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In The Pleasure Groove: Love, Death, and Duran Duran
John Taylor, Duran Duran’s co-founder, takes the reader on a wild ride through his life. From the eighties through today, from Rio to All You Need is Now, John writes about the music, the parties, and the MTV videos that made millions swoon.
With Duran Duran, John Taylor has created some of the greatest music of our time. From the disco dazzle of debut single ‘Planet Earth’ right up to their latest number one album, All You Need is Now, Duran Duran has always had the power to sweep the world onto its feet.
It’s been a ride – and for John in particular, the ride has been wild, thrilling... and dangerous. Now, for the first time, he tells his incredible story. A tale of dreams fulfilled, lessons learned and demons conquered.
A shy only child, Nigel John Taylor wasn’t an obvious candidate for pop stardom and frenzied girl panic. But when he ditched his first name and picked up a bass guitar, everything changed. John Formed Duran Duran with his friend Nick Rhodes in the summer of 1978, and they were soon joined by Roger Taylor, then Andy Taylor and finally Simon Le Bon. Together they were an immediate, massive global success story, their pictures on millions of walls, every single a worldwide hit.
In his frank, compelling autobiography, John recounts the highs –hanging out with icons like Bowie, Warhol and even James Bond; dating Vogue models and driving fast cars – all the while playing hard with the band he loved. But there were tough battles ahead – troubles that brought him to the brink of self-destruction – before turning his life around.
Told with humor, honesty and hard-won wisdom, and packed with exclusive pictures, In the Pleasure Groove is a fascinating, irresistible portrait of a man who danced into the fire... and came through the other side.
With Duran Duran, John Taylor has created some of the greatest music of our time. From the disco dazzle of debut single ‘Planet Earth’ right up to their latest number one album, All You Need is Now, Duran Duran has always had the power to sweep the world onto its feet.
It’s been a ride – and for John in particular, the ride has been wild, thrilling... and dangerous. Now, for the first time, he tells his incredible story. A tale of dreams fulfilled, lessons learned and demons conquered.
A shy only child, Nigel John Taylor wasn’t an obvious candidate for pop stardom and frenzied girl panic. But when he ditched his first name and picked up a bass guitar, everything changed. John Formed Duran Duran with his friend Nick Rhodes in the summer of 1978, and they were soon joined by Roger Taylor, then Andy Taylor and finally Simon Le Bon. Together they were an immediate, massive global success story, their pictures on millions of walls, every single a worldwide hit.
In his frank, compelling autobiography, John recounts the highs –hanging out with icons like Bowie, Warhol and even James Bond; dating Vogue models and driving fast cars – all the while playing hard with the band he loved. But there were tough battles ahead – troubles that brought him to the brink of self-destruction – before turning his life around.
Told with humor, honesty and hard-won wisdom, and packed with exclusive pictures, In the Pleasure Groove is a fascinating, irresistible portrait of a man who danced into the fire... and came through the other side.
387 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2012
About the author
Nigel John Taylor
1 book45 followersNigel John Taylor (born 20 June 1960) is an English musician who is best known as the bass guitarist and co-founder of pop rock band Duran Duran. Duran Duran were one of the most popular groups in the world during the 1980s due to their revolutionary music videos that played in heavy rotation in the early days of MTV. Taylor played with Duran Duran from its founding in 1978 until 1997, when he left to pursue a solo recording and film career. He recorded a dozen solo releases (albums, EPs, and video projects) through his company "Trust The Process" over the next four years, had a lead role in the movie Sugar Town, and made appearances in a half dozen other film projects. He rejoined Duran Duran for a reunion of the original five members of the group in 2001.
Taylor also founded two supergroup side projects: Power Station and Neurotic Outsiders.
Taylor also founded two supergroup side projects: Power Station and Neurotic Outsiders.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 713 reviews
September 30, 2012
Yes, I was a Duranie in the 80's, 90's and even more so now. Yes, John Taylor is my favorite. I used to tell people I wouldn't get married unless I could marry John. Ah, youth!!
I knew John had substance abuse issues. I knew the band exploded worldwide and then imploded. I knew there were reunions and break ups. I didn't really expect any great revelations in this book and there aren't any but the book has is an honest account of the rise and the toll it took on him. He doesn't dish dirt about any current or former band mates. He doesn't blame anyone but himself for his behaviour and he really wasn't very nice sometimes.
More importantly, this book proves he was never an idol; he was just a guy living his dream. The fans (me included) made him an idol and put him on the pedestal. I'm glad he has come through the other side with his diginity and humor intact.
It's a highly enjoyable read, well written and articulated. 30 years ago I wouldn't have wanted to hear any negative things about the band but John Taylor in partiuclar. Now, I'm glad to find out he is only human.
I knew John had substance abuse issues. I knew the band exploded worldwide and then imploded. I knew there were reunions and break ups. I didn't really expect any great revelations in this book and there aren't any but the book has is an honest account of the rise and the toll it took on him. He doesn't dish dirt about any current or former band mates. He doesn't blame anyone but himself for his behaviour and he really wasn't very nice sometimes.
More importantly, this book proves he was never an idol; he was just a guy living his dream. The fans (me included) made him an idol and put him on the pedestal. I'm glad he has come through the other side with his diginity and humor intact.
It's a highly enjoyable read, well written and articulated. 30 years ago I wouldn't have wanted to hear any negative things about the band but John Taylor in partiuclar. Now, I'm glad to find out he is only human.
January 3, 2013
We all have our youthful music addictions; for each of us, this is a band or person or style that “changed the world.” One of my friends is a massive Beatles fan, and another cannot get enough of girl groups of the mid-60s. I was born later than they were…I’m from Iowa…surrounded by corn, rednecks, and dirt. It was the 1980s. The perfect blend of obscure cool, foreign swagger, blatant artiness, sexy women, fancy clothes, and slick music was Duran Duran.
(Apparently I wasn’t the only one. A younger friend of mine says he and his friends used to play “Duran Duran” when they were little.)
