, "The record will be in some ways a homage to our roots as a band, more direct and a return to our dance and 'new wave' origins", adding that they had brought 15 tracks to near completion."[http://www.duranduran.com/postcards/rogerstudio.html A postcard from the studio] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928091647/http://www.duranduran.com/postcards/rogerstudio.html |date=28 September 2007 }}", Roger Taylor, 22 March 2006.

The record was provisionally titled Reportage and expected to be released in late May 2006 with a summer tour to follow, but as reported by Billboard, the album was delayed as guitarist Andy Taylor had a falling-out with the rest of the band for unknown reasons, and the material was eventually shelved altogether in favour of recording Red Carpet Massacre.[http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/56395/duran-duran-grooves-with-timbaland-timberlake Duran Duran Grooves With Timbaland, Timberlake] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140911222323/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/56395/duran-duran-grooves-with-timbaland-timberlake |date=11 September 2014 }}. Billboard. 20 December 2006

In early October 2006, vocalist Simon Le Bon announced that the band had recorded three songs with Timbaland, his protégé Nate 'Danja' Hills and engineer Jimmy Douglass at Manhattan Center Studios during September."[http://www.hhnlive.com/news/more/430.html Duran Duran and Timbaland] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206035639/http://www.hhnlive.com/news/more/430.html |date=6 February 2012}}", HHNLive, 3 October 2006. Billboard reported that one of those tracks was "Nite-Runner", featuring Justin Timberlake, which at the time was expected to be the first single from the album. Two additional songs on which the band worked with Timbaland were titled "Skin Divers" and "Zooming In". Also mentioned were two other tracks, "48 Hours Later" and "Transcendental Mental", which were not used on the album.

Andy Taylor did not perform at any of Duran Duran's October shows and had not participated during the New York sessions with Timbaland, and on 25 October 2006, a message posted on the band's site announced: "As of last weekend [...] the four of us have dissolved our partnership and will be continuing as Duran Duran without Andy, as we have reached a point in our relationship with him where there is an unworkable gulf between us and we can no longer effectively function together.""A Message to our Fans", [http://www.duranduran.com/news/index.asp?EventDate=all Duran Duran official site: News page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070409003350/http://www.duranduran.com/news/index.asp?EventDate=all |date=9 April 2007 }}, 25 October 2006. (large page)

Dominic Brown, who had taken Taylor's place at several previous missed concerts in the past, was hired as Duran Duran's guitarist, taking part in the recording sessions. Brown has since performed with the band as their full-time touring guitarist, but he has never been introduced as an official member.

Taylor told Rolling Stone magazine that he was in favour of a more electric sound, whereas Le Bon wanted to go in a different direction involving people such as Justin Timberlake and Timbaland. In addition, Taylor wrote in his autobiography that in the renewed bickering between himself, Nick Rhodes and Le Bon grew worse, and it was not helped by Taylor's emotional state following the death of his father, later diagnosed as clinical depression.{{cite book|last=Sheffield |first=Rob |title=Wild Boy: My Life in Duran Duran (9780446509305): Andy Taylor: Books |date=9 September 2008 |publisher=Grand Central |isbn=978-0446509305 }}

According to Taylor's autobiography, the final straw came when he discovered that the band's management had not been able to secure a working visa for him to record in the United States. The other band members maintained that they fully expected him to show up for the recording session with Timbaland, but that he became incommunicado and was unreachable by phone or email, leaving them no choice but to continue on without him.{{cite web |last=Macneil |first=Jason |url=http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/D/Duran_Duran/2007/12/01/4699628-sun.html |title=Duran Duran starts over |website=Jam! |date=1 December 2007 |access-date=6 February 2012 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120714074510/http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Artists/D/Duran_Duran/2007/12/01/4699628-sun.html |archive-date=14 July 2012}}

The band decided to rewrite the whole album following Taylor's departure. 14 songs had been completed for Reportage, but according to Le Bon: "When we sat down and listened to what we had done on our own, we didn't feel we had a lead track, so we got in touch with Timbaland, who was the only producer out there that we knew we all liked.""Red Carpet Massacre", [http://www.duranduran.com/wordpress/red-carpet-massacre/ Duran Duran official site: Red Carpet Massacre page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813190939/https://duranduran.com/red-carpet-massacre/ |date=13 August 2022 }}

Following the New York sessions in September, Duran Duran moved to Metropolis Studios in London with Danja and Douglass for the next sessions.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}

In June 2007, Duran Duran announced on their official website that they were recording yet another track with Timberlake, titled "Falling Down". However, it was "Nite-Runner" that the band decided to debut live at the much-anticipated fan-club only Hammerstein Ballroom concert in New York City on 17 June, and Le Bon was still touting it as the probable first single in a post to the band's official website."[http://www.duranduran.com/postcards/simonNYC2007.html A Postcard from Gotham] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070817033057/http://www.duranduran.com/postcards/simonNYC2007.html |date=17 August 2007 }}", Simon Le Bon, 21 June 2007. Several other album tracks ("The Valley", "Red Carpet Massacre", "Skin Divers" and "Box Full O' Honey") were played over the sound system at the concert, but were not performed live.

