So we caught up on old times. John told me a couple anecdotes that made me laugh. About the time they were on Jay Leno and Nick gave Jay a pass to the Playboy "Bunny Ball" and the funny conversation about that. And how Warren was trying to explain that they had recorded the Wedding Album in his living room, with Jay ribbing on him, saying that he could hear the sounds of planes taking off from Heathrow on the album.

It *was* like old times. I was reconnecting with a buddy from my past. I thought I'd not want to do this - to uncover a wound of remembering John when he was a junkie.

I was relieved that he was now sober - pretty much - and he'd realized the error of his ways. And now he was tons happier. So it seemed.

"Look me up next time you're in town," I said, giving him a hug before he left. I knew that was something open-ended. "It's so difficult to get a hold of any of you." He apologized a bit, but I knew it wasn't his fault, they were all busy. But I told him to make sure to call me when Amanda had their baby.

I watched him get into his car and drive away.

Time passed and as he had promised, John called me when his wife went into labor. A beautiful baby named Atlanta entered the world. And I had promised, I was a doting godmother. Over the next couple years I visited John, Amanda, and their bundle of joy. Unfortunately, I'd heard from Simon that things were not what they seemed between John and Amanda. John was doing his share of drinking, and they seemed to have fallen out of love with each other.

I was so disappointed for John - he was so sure he could avoid the mistakes that Nick had made, especially since he had gotten married much later in life, figuring he had the maturity that Nick lacked when he had married Julie-Anne.

Unlike Julie-Anne, Amanda wanted to take care of their daughter as she passed through childhood, and John, in his characteristic way, allowed for this. It was heartwrenching to John, to have to give up little Atlanta so that she could stay with her mother back in England, while John was in Laurel Canyon in Los Angeles. But, he had always told me that he liked the California sun, and liked there better than in foggy, cold England. I saw less of my goddaughter because she was 'cross the pond.

This ended up being an uncomfortable move though. Eventually, John called it quits from Duran Duran, and wanted to work on his own music. I always knew John was one creative guy, and I think leaving the band was a good decision for him at the time. It let him spread his creative wings, and dip into parts of the music business that he had never the liberty to explore - producing and writing for himself. He certainly seemed happier without some huge record label looking over his shoulder. He did "Feelings are Good" in 1995, in the midst of the boys recording "Thank You," an album of covers.

When John left the band in 1997, I'd heard about it while reading one of the music papers - I forget, it was probably Billboard or something like that. Nick, Simon, and Warren trudged onward with their music, releasing "Medazzaland." To my surprise, I loved the album. Initially, I thought without John's bass lines, they would have had nothing. Instead, I really dug the new electronic sounds they were using. Without my connection to John though, it was next to impossible for me to see them, in the easy way that I used to. In the early '80s, I could just call up their management and get in to see them. Now things were much more complicated. I lost contact with all of them. The new millenium approached and I was busy doing whatever teachers do during the school year. That May 2000, my mailbox was filled by one particularly interesting piece of mail.

Imagine my surprise when I received a letter from their new record label, Hollywood Records. Apparently EMI had dropped them, then they switched over to this new Disney related label.

Dear Sir or Madam:

You are cordially invited to the release party for Duran Duran's new album, "Pop Trash." The record will be officially released on the Hollywood Records' label in June 2000. Prior to the official release, we are holding a special, invite-only party to celebrate this monumentous moment. We would be honored if you accepted our invitation to this get-together.

Sincerely,
Publicity Department,
Hollywood Records
Los Angeles, CA

Included was all the contact info. I looked at the date for the party. Late May. Later that particular month. Luckily for me, our school district started school early in August, so I would actually be out by then.

Road trip to Los Angeles for a couple days? Maybe I could look up John...