Duran Duran’s Beautiful Colors : A Book Full of Memories, Not Just Memorabilia

–

Longtime Duran Duran fan and archivist Andrew Golub releases a visually-stimulating and far-reaching art book, covering official-to-rare posters of the band throughout the years and endorsed by the band.

–

–

Andrew (“Durandy“) Golub has been a diehard Duran Duran fan ever since he first heard the popular British band’s hit single The Reflex on the radio back in 1984. While the trend of collecting memorabilia is a fairly common one with fiercely devoted fans, little did the then-12-year-old, who felt an instant urge to immerse himself with all things Duran, know he was about to take it to the next level – and by doing so, eventually grab his favorite band’s attention, and obtain their cooperation.

–

–

Beautiful Colors: The Posters of Duran Duran is the culmination of remarkably rigorous curation work spanning three decades. For over 30 years, “Durandy” – as he was dubbed years ago by Pacific Northwest radio DJ’s in light of his numerous requests for the band’s songs – has been archiving the world’s largest known collection of Duran Duran memorabilia, including more than 1, 500 posters, over 10, 000 pages of magazine articles, 150 books, and such rarities as a Duran Duran casino chip, a 3-D foldout poster, a zippered purse, an obscure board game and even a condom from the band’s 1993 tour (in its original packaging). With his focus shifting toward the band’s renowned bold and stylish visual aspects, Golub sought ways of sharing the remarkable collection of artistic and visually-stimulating posters he has gathered over the years with fellow Duran Duran enthusiasts.

–

–

“The posters have always been the heart of the collection”, he says. “Such mementos have an innate connection to the band’s history, as well as the fan community, simply due to the posters’ intended use: advertising a single concert in a specific town, attended by a limited amount of people; that one evening becomes the backdrop for stories and experiences shared by everyone lucky enough to be there. When I consider how many posters I have acquired over three decades, I realize my archive is full of memories, not just memorabilia.”

–

–

After the items were featured in venues and TV programs such as the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Museum, A&E’s Biography, documentary films and exhibitions, and with the intention of making the body of work available to fans worldwide, Golub decided to self-publish a book – with the help of photographer & fiancée Christine Born – telling a visual history of the band through his extensive collection of posters, while showcasing their constantly-evolving design aesthetic over the time span covered.

–

–

The 260-page book was released in late 2013 to spectacular reviews and overwhelming praise from members of the fan community – as well as an endorsement from the band itself. Duran Duran’s Nick Rhodes even wrote the book’s foreword, calling it “a unique visual diary of our career, spanning more than three decades, encompassing advertising, artwork, fashion, illustration, photography and graphic design.”

“From its conception down to the smallest details, Beautiful Colors was designed as a time capsule, containing memories that belong to the fans, as well as the band”, says Golub. “While the book is certainly full of rarities to dazzle the eyes, Duran devotees will also find an abundant menu for the heart and mind. Beloved concerts, favorite photos, and familiar milestones transport the reader back to cherished moments in Duran’s history, as well as their own.”

–

–

Among the work included in the book – which covers the band’s journey from their formative years to present day, and contains popular, rare and previously unseen posters that were never put into production – are Golub’s first set of Israeli posters, made for planned concerts that were eventually cancelled, which he proclaims carry an extra special meaning to him. His sister made Aliyah years ago, and is now living with her family in faraway Israel, “but not far from my heart”, he explains.

With this monumental, almost-lifelong-in-the-making project seemingly behind him, and while the book keeps gaining more and more exposure and acclaim – largely due to the band’s unwavering, continuous support and repeated mentions on social media such as Facebook and Twitter – Golub reflects on the future. The book may be all ready and done, but an archivist’s work never is. “Eventually, I’ll gear up again for another poster hunt as Duran Duran releases their fourteenth album and embarks on another world tour”, he says. “The band will be awesome, the fans will be ready – and the archive will be waiting.”

–

Golub will be doing his third book signing this Friday at Seattle’s Cupcake Royale. Much of his poster collection and other memorabilia can be seen on his website, .

Andrew Golub is a Duran Duran archivist in the Pacific Northwest,  curating a collection that is filled with rare artifacts and ephemera, reflecting every facet of the popular British band’s storied history. In striving to document the band’s evolution, the passionate archivist has been constantly exploring ways to take his passion further and celebrate the band’s career in suitably epic fashion. Whether producing public exhibits, loaning items to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum, publishing a four-pound art book, or simply earning the trust and unwavering support of the band – Golub “couldn’t imagine a more rewarding journey”, he says, while re-assuring his continued commitment to “celebrating the enduring impact Duran Duran has had, and continues to make, on audiences around the world”.

–

–