Following the New York concert and a listening party for the media at which the album title was announced, band members Le Bon, Rhodes, John Taylor and Roger Taylor went back to England to work on some mixes for the album and perform at the Concert for Diana and Live Earth concerts in London. They completed one more recording session in New York and then returned to London to put the finishing touches on the album before its release.Greene, Andy. [http://www.duranitaly.com/rolling07.html Duran Duran's Techno Jam] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813190926/http://www.duranitaly.com/rolling07.html |date=13 August 2022 }}" Rolling Stone 2007"

Duran Duran bassist John Taylor criticised Sony Music for turning the work on Red Carpet Massacre into a "nightmare". According to him, the record label wanted to make their record "a bit pop" and forced them to collaborate with Timbaland, which turned out to be an unpleasant experience for the band. "We delivered an album to Sony that was a natural-sounding, almost rock album, and they were like: 'We need something a bit pop, do you fancy doing a couple of tracks with Timbaland?'", he claimed. Nick Rhodes added: "The thing was, we got an opportunity to work with Timbaland, so we thought, 'Great, let's go for it'. When Timbaland saw the guitar and the bass and the drums come in to the studio, I think he was mortified, because everything's in a box for those guys."{{cite web |last=Price |first=Simon |author-link=Simon Price |url=https://thequietus.com/articles/05889-duran-duran-interview-all-you-need-is-now/ |title=Boys on Film: Duran Duran Interviewed |website=The Quietus |date=17 March 2011 |access-date=15 May 2020 |archive-date=13 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813190927/https://thequietus.com/articles/05889-duran-duran-interview-all-you-need-is-now/ |url-status=live }}

{{Music ratings

| MC = 61/100{{cite web|url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/red-carpet-massacre|title=Red Carpet Massacre Reviews, Ratings, Credits, and More at Metacritic|website=Metacritic|access-date=26 April 2012|archive-date=1 January 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110101005350/http://www.metacritic.com/music/red-carpet-massacre|url-status=live}}

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web |last=Collar |first=Matt |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/red-carpet-massacre-mw0000585688 |title=Red Carpet Massacre – Duran Duran |website=AllMusic |access-date=5 May 2018 |archive-date=13 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813190926/https://www.allmusic.com/album/red-carpet-massacre-mw0000585688 |url-status=live }}

| rev2 = Entertainment Weekly

| rev2score = B+{{cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/article/2007/11/10/red-carpet-massacre/|title=Red Carpet Massacre Review|last=Vozick-Levinson|first=Simon|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=10 November 2007|access-date=12 November 2007|archive-date=9 June 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609145852/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20158441,00.html|url-status=live}}

| rev3 = NME

| rev3score = 4/10{{cite web|url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/duran-duran/9245|title=Duran Duran: 'Red Carpet Massacre' |work=NME |date=16 November 2007 |access-date=31 August 2017 |last=Elan |first=Priya |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414232249/http://www.nme.com/reviews/duran-duran/9245 |archive-date=14 April 2012}}

| rev4 = Pitchfork

| rev4score = 3.8/10{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/10910-red-carpet-massacre/ |title=Duran Duran - Red Carpet Massacre |work=Pitchfork |date=20 November 2007 |access-date=31 August 2017 |last=Klein |first=Joshua}}

| rev5 = PopMatters

| rev5score = 6/10{{cite web|url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/duran-duran-red-carpet-massacre/ |title=Duran Duran: Red Carpet Massacre |work=PopMatters |date=15 November 2007 |access-date=13 May 2021 |last=Bergstrom |first=John |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121010092047/http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/duran-duran-red-carpet-massacre/ |archive-date=10 October 2012}}

| rev6 = Q

| rev6score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |title=Duran Duran: Red Carpet Massacre |date=November 2007 |magazine=Q |page=116}}

| rev7 = Rolling Stone

| rev7score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/17122082/review/17139336/red_carpet_massacre|title=Red Carpet Massacre : Duran Duran : Review|last=Sheffield|first=Rob|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=15 November 2007|access-date=26 April 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071103111433/http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/17122082/review/17139336/red_carpet_massacre|archive-date=3 November 2007}}

