Taylor will be joined by Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin, Andrew Ridgeley from Wham!, David Palmer from ABC, as well as singer-songwriter Ella Henderson and guitarist Phil X. Together, they will perform a selection of their most renowned songs to an audience consisting of philanthropists, musicians, and two fortunate fans.

The event, set to take place on October 21 at Soho Farmhouse in the Cotswolds, will also encompass a live auction showcasing artworks by Banksy and Picasso and exclusive Fender guitars signed by artists including Lady Gaga, Nile Rodgers and Green Day including a special Fender Guitar to be played and signed by Andy Taylor on the night! Additionally, Katherine Ryan will deliver a comedic performance, while Ridgeley will assume the role of DJ.

In an interview discussing his treatment, Andy said, “There also needs to be a revolution in men’s healthcare about prostate cancer, a breaking down of the stigmas associated with getting tested. The Cancer Awareness Trusts’ vision for a Cancer Platform is what we need and why I’m an ambassador.”  He went on to add, “So many amazing people have come together to put this show together with Andy and I can’t wait to celebrate with them all on the night, but more importantly, I’m looking forward to putting the funds raised to the crucial and urgent work of transforming cancer outcomes.”

Duran Duran, founded in Birmingham in 1978, quickly rose to prominence in the 1980s as a leading musical group, receiving widespread recognition and praise for their exceptional contributions to the industry, boasting chart-topping hits such as “Rio,” “The Wild Boys,” and the James Bond theme “A View To A Kill”. In 2021, the group unveiled their 15th studio album, Future Past.

The funds raised will be allocated to the Cancer Awareness Trust, an organisation aiming to establish a novel platform advancing access to information regarding the disease for individuals affected by it.

The exclusive event with only 100 tickets made available, has attracted a diverse group of attendees. These esteemed guests have generously contributed to the charity in order to secure their attendance, in what will be an outstanding event for the Cotswolds.

Although tickets for this highly anticipated event have been completely sold out, the Cancer Platform announced “We’re offering two lucky fans the opportunity to join us for the evening with Andy Taylor & special guests in this VIP experience. Want to find out how to enter?”

We’re offering two lucky fans the opportunity to join us for the evening with @AndyTaylorLives & special guests in this VIP experience.

We’re offering two lucky fans the opportunity to join us for the evening with @AndyTaylorLives & special guests in this VIP experience.

Want to find out how to enter? https://t.co/7pXFVrixCS

— Cancer Platform (@thecancerplat) September 29, 2023

Although this event is sold out, you can still support Cancer Platform by bidding on incredible items in their Silent Auction or  by joining their thrilling Live Auction at 10:15pm BST on Saturday 21st October.

The conception of the album was inspired by a show the band played last Halloween in Las Vegas in which the band played Halloween themed re-workings of rarities from the band as well as a variety of covers, much like the new album.

The covers on the album include ‘Bury a Friend’ by Billie Eilish, ‘Psycho Killer’ by Talking Heads, ‘Paint It Black’ by The Rolling Stones, ‘Ghost Town’ by The Specials, ‘Spellbound’ by Siouxsie and the Banshees and ‘Supernature’ by Cerrone. The album also features a guest list of Nile Rodgers, Victoria De Angelis from Maneskin as well as former guitarists Andy Taylor and Warren Cuccurullo.

The title track ‘Danse Macabre’ has already been released alongside the album announcement and is available on streaming services now.

Talking about the song, keyboardist Nick Rhodes said: “The song ‘Danse Macabre’ celebrates the joy and madness of Halloween. It is the title track of our forthcoming album, which gathers together an unusual mix of cover versions, reworked Duran Duran songs and several new compositions.

The idea was born out of a show we played in Las Vegas on 31st October 2022. We had decided to seize the moment to create a unique, special event… the temptation of using glorious gothic visuals set to a dark soundtrack of horror and humour was simply irresistible.”

