Mark Ronson Turns to Duran Duran for Inspiration

Having plundered the 1960s for musical inspiration, producer Mark Ronson is to be bring his sound a little bit more up-to-date for his third album, 'Record Collection,' -- by ransacking Duran Duran in all their 1980s pomp.

"I was working with [Duran Duran keyboards player] Nick Rhodes, and when I heard the sound of these analogue keyboards I thought they would be an interesting texture to incorporate into my new album," Ronson enthused to the BBC.

"There's no covers, no horns," Ronson continued. "Working with Duran Duran is directly responsible for the sound on this album -- although it doesn't sound like Duran Duran."

No, instead Duran Duran will sound like Duran Duran thanks to Ronson's production work on their new album which is scheduled for a late 2010 release.

"I'm just another Duran Duran fan and know what another Duran Duran fan would want to hear," he explained. "There's nothing wrong with Duran Duran as a band going back and reclaiming that and sounding like they did in 1982 again."

The experience has been clearly fruitful for Ronson who has invited Duran Duran's Simon Le Bon to appear on his new album, as well as that other 80s icon Boy George, who sings on a track called 'Somebody to Love Me.' "It has the same blue-eyed soul element and sense of regret as 'Do You Really Want to Hurt Me?'" Ronson said.

Speculation is now rife in certain critical circles that Ronson will enter the new decade with a '90s Britpop sound for his fourth album.