Bassist John Taylor has turned out an autobiography about the experience. He’s been with the band from the beginning 1978 on to 1997 and then again from their reunion in 2001 till now.
(By the way, I don’t have to look this up; I’m that much of a fan. He started the band with his best friend Nick Rhodes, who never left. Simon Le Bon, who also never left in their 30+ years, fronts them. Guitarists were Andy Taylor and Warren Cuccurullo – the latter of Zappa and now rockstar porn fame. Hired guitarist Dom Brown fills in now. Brilliant Roger Taylor is back on drums after a short stint by Sterling Campbell and a long stink by hired drummers – “stink:” some of their drummers were terrible. I know! I've seen them live 18 times.)
In this book, Taylor does an excellent job reporting the start of the band and its supporters. He has a sense of wit and fun that shows up in his writing on almost every page. In the end, he feels like someone you could sit down and have a nice, comfortable long chat with. It’s a very congenial biography. If we were resting simply on that, this book would get four stars from me.
However, not a lot of this is unique. It’s rather light and clean. It feels like a “Behind the Music” script. Maybe I know too much, or maybe there was more I’d like to know here. I’d love to know how much they talk about the styles of music. Taylor recounts his musical inspirations, but he never speaks of what they hope to achieve in songwriting or sound. Are they mimicking something they heard, or are they conscientiously shaping their own sound?
(Coincidentally, they did make their own sound – sort of. Was this on accident? When super-producer Mark Ronson produced their recent album All You Need is Now, he did a lovely job recapturing and updating a sound that bands like Japan and Frankie Goes to Hollywood had, but that seems primarily defined by Duran Duran. It’s that slick blend of guitar, bass, and, of course, synthesizer.)
I’d love to know how the band felt comfortable with their earlier gender-blending (New Romantics) and then later polished, rich style. How did they come up with these styles, and what do they think these styles say in the larger context of the music and of the period? John said that each band member gravitated to specific styles at first, but he also mentions dressers who helped them choose clothes for album covers and videos.
John does talk about the richness of the videos, and here he contextualizes in a way I wish he did in the rest of the book. He says Duran Duran got pinged for supporting rampant 80s consumerism when they merely were trying to make slick, arresting videos. They were trying something new with a newer art form. Instead of just providing artfully rendered performance on video (which everyone else had been doing), Duran Duran added imagery, plot, location, art direction, etc. They were among the first, and again, Duran Duran seems to define music video, and it defined them. They and MTV owe their early success to each other.
The art direction of Duran Duran products is also fascinating. I’d love to know what sort of marketing thought went behind the iconic Patrick Nagel cover for Rio. I know how they picked the artist, and how Malcolm Garrett at Assorted Images tweaked the image. But the band and Garrett had no idea that they’d create a color palette for the mid-80s. John mentions a bit of this, but I’d still like to hear more of the discussion about image and marketing, what it meant in the context of the period. (Though I believe this might come later from Nick Rhodes, their keyboardist and art and commerce junkie.)
John finally talks about his addiction to drugs and meaningless sex, and how these were spurred by his unusual solitude – a condition only fame and constant travel can bring. How he never grew up until he faced his addictions, which were brought on by leaping from the loving arms of his family into the band and their fairly rapid rise to fame. He keeps saying loneliness – and I’m not going to disagree that he felt lonely. But it’s also clear that he was young when he was given a lot of freedom and no structure or direction about how to handle it. He was like a once-restricted freshman finally set free at college, except he didn’t have classes and grades to even hold him down. Instead, he had groupies. He also had people who encouraged his recklessness, who joined in. Taylor keeps saying loneliness; I kept hearing unexpected privilege, lack of structure and discipline, lack of direction and goals, and a toxic environment, which allows things to hit bottom.
It was probably very lonely, because his life was also destructive and aimless. Where do you go after you’ve been to the top, with 80 million albums sold, adoring young females, and an image that shaped an era? How did you get here? By accident? Was there forethought, discussion? Where do you go from here? How did the business change in the ‘90s or ‘00s? What new mountains do they have to climb?
Again, he could’ve contextualized a bit more.
Maybe I’m too much a fan. I expect I won’t be happy until Nick tells me about all their meetings on art direction, and Simon talks about what inspires his oblique lyrical style. Maybe this is simply John’s biography; this is the bit I got from him.
Ugh. Did you ever care this much about a band?
(Apparently I wasn’t the only one. A younger friend of mine says he and his friends used to play “Duran Duran” when they were little.)
Bassist John Taylor has turned out an autobiography about the experience. He’s been with the band from the beginning 1978 on to 1997 and then again from their reunion in 2001 till now.
(By the way, I don’t have to look this up; I’m that much of a fan. He started the band with his best friend Nick Rhodes, who never left. Simon Le Bon, who also never left in their 30+ years, fronts them. Guitarists were Andy Taylor and Warren Cuccurullo – the latter of Zappa and now rockstar porn fame. Hired guitarist Dom Brown fills in now. Brilliant Roger Taylor is back on drums after a short stint by Sterling Campbell and a long stink by hired drummers – “stink:” some of their drummers were terrible. I know! I've seen them live 18 times.)
In this book, Taylor does an excellent job reporting the start of the band and its supporters. He has a sense of wit and fun that shows up in his writing on almost every page. In the end, he feels like someone you could sit down and have a nice, comfortable long chat with. It’s a very congenial biography. If we were resting simply on that, this book would get four stars from me.
However, not a lot of this is unique. It’s rather light and clean. It feels like a “Behind the Music” script. Maybe I know too much, or maybe there was more I’d like to know here. I’d love to know how much they talk about the styles of music. Taylor recounts his musical inspirations, but he never speaks of what they hope to achieve in songwriting or sound. Are they mimicking something they heard, or are they conscientiously shaping their own sound?
(Coincidentally, they did make their own sound – sort of. Was this on accident? When super-producer Mark Ronson produced their recent album All You Need is Now, he did a lovely job recapturing and updating a sound that bands like Japan and Frankie Goes to Hollywood had, but that seems primarily defined by Duran Duran. It’s that slick blend of guitar, bass, and, of course, synthesizer.)
