Andy Taylor, who is best known for his guitarist role with Duran Duran between 1980 and 2001, had recently opened up about his current battle with stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer.
Andy Taylor talks about the matter
The musician was diagnosed 4 years ago and started treatment, which recently forced him to miss Duran Duran’s induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In a new interview with 5 News, Taylor discussed his diagnosis, saying that he mistook his early symptoms as pain related to aging, only looking for further exams when he noticed “what felt like tumors” on his neck (via NME):
“I went and had a biopsy done, and I came back for the results – and no one could be prepared for that mistake. 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. And 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.'”
“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.”
“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.”
Taylor concluded by saying:
“I’ve made three albums since then. I went on the road with some friends of mine and played some shows, which were fantastic. And when the pandemic was over, we had a huge 61st birthday party, because I missed my 60th. I often say to people, ‘Every minute’s like an hour, every day’s like a week.’ You know, you really want to get the most out of life.”