He further adds: “That evening inspired us to explore further and to make an album, using Halloween as the key theme. The record metamorphosed through a pure, organic process, and not only was it made faster than anything since our debut album, it has also resulted in something none of us could have ever predicted. Emotion, mood, style and attitude have always been at the heart of Duran Duran’s DNA, we search for light in the darkness and darkness in the light, and I feel we have somehow managed to capture the essence of all of that in this project.”

The title track is one of three original tracks from the album alongside other new tracks ‘Black Moonlight’ and ‘Confession in the Afterlife’. Furthermore, long-term fans of the band will be thrilled to learn that the original band line-up of Nick Rhodes, Andy Taylor, Roger Taylor, John Taylor, and Simon Le Bon will be reunited for many tracks on the album.

Tracklist:

1. Nightboat
2. Black Moonlight
3. Love Voudou
4. Bury a Friend
5. Supernature
6. Danse Macabre
7. Secret Oktober 31st
8. Ghost Town
9. Paint It Black
10. Super Lonely Freak
11. Spellbound
12. Psycho Killer
13. Confession In The Afterlife

Duran Duran Announce Charity Concert In Support Of Former Band Member Andy Taylor

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The charity show will raise money for the UK-based charity, The Cancer Awareness Trust, which offers life-extending treatments and support for cancer patients.

Andy Taylor, the band’s former guitarist, has been battling prostate cancer since 2018, revealing his diagnosis last year. The band were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, however due to Andy’s ongoing health struggles, he was sadly unable to attend.

Andy wrote a letter for bandmate Simon Le Bon to read during the band’s induction, saying, “Just over four years ago, I was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer. Many families have experienced the slow burn of this disease, and of course, we are no different. So I speak from the perspective of a family man but with profound humility to the band, the greatest fans a group could have, and this exceptional accolade.”

Duran Duran announced their plans for the charity concert via social media, titling the show, “A Special Benefit Concert for Andy Taylor and the Fight Against Prostate Cancer.”

Duran Duran will play a benefit concert for The Cancer Awareness Trust following news that friend and former bandmate Andy Taylor had been diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer in 2018.

It will take place Aug. 19 at The Guild Theatre in Menlo Park, California. pic.twitter.com/ofZegY8nJt

— Duran Duran (@duranduran) July 13, 2023

In a press statement, frontman Simon Le Bon said, “We are heading to Northern California to play many of the songs that we wrote together with our dear friend, Andy Taylor, to help him and others in their fight against prostate cancer. It is the right thing to do.”

Proceeds from the concert will also go towards a special treatment that will help cancer patients such as Andy Taylor extend their lives.

Duran Duran’s drummer, Roger Taylor, said, “We would like to thank our fans and the organisers of this benefit who have given us the chance to help our longtime friend and colleague Andy Taylor. We have always described ourselves as a ‘band of brothers’ and that has never been more true than in this very moment.”

Sir Chris Evans, founder of The Cancer Awareness Trust, also commented that he was honoured to work with the band. He said, “Andy will receive the latest precision medical treatment, emanating from some recently successful clinical trials, along with the ongoing support that the Cancer Awareness Trust is providing. The incredible support of Duran Duran will mean many more people will benefit just like Andy has.”

The show is set to take place on 19th August 2023 at the Guild Theatre in Menlo Park, California. Presale tickets for the Duran Duran VIP Fan Community go on sale at noon PT on 17th July 2023, with general sale following at noon PT on 19th July 2023. Tickets are available to purchase here.

The band also shared a contest in which they will offer a lucky fan and a plus one the opportunity to win VIP tickets, with all entries supporting The Cancer Awareness Trust.  

You and a friend could win a spot on Duran Duran’s VIP guest list for an intimate performance in Northern California — front-row seats, an exclusive backstage tour, signed merch and more!