I’d love to know how the band felt comfortable with their earlier gender-blending (New Romantics) and then later polished, rich style. How did they come up with these styles, and what do they think these styles say in the larger context of the music and of the period? John said that each band member gravitated to specific styles at first, but he also mentions dressers who helped them choose clothes for album covers and videos.
John does talk about the richness of the videos, and here he contextualizes in a way I wish he did in the rest of the book. He says Duran Duran got pinged for supporting rampant 80s consumerism when they merely were trying to make slick, arresting videos. They were trying something new with a newer art form. Instead of just providing artfully rendered performance on video (which everyone else had been doing), Duran Duran added imagery, plot, location, art direction, etc. They were among the first, and again, Duran Duran seems to define music video, and it defined them. They and MTV owe their early success to each other.
The art direction of Duran Duran products is also fascinating. I’d love to know what sort of marketing thought went behind the iconic Patrick Nagel cover for Rio. I know how they picked the artist, and how Malcolm Garrett at Assorted Images tweaked the image. But the band and Garrett had no idea that they’d create a color palette for the mid-80s. John mentions a bit of this, but I’d still like to hear more of the discussion about image and marketing, what it meant in the context of the period. (Though I believe this might come later from Nick Rhodes, their keyboardist and art and commerce junkie.)
John finally talks about his addiction to drugs and meaningless sex, and how these were spurred by his unusual solitude – a condition only fame and constant travel can bring. How he never grew up until he faced his addictions, which were brought on by leaping from the loving arms of his family into the band and their fairly rapid rise to fame. He keeps saying loneliness – and I’m not going to disagree that he felt lonely. But it’s also clear that he was young when he was given a lot of freedom and no structure or direction about how to handle it. He was like a once-restricted freshman finally set free at college, except he didn’t have classes and grades to even hold him down. Instead, he had groupies. He also had people who encouraged his recklessness, who joined in. Taylor keeps saying loneliness; I kept hearing unexpected privilege, lack of structure and discipline, lack of direction and goals, and a toxic environment, which allows things to hit bottom.
It was probably very lonely, because his life was also destructive and aimless. Where do you go after you’ve been to the top, with 80 million albums sold, adoring young females, and an image that shaped an era? How did you get here? By accident? Was there forethought, discussion? Where do you go from here? How did the business change in the ‘90s or ‘00s? What new mountains do they have to climb?
Again, he could’ve contextualized a bit more.
Maybe I’m too much a fan. I expect I won’t be happy until Nick tells me about all their meetings on art direction, and Simon talks about what inspires his oblique lyrical style. Maybe this is simply John’s biography; this is the bit I got from him.
Ugh. Did you ever care this much about a band?
October 18, 2012
Rock music books are my escapism, about the only books I can read profitably on the bus, and this ghostwritten autobiography of androgynous chick-magnet bassist John Taylor is a near-perfect example of the form. Judging from this, Taylor is a straight-up dude, a kind of prettier Duff McKagan, who just wants to rock, get high and meet girls, with an occasional interlude for a mild nervous breakdown or a stint reading books in the suburbs and playing house before, inevitably, the road calls to him and female screams lift the roof off in Rio, in Rome, in Sydney, in Birmingham. Birmingham? That's right: the boys from Duran came straight out of England's second city with a bullet, and Taylor's loving recreation of the scene and town that spawned them contradicts totally any other stories you may have heard about that post-industrial blight on the Midlands, currently (or at least until they started setting up for the Olympics) the site of the worst traffic and most constant rebuilding in England. (Curiously, tourist information routinely announces it has 'more canals than Venice' too, if that means anything to you.) Still, Taylor's writing this, we must presume, from his pad in L.A., sucking down a non-alcoholic beverage by the pool as he reflects back over the impenetrable wall of his time in rehab to those heady days when he first shook off his glasses, his given name (Nigel) and his reputation as a bookish nerd and strapped on a Big Muff-enhanced electric guitar for some school dance or other where the babes suddenly noticed him and the older kids invited him to get high at decadent late 70s nightclubs with names like Barbarella's and The Rum Runner. All pretty f**king interesting, I have to say, and to this day if I hear 'Girls on Film' (worked up by Taylor and his younger school buddy Nick Rhodes before Duran got together and submitted in demo form by Taylor for his first year's art school assessment) I can't help but think back wistfully myself, to that video for the 12-inch 'Night Mix' which would always be on MTV at about four in the morning and which basically (along with my Marilyn-as-ballerina poster) ushered me into puberty, the women sleek and tottering from 5-inch stilettos into blow-up wading pools or grinding groin-first along a pole covered with shaving foam while John, red-haired with fringe in face and headband, grooved asymmetrically in the spotlight and spotty Northumberland guitar-whiz Andy Taylor (no relation) spat metallised Joy Division-esque trills and riffage over the endless-seeming fade in a shadowy corner. How much better, I used to think, if I'd been John Taylor, high on charlie and newly-initiated to the big league with maybe even a chance of scoring with one of those babes, instead of back in Balhannah, South Australia, about an hour from Adelaide on winding roads by car or f**k knows how long by public transport, and wondering how I'd ever cope with the three years of high school I'd have to endure before I too could be a rockstar. My Duran phase didn't last long, granted, and it came kind of late. From memory, one year my dad gave me a stereo for my birthday, along with three tapes: the Blues Brothers' Briefcase Full of Blues (I loved it), Elton John's Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (I hated it), and the VHS video of the making of Michael Jackson's 'Thriller' film-clip (it perplexed me: did Dad really think I'd like this stuff?). (He told me the salesgirl had suggested it.) Next I bought a few of my own: ZZ Top's 'Velcro Fly' (a letdown after seeing 'Legs' on TV), Madonna's True Blue (good in places) and Bon Jovi's Slippery When Wet (kickass), among others, and then somehow I had a breakthrough... One thing helped: after seeing