Rare and unseen snaps of Duran Duran are revealed in new archive of photos which charts the hit bands earliest days during 1980
They are known for their plethora of hits including Girls On Film, The Reflex and Hungry Like The Wolf.
And now rare and previously unseen photographs charting the early days of Duran Duran have been published in a series of books.
The three-volume set titled Duran Duran en Scène feature photographs taken by Paul Edmond as a teenager in the city of Birmingham.
Paul died in 2015 and his archive, which contains about 200 images most of which are unseen, has been held until now as his sister Maggie K de Monde has chosen to reveal it.
Depicting 1980s youth culture in Birmingham, the books also include snaps of other acts including Dexys Midnight Runners, Spandau Ballet and Boy George.
Rare and unseen snaps of Duran Duran are revealed in new archive of photos which charts the hit bands earliest days during 1980 (pictured the band outside the studio during the recording of Planet Earth, their first single)
The three-volume set titled Duran Duran en Scène feature photographs taken by Paul Edmond as a teenager in the city of Birmingham. He sadly passed away in 2015
Speaking about her brother, Maggie said: 'He was an amazing photographer and quite renowned.'
The photographs span from 1979 to 1982, which was 'a really important time in Birmingham's musical history,' she explained.
Duran Duran were formed in the Birmingham in 1978 before they established their famous line up of lead vocalist Simon Le Bon, guitarist Andy Taylor, keyboardist Nick Rodes, drummer Roger Taylor and bassist John Taylor in 1980.
The band released their debut single, Planet Earth, in 1981 and Maggie revealed that Paul was taking pictures of the band while they were recording the hit in the very early days of the group.
Paul captured the band playing at a host of venues including the city's Rum Runner club, the Cedar Club and Aston University.
Maggie's band Playthings also supported Duran Duran in their early days before she went on to have success with bands Swans Way and Scarlet Fantastic.
In the introduction to the three volumes, Martin Tracey, a musician turned author, writes: 'Not many photos like that exist of any band, let alone this period, but he just caught things in the moment which is just priceless.'
Other photographs in the collection include Boy George, who has also written the foreword to one of the books, as well as Annie Lennox of the Eurythmics.
Paul's archive, which contains about 200 images most of which are unseen, has been held until now as his sister Maggie K de Monde has chosen to reveal it
Pictured Duran Duran's bassist John Taylor
Bow Wow Bow are seen playing at the city's Cedar Club
Maggie K de Monde is pictured with her band Playthings, which supported Duran Duran
Designers Jane Kahn and Patti Bell were regulars on the Birmingham club scene
Birmingham's Rum Runner club features in many of the photographs
Kevin Rowland of Dexys Midnight Runners was also photographed by Paul Edmond
The collection captures a broad spectrum of bands on the rising scene at the time, but the images are all taken before the artists had really made it.
Martin said: 'It was quite a broad spectrum of bands that were rising on the scene, but none of them had made it then as such, and that’s what makes it so beautiful.'
Maggie added: 'Every night we used to go from club to club, dressed like peacocks.
'We’d start off at someone’s house and then go to Holy City Zoo and then to the Rum Runner. My brother always managed to just be in the right place at the right time.'
Maggie's brother, who later worked for Sounds and New Sounds magazines, died in a car crash in 2015.
She said the book collection are a 'really good way to honour and celebrate his memory and legacy'.
