Andy Taylor gave viewers of BBC Breakfast a rare health update on Friday, saying: “Cancer just pulls you and your family in the dark.”
The 62-year-old former Duran Duran guitarist, who announced last year that he had been diagnosed with terminal stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer, admitted he was “very capable” of undergoing treatment.
The hitmaker admitted he hates being a “stuck patient” and wants to be able to be a “working patient” to be on the go.
Speaking to Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt, Andy explained, “I had to get in really good shape for this treatment, so I really took care of myself differently.”
“And then, after the first round of treatment, I said, ‘If I’m fine and you guys say I’m fine and you guys do your blood work and that, is it okay to go back to work? Sort of an easy job.” Get out?”
Update: Andy Taylor gave viewers of BBC Breakfast a rare health update on Friday, saying: “Cancer just draws you and your family into the dark.”
So sad: Taylor announced in November last year that he had been diagnosed with terminal stage IV metastatic prostate cancer (pictured in 2003)
“I don’t want to be a patient stuck here, I want to be a working patient.” “A little glimmer of hope because this stuff just pulls you in… Cancer just pulls you down into the darkness and your family, and I can as a patient work.”
Naga went on to ask Andy why he didn’t attend the induction of Duran Duran into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year.
He said: “I wasn’t there because I’ve had stage four prostate cancer for about eight years and it hit me pretty badly around last September…”
“As hard as I tried and all the preparation I went through, when you do something like Rock & Roll Hall fame — which is basically like being knighted for a guitarist — you have to you can be at 11 somehow.” I couldn’t get in and after a few days I couldn’t get up and play properly.
“It was sad and I hadn’t told the boys.”
The band announced his diagnosis on his behalf during the ceremony, and Andy said, “We’ve always had a very dignified – as Simon put it, ‘gentlemanly’ interaction with one another.”
This comes after Andy revealed he hopes to undergo “nuclear therapy” after being diagnosed with terminal prostate cancer.
The guitarist said he no longer expects to live long, but now expects to be fully fit again after undergoing life-saving treatment.
Massive: Duran Duran was arguably the biggest band in the world at one point in the 1980s; John Taylor, Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes, Andy Taylor and Roger Taylor star in 1983
‘I don’t want to be a patient stuck here, I want to be a working patient’: The 62-year-old former Duran Duran guitarist revealed he was ‘very capable’ of undergoing treatment
Taylor, who left Duran Duran in 2006, told the Rockonteurs podcast, “I’m starting my nuclear therapy.” I’ve had tests and scans and all sorts of far-flung scientific things done.
“I also have a wobble gene, which was another surprise, but what it is, it’s a nuclear drug, and at the stage I’m in, which was basically stage four, this therapy came into the United Kingdom.” just recently. It’s very, very new.’
He said the “new” drug could help him get back “fully fit” for at least “five years.”
He continued, “And essentially it’s a nuclear drug.” It’s put into your body and it sees the cancer on the outside of the cells. It just hits and destroys the cancer cells in your bones, which is mostly where it’s at for me. But if there is a healthy cell next to it, it does not touch it.
“So it’s not curative, but it can cause a stroke and then it has to start all over again, and what used to be – I’m not even saying the term they used to have for the thing – I’m full again get fit.” I’ve been fine for five years.
“The band was great. We have a lot of things we’ve been working on in secret. I thought the solo album would be my last album, so that’s kind of changed.”
The guitarist said there was a flurry of offers of help following his diagnosis, including a letter read by band singer Simon Le Bon upon induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
He added, “After that, a lot of really, really great people from all over the world got in touch with me.” T
“Here’s a guy called Sir Chris Evans who looked at everything for me and said, ‘No, there’s a lot more we can do for me.’ He did my genomics. He is a genius. He’s a biochemist. A bit like an Elon Musk of Cancer.
“And he really looked at that very carefully, looked at the genomics and said, ‘There are several ways we can help you.’
Opening: Speaking to hosts Naga Munchetty and Charlie Stayt, Andy explained: “I had to get in really good shape for this treatment, so I took really different care of myself.”
“And the treatment I’m getting is probably the best.” Because I didn’t go to induction, I got my life back.
“I’ve never had chemotherapy. You know what happens with chemo, when you’re a guitarist you can lose your fingers.” I’ve always been able to use sophisticated drugs and things like that, but there comes a point where it’s either that treatment is or nothing else that flushes out the problem.
“And the first thing I always say when I go to the oncologist or urologist is, ‘Right, we need to protect your fingers,’ and I say, ‘Great, that’s a good start,’ because it can actually destroy them.”
Taylor also said a visit from Le Bon to his Ibiza home inspired him to get back to work on the band’s music and hinted that new tracks could be out soon.
He added: “Simon and Yasmin came to Ibiza and brought my award.” They just walked in with a large magnum of a fantastic Dom Perignon vintage.
“I was just doing shit with them and he was in my studio room at the house and we were just sitting there listening to music and stuff.”
“I cheered on the studio and he said, ‘Can I come over and work?’ I said, ‘Anytime mate.’ About five or six days later he called me and said, “We’re going to make this album that’s kind of Halloween themed but looking back at material that was a big influence on everyone and reworking some Duran tracks that are kind of dark are.” Night Boat”.
“He came back with Josh the engineer and I finished about nine tracks in a couple of days.”
“And the remastered version of the Duran stuff sounds really, really good.” I was completely blown away by the way they had reinforced the chords. There are a few new tracks. There’s a new title I’ve played on, fantastic.
“This third wave of success that the band is experiencing – I’m really proud to be a part of it.” “It’s quite nice to be a part-time member.”
Treatment: It comes after Andy revealed he hopes to undergo ‘nuclear therapy’ after being offered the life-saving treatment
Duran Duran’s new album is expected to be released later this year.
Andy left Duran Duran back in 2006 ahead of the Red Carpet Massacre album, but was working on a new solo album when Covid struck and before he found out he had cancer.
The solo album, titled Man’s a Wolf to Man, is now scheduled for release on September 8th this year.
He first noticed symptoms four and a half years ago when he felt “a kind of arthritic pain” and then noticed what felt like tumors on his neck.
Taylor said of the letter that was read at the introduction, “It only took me about 15 minutes to write it.” I was just like, “okay, heart to paper.” You can’t miss a thing and appreciate what they’ve done to keep things going. I’m the cat that gets the cream, Simon read it.
“I was sitting at home. I was only with my grandson, my daughter and this new cat who eventually became my little comfort. It was pretty surreal.’