DURAN DURAN - DURAN DURAN'S SENSATIONAL AMERICAN RETURN

Eighties pop success DURAN DURAN made a triumphant "spiritual" return to the American stage last night (15JUL03) - 18 years since they last performed in the US.

The GIRLS ON FILM hitmakers wowed the crowd at an intimate gig at THE ROXY in Los Angeles, which holds a place in the band's history as the first American venue they performed at.

And it seems the one-time pop sensations are in for the long haul, because they've rediscovered the "extraordinary chemistry" that used to bind them together.

Lead singer SIMON LE BON says, "The Roxy is a very spiritual gig for us to play. It was the first venue we ever played in the US. It has just been extraordinary playing again. We still have an extraordinary chemistry between us.

"It's great to be playing in front of excited fans again. The fans over here are quite hardcore. I did sign an American girl's buttock with a tattoo needle - it took ages and she did scream.

"LA has been a city where we've seen a lot of craziness over the years, though we're all just a little bit older now."