Unique Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor was unable to attend tonight’s Rock and Roll Corridor of Fame induction ceremony in Los Angeles honoring the group, because the guitarist has been battling well being points associated to Stage 4 metastatic prostate most cancers.
Throughout their induction into the Rock Corridor on the Microsoft Theater, Duran Duran revealed that Taylor, identified with metastatic prostate most cancers 4 years in the past, suffered a setback from the prognosis that might not enable him to journey to L.A. from Ibiza, Spain. The band honored Taylor in the course of the ceremony studying parts of an acceptance speech letter.
“Simply over 4 years in the past I used to be identified with stage 4 metastatic prostate most cancers. Many households have skilled the gradual burn of this illness and naturally we aren’t any totally different; so I communicate from the attitude of a family-man however with profound humility to the band, the best followers a bunch might have and this distinctive accolade,” Taylor wrote in his speech.
Solely a part of the letter was learn in the course of the acceptance speech, however a extra detailed model was printed on the group’s web site, going into higher element about his setback.
“I’ve the Rodgers and Edwards of medical doctors and medical therapy that till very not too long ago allowed me to simply rock on. Though my present situation just isn’t instantly life threatening there isn’t any remedy,” he stated. “Just lately I used to be doing okay after some very refined life extending therapy, that was till every week or so in the past after I suffered a setback, and regardless of the distinctive efforts of my workforce, I needed to be sincere in that each bodily and mentally, I might be pushing my boundaries.”
Backstage within the press room, Simon LeBon elaborated on his emotions about Taylor’s situation, briefly.
“It’s devastating information to seek out out {that a} colleague… not a colleague — a buddy, considered one of our household — just isn’t gonna be round for very lengthy. It’s completely devastating. We love Andy dearly. I’m not gonna stand right here and cry or something, that might be inappropriate, however that’s what I really feel like.”
Then, LeBon reduce off additional strains of questioning about Taylor. “Now that we’ve received that out of the way in which, can we not return to it, please,” stated the singer, indicating that he was too distraught to handle the topic additional.
Andy Taylor of Duran Duran
Getty Photographs
Duran Duran — named for a personality within the Jane Fonda movie “Barbarella” — was shaped in Birmingham in 1978 by keyboardist Nick Rhodes and bassist John Taylor, including drummer Roger Taylor a 12 months later. The lineup, accomplished in 1980 with the addition of guitarist Andy Taylor and singer Simon Le Bon, went on to mainstream success with its 1982 album, “Rio,” adopted by a slew of MTV video hits together with “Planet Earth,” “Is There One thing I Ought to Know” and “Hungry Just like the Wolf” dominating the music channel. Andy Taylor’s funky guitar work was a driving drive behind the band’s reputation, with tens of thousands and thousands of albums bought, together with the Golden Globe-nominated tune, “A View to A Kill,” from the James Bond movie of the identical identify.
The unique five-piece band reformed for a sold-out world tour and album ‘Astronaut’ in 2004 and tonight would have been the primary time that they might have performed collectively in 17 years, the assertion learn. It was to be a particular deal with for the band’s “Duranies” fanbase, answerable for Duran Duran incomes its spot as the highest vote-getter within the public vote, tallying 934,880 in its first-ever nomination.
In 2019, Le Bon and bassist John Taylor had been readily available to induct Roxy Music into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. In his letter, Andy Taylor acknowledged the affect of Roxy Music, writing, “All of us grew up on the identical vinyl information and dwell gigs, from David Bowie to Roxy Music, rhe Intercourse Pistols and naturally CHIC. I might go to all these locations as a participant and developed a hybrid guitar type that fitted this superb idea OF A BAND…”
The thirty seventh Annual induction ceremony is honoring Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo, Eminem, Eurythmics, Dolly Parton, Lionel Richie, and Carly Simon together with Judas Priest and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis for Musical Excellence, Harry Belafonte and Elizabeth Cotten for Early Affect, in addition to Alan Grubman, Jimmy Iovine and Sylvia Robinson for the Ahmet Ertegun Award.