me poring over Bon Jovi videos, Dad decided if I liked these guys in make-up maybe I'd like David Bowie, and next thing he's got me this pirated VHS copy of the 1973 Ziggy Stardust concert from one of his friends, and it's a revelation. Wow – so guys can do this and get away with it! More, be idolised for it! Not only that, but the young Bowie is skinnier even than me, pasty white, and still the girls are screaming at him, some of them fainting in their ecstasies! But – much as I think he's aged well – I had to admit Bowie was kind of ugly. Disturbing. Too skinny. Not quite a role model... And next year, confusion: I recall writing 'REMAIN IN LIGHT' in marker-pen in pride of place on my rucksack, yet also listening to Duran's Arena (the live album). (I'd discovered a secondhand record shop – Ray's Records – in Adelaide, and was no longer wedded to the current charts.) Hell, I even wrote 'no teenyboppers' next to 'Duran Duran' on my bag – and another kid at school criticised me for that. But after reading John Taylor's book I think I did right: Taylor ain't no teenybopper, and he and the whole band fought – at least inwardly – the perception of their music as pap for teenyboppers. They were a tight band – it's why Arena grabbed me. And John was a big force behind that album – the only band member who weighed in at the mixing sessions (he was there, he said, to make sure the bass was loud enough), and possibly the most passionate live player in the group, the one who couldn't give it up even when the money was made and the others just wanted to lounge around at beach resorts and get married. Not that Taylor complains about any of this – it's what makes him a dude. I mean, hell, I know this has been edited, and maybe in an earlier draft he let slip a couple of digs, but to his credit there is not one diss in this book, and he treats even his own mistakes with forgiveness and light humour. And you know what else? Unlike Bowie, he really was a role model. The guy was the only sex symbol I knew of who had my physique! I can't tell you how mindblowing that was after 10 years of provincial South Australian sports-and-or-tough-guy-obsessed schoolmates. He was (as one of my so-called friends might have said of me) a 'skinny runt', though 6 foot tall and handsome as f**k, and of all the guys in this overdressed band he was the only one who consistently looked cool. And he could play! A post-punk bass hero! Of course in a few months I'd discover Joy Division, and transfer my hero worship to The Cure's tougher-looking skinny runt bassist Simon Gallup, but little did I realise John loved those groups too – he and Nick Rhodes had good taste, no matter how Simon Le Bon (a lovely guy, in John's estimation) tended to over-sell his thin, grating voice and slightly-too-fey lyrics, or EMI to market them as bubblegum. Their first two albums were produced by Scott Thurston, man! (Thurston engineered Iggy Pop's Berlin albums and played shit-hot lead guitar on Iggy's New Values and the Lust For Life tour.) They worked with Nile Rogers from Chic. (He loved them.) And when Duran broke up cos Taylor liked the sun of L.A. better than the rain of Ol' Blighty and was sick of leaving his American wife to go on tour, he hooked up with Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols and Duff and Slash from Guns 'n' Roses (none of whom you could call soft or too pop or faggy) and played as an equal member in their party band, usually starting the set with a version of Duran's 'Planet Earth'. I mean, I actually love this guy. If I met him I'd shake his hand and say 'Thanks, man! You gave colour to my youth in homophobic monotone outer suburbia. You showed me there's another way to be a man. Rock on, Mr John Taylor. You are a legend.' Now if only I hadn't thrown out my copy of Arena when I discovered the Jesus and Mary Chain – I could use a listen to 'New Religion' right about now, though I barely remember it. Except that the bassline kicks ass. Bravo. A light read but an inspiring one.
October 26, 2012
I dunno - maybe I just know too much about JT already, but this book was pretty boring. He did mountains of coke, drank oceans of booze and screwed every chick in sight. He was lonely and fucked up. I think we all knew this, even as it was happening.
What I didn't find in this book were any revelations about his relationships with other people. Nothing but a few notes about his band members: he mentions that Roger Taylor is really nice, Simon Le Bon is a heart-on-his-sleeve guy and that Andy Taylor was a partier, too. Knew that. Nick Rhodes - his "best friend" - gets nothing at all. I think he talked more about Sterling Campbell who was only in the band a couple of years! He devoted a couple of pages to his first wife, a couple to his current wife and a paragraph or two about his kids.
I guess I was expecting more than what I've been following of his life through interviews over the past 30+ years. His 1998 interview with Goldmine magazine seemed more "authentic" (a favorite sober catchphrase of his) than this memoir.
What I didn't find in this book were any revelations about his relationships with other people. Nothing but a few notes about his band members: he mentions that Roger Taylor is really nice, Simon Le Bon is a heart-on-his-sleeve guy and that Andy Taylor was a partier, too. Knew that. Nick Rhodes - his "best friend" - gets nothing at all. I think he talked more about Sterling Campbell who was only in the band a couple of years! He devoted a couple of pages to his first wife, a couple to his current wife and a paragraph or two about his kids.
I guess I was expecting more than what I've been following of his life through interviews over the past 30+ years. His 1998 interview with Goldmine magazine seemed more "authentic" (a favorite sober catchphrase of his) than this memoir.
November 9, 2012
JT's heavily hyped, recently released memoir. For die hard Durannies only. It's really not all that interesting because he doesn't really say anything. He briefly mentions his problems with drug addiction and successful recovery. While I wasn't expecting any sort of lurid confessional, he really never really delves any deeper than the surface. Andy Taylor's memoir Wild Boy was more interesting, a bit uneven but a lot more passionate, and actually full of memories. For the most part, "In the Pleasure Groove" reads like an itinerary. Compare the discussion of filming "The Reflex". JT had really injured his foot on broken glass the night before filming, and the video was shot while JT had to be pumped up on morphine just in order to stand and had to take frequent breaks because of the pain. AT's description was very vivid--real worry that his close friend was losing control to cocaine (JT was injured during a coke-infused fit of rage), fear upon discovering just how injured JT was, and deep admiration and respect at JT's work ethic to film the video despite his obvious agony. In comparison, here's JT's description of the event: "We filmed the Reflex over two days in Toronto." That's it. No mention of drugs or injuries or anything.
