With the release of ‘Girls on Film 1979 Demo EP’, the former frontman of Duran Duran, Andy Wickett, talks with James Brewer and reflects on his time with the band and subsequent career to date.
From the musical chairs of the Birmingham music scene of the late 70s, to how his band World Service was the first to play in the Sahara. Discussing his latest work and revealing there are more undiscovered Duran songs of the 79 vintage; as well as explaining why he’s never listened to their albums: “I think if you know how it’s made it loses its flavour, you know what I mean?” 
Andy Wickett – photo credit Sunday Mercury
One Lamb, Two Hawks and all the Dairy Milk you can eat – Birmingham 1979
Andy, it is absolutely fascinating listening to these four songs. Now it’s edging towards 40 years since you, Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and Roger Taylor as Duran Duran went into the studio to lay down these demos, what is your recollection of that recording process?
I wrote the song [Girls on Film] at Cadbury’s on the belt on the night shift. Got the riff there.
As you were watching the chocolates go by?
I was actually on the pan wash at that time. I got back and Nick and the band were rehearsing in my room in Cheapside. And I told them to play. Nick had got a new string synth machine and I looked in my little book, where I wrote all my ideas down, for lyrics and found ‘Girls on Film’. Then we went to Bob Lamb’s studio and recorded that and three other tracks.
Was that the first time you’d worked in a studio and what lessons did you draw from working with Bob Lamb?
I think it was my first time at Bob Lamb’s. It was in a flat so his bed was up on stilts and his little mixing desk was underneath. There was another little room with egg boxes and drums and we recorded stuff in there. I don’t know if I learnt much. He built the mixing desk from a kit. He played us the up-coming UB40 album and it sounded fantastic. They were in there recording; a four or eight track, I can’t remember.
What led you to join Duran Duran?
They’d come and see my band TV Eye. The band I was in. And they really liked ‘Stevie’s Radio Station’. Nick came and recorded us rehearsing that song, which later became ‘Rio’ cos I performed it with the band. I left TV Eye and Stephen Duffy left Duran Duran, and we sort of swapped basically.
It was a bit like musical chairs because you joined Duran Duran, and Stephen left, along with Simon Colley, to form the Subterranean Hawks. And yet those two bands were based in the squat where you lived?
It wasn’t a squat, I paid rent [laughs]. There were, like, only two houses on the whole street. All industrial, so you could play really loud. They were rehearsing in the veranda downstairs. We were upstairs. And one of the Hawks painted, or stuck a notice on our door – “Disco sucks”, cos we were using disco beats, mixing those in. Some kind of rivalry going on there.
Was it some friendly competition then?
Yeah, basically.
It’s interesting what you say about that ‘Disco sucks’ being painted, because John Taylor was quoted once as saying that the band was trying to cross Chic with the Sex Pistols. Was that part of the manifesto while you were part of the band and did you subscribe to that as well?
Yeah, we were listening to all sorts of music as well as that. I think their image came a lot from the band called Japan, the way they looked; and Roxy Music. That sort of look, music, style as well.
John Taylor, Andy Wickett and Fozzit 1979 – photo credit Adam Redding
What musical and cultural influences of yours are apparent in these 4 songs?
I liked Bryan Ferry. And I was singing a bit like Bryan [laughs], I will admit.
You went to art school didn’t you?
Yeah I went to art school. Moseley Art School. That’s where TV Eye was formed, from members of the class I went to school with.
So it was you on vocals and piano, Nick on synthesisers, John on guitars and Roger on drums. Was the band always a four piece while you were part of it?
No, Alan Curtis came in on guitar after the demo was done. He didn’t play on the demo. I think Nigel, err I mean John [Taylor], he played the guitars and the bass on the demo.
What were you, and Roger, and John, and Nick at that young age like as personalities? And what did each of you bring to the song writing process?
I think I was a bit of a wild boy at the time. I used to drink and do drugs [laughs]. I was a bit of a bad influence really.
Were they more clean-cut at that time?
Yeah they were more clean-cut, middle class chappies, you know. Nigel used to wear glasses and was kinda nerdy. And I kept telling Nick Rhodes to get his hair cut cos he had really long hair, and I wanted him to look more like Japan.
Listening to the 1979 versions of ‘Girls on Film’ and ‘See Me Repeat Me’, as well as ‘Stevie’s Radio Station’, can I ask why isn’t your name listed on the song writing credits for ‘Girls on Film’ and ‘Rio’ when they actually got released in the early 80s?
Because it would cost ‘em too much money to pay me [laughs]… basically… yeah, gutted [laughs]. Yeah, it would cost them phenomenal amounts of money to pay me.
What were the factors that made you move on from Duran Duran?
I was getting into dub reggae. I wanted to do more of that.
Didn’t you know Roger Taylor from when he was the drummer with The Scent Organs and didn’t you actually do the introductions?
Yeah I introduced him into the band, cos I knew him. And that’s when the disco beat came in. It was really tight. We were used to punky, sloppy drummers. We used to rehearse with a drum machine before, but Roger could play like a drum machine – he was great.
And is the story true that it was in your bedroom that John picked up the bass guitar and started focusing on that?
I think so, yeah.
And is it also true that you gave Simon Le Bon singing lessons?
AW: Yeah, when they were at the Rum Runner. They used to give me £10 to try and get him to sing like me [laughs].
You do have a vital role in the architecture of that band. Given the years that have passed is that a source of pride for you?
