Seriously? OMG! WTF?

Duran Duran is eyeing a May release for its second Epic album since its original quintet reunited in 2001. But, as previously reported, the set will feature minimal contributions from guitarist Andy Taylor, who left the band in October to pursue other projects. It will, however, include three tracks produced by Timbaland, one of which, "Night Runner," features Justin Timberlake. "I’m always personally really inspired by working with urban producers, moreso than rock producers," keyboardist Nick Rhodes tells Billboard.com. "They really bring something to the songs that we don’t have completely covered, whereas with rock producers, often I find [they suggest] things we’d do ourselves naturally anyway." The Timberlake collaboration is one Duran Duran has been trying to engineer for quite some time and finally materialized in September in New York. "All of us have admired his work, particularly on his first solo album," Rhodes says of Timberlake. "He’s a real talent. It was quite natural for him and [Duran Duran frontman] Simon [LeBon] to be working together on vocal arrangements and melodic structure." The as-yet-untitled follow-up to 2004’s "Astronaut" will also feature the reggae-tinged "48 Hours Later" and "Transcendental Mental," which Rhodes says takes aim at "new-age frauds. It’s one of the funniest lyrics Simon has written in many years." The other Timbaland-produced tracks are "Skin Divers" and "Zooming In." Asked if the disparate sounds of those cuts compared to the album’s more guitar-driven songs may be jarring to the listener, Rhodes says, "With [the Timbaland tracks], you can tell there was another hand in them for sure. Although they are a slight change of direction in that some of the others are a bit more guitar-heavy or indie-sounding, Simon is the glue that holds them all together." Rhodes adds that he doesn’t think the album "will suffer" for the dearth of Taylor’s contributions. "With Duran Duran, we’ve always accepted change. Music evolves, or sound has evolved and this is a new phase we’re moving into now, and I couldn’t be more excited about it," he says. "I truly wish him well. You never say never with these things. We may end up playing with Andy another day in the future. For now, we’d done another five years together and I guess that seems to be our attention span. It was five years the first time and five years this time." The group will launch a summer tour in conjunction with the album. "I always think it’s much more fun when you can go out with material that isn’t more than a year old," Rhodes says. "Last time, we were playing material, as new material, that to us was already three years old."

Billboard (story) and Duran Duran’s MySpace (photo)

I love Duran Duran and I am excited that they are putting out a new album, but I am nervous because I don’t get the whole Timberland/Timberlake thing.  

A message to our fans

We know that there has been a tremendous amount of speculation over the past few weeks regarding Andy Taylor’s continued involvement with the band and we are sorry that we’ve been unable to provide you with more information until now. The past five years have been an incredible journey for us all – and having the original five back together was something that we had wanted to see happen for some time.  As of last weekend, however, the four of us have dissolved our partnership and will be continuing as Duran Duran without Andy, as we have reached a point in our relationship with him where there is an unworkable gulf between us and we can no longer effectively function together.  Although obviously disappointed and saddened about this, we are excited about the next chapter of the Duran Duran story and look forward to seeing you all soon. 
 
 Simon, John, Nick and Roger

Duran Duran’s MySpace 

If history repeats itself Roger will be next and I hope it doesn’t. 

Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor has left the reformed band following ‘creative differences’ with their management, according to a report. The News of The World claim that 45-year-old Taylor was unhappy with the decision to pursue a collaboration with hip-hop producer Timbaland and scrap an album’s worth of recorded material that was a return to their New Romantic roots. Duran Duran’s management originally cited illness as the reason for Andy Taylor’s absence from the resurgent group’s current European tour, with Dom Brown performing his duties alongside singer Simon Le Bon, bassist John Taylor, drummer Roger Taylor and Nick Rhodes on keyboards. Arguably the world’s biggest band in the first half of the 1980’s, Duran Duran’s commercial fortunes suffered a huge blow in 1986 when Andy Taylor first left the group midway through recording the Notorious album, alongside Roger Taylor. The remaining trio drafted in American guitarist Warren Cuccurullo as a replacement and the new line-up enjoyed a commercial and critical renaissance with The Wedding Album in 1993. Following a flop covers album in 1995, John Taylor left the ailing band with just two original members remaining. A reunion of the classic line-up in 2001 resulted in Lifetime Achievement Awards at the Brit, Q and MTV Awards and a UK Top 3 album Astronaut in 2004. A new album was set for release last summer, but has now been postponed until early 2007 after the new change in musical direction and, reportedly, line-up.

Digital Spy(story) and Duran Duran’s MySpace (photo)

I am so upset now, I can’t even comment on his departure. 

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