Recording and Release Dates
The first song to be recorded for Rio was "My Own Way", written and recorded in October 1981, and released as a single in November 1981. The rest of the album was recorded in the early months of 1982 at Air Studios in London, with producer and engineer Colin Thurston. "My Own Way" was re-recorded for the album and the newer version is significantly different from the 1981 single version.
The second single, "Hungry Like the Wolf", was released in the UK on 4 May 1982. It peaked at #5 in the charts on 26 June 1982.
The Rio album was first released worldwide on 10 May 1982, peaking at #2 in the UK in its second week of release. The image on the album's distinctive purple cover was painted by artist Patrick Nagel. The cover itself was designed by Malcolm Garrett.
The band had their own plans and ambitions for promotion. They reunited with director Russell Mulcahy (who had directed the music video for their first single, "Planet Earth"), and planned the release of a full length video album—eleven videos for the best songs off of the Duran Duran and Rio albums. The band travelled to Sri Lanka and Antigua between tour dates to film the memorable videos for the singles "Rio", "Hungry Like the Wolf" and "Save a Prayer", as well as the lesser-known "Lonely in Your Nightmare" and "Nightboat" — the latter video being a creepy zombiefest set on a deserted island.
While filming the videos, guitarist Andy Taylor contracted a tropical virus and was hospitalised on his return to England. This forced the delay of the band's European tour, and the record company decided to hold the release of the third single until the band was ready to promote it again.
"Save a Prayer" was finally released on 9 August 1982, and peaked at #2 on the UK charts in mid September 1982.
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