Keyboards/Synthesizer
(1978-Present)
Real/Full Name: Nicolas James Bates
Birth Place: Birmingham, England
Born/Birthdate: June 8, 1962 (In his Mother's House.) Moseley, Birmingham - Weight: 7 lbs 8 oz
Hair Color: Blond
Eye Color: Hazel/Green
Height: 5'9"
Weight: 126 lbs.
Education: Silvermead Junior School; Woodrush High School, Hollywood, Birmingham
Nick was born and bred in Birmingham, he was a very good baby and very quiet, as soon as Nick was old enough wanted to join the boy scouts, however, there was a waiting list. Eventually the scout leader came round and told Nick he could join, but Nick changed his mind and never mentioned it again.
As a young boy he was very much a chatterbox, very lively and extremely inquisitive, he always wanted to know what was going on around him, he asked questions constantly and wanted to know everything about everything.
Nick went to Silvermead Junior school, then to Woodrush High school, Nick quite liked school, particularly art and music, in fact kept in touch with Mr. Smart his English whenever possible .Mr Smart described Nick as a well motivated child who often used to stay on after school.
Nick first made the anouncement that he wanted to be a pop star to his parents when he was 10 years old whilst watching Gary Glitter.
Mr. Hart, Nick's Art teacher said Nick was a very co-operative boy, highly imaginative and talented, particularly in art, he was capable technically and very confident.
He was a very bright lad at school and did what homework he had, if he had problems his father would often help him out.
They are very proud of him at Woodrush school and have a picture of the band in one of the classrooms. Nick left school with seven O levels and was going to stay on and take his A levels but decided halfway through summer holidays that he did not want to continue, he didn't want to go to university either wanting instead to get out into the world and find out what it was all about. He did help out in his mother's toy shop for a bit of extra money.
Sometimes Nick and his mother would have terrible rows, Nick would get mad if he didn't agree but a couple of days later, after thinking it over would go back and tell his mother she was right. Nick had a thing about dyeing his hair, the first time he went home late at night and shot up the stairs calling out "I'm home" and dived under the bed covers, the next morning his mother went to his room and saw a blond head peeping out from under the sheets, after the initial scare she became quite used to it, after that he went all colours, Blond twice, purple and orange.
His main interest during his teens was his record collection, He had a huge Bowie collection. He also collected record sleeves, he used to go to the shops with John - it was like a race - who would get there first. Nick liked hoarding things he always kept his tickets from pop concerts and various gigs, his home was filled with junk that Nick had amassed.
The local job centre were not as enthusastic about Nicks ambitions, He was sent many job application forms, Finally his benefit payments were stopped after refusing a job as a petrol pump attendant at the local garage 300 yards from his house.
Nick decided to change his name to Rhodes soon after starting Duran Duran, there was no particular resaon for the name, he just sat and thought about it and came and made a calm announcment to his parents.
Nick was a very home loving boy, very kind, very gentle and not at all selfish, he was always very truthful. His Parents Roger and Sylvia Bates, are very proud of their son but his superstar status means they don't see much of him and miss him. Nick is prone to working too hard , the doctor said he was a very fit person but stress and overwork made him ill, he is a workaholic and just doesn't know when to stop.
Marital Status:
Divorced from Julianne Freidman in London (August 12, 1984 to December of 1994)
Children:
Tatjana Leigh Orchid (August 23, 1986)
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