Duran Duran - Nick Rhodes Keyboards, can he actually play?

A discussion on the subject of whether Nick Rhodes from Duran Duran can actually play keyboards or not?

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Related video:
Duran Duran - Nick Rhodes, Understated Genius:

[jast.]

Nick is a master of "layers". Without his incredible talent at weaving melodies into the music, Duran Duran would not have lasted for over 40 years. I've been a fan since the beginning. Absolutely love Duran Duran.

[dkmyww]

I met Nick Rhodes after a concert in a hotel bar with the rest of the band... Simon and Warren were there as well, Roger and John did not tour that album.It was the greatest and Lastest tour. Nick spent an hour talking with us about their albums.. likes and dislikes... he was so down to earth. No ego
. No bullshit, he enjoyed our comments about their songs . A star !

[cyborgasylum]

Nick’s real strengths are in the studio as an arranger/composer. They call it his laboratory. He adds numerous parts to the songs. His role should never be minimized. You wouldn’t do that to a composer or an arranger now, would you?

[guillermosahuquillo]

Nick Rhodes is an architect, not a structural engineer. And he is the one I most respected in the band, And Simon says he is the “organizer”.

[mistreme]

Nick models his style after Brian Eno who is the Great Experimenter. He loves analog synths primarily because of the ‘tactile warmth’ they bring to a song. So, when I see him in concert, I often see him fiddling with knobs so he can shape sounds live! I know of few keyboardists who can do this live confidently. He plays synths using their whole range of sonic capabilities. They are not pianos! They can do pianos, but that is very limiting. Nick can do about 10 or more layers live in one song using triggers and then messing with them at appropriate points. I’ve studied and modeled his playing for decades! He is a Brian Eno student of production on the fly! One of the best out there!

[dahjonas]

I've met Nick in Brazil, in 2017 when the band played on Lollapalooza, he was so nice with all the fans, actually all the band members was. We had a conversation one day and he is absolutely fantastic, I'm proud to be his fan.

[kymodriscoll]

Duran Duran were my Kings in my teenage years. Fantastic live. No one would ever call Nick a concert pianist. He was in a pop band ffs. The simplicity of the melodies were genius.

[LusciousApparatus_]

Nick has always been underrated as far as what he can do, but to hear "He can't play, " is mind-boggling to me. He creates so much atmosphere for DD's music. Pop on a pair of good headphones and listen to just one track - I highly recommend "The Chauffeur." Decades later, I can STILL pick up new elements in that song (and many others). So many artists today use backing tracks. Easier question would be 'show me one(s) that don't. (Great vid!)

[rainaream]

Who really cares if he can play or not. He still is a master at creating great sounds. That's all that matters to me. So I think he is still one of the most creative musicians out there. I love Nick Rhodes. ❤

[robertsantorum]

Please cover nicks work in Arcadia. That album is pure genius from beginning to end in every detail. Not a bad song on the album and every song is dressed up in audio effects that were crafted with love and great thought. The promise, lady ice, missing, el Diablo . Keep me in the dark. This album is so consistent from romantic lyrics to the matching energy of the music . Every song is like a perfect fingerprint.

[southernflight]

Nick Rhodes is an amazing keyboard player. He is the heart and Soul of Duran Duran!!!

[britishcrimewriter-LeeWood]

Nick is so cool and he makes it look easy, but make no mistake, he is an outstanding musician. And I interviewed him many years ago. He's a lovely guy. Long may 'The Controller' reign.

[DeanWThomas]

As a fan of Nick, I have done a good bit of research in terms of what he does and can and can’t do. Let’s make no mistake! Duran Duran would not be what they are without Nick. He is that band, and I’m not saying the other members don’t matter because they absolutely do. But nick is the one that pays incredible amounts of detail to every aspect. I know there was a comment in the video about backing tape and I’m not sure weather they use them or not but I do however know that a lot of what nick does is sequenced. Both live and in the studio. Roger Taylor (the drummer) has to play along to it. There is a video of them playing save a prayer at Live Aid 85 and you can see him start the sequencer and clearly play the lead in the intro using the pitch bend. He plays! He definitely plays a part live in addition to what is going on with sequencers and backing tracks. You can see several examples of this article in current live recordings as well.

All this said, he is no virtuoso. He doesn’t need to be and as one of my main influences, I’m glad he’s not! As a drummer, I would have never gravitated towards the synth if it wasn’t for his influence. I wish there was a lot more info out there on him however, I believe part of Nicks essence is the mystery around him!

[dkmyww]

I met Nick Rhodes after The Greatest and Latest Tour ... the most down to earth guy you could meet.. listened to our comments good and bad about DD songs ... a sincere person beyond the rockstar image ... he lived a dream many chased !

[bubblen]

It would be very weird if he couldn't play. He's certainly had enough time to practice. And I bet he can play 1000 times better than 99% of the people who say he can't play. Can he play as well as Elton John or Billy Joel? No; he's a keyboard player in a band not a pianist/singer.

[chrisridenhour]

Nick is an amazing composer, songwriter, producer and performer. He doesn't need to be Franz Liszt to write masterpieces. :)

[roundsrapid]

It’s the age-old “Ringo” argument: technique vs. feel. Nick’s not technically the best, but what he plays is always perfect for the song.

[ZumaDogg]

Youre right about DD still being top of game. Of all the acts of their era, Simon's voice is holding up best.

[Juststartingout]

Nick Rhodes and Richard Barbieri are absolute geniuses on a synth. They can do things in a different way that classically trained musicians never could.

[scottquattrone]

Nick Rhodes is a self-taught keyboard wizard. He's not a keyboard player, he's a pianist. You can't compare Nick with any other pianist. It's like trying to compare Eric Clapton and Eddie Van Halen. Like Eddie, Nick in a innovator. His music is incomparable to anyone else. I lost track of the number of times I've seen Duran Duran in concert. Simon may be the lead vocalist but Nick conducts the show, night after night and his mastery over the keys leads the way.