Learn Taylor’s letter in its entirety beneath:
Expensive Simon, John, Roger, Nick, my fellow inductees and countrymen
I needed to ship a private notice to go alongside my sincerest respect to you all for what’s been a tremendous profession, and to additionally share what has occurred to me.
Firstly, can I say what an absolute honour it was to be nominated not to mention be inducted into the RRHOF. There’s nothing that comes near such recognition. I’m happy with every little thing we’ve achieved collectively and of the way in which you will have continued. As a guitar participant in a progressive band from the synth days of the early eighties, actually from the day I met Nick, John, Simon and Roger they really valued the contribution of a relatively noisy, versatile Northern brat. All of us grew up on the identical vinyl information and dwell gigs, from David Bowie to Roxy Music, The Intercourse Pistols and naturally CHIC. I might go to all these locations as a participant and developed a hybrid guitar type that fitted this superb idea OF A BAND…
I beloved going into the studio and recording our materials; no person else appeared like us. We had been ripe to soak up what was the artwork of analogue recording, however with some totally different package, Nick’s suave obsession with synth know-how was one thing I’d by no means seen earlier than and I used to be launched to lay-ers. As a result of we had been instinctively the best match, we advanced in a short time, writing RIO as our second album with the boldness our very early success with ‘Women On Movie’ and ‘Planet Earth’ in-spired.
You possibly can dream about what occurred to us however to expertise it, on one’s personal phrases, as mates, was past unimaginable.
I want to thank every of my brothers on this nice band.
My household: my extremely sane spouse of 40 years – Tracey – my superb kids, Andy, Georgie, Bethy and Izzy, not forgetting my grandson Albie, who’s in all probability on-line listening or on Fort-nite!!!
The unique believers: Paul and Michael Berrow, Dave Ambrose, Terry Slater, Rob Hallett.
The Producers: Colin Thurston, Alex Sadkin, Bernard Edwards and Nile Rodgers – I’ve additionally real-ly dug the work with Mark Ronson – I notably admire ‘All You Want Is Now’, that’s a DD melody if ever I heard one.
Thanks additionally to Merck, Andrew and Wendy.
Now for the dangerous blood, properly the excellent news is that there’s none, simply pure love and respect for eve-rything we wrote, recorded and achieved collectively. What’s the purpose? There’s no stopping this 44-year factor referred to as “Duran Duran”.
Now to the rationale I’m not right here:
Simply over 4-years in the past I used to be identified with stage 4 metastatic prostate most cancers. Many households have skilled the gradual burn of this illness and naturally we aren’t any totally different; so I communicate from the attitude of a family-man however with profound humility to the band, the best followers a bunch might have and this distinctive accolade.
I’ve the Rodgers and Edwards of medical doctors and medical therapy that till very not too long ago allowed me to simply rock on. Though my present situation just isn’t instantly life threatening there isn’t any remedy. Just lately I used to be doing okay after some very refined life extending therapy, that was till every week or so in the past after I suffered a setback, and regardless of the distinctive efforts of my workforce, I needed to be sincere in that each bodily and mentally, I might be pushing my boundaries.
Nonetheless, none of this must or ought to detract from what this band (with or with out me) has achieved and sustained for 44 years. We’ve had a privileged life, we had been a bit naughty however very nice, a bit shirty however very properly dressed, a bit stuffed with ourselves, as a result of we had quite a bit to present, however as I’ve stated many instances, if you really feel that collective, instinctive, kindred spirit of creativity combined with ambition, armed with an über cool bunch of followers, properly what might presumably go fallacious?
I’m actually sorry and massively disillusioned I couldn’t make it. Let there be little doubt I used to be stoked about the entire thing, even purchased a brand new guitar with the important whammy!
I’m so very happy with these 4 brothers; I’m amazed at their sturdiness, and I’m overjoyed at ac-cepting this award. I typically doubted the day would come. I’m certain as hell glad I’m round to see the day.
All My Love
AT
