Simon Le Bon - interesting facts about Duran Duran's lead singer

Few groups have had as much impact as. Duran Duran 1980s. The British new wave kings took their name from a science fiction film and quickly became synonymous with catchy pop rock, sci-fi lyrics and cutting-edge style. Duran Duran's immediate popularity, especially among teenage girls, was due to the attractive members and cinematic music videos, not just the songs, although decades later the band's music is still relevant.

Much of the success came to the band after the emergence of a charismatic frontman Simon Le Bon. Known for his modelling looks, eloquent lyrics, unique voice and fashion-setting style, Le Bon once dominated teenage girls around the world and became an integral part of popular culture. And now. top 6 facts about Duran Duran's lead singer.that you might not have known!

He sang in a punk band

Although it may seem unbelievable now, Simon Le Bon began his musical career as the frontman of a band whose music he described as a "totally badass suburban punk.". In his interview, Le Bon explained that he performed with his band Dog Days while studying at the Art School between 1977 and 1978. The band didn't last long, playing their first and only warm-up show in the gym of the art school. The main band did not allow them to set up on stage, so they had to perform just on the floor.

Like true punks, they continued to play even after they had used up their allotted time. The venue cut off their power, but Dog Days kept jamming, although only the drums and Le Bon's screaming vocals could be heard. According to the singer, after the show, the host told them to "a few unkind words.", but despite the harsh feedback, he harbours no negative feelings about the experience, saying:

"Well, you had to start somewhere."

He worked in an agricultural commune in Israel

In 1979, Simon volunteered at a commune in in Israel's Negev desert - just to escape Britain and go somewhere warmer. But it ended up being a life-changing experience for him. Volunteering in the territory KibbutzLe Bon spent most of his days in the orange groves. He learnt a lot - including how to masterfully operate a chainsaw! Le Bon remembers this experience and the people he met there fondly, stating:

"I went there because I thought I just wanted to get some sun. I got so much more than that!"

He also found that the desert was conducive to writing poetry. Thus, the lyrics to the song "The Chauffeur" was born there.

He was keen to impress the members of Duran Duran

Le Bon's outfit when first meeting the band had already become a legend! And according to the founder and keyboardist. Nick Rhodesthat's not an exaggeration.

"The famous story that he appeared in tight purple and pink leopard print trousers is absolutely true."

The first encounter with their future frontman was detailed in his book by bassist John Taylor:

"He was tall and eloquent and there was something noble about him... He was 'Shakespeare's idea of a rock star'."

He almost drowned while filming a music video.

Everyone's seen the music video for the song "The Wild Boys"But few people know that Simon almost drowned during the filming! It was he who suggested that he be tied to a rotating windmill, but no one could have predicted that during filming its mechanism would stop working - at the very moment when the singer's head was under water.

The dangerous scenario became all too real and it was quite scary to watch. I had to send diversto save the lead singer.

He loves sailing

Simon's passion for sailing began at an early age. As a boy he spent almost every weekend from May to October at his grandmother's house near Poole harbour on the south coast of England. This instilled in him a lifelong love of the sea and its inhabitants. He took his first real sailing trip when he was 11 years old and the skipper even let him steer the boat. His love of the sport has continued into adulthood - in fact, in the music video for the song "Rio." Le Bon sits on the bow of a small wooden sailing boat.

Le Bon was a long-time ambassador Blue Marine FoundationHe is a member of the World Ocean Council, an organisation that seeks to combat overfishing and the loss of biodiversity in the world's oceans. In 1985, he participated in Fastnet Race - the annual 608-mile yacht race off the south coast of Britain - when disaster struck. The keel of his 71-foot yacht Drum broke away and the boat capsized in the cold waters off the coast of Cornwall.

Le Bon was asleep at the time, and woke up to find everything wet, upside down, exuding diesel fumes and battery acid. He and his crew remained trapped in an air pocket under the yacht for a period of 40 minutesuntil help arrived. Speaking to the BBC, Le Bon described the experience as the most dangerous situation he had ever been in and said that he had "looked death in the eye.".

He performed with Luciano Pavarotti.

In 1995, Simon had the honour of sharing the stage with the Luciano Pavarottithe legendary opera singer! This took place as part of a charity concert of the star tenor singer "Pavarotti and friends." to help children affected by the Bosnian War.

Together with Pavarotti, the Duran Duran frontman performed songs in English and Italian, in particular a touching duet "Ordinary World".