Michael Jackson asked Duran Duran to make a record but they turned it down

4 August 2021, 15:29

By Hannah Lovejoy

@HanLovejoy

Michael Jackson reached out to Duran Duran and wanted to work with them following the release of their 1984 album The Reflex.

Michael asked the group if they wanted to collaborate with him and Duran Duran decided to turn down the music opportunity.

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The group appeared on Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen on Monday (August 2) and they were asked whether they had a connection to Michael in the 1980s.

Was Michael Jackson Rejected by Duran Duran? | WWHL

Keyboard player, Nick Rhodes, responded and mentioned that he once received a phone call from Michael and at first, he didn’t believe it was him.

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“We go home after a tour – it must have been 1983, I think. I get home and the phone rings and my mum says, ‘There’s somebody on the phone for you, he says his name’s Michael Jackson’,” Nick explained.

Initially, Nick didn’t believe that it was Michael Jackson and he thought that a member of Duran Duran’s crew was “winding” him up with a prank call.

He continued: “After about a minute I thought, ‘Oh my God, it is Michael Jackson isn’t it’.”

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The Duran Duran member said that Michael was “keen to make a record” with the band after the release of their 1984 album The Reflex. Nick told the other members and they simply said “nah” in response.

“I go to everyone, ‘Hey Michael Jackson called last night. Do you fancy maybe doing a song with him?’ And they all went, ‘Nah’,” Nick added.