PALMER LEAVES POWER STATION

Duran Duran/Chic supergroup The Power Station begin a US tour at Connecticut’s Hartford Civic Center, on the back of a Top 10 US LP produced by Chic’s Bernard Edwards. Much to everyone’s surprise, singer Robert Palmer has been replaced by ex-Silverhead man Michael Des Barres. “They call and say, ‘Hey, we’re going on the road!’ I go,

Whaat?! They picked up on my lack of enthusiasm and didn’t bother to ask again,” Palmer later tells Q. He spends summer ’85 finishing his solo LP Riptide, which contains 1986 hit Addicted To Love, instead. Prior to the split, bassist John Taylor had told Creem, “There’s a lot of critical esteem for Robert, and a lot of critical hatred of Duran Duran.”

Off the grid: (main) John Taylor and Michael Des Barres power up live at Landsdowne Park, Ottawa; (inset) absent frontman Robert Palmer has a fag break.