Interview with Suzi Parker, Author
Interview with Suzi Parker, Author
By Martin McGregor, Duran Duran Worldwide
Edited by Josie Beaudoin
Martin, DDWW: Suzi, it is an absolute honour to be speaking with you today.
What are your plans for this weekend and with Christmas fast approaching, what do you have planned for the coming weeks?
Suzi: This year certainly zipped by quickly. For the holidays, I’m actually taking a low-key approach. Since my mom passed away in 2017, I’ve tried to create new traditions for the last two Christmases. I also try not to plan too much and go with the flow and magic of the season. We’ll see what new magical adventures this Christmas season gives to me.
Martin, DDWW: Your twitter bio describes you as a ‘Duran Duran ambassador’ can you tell me about how your personal connection to the band evolved?
Suzi: I fell in love with Duran Duran in the summer of 1982. I grew up in the South, loving a band that wore eyeliner and fancy suits. Guys who wore eyeliner and lipstick? They had to be gay, right? I heard a lot of “Duran Duran is gay” growing up so I spent a huge amount of time defending Duran Duran. That seems to have followed me through life, so I just decided to call myself a “Duran Duran ambassador” since I’m always preaching about the band.
Martin, DDWW: Do you remember the first time that you ever heard a Duran Duran song?
Suzi: Yes, it was a strange thing. I spotted the video for “Hungry Like The Wolf” for a split second on “Entertainment Tonight.” Simon was running through the market, and I fell in love instantly. I swear, the host of the show said they were from Holland. That was the summer of 1982, and then in the fall of that year, when I was at the grocery store, I spotted Simon on the cover of a magazine. My mom bought it for me, and down I went in to the Duran Duran rabbit hole.
Martin, DDWW: I used to recall getting a huge buzz whenever waiting to watch a new Duran video for the first time. Which of the bands videos completely blew you away on first viewing, or remains a firm favourite to this day?
Suzi: I was such a Duran Duran geek. Once I got MTV, I kept a log of every time MTV played a Duran Duran video played and the time. I guess I was trying to crack some pattern to know when I should watch MTV. But I watched it all the time. I remember the world premiere of “Union of the Snake.” I still love that video – and song – so much. I loved “Rio” because it was artsy, fun and the band looks amazing in it. It was a dynamic, and I believe still encapsulates the entire look of the 80s. My favourite, favourite Duran Duran video is probably still “Hungry Like the Wolf” but I love “Girls on Film”, “Careless Memories” and my mom loved “New Moon on Monday.”
Martin, DDWW: Do you recall seeing the band live for the first time, and what was that experience like?
Suzi: I missed out on seeing Duran Duran in the 80s because I was stupid. My dad had a friend who pulled strings to get me tickets to see Duran Duran in Dallas on the “Sing Blue Silver” tour. But the tickets weren’t close to the stage, and I guess I was a teenage diva because I told my dad in no uncertain terms, “No, if I can’t have front stage, I’m not going. That’s like tying a dog up and putting a piece of meat just out of his reach.” Stupid girl. So, it wasn’t until the late 1990s when I saw Duran Duran in Tunica, Mississippi, of all places. Duran Duran was, sadly, no longer a huge draw. Still, when Duran Duran came on stage – it was Simon, Nick and Warren, at that time – it was magical.
Martin, DDWW: You have sadly experienced personal tragedy in the last few years, and I know that your late mother was a Duran fan too, can you share with us a favourite memory of your mother when she met the band, I seem to recall her making them laugh a great deal.
Suzi: She did! She saw Duran Duran in the 1990s when I saw them. In 2011, we saw them in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Then, in 2012, I wrote a story for The Washington Post about Duran Duran and the London Olympics. The band was impressed by the piece, and they reached out through their representative to ask if I would be a guest of the band. OMG! Really!? I felt 14 again, and I jumped up and down in my bedroom. I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t breathe. I could choose any stop on the tour, and I picked Tulsa because it was close. I could take a guest, and I, of course, chose my mom. She fell in love with Duran Duran the minute I did, and she always liked Nick. We had actually met Nick and Simon at that Tunica show, but only because I stalked them outside the restaurant where they ate after the show. This time, it would be a proper meeting. We stood in line with some contest winners, and we were supposed to go back before that group of people. But something got lost in communication, and we didn’t get to go in ahead of time. Two women did, and my mom said, “I bet they are groupies, going for John.” We went back with the rest of the group, and Mom strategically put us at the back of the line so we would be last to meet Duran Duran. Sure enough, we were. She went before me, and made a beeline for Nick. She said, “I have loved you forever,” and then they just started chatting. Then the organizer rudely said, “Next!” But I guess Nick and Mom hadn’t finished their conversation. As I stepped forward to go toward the band, Nick said, “Wait, I want another picture with her.” My mom hated getting her picture taken. The organizer called her back. She looked confused. “What? You want another picture with me? I hate getting my picture taken.” Simon and John busted out laughing, and in the photo, you can see Nick trying to hold back a laugh. The last picture I showed her before she died was one of Nick, and I had a pianist play “Ordinary World” at her funeral.
