Duran Duran "Honored & Excited" to Sing for England at Olympics Opening Concert

Facebook.com/DuranDuranThe opening ceremony for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London will take place Friday, and Duran Duran is headlining a huge concert in London's Hyde Park to help celebrate the occasion. 

Four acts are performing to represent each part of the United Kingdom: Duran Duran represents England, while Snow Patrol will represent Northern Ireland.  The Welsh band Stereophonics will represent Wales, while Scottish singer/songwriter Paolo Nutini will play for Scotland.

"It's a very exciting gig," Duran Duran frontman Simon Le Bon tells ABC News Radio. "We're very honored to be asked to do it...we're expecting a big crowd. It's not just Duran Duran, so it promises to be a big mix of people...that's always a lot of fun for us."

As for why Duran Duran was chosen to represent England, out of the many thousands of musical acts that could have been selected, keyboard player Nick Rhodes tells ABC News Radio, "I suppose one of the important thing for whoever chose us was that it was a band that has been around for a while, has a history, has some songs that people know and also that are known internationally."

Noting that the band's international fame was likely a deciding factor, Nick jokes, "We're lucky in that respect. We've been chasing around the world for three decades now trying to make sure we can get on this Olympic bill!"

As for what Olympic sports the Duran Duran members think that they'd be able to compete in, guitarist John Taylor thinks fencing would be appropriate for him, while Simon, a longtime yachtsman, says, "I could do the boats. I could do the sailing."  As for drummer Roger Taylor, he laughs, thinking perhaps of the band's past penchant for wearing makeup and feminine clothing, "Cross-dressing. Is than event?"  

After their Olympics gig, Duran Duran kick off a series of North American tour dates August 8 in Saratoga, California.

Copyright 2012 ABC News Radio