Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor, 63, ‘fighting as hard as he can’ amid cancer battle as he issues health update
Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor is “fighting as hard as he can” against stage-four prostate cancer, according to bandmate Simon Le Bon.
Taylor was diagnosed with incurable stage-four metastatic prostate cancer in 2018.
Despite his initial terminal prognosis, Taylor has made remarkable progress through pioneering treatment.
Speaking at a press conference for the band’s performance at the Sanremo Music Festival in Italy, Le Bon provided an update on the 63-year-old musician’s condition.
“I am sure he would love to be here,” Le Bon said. “As you probably know, he’s got prostate cancer. It’s very late-stage, fourth-stage metastasised cancer. He’s fighting as hard as he can, and we are with him in that fight.”
The guitarist previously revealed to The Times that he had been classified for “palliative, end-of-life care” before receiving groundbreaking treatment.
“I’m not even supposed to be alive,” Taylor said. “And now I’m not; I’m asymptomatic.”
His treatment involved intravenous administration of radioactive chemicals, developed by Welsh scientist Christopher Evans.
Taylor praised Evans’s innovative approach to cancer treatment, stating: “He’s a genius. I call him the Elon Musk of cancer.”
The emotional toll of Taylor’s diagnosis has been profound, with the musician describing the psychological impact as “mind-blowing.”
Speaking about his lowest point, Taylor revealed it came six weeks after his diagnosis.
“You’re gonna have to say goodbye to your family. You’re not going to see your grandson’s 10th birthday,” the father of four shared.
He spoke candidly about the psychological challenges, noting: “Psychologically it’s mind-blowing – you can’t have therapy to remove the certainty of death.”
Taylor faces these challenges alongside his wife Tracey Wilson, with whom he has four children.
Amid Taylor’s health battle, Le Bon revealed the strong bonds that have kept Duran Duran united through the decades.
“There is something between us that keeps us together. First of all, we love the music we make together. Nobody else makes music like we do,” Le Bon said at the Sanremo press conference.
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The frontman emphasised how humour helps the band cope with difficult times.
“We make each other laugh, and I think that’s very important in a long relationship. When we are under stress, we laugh all the way through it,” he explained.
Le Bon also credited their equal financial arrangement, noting: “We split all the proceeds equally. No one takes all the publishing.”