Enter to win at https://t.co/OV9RDIlJ7w

Entries support The Cancer Awareness Trust. pic.twitter.com/PxgnOwqqc5

— Duran Duran (@duranduran) July 13, 2023

Duran Duran announced their plans to record new tracks with Andy Taylor for their upcoming album earlier this year. Read more here.

The band’s team took to Twitter, writing “Duran Duran are thrilled to confirm a special new music project is in the works, set for release later this year on BMG.”

They continued, “The new recordings will feature extended Duran Duran family and friends, old and new, including our former band mate Andy Taylor who will join us on guitar on a few tracks.”

Duran Duran are set to begin their “Future Past” tour next month, with the Twitter post concluding, “Simon, Nick, John and Roger look forward to seeing you all out on the road this year!”

pic.twitter.com/BqBoWZ7a6x

— Duran Duran (@duranduran) March 20, 2023

This project will be the first time that Duran Duran have worked with their original guitarist, Andy Taylor, since his departure from the band back in 2006.

Andy Taylor was intending to reunite with the band when they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame last year. However, his ongoing struggle with prostate cancer meant that this was unable to happen.

Speaking to 5 News about his diagnosis, Andy said, “You really wanna get the most out of life.”

“I’ve been very fortunate, I’ve had so much, in terms of living the dream, but because I do music, I think that’s probably really helped me to live with pessimism of an incurable disease.”

Andy wrote an emotional letter celebrating his time in the band when the news of their induction broke, saying, “You can dream about what happened to us but to experience it, on one’s own terms, as mates, was beyond incredible. I would like to thank each of my brothers in this great band.”

Following Andy’s withdrawal from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame ceremony, Duran Duran bassist John Taylor spoke to The Mirror, saying, “When he dropped the bomb two days before the Hall of Fame, it was really shocking and terribly sad. We’re working on an album right now that is going to be coming out at the end of the year and he’s playing guitar.”

Revealing more about what’s to be expected from this upcoming project, John continued, “Had he come to LA and just gone on the TV show, we probably wouldn’t have even thought about it. That [the album] happened as a result of this. There’s a lot of cover songs on the album, songs meaningful to us when we were kids. So having him be a part of that project is great.”

John briefly spoke about the recording process for the new project, sharing, “Le Bon is flying to Ibiza to work with Andy. I kind of wish I was there. I think it’ll be great. It’ll be really profound for them. They haven’t been in the studio together in maybe 10 to 20 years.”

Both Duran Duran and Andy seem happy to leave their infamous rift in the past, with Andy writing “Now for the bad blood, well the good news is that there is none, just pure love and respect for everything we wrote, recorded and achieved together. What’s the point? There’s no stopping this 44-year thing called ‘Duran Duran.'”

Purchase tickets for the “Future Past” tour here.

29/04/2023 – AO Arena – Manchester

01/05/2023 – The O2 – London

02/05/2023 – The O2 – London

04/05/2023 – First Direct Arena – Leeds

05/05/2023 – Utilita Arena Birmingham – Birmingham

07/05/2023 – 3Arena – Dublin

09/05/2023 – OVO Hydro – Glasgow

Stream Duran Duran’s discography here.

Gary Stringer (Vocals), Jesse Wood (Replacement for original guitarist Kenwyn House since 2014) and Jack Bessant (Bass) make up the Glastonbury band formed in 1993.

Reef has recently toured with Taylor and expressed their delight in working with him and how the collaboration came to be. Bassist Bessant explained that the album evolved due to Frontman Singer featuring on Taylor’s upcoming solo album.

The band have released albums Replenish (1995), Glow (1997), Rides (1999), Getaway (2000) and Revelation (2018), with the new album set to be their sixth studio album to date.

The band embarked on a summer drive-in tour with Taylor and have been touring the UK since August. The band are continuing their tour this month with a concert on September 18th with Florence Black also set to perform.

