Italian synthwave rock project V.B.O., featuring Wind Rose frontman Francesco Cavalieri and producer Simone Giusti, has released a new interpretation of Duran Duran’s 1984 hit ‘The Wild Boys’ ahead of the arrival of the band’s debut album Vice Business Only.
by Paul Cashmere
V.B.O. have unveiled their version of Duran Duran’s ‘The Wild Boys’, recasting one of the defining singles of the 1980s through a blend of electronic textures, heavy guitars and modern metal production. The recording arrives weeks before the release of the band’s debut album, Vice Business Only, which is scheduled for release on 24 July through Reigning Phoenix Music.
The release places renewed attention on a song that occupies a significant place in pop history. Originally issued by Duran Duran on 22 October 1984, ‘The Wild Boys’ was the only studio recording featured on the band’s live album Arena. Produced by Nile Rodgers, the single became one of Duran Duran’s biggest worldwide successes, reaching No. 2 in both the UK and the United States and peaking at No. 3 in Australia.
For V.B.O., the song also represents a creative bridge between the synthesiser driven pop of the 1980s and the heavier rock influences that define the project.
“‘Wild Boys’ gets the VBO treatment as we reinterpret the Duran Duran classic through our own electrifying sound,” vocalist Francesco Cavalieri said. “We push the track into a heavier, more cinematic direction, blending ‘80s nostalgia with a modern electronic and metal attitude. Enjoy our tribute to this iconic masterpiece.”
The band’s version retains key melodic elements from the original while introducing a denser sonic framework. Fierce guitar passages and a prominent bass foundation sit alongside analogue inspired synthesiser textures and keyboards that reference the period in which the song was first released. Cavalieri’s vocal approach acknowledges Simon Le Bon’s original performance before the track concludes with heavier instrumentation and harsh vocals.
The original ‘The Wild Boys’ has an unusual history. The song was inspired by director Russell Mulcahy’s ambition to develop a feature film based on William S. Burroughs’ 1971 novel The Wild Boys: A Book Of The Dead. Although the film was never made, Mulcahy’s concept inspired Simon Le Bon to begin writing lyrics, while the band built the music around a more aggressive rhythmic foundation reportedly influenced by Frankie Goes To Hollywood’s ‘Relax’.
The accompanying video became one of the most expensive music clips of its era, reportedly costing more than £1 million. Directed by Mulcahy and filmed at Pinewood Studios in England, it featured elaborate sets, extensive prosthetics and visual effects that were considered groundbreaking at the time. The clip won British Video of the Year at the 1985 Brit Awards.
V.B.O. was founded in 2023 by Cavalieri and electronic producer Simone Giusti. The project marked a departure for Cavalieri, whose profile was established as the frontman of Italian power metal band Wind Rose. Alongside guitarist Claudio Falconcini, keyboard player Federico Meranda and drummer Angelo Carmignani, the group has developed a sound that combines synthwave, rock and metal with strong cinematic and electronic influences.
The band signed with Reigning Phoenix Music in 2025 and made its live debut in January 2026 aboard the international 70000 Tons Of Metal cruise festival in the United States. Earlier this year V.B.O. issued the singles ‘Fire Fire’ and ‘Monsters!’, introducing listeners to the retro futuristic aesthetic that underpins the project.
Their debut album, recorded at LSD-Studios in Lübeck, Germany, was produced, mixed and mastered by Lasse Lammert. Alongside original material, the record closes with ‘The Wild Boys’, positioning the Duran Duran cover as both a tribute to an enduring pop classic and a statement of V.B.O.’s genre crossing ambitions.
Vice Business Only Tracklist:
VBO X Vesti La Giubba
Bring On The Fire
Waiting For The Dawn
Lovers On The Run
Surrendered
Fire Fire
Shadow Of Your Kiss
Monsters!
The Wild Boys
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