October 12, 2014
I was a squealing, swooning, drooling Duranie in my early-mid teens and was excited about reading John's autobiography. What a let-down. It read like an appointments diary: we went there, we did this, we recorded that. I knew all that, I lived and breathed DD for five obsessed years; all obsessed DD fangirls knew that stuff. What I wanted was colour and nostalgia, the whys and wherefores behind the known events, the gossip, the anecdotes, the personal insights, the in-fighting. Instead I got a bland itinerary.
I read Andy's autobiography, Wild Boy: My Life in Duran Duran, a few years ago and much preferred it. He wrote from the heart, telling interesting, funny and poignant stories about life - good and bad - in Duran Duran as well as sharing some of his private life, and I came away from it feeling that I knew him, that I knew the band, and best of all, that I was a lovestruck teen all over again. I came away from John's with nothing. A chiselled chin means squat when it comes to writing.
I read Andy's autobiography, Wild Boy: My Life in Duran Duran, a few years ago and much preferred it. He wrote from the heart, telling interesting, funny and poignant stories about life - good and bad - in Duran Duran as well as sharing some of his private life, and I came away from it feeling that I knew him, that I knew the band, and best of all, that I was a lovestruck teen all over again. I came away from John's with nothing. A chiselled chin means squat when it comes to writing.
October 4, 2014
Let me make something clear: at the time of this review I am only 28 years old. Making the 1984 Duran Duran concert shirt I own, as old as I am. This means I did not attend a Duran Duran concert in person but my older half-sisters did. I was exposed to hairbands and rock-pop versus boybands (although I would argue that Duran Duran had a teenybopper vibe close to that of boybands). I have also worked in the music industry for many years: recording studios, record labels, backstage touring life, hotels, music festivals… these were all my career home. This means I truly understand the life of musicians. With that being said, I was a Duran Duran fan with John as my “favorite” and thus looked to “In the Pleasure Groove” to learn what he was truly about. Sadly, I didn’t learn too much about him, personally…
The immediate standout notes within “In the Pleasure Groove” concern the writing style and form of the memoir. Although Taylor’s life is followed chronologically; “In the Pleasure Groove” doesn’t sequence a personal bio and instead chronicles events which led to inspirations, the formation of Duran Duran, and band/career highlights. In fact, some portions read almost like an article on the music scene of the 70s/80s versus a personal memoir.
As for the writing style: “In the Pleasure Groove” flows like a fictional narrative with a literary voice and language that simply doesn’t feel like Taylor’s resulting in inconsistencies and a loss in believability. This makes sense, as the memoir is ghostwritten by Tom Sykes. On the plus side, this means that “In the Pleasure Groove” is written far better than most other celebrity memoirs as, let’s be honest, most celebrities should stick to their day jobs and not pen novels.
Thankfully, Taylor doesn’t try to dramatize his childhood by creating some false, broken home scenario and instead clearly depicts his harmonious and almost “Leave it to Beaver”-esque upbringing. This is not only refreshing in terms of a celebrity memoir but also makes “In the Pleasure Groove” more likable.
Much of “In the Pleasure Groove” is quite vivid and transports the reader into each described event. Although not detailed in terms of emotions; Taylor does bring his life…to…well, life! However, the focus of “In the Pleasure Groove” is the band and the music so expect coverage on Taylor’s career versus his personal life which is hardly mentioned. Plus, much of the text is very flat in their descriptions with John only stating what happened with no why or elaboration. There are mostly things Duranies know; we want more!
On another negative side, Taylor is a bit general in his storytelling, lacking a true emotional explanation or look into his psyche. Further, the average 5-page chapters are a distraction, as they create choppiness and move the reader to a new area too quickly. Basically, there are too many breaks within the reading. Not to mention, the text is double-spaced…
As “In the Pleasure Groove” progresses, Taylor’s voice becomes shallow, spoiled, and dare I say – boring. The material is dry and lacks any depth, causing the memoir to become repetitive and drab. It begins to feel as though Taylor doesn’t have anything to truly say and he doesn’t ever reveal his true self. The reader never gets to know him and concludes that all he encompasses is career and fame. The ending does focus a bit more on his personal life but this is where the stereotypical memoir form comes in, as Taylor becomes whiny and makes excuses such as how alcohol addiction is a disease and so nothing was his fault (take responsibility for your actions!). Not to mention, he comes off as a pop star who wants to seem “bad” and rock-n-roll.
Overall, “In the Pleasure Groove” is not terrible in terms of memoirs and the text is well-written; I just simply wanted “more”. I do recommend it for Duran Duran fans or even fans of the particular era of 80s/ early 90s music. Just don’t expect a real look at who John actually was/is as a person…
The immediate standout notes within “In the Pleasure Groove” concern the writing style and form of the memoir. Although Taylor’s life is followed chronologically; “In the Pleasure Groove” doesn’t sequence a personal bio and instead chronicles events which led to inspirations, the formation of Duran Duran, and band/career highlights. In fact, some portions read almost like an article on the music scene of the 70s/80s versus a personal memoir.
As for the writing style: “In the Pleasure Groove” flows like a fictional narrative with a literary voice and language that simply doesn’t feel like Taylor’s resulting in inconsistencies and a loss in believability. This makes sense, as the memoir is ghostwritten by Tom Sykes. On the plus side, this means that “In the Pleasure Groove” is written far better than most other celebrity memoirs as, let’s be honest, most celebrities should stick to their day jobs and not pen novels.
Thankfully, Taylor doesn’t try to dramatize his childhood by creating some false, broken home scenario and instead clearly depicts his harmonious and almost “Leave it to Beaver”-esque upbringing. This is not only refreshing in terms of a celebrity memoir but also makes “In the Pleasure Groove” more likable.
Much of “In the Pleasure Groove” is quite vivid and transports the reader into each described event. Although not detailed in terms of emotions; Taylor does bring his life…to…well, life! However, the focus of “In the Pleasure Groove” is the band and the music so expect coverage on Taylor’s career versus his personal life which is hardly mentioned. Plus, much of the text is very flat in their descriptions with John only stating what happened with no why or elaboration. There are mostly things Duranies know; we want more!
