Blue Plate Special: Arcadia
Formed in 1985 by Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, and Roger Taylor during a break from Duran Duran, Arcadia was a bold, short-lived exploration of cinematic soundscapes and gothic elegance. Their sole album, So Red the Rose, blended pop, art rock, and avant-garde influences, earning acclaim as “the best album Duran Duran never made” (AllMusic). Featuring collaborations with icons like David Gilmour, Herbie Hancock, and Grace Jones, the record produced hits such as “Election Day,” “Goodbye Is Forever,” and “The Promise.” Accompanied by striking music videos and an upmarket gothic aesthetic, Arcadia carved out a unique identity, emphasizing artistry and experimentation.
Though active only until 1986, Arcadia left an indelible mark on the music landscape. The project’s grandiose style and refined visual presentation set it apart, with Le Bon describing the album as “the most pretentious ever made” in jest. Roger Taylor’s limited involvement marked the end of his music career for 15 years, while Le Bon and Rhodes carried Arcadia’s experimental edge back into Duran Duran. Decades later, So Red the Rose endures as a cult classic, celebrated for its ambition and timeless creativity.
As I’ve shared in past Duran Duran posts, this album by Arcadia is my all-time favorite album, full stop. My favorite song on the album is Keep Me In the Dark, which was not a single (alt version). I thought for this list, since there’s just one album, I thought I’d share each of the videos, which were, at the time, some of the most expensive and beautifully produced music videos because, if you remember the timeframe, this album was released just after the height of Duran Duran’s early fame and the massive success of the other DD side project, The Power Station. The music executives thought the album would be an overwhelming success. While it did well, the numbers fell shy of Power Stations, but this anticipated success gave Simon and Nick free reign to create this masterpiece.
The music videos, all from the album So Red The Rose:
Election Day (featuring Grace Jones)
Released in October 1985, this leading single became a top 10 single in the US, UK, Italy, New Zealand and Ireland. The dark and moody video was directed by Roger Christian and was inspired by Jean Cocteau’s 1946 film, La Belle et la Bête. Some behind-the-scenes of the filming.
Goodbye Is Forever
The second single from their album, it reached the Top 40 in the US, with the Marcello Anciano-directed video putting Nick and Simon in chairs trapped in some kind of giant, elaborate cuckoo clock where the two were seemingly stranded in time. Some behind-the-scenes of the filming.
The Promise (featuring Sting)
Peaking at 37 in the UK charts, this third single features a backing track by the indistinguishable Sting, with Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour on guitars. Some behind-the-scenes of the filming.
The Flame
Their fourth single only reached 38 in the Netherlands and 58 in the UK charts, but the video was light and campy visit to a haunted house in the retro style of Alfred Hitchcock meets Abbott and Costello, with a cameo by Duran Duran bassist John Taylor. Some behind-the-scenes of the filming.
Missing
Directed by Dean Chamberlain, this b-side to Goodbye is Forever was unique in that the band did not appear. The melancholic, fairytale-inspired scenes were created using a collage of lights and stop-motion animation to “colorize” the female protagonist. Some behind-the-scenes of the filming.
Say The Word
The fifth and final single, which did not appear on the album, was created for the soundtrack to Playing for Keeps, a forgettable 80’s movie. The original video was a mix of scenes from the film and from the band, but this later version removed the movie clips to focus on the band and was released on Duran Duran’s official YouTube page.
