The fact that life is unpredictable is probably not news to anyone. While good things may come knocking on your door at any given moment, a destructive force like cancer can also unexpectedly present itself. This is a reality that Duran Duran’s Andy Taylor faced when he was diagnosed with prostate cancer four years ago. In an interview with 5 News, Taylor candidly shared his experience of receiving the news while discussing the support he got from his bandmates.
“I went and had a biopsy done, and I came back for the results – and no one could be prepared for that mistake,” Taylor said about his cancer diagnosis. “And actually, the consultant was a little late, and he sat down and said, ‘I’m sorry, I’m so sorry’ – and I thought he was apologizing because he was late.”
Even though Andy had managed to remain calm until the results, the doctor’s following words shook him to his core since his condition was pretty serious. The guitarist recalled, “He said, ‘It’s prostate [cancer],’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, well, my dad had that. I understand.’ He said, ‘But it’s stage 4, metastatic… Which is a death sentence.’”
Taylor also discussed the side effects of treatment on his body and explained the importance of people’s hormonal levels. He revealed, “I did a lot of preparation [for the Duran Duran reunion] with those fabulous people. You lose all of your testosterone in treatment… I bet most men don’t have a clue.”
The guitarist could not attend Duran Duran’s induction ceremony into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame due to his diagnosis, and that’s when it went public. Taylor wrote a letter to the band, which was read out before the ceremony. Andy Taylor explained, “So because I had to miss the ceremony, I wrote a letter to the band, just explaining the situation, and they very graciously read that out before the ceremony. And that’s when it went public.”
Although the devastating news shocked the entire rock scene, Andy seems to be in good spirits. He has been vocal about his challenging experience with cancer, which has clearly inspired several people to share their struggles, such as Rage Against the Machine’s Tim Commerford. Although his battle continues, Duran Duran fans are confident that the musician will prevail.
