Music Monday: Duran Duran is “Good Enough”!

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! And welcome to another weekly edition of Music Monday! The first few Music Monday blogs are focusing on the music featured in my YA novel GOOD ENOUGH (HarperCollins ’08). The paperback edition of GOOD ENOUGH comes out this June 7, 2011. So I figured what better way to celebrate than to focus on the music in the book?

The novel is based on my life growing up as a violin geek who eventually learned how to “jam” and become a rock violinist. I have played with everyone from ’60s psychedelic rocker legend Arthur Lee of Love to ska rockers No Doubt! So my Sony Walkman cassette tape player in high school played everything from Mendelssohn to Morrissey and Debussy to …. DURAN DURAN.

Duran Duran today! (Andy, I miss you! Join the band again! Please!)

So what does DURAN DURAN have to do with GOOD ENOUGH? Keep reading after the jump to find out!

Vintage Duran Duran, early '80s. Sigh!

When I originally wrote my YA novel GOOD ENOUGH, it was set in 1983-84. (Yes, I know, I’m “dating” myself, LOL! Hey, Gen X rules!) From the 7th grade onwards, I was a HUGE Duran Duran fan. Of course I loved hardcore punk rock bands (Black Flag, Sex Pistols, early Clash, etc.) and I was ashamed of my secret crush on all five members of Duran Duran. But hey, I was a teenage girl! I tried so hard to be “cool” with my love of old school (back then it was “new school” LOL) punk rock and New Wave and hipster college radio music. But I could not deny my absolute LOVE of Duran Duran.

So when I wrote GOOD ENOUGH, the main character Patti Yoon secretly loves Duran Duran and listens to their music all the time instead of practicing her violin. 🙂

BUT… when HarperCollins/HarperTeen bought my book, they wanted me to make the novel “contemporary” because historical novels are a hard sell. LOL! Yes, the ’80s are now considered “historical.” 😛

So I upgraded the Sony Walkmens and cassette tapes to iPods and CDs. Although the book was published in 2008, I think it’s already dated because now we have iPads and MP3s. LOL!

So what happened to Duran Duran? They became the fictionalized band “JET PACK.” If you read or have read my novel, you will definitely catch all the Duran Duran hidden trivial pursuit facts.

But I managed to somehow include the real Duran Duran in my novel when I introduced an “old person” as a character in Patti’s life. You’ll have to read the book to find out how I cleverly still managed to get my Duran Duran into this novel!

For more info on my book, go here: https://paulayoo.com/books-good.html

You can also visit the HarperCollins site here:

http://www.harperteen.com/books/Good-Enough-Paula-Yoo/?isbn=9780060790851

The hardcover edition is available on Amazon and other bookstore links. The paperback edition comes out June 7, 2011, so mark your calendars!

And for Duran Duran, check out their website here:

http://www.duranduran.com/

Their new album ALL YOU NEED NOW is AWESOME! 🙂

I now leave you with some funny photos. The first two pics are from October 2004 when I stood in line for over six hours with hundreds of 30something women for an autograph session with the original five members of Duran Duran when they released their album ASTRONAUT. It was at the now-defunct Virgin record store in Hollywood. It was very cold, and we all stood there, freezing for more than six hours, just waiting. I ended up making some very nice friends in line as we bonded about our love for Duran Duran. One woman who was my age had brought her tween daughter who was also a diehard Durannie. Awww, how cute! Below is a pic of what I could snap of Nick and John, plus a shot of me afterwards with my autographed ASTRONAUT CD!

Here’s my view of Nick and John as I got closer to them in line… 🙂

My view of Nick and John before the October 2005 Astronaut signing in Hollywood!

Here’s John & Simon signing my CD and chatting with me. OMG!!!!!

Me, John, and Simon! LOL!

Me afterwards with my autographed CD of ASTRONAUT!

Me after the signing with my autographed Astronaut CD!

Finally, I leave you with some of my favorite photos of Duran Duran from the ’80s. And yes, I had every single one of these posters in my bedroom. LOL! 🙂

Duran Duran circa early '80s. Sigh! 🙂

Duran Duran circa early '80s. Sigh! 🙂

The Fab Five, back together! Still looking good! 🙂

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So, who was your favorite Duran Duran member? Or if you were not a Durannie, who was your version of Duran Duran in high school? Admit your guilty pleasure teenybopper band crush! LOL! 🙂 I look forward to your comments!

Until the next blog, Happy Writing! WRITE LIKE YOU MEAN IT! 🙂