During a short hiatus in late 1984 and early 1985, three
Duran Duran members -- lead singer
Simon LeBon, keyboardist
Nick Rhodes, and drummer
Roger Taylor -- formed
Arcadia, a short-lived splinter group which offered an artier version of
Duran Duran's new wave synth pop.
Arcadia released their only album,
So Red the Rose, in 1985, just after
Duran Duran's popularity reached a peak. Consequently, the album became a hit based on name recognition alone, as did the single "Election Day," which sailed into the American and British Top Ten. After their brief moment of success, the members of
Arcadia re-formed
Duran Duran without guitarist Andy Taylor. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine