Duran Duran’s Andy Taylor has said a new treatment for his stage four prostate cancer has “effectively” extended his life “for five years”.
Taylor, 62, revealed that he had missed the “biggest night” of his life due to the cancer, which had left him unable to join the rest of Duran Duran when they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last year.
Following the band’s induction, the guitarist spoke to a doctor who told him that there was a treatment for him that was targeted to see only cancer cells.
Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Taylor said: “I’ve had stage four prostate cancer for around about eight years and it caught up with me quite badly around about last September.
“As hard as I tried, and all the preparation I made, when you do something like the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, which is basically like getting knighted for a guitar player, you’ve kind of got to be on 11.
“You can’t saunter in, and a few days before (the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony) I couldn’t really stand up and play, and I had to deal with the denial but it was sad and I hadn’t told the guys, no one knew.”
Taylor told his bandmates – singer Simon Le Bon, keyboardist Nick Rhodes, bassist John Taylor and drummer Roger Taylor – about his diagnosis in a letter, which they read out to the audience at the Hall of Fame ceremony at the Peacock Theatre in Los Angeles (formerly called the Microsoft Theatre).
Explaining why he had waited to announce his diagnosis, Taylor said: “I’d just sort of kept it because once it goes public I knew it would be fairly extensive.
“I could’ve picked a quieter moment for it to go public, but I didn’t want to make a fool of the band.”
Taylor explained that making his diagnosis public had lifted off a lot of pressure.
“Once I had the support and the team to help me handle all of that (the public response) I was able to go through with it”, he said.
“But the great irony is, I missed the biggest night of my life.”
Talking about the new cancer treatment he has been receiving, Taylor added: “It can’t see healthy cells, and I had my first round of it about – I’m in next week for another round – six weeks ago and it kills stage four cancer in your bones.”
Duran Duran formed in Birmingham in 1978 and were one of the biggest acts of the 1980s, with hits including Rio, The Wild Boys and Bond theme A View To A Kill.
The group released their 15th studio album, Future Past, in 2021 and guitarist Taylor is realising a new solo album called Man’s A Wolf in September.
Duran Duran are currently touring North America with special guests Nile Rodgers and Chic, and Bastille.