Seven And The Ragged Tiger is Duran Duran's third studio album, released globally in November, 1983. It would prove to be the last studio album for the band's original lineup until 2004's Astronaut.
Background
1983 saw Duran Duran at the top of their game. They had scored their first chart topping single in March with "Is There Something I Should Know?", had their debut album re-released and saw the release of a Grammy Award winning 11-track video album, chronicling the first two albums.
With the band in such high demand, the recording of the third album was never going to be smooth sailing, especially with EMI breathing down the band's neck for a follow up album.
In April 1983, the band take a two month working holiday in a chateau in Cannes on the Cote d'Azure in the south of France to write and demo new material. During this time, lots of partying was done, the band attended the local film festival and several songs were completed, including a track called "Seven And The Ragged Tiger". This track would eventually morph into "The Seventh Stranger".
With hardly anything to show of their South of France adventures, the band moved their base of operations to George Martin's Air Studios on the Caribbean island of Montserrat in May. It was hoped the isolation would make the band more focused. The sessions, with producer Alex Sadkin at the healm would keep Duran in Montserrat for five weeks.
Coincidentally, it was at George Martin's Air Studios in London where Duran Duran recorded much of Rio (1982).
Prior commitments brought the band back to the UK in the summer of 1983, including a July charity gig playing in front of The Prince and Princess of Wales at Aston Villa Football Grounds in Birmingham. It was around this time that the Princess of Wales publicly named Duran Duran as her favourite band. During their time in the UK, the band worked on more songs in a studio in London, before returning to Montserrat for one final late summer session.
With their Sing Blue Silver world tour to commence in November at the National Indoor Sports Centre in Canberra, Australia, the band departed for a final session at 301 Studios in downtown Sydney. An argument between John Taylor and Alex Sadkin during this period is said to be the germination of the Power Station side project that happened in 1985.
In September, with Alex Sadkin and Ian Little mixing at 301 Studios, the band depart for the sands outside Sydney to film the video for lead off single "Union Of The Snake" with director Russell Mulcahy. The video was one of the first to be filmed on 35mm film stock, instead of videotape.
With 24 hours to go before the band were deliver the single to EMI, Nick Rhodes and Simon LeBon did an all night session writing, recording and mixing the b-side "Secret Oktober".
To complete the debt the album owes to Australia, and Sydney in particular, the album's cover was shot on the steps of the State Library in Sydney [link] .
Futher singles "New Moon On Monday" and "The Reflex" were culled from the album, a Nile Rodgers remix of the latter being the band's second chart topping single.
The tour for the album was subsequently documented in the documentary Sing Blue Silver, concert videos Arena (An Absurd Notion) and As The Lights Go Down and live album Arena.
The Music
While Duran Duran and Rio were seen by many as masterpieces from start to finish, the sheen was starting to wear thin on Seven And The Ragged Tiger.
Apart from the three hit singles and a number of interesting set pieces - most notably the instrumental "Tiger Tiger" - fans and critics alike had a difficult time coming to grips with tracks like "(I'm Looking For) Cracks In The Pavement" or the band's obvious move to rockier territory with "Of Crime And Passion".
Having said that, there were definite moments of brilliance on Seven And The Ragged Tiger. Apart from the aforementioned "Tiger Tiger", the mystic flavour of "The Seventh Stranger" echoed similar epic anthems from albums before and since, most notably "The Chauffeur" from Rio and "Still Breathing" from Astronaut. On the whole, the album exuded a more atmospheric flavour than previous outings.
This would be the last studio album completed by the original lineup until 2004's Astronaut.
The Album Title
It has been reported that the title Seven And The Ragged Tiger is more than just overblown existentialist mumbo jumbo. According to reports, the "seven" in the title refers to the five band members and their two then-managers, the Berrow brothers. The "ragged tiger" is apparently world wide success.
Track listing
- "The Reflex" (5:29)
- "New Moon On Monday" (4:16)
- "(I'm Looking For) Cracks In The Pavement" (3:38)
- "I Take The Dice" (3:18)
- "Of Crime And Passion" (3:50)
- "Union Of The Snake" (4:20)
- "Shadows On Your Side" (4:03)
- "Tiger Tiger" (3:20)
- "The Seventh Stranger" (5:24)
Singles
- "Union Of The Snake" (Oct 1983)
- "New Moon On Monday" (Jan 1984)
- "The Reflex" (Apr 1984)
Personnel
Duran Duran are:
Additional musicians:
- Andy Hamilton - saxophone
- Raphael DeJesus - percussion
- Mark Kennedy - percussion
- Michelle Cobbs - additional vocals
- BJ Nelson - additional vocals
Producers:
