Duran Duran’s lead guitarist Andy Taylor announced in a letter read by the band at their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction that he is battling stage four prostate cancer. Taylor had written a letter for bandmate Simon Le Bon to read at the band’s induction due to Taylor being too sick to attend. Bandmates Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, and Roger Taylor were also present at the induction.

In the letter, Taylor talks about his pride in the band’s accomplishments over the years and the evolution of their sound, writing that “I loved going into the studio and recording our material; nobody else sounded like us. We were ripe to absorb what was the art of analogue recording, but with some different kit, Nick’s artful obsession with synth technology was something I’d never seen before and I was introduced to layers. Because we were instinctively the right fit, we evolved very quickly, writing RIO as our second album with the confidence our very early success with “Girls on Film” and “Planet Earth” inspired.”

Taylor also discussed the progression of his illness in the letter, stating that “Just over 4 years ago I was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer. Many families have experienced the slow burn of this diseased and of course we are no different; so I speak from the perspective of a family-man but with profound humility to the band, the greatest fans a group could have, and this exceptional accolade…Although my current condition is not immediately life threatening, there is no cure. Recently I was doing okay after some very sophisticated life-extending treatment, that was, until a week or so ago when I suffered a setback and despite the exceptional efforts of my team, I had to be honest in that both physically and mentally, I would be pushing my boundaries. However, none of this needs to or should detract from what this band (with or without me) has achieved and sustained for 44 years.”

News of Taylor’s illness has come not long after Duran Duran’s tour that took place in August and September 2022.

(Photo Credit: Boston Lynn Schulz)