| rev8 = Spin

| rev8score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |url=http://www.spin.com/reviews/duran-duran-red-carpet-massacre-epic |title=Duran Duran, 'Red Carpet Massacre' (Epic) |magazine=Spin |date=December 2007 |page=118 |last=Wood |first=Mikael |access-date=21 April 2008 |archive-date=13 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813190934/https://www.spin.com/2008/01/duran-duran-red-carpet-massacre-epic/ |url-status=live }}

| rev9 = Sputnikmusic

| rev9score = 2.5/5{{cite web |url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/14461/Duran-Duran-Red-Carpet-Massacre/ |title=Duran Duran - Red Carpet Massacre |website=Sputnikmusic |date=1 December 2007 |access-date=31 August 2017 |archive-date=13 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813190928/https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/14461/Duran-Duran-Red-Carpet-Massacre/ |url-status=live }}

| rev10 = Uncut

| rev10score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite magazine |url=http://www.uncut.co.uk/reviews/album/duran-duran-red-carpet-massacre |title=Duran Duran - Red Carpet Massacre |magazine=Uncut |last=Troussé |first=Stephen |date=13 November 2007 |access-date=31 August 2017 |archive-date=31 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170831172308/http://www.uncut.co.uk/reviews/album/duran-duran-red-carpet-massacre |url-status=live }}

}}

Red Carpet Massacre was met with generally favorable reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 61, based on 20 reviews. It was briefly released on vinyl. In 2021, the band signed a deal for the album with BMG (along with Medazzaland, Pop Trash and Astronaut) which saw it being re-issued in the UK on various digital platforms, with a planned vinyl re-issue due to be released at a later date.{{Cite web|url=https://www.superdeluxeedition.com/news/duran-durans-medazzaland-is-officially-available-in-the-uk-for-the-very-first-time/|title=Duran Duran's Medazzaland is officially available in the UK for the very first time | superdeluxeedition|date=19 March 2021 |access-date=24 March 2021|archive-date=23 March 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210323001447/https://www.superdeluxeedition.com/news/duran-durans-medazzaland-is-officially-available-in-the-uk-for-the-very-first-time/|url-status=live}}

{{Track listing

| all_lyrics = Simon Le Bon

| all_music = Duran Duran and Nate Hills, except where noted. All tracks produced by Nate "Danja" Hills, Jimmy Douglass and Duran Duran, except where noted

| extra_column = Producer(s)

| title1 = The Valley

| length1 = 4:58

| title2 = Red Carpet Massacre

| length2 = 3:17

| title3 = Nite-Runner

| note3 = additional lyrics: Tim Mosley, Justin Timberlake

| music3 = {{hlist|Duran Duran|Mosley|Timberlake|Hills}}

| extra3 = {{hlist|Timbaland|Timberlake|Hills|Duran Duran}}

| length3 = 3:58

| title4 = Falling Down

| music4 = {{hlist|Duran Duran|Timberlake}}

| extra4 = Timberlake

| length4 = 5:41

| title5 = Box Full O' Honey

| length5 = 3:10

| title6 = Skin Divers

| note6 = additional lyrics: Mosley

| music6 = {{hlist|Duran Duran|Mosley|Hills}}

| extra6 = {{hlist|Timbaland|Hills|Duran Duran}}

| length6 = 4:24

| title7 = Tempted

| length7 = 4:24

| title8 = Tricked Out

| length8 = 2:46

| title9 = Zoom In

| music9 = {{hlist|Duran Duran|Mosley|Hills}}

| extra9 = {{hlist|Timbaland|Hills|Duran Duran}}

| length9 = 3:27

| title10 = She's Too Much

| length10 = 5:14

| title11 = Dirty Great Monster

| length11 = 3:36

| title12 = Last Man Standing

| length12 = 4:00

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Japanese edition and iTunes Store bonus track{{cite web |url=http://www.sonymusic.co.jp/artist/DuranDuran/discography/EICP-870 |title=レッド・カーペット・マサカー～美しき深紅～ |trans-title=Red Carpet Massacre ~ beautiful crimson ~ |website=Sony Music Entertainment Japan |language=ja |access-date=5 May 2018 |archive-date=5 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505051431/http://www.sonymusic.co.jp/artist/DuranDuran/discography/EICP-870 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/red-carpet-massacre/268152335 |title=Red Carpet Massacre by Duran Duran |website=iTunes Store |location=United Kingdom |access-date=5 May 2018 |archive-date=5 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180505134805/https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/red-carpet-massacre/268152335 |url-status=dead }}

| title13 = Cry Baby Cry

| length13 = 3:55

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = iTunes Store bonus tracks (select countries){{cite web |url=https://music.apple.com/be/album/red-carpet-massacre/277906523 |title=Red Carpet Massacre by Duran Duran |website=iTunes Store |date=21 March 2008 |location=Belgium |access-date=5 May 2018 |archive-date=13 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813191011/https://music.apple.com/be/album/red-carpet-massacre/277906523 |url-status=live }}

