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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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JUSTIN TIMBERLAKE is moving on from working with hip-hop stars like PHARRELL WILLIAMS and SNOOP DOGG to produce tracks on the next DURAN DURAN album. The Eighties stars got friendly with him when he presented their lifetime achievement gong at The Brits in 2004. He and chum TIMBALAND are already at work on the album, out early next year. A source said: “The lads think Justin is at the top of his game and were really keen to work with him.” SIMON LE BON told me: “We had the most spectacular and amazing time — probably one of the best in our career.”
Bizarre
This is so wrong, he was in diapers when they were at their height of the career.
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Veteran British pop/rock outfit Duran Duran has no desire to slow down. Despite cruising well past its 25th anniversary as a recording entity, the members of the quintet are raring to hit the road again. Speaking from his villa in France, keyboardist Nick Rhodes tells Billboard.com the band will give total support to its forthcoming album, due in February or March via Epic."For us we found that since we got back together, not only have the live shows been a great joy for us, but since we notched up another 50 or 60 under our belt, we got back to the stage where it was really a well-oiled machine again," Rhodes says."If you don’t play live for six months, nine months or a year even, you lose your efficiency," he continues. We promised ourselves that we would keep trying to play shows even when we hadn’t got new things to promote." At deadline, the only live dates on tap are a Sept. 23 in Warsaw, Poland, Oct. 29 at the Voodoo Music Experience in New Orleans and Nov. 11 at the Bang! Festival in Miami.In November and December, Duran Duran will apply the finishing touches to the as-yet-untitled new album, which is the follow-up to 2004’s "Astronaut" (Epic). The set has sold has two million copies worldwide, according to a spokesperson."We have got a couple which definitely sound like contenders [for singles] so far, but I like to get everything finished so that we can take an objective view," Rhodes adds. "I listened to Marvin Gaye recently. It made me realize how beautiful some songs from that period can be. It gave me a few ideas, that’s for sure."In the meantime, online gamers will get the chance to catch the band in cyberspace. Beginning next month, each Duran Duran member will immerse their own character, or avatar, in the Second Life virtual world, becoming the first major band to do so. "When I first saw the Second Life site," says Rhodes, "It was a real epiphany for me." The group is aiming to perform their first virtual concert in the coming months.
Have I ever mentioned Duran Duran is my favorite band?
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