On another negative side, Taylor is a bit general in his storytelling, lacking a true emotional explanation or look into his psyche. Further, the average 5-page chapters are a distraction, as they create choppiness and move the reader to a new area too quickly. Basically, there are too many breaks within the reading. Not to mention, the text is double-spaced…
As “In the Pleasure Groove” progresses, Taylor’s voice becomes shallow, spoiled, and dare I say – boring. The material is dry and lacks any depth, causing the memoir to become repetitive and drab. It begins to feel as though Taylor doesn’t have anything to truly say and he doesn’t ever reveal his true self. The reader never gets to know him and concludes that all he encompasses is career and fame. The ending does focus a bit more on his personal life but this is where the stereotypical memoir form comes in, as Taylor becomes whiny and makes excuses such as how alcohol addiction is a disease and so nothing was his fault (take responsibility for your actions!). Not to mention, he comes off as a pop star who wants to seem “bad” and rock-n-roll.
Overall, “In the Pleasure Groove” is not terrible in terms of memoirs and the text is well-written; I just simply wanted “more”. I do recommend it for Duran Duran fans or even fans of the particular era of 80s/ early 90s music. Just don’t expect a real look at who John actually was/is as a person…
September 30, 2012
I have finally finished the book. I actually finished this late Sunday night but thought a few days before writing a review would be good.
I have a bias towards John , there I got that out-of-the-way but I absolutely loved this book.
John always conveyed his thoughts intelligently when he wrote for his website Trust the Process and those of us that were living on there at the time of his departure from Duran Duran and intervening solo years always knew that any book he chose to pen would be superb.
I won't detail too much what is in the book but I will deal with John's parents whom I had the pleasure of meeting many years ago. I did understand that John's father had been a prisoner of war but for John to mention it and to detail it and the effects it had on his father as he aged was very profound and very upsetting to me. Talking about his father's final years I found very moving indeed but John dealt with it so well. Same with his mother's passing. All very sad but dealt with gracefully if that is the right word.
John deals with his drinking and drug problems. Yes I refused to believe it back in the 1980s but I was a teenager and sheltered from this kind of thing so it wasn't obvious to me and lets face it, what Duranie didn't protect her band to the utmost. Now on reflection it's there to see. John did recover though and I will say this about him, he never bangs on about it like some celebrities. He mentions it now and again but he's not into waving the flag and preaching about it. It's what I like about him and his recovery, he doesn't go on and on, I appreciate the way he deals with it and applies it in his everyday life.
The book is an homage to Birmingham and his growing up. All very nostalgic and I loved his own personal experience of being a fan, that made me smile, time comes and goes but being a fan does not change, except we have mobile phones, internet and twitter now!!!
If you love the music of the 70s and 80s and want to hear the story of a real 80s star then this is the book for you.
I have a bias towards John , there I got that out-of-the-way but I absolutely loved this book.
John always conveyed his thoughts intelligently when he wrote for his website Trust the Process and those of us that were living on there at the time of his departure from Duran Duran and intervening solo years always knew that any book he chose to pen would be superb.
I won't detail too much what is in the book but I will deal with John's parents whom I had the pleasure of meeting many years ago. I did understand that John's father had been a prisoner of war but for John to mention it and to detail it and the effects it had on his father as he aged was very profound and very upsetting to me. Talking about his father's final years I found very moving indeed but John dealt with it so well. Same with his mother's passing. All very sad but dealt with gracefully if that is the right word.
John deals with his drinking and drug problems. Yes I refused to believe it back in the 1980s but I was a teenager and sheltered from this kind of thing so it wasn't obvious to me and lets face it, what Duranie didn't protect her band to the utmost. Now on reflection it's there to see. John did recover though and I will say this about him, he never bangs on about it like some celebrities. He mentions it now and again but he's not into waving the flag and preaching about it. It's what I like about him and his recovery, he doesn't go on and on, I appreciate the way he deals with it and applies it in his everyday life.
The book is an homage to Birmingham and his growing up. All very nostalgic and I loved his own personal experience of being a fan, that made me smile, time comes and goes but being a fan does not change, except we have mobile phones, internet and twitter now!!!
If you love the music of the 70s and 80s and want to hear the story of a real 80s star then this is the book for you.
November 28, 2020
A light, entertaining look at one of the founding member of the band Duran Duran John Taylor. JT starts at the beginning (his mom and dad) before progressing through his cozy only child family life to his discovery of music and the band’s rapid rise to international musical fame only to find himself lonely and addicted to alcohol/drugs and trying to find recovery, contentment and a rejuvenated love for Duran Duran.
Other than D & D’s big US hits I can’t say I’ve ever been a huge fan. Certainly growing up in the 1980s and being reared on MTV, Duran Duran was always well known to me, and I vividly recall a few of my female friends in middle school/high school having John Taylor’s posters/pictures in their locker at school, but the only Duran Duran album I ever owned was the greatest hits cd from the early 1990s. I write this just to let you know I didn’t have any huge emotions involved in this book, so my feelings about the strength/weaknesses of the narrative are based solely on this read.
What was very well done and very interesting to me was Nigel “John” Taylor’s early years from childhood to Duran Duran first making it big. He’s very witty, does a good job making you feel his close connection to his family, and comes across as very honest as he talks about his first stumbling steps into the music world and how Duran Duran’s success seemed to happen very suddenly, even though the band was driven and confident.
Where the book fails is in two general ways. One is John Taylor’s lack of details. No details about how Duran Duran came up with their signature sound. No details of the band’s problems that led to breakup. No details of anything really. JT deciding to use very broad strokes which summarize events instead of bringing them to life. And, two, the tendency to exhibit the “woe is me” commentary I’ve heard from to many successful musicians who turned their life over to sex and drugs. Definitely, JT does take credit for his behavior and never blames anyone else for his failures, but he comes across as a narcissistic jackass once Duran Duran makes it big and he never really seems to change — even after finding sobriety.