Swansea! We’re delighted that @florenceblackUK will join us for our show on Saturday 18th September.
Tickets available via https://t.co/wCyfcCFXbR pic.twitter.com/tW0DBPre00

— REEF (@reefband) September 7, 2021

 

 

The band will also be performing their Shoot Me Your Ace tour next year and have announced that they are also set to release a new single. The band did not provide any further details of when they will be releasing their new single or new album with Taylor.

Still coming down after a wicked weekend of shows… Loved being amongst so many happy faces. Check out our 2022 Tour Dates Photo @charlieraven #shootmeyourace #reeflive #tourdates @carfestevent @victoriousfestival @thebigfeastival pic.twitter.com/yhUMW6YaCO — REEF (@reefband) August 31, 2021

See the remainder of Reef’s UK Tour dates and their Shoot Me Your Ace Tour dates below- Tickets are available here

18/09/2021 Patti Pavilion- Wales
19/09 Pub In The Park- Marlow
26/09 Racecourse Rocks- Towcester
26/03/2022 Roadrage Festival- Sheffield
07/04 Newcastle University- Newcastle
08/04 QMU- Glasgow
09/04 O2 Ritz- Manchester
14/04 Phoenix- Exeter
15/04 Tramshed- Cardiff
16/04 O2 Kentish Town Forum- London
21/04 University Stylus- Leeds
22/04 O2 Academy- Bristol
23/04 O2 Institute- Birmingham
28/04 Chalk- Brighton
29/04 Engine Rooms- Southampton
30/04 UEA- Norwich
03/06-06/06 The Big Retreat Festival-The Old Castle Terrace-Wales Kilgetty
08/08 Waterfront- Faimouth

The band is also set to release their fifteenth studio album Future Past on October 22nd. The album features artists Tove Lo, Chai, David Bowie’s former pianist Mike Garson, Blur’s guitarist Graham Coxon and Mark Ronson who co-wrote and plays on the single “Wing”.

Pre-order the band’s forthcoming album FUTURE PAST from the official album store for access to pre-sale tickets!

For more information, read below and visit the official album store at: https://t.co/864LEUop5C pic.twitter.com/Pfw3dBMmT3

— Duran Duran (@duranduran) August 24, 2021

The band were formed in 1978 by Nick Rhodes (Keyboardist, synthesizer, vocal effects, backing vocalist and electronic effects) and John Taylor (Bassist and backing vocalists). Rhodes and Taylor remain in today’s lineup with frontman Simon Le Bon and Roger Taylor (Drummer and percussionist).  Guitarist Andy Taylor is no longer part of the group lineup following his second departure in 2006.

The band has sold over 100 million records and are considered one of the world’s best selling musical artists. They were part of the New Romantic era and achieved success with their debut single “Planet Earth”. The single from their debut album Duran Duran reached number 20 in the UK Official Single Charts 

The band also achieved chart success with singles “Girls on Film”, “The Wild Boys”, “The Reflex”, “Save a Prayer” and “Hungry Like The Wolf”.The band released their second single from their new album “More Joy” on August 5th and will perform their intimate homecoming concerts at the 02 Birmingham Institute that holds a capacity of 1,500. The band will be performing tracks from their new album as well as other band favourites.      

Wow! @duranduran will be playing 2 special “small venue” shows at the @O2InstituteBham on Sept 14 & 15. Fan Community members have 1st access to tickets via a pre-sale on Tuesday, August 24th at 9am local venue time. Login at https://t.co/xRYPhpa8jS & click the pre-sale page. pic.twitter.com/CWMo4RNcL4

— Duran Duran (@duranduran) August 23, 2021

Duran Duran’s Tour dates are below. Tickets are available here

14/09/21 02 Institute- Birmingham
15/09 02 Institute- Birmingham
16/09 Isle of Wight Festival- Newport
17/09 Scarbarough Open Air Theatre- Scarborough
19/09 Isle of Wight Festival- Newport
12/06 St Anne’s Park-Dublin
29/06 The Proms Arena- Lancashire
01/07 The Proms Arena- Lancashire
10/07  London Hyde Park