Martin, DDWW: It’s the 40th anniversary of the band next year, we hear the band have a few secrets planned, is there anything in particular you would love to see, such as a guest spot for Andy or Warren at some point on the new album or tour?
Suzi: Andy would be great. I was never a fan of Warren’s, to be honest. I would love to hear them play some of the B-sides fans love like “Late Bar” or play the first album in its entirety. That’s asking a lot, I know. I still would love to hear the songs from the mysterious “Reportage” project. It would be fantastic, too, if they played a song from Arcadia and The Power Station. I was an Arcadia girl so anything from that album except maybe “Election Day” would be amazing.
Martin, DDWW: John and Andy both wrote their autobiographies but so far the others haven’t put pen to paper which of the remaining three members of the band (Simon, Nick or Roger), would you be most intrigued to read their life story and why?
Suzi: My fantasy? To help Simon write his memoir.
Martin, DDWW: What can we expect from Suzi in the coming year? Are you currently working on any new projects?
Suzi: The last two years have been consumed with writing, editing, and creating content strategy for a major medical company. I also do content consulting for businesses about their websites and social media and write some blogs for them. I stay very busy doing that. I do plan to teach more writing workshops in 2020, and yes, finally finish a couple of books and self-publish those. Fingers crossed.
Martin, DDWW: One final question. If you could choose one of the band’s songs that has touched you or influenced you in a way that you had never expected, which song would that be and why?
Suzi: Wow. That’s a hard one. Duran Duran has influenced me so much in so many aspects of my life. As a teenager, I studied Simon’s lyrics and his style of writing. I wrote a lot of poems that were influenced by Simon. Duran Duran was a gateway for me as a teenager to so many other great creative minds like Andy Warhol, David Bowie, T Rex, William Burroughs, etc. If Simon said he was influenced by someone, I’d go read a book by that person. If John or Nick were inspired by an artist, I was, too. Each song by Duran Duran is its own special gift. I can’t say I was influenced by one song, but I will say, that the first album was a huge influence on me as a writer, and when I get writer’s block, I will still go to that first album for inspiration. But if I had to pick, it would be “To The Shore.” There is something about that song that hits deep into my soul.
By Martin McGregor, Duran Duran Worldwide
Edited by Josie Beaudoin
Suzi Parker is an award-winning journalist and author, focusing extensively on politics, hard news, sex and Southern culture. Suzi has published hundreds of articles and essays in newspapers, magazines, and websites including The Economist, The Daily Beast, The Christian Science Monitor, Town & Country, The New Statesman, Penthouse, The Washington Post and many other regional, national and international publications.
She is the author of the cult classic non-fiction book “Sex in the South: Unbuckling the Bible Belt” as well as “1000 Best Bartender’s Recipes.” She also is a self-published author of three books including the novel “Echo Ellis”, an erotic ebook series about a girl named Violet Clementine, and “Trumping And Drinking: 100 Cocktails For Donald Trump’s First 100 Days.” She’s currently working on a collection of essays called “Fireball Hellcat.”
But forget all of that. Most importantly, she’s a Duranie, too.
Martin, DDWW: Suzi, it is an absolute honour to be speaking with you today.
What are your plans for this weekend and with Christmas fast approaching, what do you have planned for the coming weeks?
Suzi: This year certainly zipped by quickly. For the holidays, I’m actually taking a low-key approach. Since my mom passed away in 2017, I’ve tried to create new traditions for the last two Christmases. I also try not to plan too much and go with the flow and magic of the season. We’ll see what new magical adventures this Christmas season gives to me.
Martin, DDWW: Your twitter bio describes you as a ‘Duran Duran ambassador’ can you tell me about how your personal connection to the band evolved?
Suzi: I fell in love with Duran Duran in the summer of 1982. I grew up in the South, loving a band that wore eyeliner and fancy suits. Guys who wore eyeliner and lipstick? They had to be gay, right? I heard a lot of “Duran Duran is gay” growing up so I spent a huge amount of time defending Duran Duran. That seems to have followed me through life, so I just decided to call myself a “Duran Duran ambassador” since I’m always preaching about the band.
Martin, DDWW: Do you remember the first time that you ever heard a Duran Duran song?
Suzi: Yes, it was a strange thing. I spotted the video for “Hungry Like The Wolf” for a split second on “Entertainment Tonight.” Simon was running through the market, and I fell in love instantly. I swear, the host of the show said they were from Holland. That was the summer of 1982, and then in the fall of that year, when I was at the grocery store, I spotted Simon on the cover of a magazine. My mom bought it for me, and down I went in to the Duran Duran rabbit hole.
Martin, DDWW: I used to recall getting a huge buzz whenever waiting to watch a new Duran video for the first time. Which of the bands videos completely blew you away on first viewing, or remains a firm favourite to this day?