Yeah, it’s something to tell your kids init? It’s good.
Have you ever listened to any Duran Duran albums?
Nah! I’m sorry, I’m not really that interested. Some of their stuff’s good. Singles like ‘Ordinary World’ were good. I think if you know how it’s made it loses its flavour, you know what I mean? Working at Cadbury’s chocolate factory where I should have…well I still ate the chocolate [laughs], but a lot of the guys there didn’t eat the chocolate.
Take stock in the Casbah
You’ve opened up for bands of the calibre of The Clash and U2. And also Duran in the 90s. What were those experiences like for you?
It was great! And we played in Algeria, the only band to go to there and play in the Sahara desert.
That was with your band World Service?
World Service, yeah.
What led you to North Africa and the Sahara, and what musical and cultural influences did you pick up there that still resonant with you today?
Well they call it Rai music there. It’s Arabic music. They told us that the Spanish flamenco was stolen. They said “Oh, they [the Spanish] stole our music.” Really loved that power and drive, and the way they looked and their movements and everything. I loved the beat, so I think that’s probably gone into my own music as well.
So you have had a very full and interesting career in music since moving on from Duran Duran. Looking back over your career so far, what songs of yours are you particularly proud of? Would ‘Does She Really Love Me?’ and ‘My Beautiful River’ be up there for you?
Yeah, but I’m really into my new album.
‘Creatures of Love’? 
Well I’m actually writing a new album now. So I’m into what I’m doing at the time more than anything else. ‘Creatures of Love’ I’m proud of, but I haven’t listened to it for a year. I’m listening to my new album now.
When do you envisage the new album that you’re working on being released?
I’ve got all the demos done and we’re just in rehearsals and, like, getting musicians together so it could be six months or something like that. They’ve asked me to do an American tour as well.
Will that be later on this year?
Hopefully, yeah.
In terms of the songs that you’re working on now, has your process changed very much since the nights you were working at Cadbury’s writing ‘Girls on Film’?
Well it has, because I can play a load of different instruments now. I can programme all the drums and operate the recording equipment, compressors, pre amps and all that. So it’s changed in that way. And I’ve also got a load of influences from the years I’ve been in this business. I think I’m a lot more diverse now in my tastes.
Do you find the process of bringing new personnel into the band an enjoyable experience?
Yeah, I like working with other people. I mean I think I get most of the ideas myself, and the arrangements, but obviously everybody plays in a different way. They bring their own style into it so you get a different flavour. I really like that.
Credit: Cleopatra Records
See Me, Repeat Me
Back in 2002 Nick Rhodes and Stephen Duffy reunited as The Devils to re-visit early Duran Duran material. Are there any unrecorded/rare Wickett era Duran tracks still out there?
Yeah there are. There’s another four but we couldn’t find them. Well actually Bob Lamb wouldn’t let ‘em go. I heard one of them which is another song of mine that I did with TV Eye called ‘Dreaming of your car’, and we recorded that at Bob Lamb’s on the second demo I did with the Durans. That’s one I remember. There’s another one called ‘Love Story’ I think. There’s a few, but Bob Lamb didn’t want to let them go for some reason.
So you never know, they may re-surface in the future.
They may do!
Credit: andywickett.com
You are also skilled at creating music videos. Your animations are absolutely fantastic. Now I suspect I know the answer to this, but were there any particular Duran Duran videos you admired the aesthetics of and would you have been tempted to direct a video for the band?
I liked ‘Wild Boys.’ A big production. I liked the imagery and I liked the book. I read that book while I was in Duran Duran.
The William Burroughs book?
Yeah…that’s about my favourite I think.
Are there any books or films that are currently inspiring new songs for you, just as ‘Sunset Boulevard’ had an influence on ‘Girls on Film’?
Oh God there’s too many! I seem to be reading about twenty books at the same time. I write a journal, I write things down and it all goes there. Like a lot of Netflix stuff. It all goes in. I don’t know how it influences me directly. A lot of it comes subconscious for me; it’s like I don’t think about it, it just comes out. And then I find out what it means about a year later [laughs]. You can’t really analyse it too much or you lose it.
You mentioned earlier Bob Lamb’s studio, where he was recording UB40. And you had other Birmingham bands of the time like Dexys Midnight Runners and The Beat. Do you perceive the Birmingham music scene today is as creative and vibrant, maybe in very different ways, compared to the time when you were creating these songs with Duran Duran?
Yeah there’s a vibrancy in the young people. Plenty of activity there. There’s not so many bands coming out at the moment are there? I know there are lots of young bands out there, but making it these days is different. It’s all done through the internet now.
Finally, if the Andy Wickett of 2018 could be transported back to have a word in the ear of the Andy Wickett of 1979, what one piece of advice would you give him?
Ah…well, I’d probably say: “Get a good lawyer” [laughs].
It’s been a real pleasure talking with you about this period of your career Andy. I do appreciate you giving the time to talk with The Strange Brew.
Cheers!
‘Girls on Film 1979 Demo’ EP is available digitally and on CD, as well as on stunning red and clear coloured vinyl at https://durandurangirlsonfilm.bandcamp.com/album/girls-on-film-1979-demo
‘Andy Wickett and World Service – Creatures of Love’ is available digitally and on CD from 9 March 2018 at:
https://durandurangirlsonfilm.bandcamp.com/album/creatures-of-love