| title13 = Cry Baby Cry

| length13 = 3:55

| title14 = Nite-Runner

| note14 = live

| length14 = 4:02

| title15 = Red Carpet Massacre

| note15 = live

| length15 = 3:09

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Limited edition US vinyl{{cite AV media notes |title=Red Carpet Massacre |type=US vinyl liner notes |others=Duran Duran |publisher=Erika Records |year=2009 |id=ER2008-40}}

| title11 = Cry Baby Cry

| length11 = 3:56

| title12 = Dirty Great Monster

| length12 = 3:36

| title13 = Last Man Standing

| length13 = 4:00

}}

{{Track listing

| headline = Deluxe edition bonus DVD{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/red-carpet-massacre-cd-dvd-mr0001213741 |title=Red Carpet Massacre [CD/DVD] – Duran Duran |website=AllMusic |access-date=5 May 2018 |archive-date=13 August 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220813190928/https://www.allmusic.com/album/release/red-carpet-massacre-cd-dvd-mr0001213741 |url-status=live }}

| title1 = The Album

| length1 = 10:56

| title2 = The Artwork

| length2 = 6:35

| title3 = The Video

| length3 = 11:50

| title4 = The Campaign

| length4 = 3:53

| title5 = The Out-Takes

| length5 = 6:57

| title6 = The Stills

}}

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Red Carpet Massacre.{{cite AV media notes |title=Red Carpet Massacre |type=liner notes |others=Duran Duran |publisher=Epic Records |year=2007 |id=88697 07362 2}}

• Simon Le Bon
• Nick Rhodes
• John Taylor
• Roger Taylor

{{Div col}}

• Dom Brown – guitar
• Timbaland – additional vocals {{small|(tracks 3, 6)}}
• Justin Timberlake – additional vocals {{small|(tracks 3, 4)}}
• Jim Beanz – additional vocals {{small|(tracks 3, 10)}}
• Terri Walker – additional vocals {{small|(track 6)}}
• Simon Willescroft – saxophone {{small|(track 11)}}
• Marcella "Ms Lago" Araica – additional programming {{small|(track 1)}}

{{Div col end}}

{{Div col}}

• Nate "Danja" Hills – production {{small|(tracks 1–3, 5–12)}}
• Jimmy Douglass – production {{small|(tracks 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 10–12)}}; mixing {{small|(tracks 1, 2, 6–10, 12)}}; engineering {{small|(tracks 1–3, 5–12)}}
• Duran Duran – production {{small|(tracks 1–3, 5–12)}}
• Timbaland – production {{small|(tracks 3, 6, 9)}}
• Justin Timberlake – production {{small|(tracks 3, 4)}}
• Jean-Marie Horvat – mixing {{small|(tracks 3–5, 11)}}; engineering {{small|(track 4)}}
• Colin Miller – mix prep {{small|(tracks 3–5, 11)}}
• Marcella "Ms Lago" Araica – engineering {{small|(tracks 1, 2, 5, 7, 8, 10–12)}}
• Matt Lawrence – engineering {{small|(track 4)}}; additional engineering {{small|(tracks 1, 10, 12)}}
• Matthew Hager – engineering {{small|(track 4)}}; mixing {{small|(on "Cry Baby Cry")}}
• Ethan Willoughby – additional engineering {{small|(track 3)}}
• Jim Beanz – vocal production {{small|(tracks 5, 9–12)}}
• Joshua Blair – studio assistance at Sphere Studios (London)
• Karen Leite – studio assistance at Sphere Studios (London)
• Zach McNees – studio assistance at Manhattan Center Studios (New York City)
• Darren Moore – studio assistance at Manhattan Center Studios (New York City)
• Graham Archer – studio assistance at Sarm Studios (London)
• Neil Tucker – studio assistance at Metropolis Studios (London)
• Rohan Onraet – studio assistance at Metropolis Studios (London)
• Jammeel Davis Jones – studio assistance at Oz Recording Studios (Valencia, California)
• Vlado Meller – mastering at Universal Mastering Studios (New York City)
• Mark Santangelo – mastering assistance

{{Div col end}}

• Patty Palazzo – art, design
• John Taylor – art direction
• Nick Rhodes – cover and inside photography
• Kristin Burns – band and paparazzo photography

{{Reflist}}

• {{Discogs master|type=album|121181|name=Red Carpet Massacre}}

{{Duran Duran}}

{{Authority control}}

Category:2007 albums

Category:Albums produced by Danja (record producer)

Category:Albums produced by Justin Timberlake

Category:Albums produced by Timbaland

Category:Duran Duran albums

Category:Epic Records albums