So my final thought is that the book is an entertaining read, but I can’t say I’ll ever feel a desire to revisit it nor did it leave me with a good opinion of John Taylor himself. Like I said the guy just seems to be another older pop star who unexpectedly reached the top of the music world at a young age, was treated like a spoiled child whose excesses were overlooked, and then when it evaporated he was left with a shallow life which he has tried to (in some measure) fix.
Other than D & D’s big US hits I can’t say I’ve ever been a huge fan. Certainly growing up in the 1980s and being reared on MTV, Duran Duran was always well known to me, and I vividly recall a few of my female friends in middle school/high school having John Taylor’s posters/pictures in their locker at school, but the only Duran Duran album I ever owned was the greatest hits cd from the early 1990s. I write this just to let you know I didn’t have any huge emotions involved in this book, so my feelings about the strength/weaknesses of the narrative are based solely on this read.
What was very well done and very interesting to me was Nigel “John” Taylor’s early years from childhood to Duran Duran first making it big. He’s very witty, does a good job making you feel his close connection to his family, and comes across as very honest as he talks about his first stumbling steps into the music world and how Duran Duran’s success seemed to happen very suddenly, even though the band was driven and confident.
Where the book fails is in two general ways. One is John Taylor’s lack of details. No details about how Duran Duran came up with their signature sound. No details of the band’s problems that led to breakup. No details of anything really. JT deciding to use very broad strokes which summarize events instead of bringing them to life. And, two, the tendency to exhibit the “woe is me” commentary I’ve heard from to many successful musicians who turned their life over to sex and drugs. Definitely, JT does take credit for his behavior and never blames anyone else for his failures, but he comes across as a narcissistic jackass once Duran Duran makes it big and he never really seems to change — even after finding sobriety.
So my final thought is that the book is an entertaining read, but I can’t say I’ll ever feel a desire to revisit it nor did it leave me with a good opinion of John Taylor himself. Like I said the guy just seems to be another older pop star who unexpectedly reached the top of the music world at a young age, was treated like a spoiled child whose excesses were overlooked, and then when it evaporated he was left with a shallow life which he has tried to (in some measure) fix.
September 21, 2012
I am a long time fan of the group, as well as John himself. I think he was quite honest about almost every aspect of his life, and then some. It could not have been easy to revisit some of those painful bits at all, but he did so with honesty and a sense of humour about it all. The part where he discovers that girls actually think he's good looking and attractive just tickled me. The beginnings of his relationship with Nick, the band, and how it took more than a couple of years to get it just right...it's all here. The good AND the bad (and there's a fair bit of it in here as well).
Also the amount of pictures...so much history! I know not everyone like a lot of pics but I am a sucker for them. Where else can you see a 17 year old JT and a 15 Nick Rhodes? In colour? They were like dolls, those two. And early Simon shots are always a bonus. It is clear that they all still get on even now. Though he glosses over things that led to his leaving (and Andy's), I don't think that detracts. It's more about him as a person, not the band, and that part shines through.
And he still has that amazing smile!
Also the amount of pictures...so much history! I know not everyone like a lot of pics but I am a sucker for them. Where else can you see a 17 year old JT and a 15 Nick Rhodes? In colour? They were like dolls, those two. And early Simon shots are always a bonus. It is clear that they all still get on even now. Though he glosses over things that led to his leaving (and Andy's), I don't think that detracts. It's more about him as a person, not the band, and that part shines through.
And he still has that amazing smile!
December 24, 2012
This book isn't that well written. It's an excellent chronology of Taylor's career, and offers some insight into the founding of Duran Duran. He's very superficial with the issues he promises to address - you really don't know why the members of the band couldn't stand each other at various times. He is a little more forthcoming romantically, explaining why relationships didn't last. He doesn't really dwell on his family - he does say that his parents took their relationship secrets to the grave - but until the middle of the book you don't hear about his cousins or other family life as an only child. Since these are the kind of experiences that shape a person, I wanted to know a little more. With his band, since they're still together, he explains that he can't really get into it. While I understand that, it's not exactly why I read the book. Maybe he should have waited another 20 years then written the book?
His accounts of rehab and his current career are good, and if you're a fan of the band - or Taylor - you're going to have to read this book, despite its shortcomings.
His accounts of rehab and his current career are good, and if you're a fan of the band - or Taylor - you're going to have to read this book, despite its shortcomings.
June 8, 2020
A quick, easy read which teeters on the edge of being a good warts and all biography (which would have been interesting because Taylor is self-aware and can write) but ultimately takes a step back from the edge because the band is, at the time of writing, still together. As such it's not a bad summary from the inside but hardly groundbreaking. He writes movingly about his parents but portraits of all the other characters in the story are guarded.
October 28, 2012
Great book in counterpoint with Andy Taylor's book. From shy, only child to rock star golden god in only 3 years! In what became a blind haze of touring (and touring and touring), drink, drugs and fame in John Taylor's experience, Duran Duran became one of the biggest bands in the world! As a grown-up Duranie, it is easy to see why this man became the one the girls screamed for the most! I was a Roger fan...never saw enough of him in videos...that is and was my complaint! LOL
This is the story of how this shy, only child became famous then fell from the sky in 20 years. He was very discrete about the number of girls he went through, mostly because he forgot who they were as well as protecting some very famous women of the day. The road to sobriety for him was long and hard. Yes, he spoke only briefly about certain parts of his life, I think he is keeping some of this quiet because it still may be too painful to write about.
There were ups and downs and everything in between. A great ride!
This is the story of how this shy, only child became famous then fell from the sky in 20 years. He was very discrete about the number of girls he went through, mostly because he forgot who they were as well as protecting some very famous women of the day. The road to sobriety for him was long and hard. Yes, he spoke only briefly about certain parts of his life, I think he is keeping some of this quiet because it still may be too painful to write about.
There were ups and downs and everything in between. A great ride!
July 21, 2021
I enjoyed this even more than I expected 😊👍🏻
I’ve been a fan since the 80s (Rio is a masterpiece of an album, and I’ll fight anyone who disagrees) - lost the thread a bit as the band reconfigured itself a few times - but I’m always impressed by a song or two each album. They know how to construct a damn good song.
