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Simon Le Bon takes our '80s pop quiz Quizmaster: MIREILLE SILCOTT
Right 1. Who in 1984 did Time magazine predict would have pop staying power for the next decade, Madonna or Cyndi Lauper? Cyndi Lauper Wrong 2. What was the name of Grace Jones' character in A View to a Kill? Oooh... uhhh... Solitaire Right 3. Who appeared first on Dynasty, Linda Evans or Joan Collins? I never watched it, but I'll guess... Linda Evans Right 4. Name one act banned from Top of the Pops in the '80s. Frankie Goes to Hollywood Wrong 5. True or false: Bing Crosby's daughter, Mary Crosby, played the woman who shot JR on Dallas? False Wrong 6. What was the first video played on MTV? "Vienna" Right 7. What was printed on George Michael's T-shirt on the "Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go" video? Oh, it was one of those Katherine Hamnett ones..."Choose Life"! Right 8. The happy face patch was a symbol for which musical movement, launched in 1987? Acid house. It was also the symbol of the Watchmen, this comic, kind of a modern comic. That's where acid house got it from Right 9. Who designed all of the suits for Miami Vice? Giorgio Armani Right 10. Which prolific pop artist claimed he masturbated to Duran Duran videos in The Face magazine in 1984? Andy Wahol! Wrong 11. Which graphic designer designed both The Face and Arena magazines? Malcolm Garret Right 12. Who did the song "Fade to Grey"? Visage Wrong 13. Who was the woman in Billy Idol's "White Wedding" video--his mother, his sister, or his girlfriend? His sister Right 14. Which industrial designer created the most famous juicer ever, and the Paramount Hotel in New York? Philip Starck Right 15. Who was the screen writer behind both My Beautiful Laundrette and Sammy & Rosie Get Laid? Hanif Kureishi Right 16. Who sang "Rock Me Amadeus"? Falco Right 17. Who remade "Putting on the Ritz" in the mid-'80s? Taco Wrong 18. Who sang "Da Da Da"? Oh... the other one, there... Das Kommissar.... er... Right 19. What is the name of the club in Manchester that New Order were part-owners of? The Hacienda Wrong 20. Who sang "Six Months in a Leaking Boat"? Don't know Right 21. What was the name of the Italian decorative arts movement that basically defined the popular design of the early 1980's? Ornamentalists, Memphis ornamentalists. Memphis was actually a design company. The designers called themselves the ornamentalists Right 22. Which British pop duo were members of called The Tourists, before they found the monicker they became well-known under? The Eurythmics Wrong 23. Which band's name means "fast fashion" in French? Er, fast fashion in French...ohhh. Should I know this? I'm going to have to try to work it out. Vite? Chic? Vite Chic? Wrong 24. Duran Duran's "Planet Earth" peaked at which number on the British charts in 1981? #13 Wrong 25. Who remixed Eric B and Rakim's "Paid in Full"? Er... I don't know. M/A/R/R/S? Right 26. In which year did Roxy Music break up--1982, 1985 or 1989? Well, Avalon was 1982... So I'll say that Right 27. In 1981 three members of The Specials left that band and became which band? Fun Boy Three Right 28. What was the name of Prince's percussionist? Sheila E. Right 29. Who was the lead of the Tubeway Army? Gary Numan Right 30. Who was the one Live Aid act who performed in both Philadelphia and London? That's gotta be Phil Collins Right 31. Which supermodel resuscitated her career in 1988 by getting a short boy's cut, and then said she wouldn't get out of bed for less than $10,000? Linda Evangelista Right 32. What colour were David Lee Roth's leather trousers in the "Jump" video? Red Right 33. What were Duran Duran hungry for when they sang "Hungry Like the Wolf"? Success, of course Answers to the questions Simon missed: 2. Mayday; 5. True; 6. "Video Killed the Radio Star"; 11. Neville Brody; 13. Girlfriend; 18. Trio; 20. Split Enz; 23. Depeche Mode; 24. #12; 25. Coldcut. At Metropolis, Saturday, Nov. 15, 8pm, $32.50, plus tax & service
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When asked about Duran Duran's new album Medazzaland, illustrious frontman Simon Le Bon answered, "It's from the heart, it's really us, it's honest, it's up, it's contemporary, it's true, it's great music, it's fun." That summed things up enough for us, so instead of talking to Simon about things he's patently talked about too much already, we decided to test his knowledge of the era that could be called the era of Duran Duran--the '80s. He scored a very respectable 70 per cent on some pretty tricky questions--decent, considering the highly rock 'n' roll lifestyle he was leading at the time.