Suzi: I was such a Duran Duran geek. Once I got MTV, I kept a log of every time MTV played a Duran Duran video played and the time. I guess I was trying to crack some pattern to know when I should watch MTV. But I watched it all the time. I remember the world premiere of “Union of the Snake.” I still love that video – and song – so much. I loved “Rio” because it was artsy, fun and the band looks amazing in it. It was a dynamic, and I believe still encapsulates the entire look of the 80s. My favourite, favourite Duran Duran video is probably still “Hungry Like the Wolf” but I love “Girls on Film”, “Careless Memories” and my mom loved “New Moon on Monday.”
Martin, DDWW: Do you recall seeing the band live for the first time, and what was that experience like?
Suzi: I missed out on seeing Duran Duran in the 80s because I was stupid. My dad had a friend who pulled strings to get me tickets to see Duran Duran in Dallas on the “Sing Blue Silver” tour. But the tickets weren’t close to the stage, and I guess I was a teenage diva because I told my dad in no uncertain terms, “No, if I can’t have front stage, I’m not going. That’s like tying a dog up and putting a piece of meat just out of his reach.” Stupid girl. So, it wasn’t until the late 1990s when I saw Duran Duran in Tunica, Mississippi, of all places. Duran Duran was, sadly, no longer a huge draw. Still, when Duran Duran came on stage – it was Simon, Nick and Warren, at that time – it was magical.
Martin, DDWW: You have sadly experienced personal tragedy in the last few years, and I know that your late mother was a Duran fan too, can you share with us a favourite memory of your mother when she met the band, I seem to recall her making them laugh a great deal.
Suzi: She did! She saw Duran Duran in the 1990s when I saw them. In 2011, we saw them in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Then, in 2012, I wrote a story for The Washington Post about Duran Duran and the London Olympics. The band was impressed by the piece, and they reached out through their representative to ask if I would be a guest of the band. OMG! Really!? I felt 14 again, and I jumped up and down in my bedroom. I couldn’t believe it. I couldn’t breathe. I could choose any stop on the tour, and I picked Tulsa because it was close. I could take a guest, and I, of course, chose my mom. She fell in love with Duran Duran the minute I did, and she always liked Nick. We had actually met Nick and Simon at that Tunica show, but only because I stalked them outside the restaurant where they ate after the show. This time, it would be a proper meeting. We stood in line with some contest winners, and we were supposed to go back before that group of people. But something got lost in communication, and we didn’t get to go in ahead of time. Two women did, and my mom said, “I bet they are groupies, going for John.” We went back with the rest of the group, and Mom strategically put us at the back of the line so we would be last to meet Duran Duran. Sure enough, we were. She went before me, and made a beeline for Nick. She said, “I have loved you forever,” and then they just started chatting. Then the organizer rudely said, “Next!” But I guess Nick and Mom hadn’t finished their conversation. As I stepped forward to go toward the band, Nick said, “Wait, I want another picture with her.” My mom hated getting her picture taken. The organizer called her back. She looked confused. “What? You want another picture with me? I hate getting my picture taken.” Simon and John busted out laughing, and in the photo, you can see Nick trying to hold back a laugh. The last picture I showed her before she died was one of Nick, and I had a pianist play “Ordinary World” at her funeral.
Suzi: Andy would be great. I was never a fan of Warren’s, to be honest. I would love to hear them play some of the B-sides fans love like “Late Bar” or play the first album in its entirety. That’s asking a lot, I know. I still would love to hear the songs from the mysterious “Reportage” project. It would be fantastic, too, if they played a song from Arcadia and The Power Station. I was an Arcadia girl so anything from that album except maybe “Election Day” would be amazing.
Martin, DDWW: John and Andy both wrote their autobiographies but so far the others haven’t put pen to paper which of the remaining three members of the band (Simon, Nick or Roger), would you be most intrigued to read their life story and why?
Suzi: My fantasy? To help Simon write his memoir.
Martin, DDWW: What can we expect from Suzi in the coming year? Are you currently working on any new projects?
Suzi: The last two years have been consumed with writing, editing, and creating content strategy for a major medical company. I also do content consulting for businesses about their websites and social media and write some blogs for them. I stay very busy doing that. I do plan to teach more writing workshops in 2020, and yes, finally finish a couple of books and self-publish those. Fingers crossed.
Martin, DDWW: One final question. If you could choose one of the band’s songs that has touched you or influenced you in a way that you had never expected, which song would that be and why?
Suzi: Wow. That’s a hard one. Duran Duran has influenced me so much in so many aspects of my life. As a teenager, I studied Simon’s lyrics and his style of writing. I wrote a lot of poems that were influenced by Simon. Duran Duran was a gateway for me as a teenager to so many other great creative minds like Andy Warhol, David Bowie, T Rex, William Burroughs, etc. If Simon said he was influenced by someone, I’d go read a book by that person. If John or Nick were inspired by an artist, I was, too. Each song by Duran Duran is its own special gift. I can’t say I was influenced by one song, but I will say, that the first album was a huge influence on me as a writer, and when I get writer’s block, I will still go to that first album for inspiration. But if I had to pick, it would be “To The Shore.” There is something about that song that hits deep into my soul.
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