Hearing John Taylor’s perspective on the history of the band is intriguing and touching.
If you have an interest, check this out - you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
I’ve been a fan since the 80s (Rio is a masterpiece of an album, and I’ll fight anyone who disagrees) - lost the thread a bit as the band reconfigured itself a few times - but I’m always impressed by a song or two each album. They know how to construct a damn good song.
Hearing John Taylor’s perspective on the history of the band is intriguing and touching.
If you have an interest, check this out - you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
July 30, 2020
Sex, drugs and rock and roll! Loved this behind the scenes look at one of my favourite 80's bands. Even better when the artist reads it themselves.
February 26, 2023
I didnt read all of this but what I did read was plenty
February 19, 2013
I admit it. I was a big Duranie in the early 80′s. In fact, Duran Duran changed my life (more on that later). So it’s no surprise that when I heard John Taylor (my personal favorite) had written an autobiography, I HAD to read it!
I really liked Taylor’s simple prose as he walked through his past, telling stories of his rise to superstardom and all the surprises and stumbling blocks in between. He is introspective, and extremely kind in his reflections of friends, business partners and fans. While there was lots of hard work involved, Duran Duran’s seemingly overnight success seems to be a Cinderella story. Except, instead of a fairy godmother, they had EMI and MTV.
The summer of 1982 was an important transition for the band and for me. Duran Duran was an established pop success on the verge of making it to the big time. They were still playing small venues and I had the privilege of seeing them in concert three times that summer. I was spending part of the summer in New York City with a friend and we had caught them at The Pier in a double bill with Split Enz. My friend’s sister had an agent friend who happened to stop by the apartment later. He quizzed us about our fascination with Duran Duran. “Who’s your favorite band member?” He asked us. My friend told him of her admiration for Nick Rhodes. “Do you want to talk to him? I can get him on the phone for you,” he told her. While we really didn’t believe he could do this, it wasn’t long before he handed her the phone. SHE WAS TALKING TO NICK RHODES! As it turned out, they were playing the Peppermint Lounge and Nick Rhodes invited us to come to the show. Not only did we have the opportunity to see a great concert, but we were admitted backstage as well! I was amazed. Here we were, backstage, WITH DURAN DURAN, and I was just feet from my dream idol, JOHN TAYLOR! Needless to say, I was beyond shy and probably just stood there smiling the whole time.
As I read the book, I hoped Taylor would mention at least one of the concerts I had attended. And on page 190, there it was. A photo of Taylor of visiting with Robert Palmer backstage at the Peppermint Lounge. I had been there! In fact, I have a photo my friend took of Taylor’s fateful meeting with Palmer that night. (Later, Robert Palmer would be the front man to Taylor’s band Powerstation). As I said, I was shy. So, I watched and listened, and when it was time to go, a voice screamed inside my head that this was my only chance and I had better take it. I walked up to John Taylor, put my hand on his shoulder and said “I have to go now, I just wanted to say thanks for a great show and goodbye.” He said “thanks”, KISSED ME BRIEFLY ON THE LIPS and said goodbye. How did this change my life? For starters, up until now, this was the best thing that ever happened to me, and it made me realize that anything was possible. From that point on, I decided that I wanted to attend college in New York City, and I applied to NYU and was accepted. I also decided I wanted to join a band, which I also did. Somewhere between college and the band, I began working in the entertainment industry and I decided I preferred the behind the scenes work. But the point is, my whole life’s direction changed that summer. Who I am today, who I married and my children, would not have happened if not for my experiences with Duran Duran.
And like mine, John Taylor’s journey (albeit more exciting and drug-filled) has taken him to a good place. I enjoyed reading about his life so far, and I was tickled to have the trip down memory lane. I recommend this book for Duran Duran fans and for anyone interested in the life of a pop star. 3 1/2 stars!
I really liked Taylor’s simple prose as he walked through his past, telling stories of his rise to superstardom and all the surprises and stumbling blocks in between. He is introspective, and extremely kind in his reflections of friends, business partners and fans. While there was lots of hard work involved, Duran Duran’s seemingly overnight success seems to be a Cinderella story. Except, instead of a fairy godmother, they had EMI and MTV.
The summer of 1982 was an important transition for the band and for me. Duran Duran was an established pop success on the verge of making it to the big time. They were still playing small venues and I had the privilege of seeing them in concert three times that summer. I was spending part of the summer in New York City with a friend and we had caught them at The Pier in a double bill with Split Enz. My friend’s sister had an agent friend who happened to stop by the apartment later. He quizzed us about our fascination with Duran Duran. “Who’s your favorite band member?” He asked us. My friend told him of her admiration for Nick Rhodes. “Do you want to talk to him? I can get him on the phone for you,” he told her. While we really didn’t believe he could do this, it wasn’t long before he handed her the phone. SHE WAS TALKING TO NICK RHODES! As it turned out, they were playing the Peppermint Lounge and Nick Rhodes invited us to come to the show. Not only did we have the opportunity to see a great concert, but we were admitted backstage as well! I was amazed. Here we were, backstage, WITH DURAN DURAN, and I was just feet from my dream idol, JOHN TAYLOR! Needless to say, I was beyond shy and probably just stood there smiling the whole time.
As I read the book, I hoped Taylor would mention at least one of the concerts I had attended. And on page 190, there it was. A photo of Taylor of visiting with Robert Palmer backstage at the Peppermint Lounge. I had been there! In fact, I have a photo my friend took of Taylor’s fateful meeting with Palmer that night. (Later, Robert Palmer would be the front man to Taylor’s band Powerstation). As I said, I was shy. So, I watched and listened, and when it was time to go, a voice screamed inside my head that this was my only chance and I had better take it. I walked up to John Taylor, put my hand on his shoulder and said “I have to go now, I just wanted to say thanks for a great show and goodbye.” He said “thanks”, KISSED ME BRIEFLY ON THE LIPS and said goodbye. How did this change my life? For starters, up until now, this was the best thing that ever happened to me, and it made me realize that anything was possible. From that point on, I decided that I wanted to attend college in New York City, and I applied to NYU and was accepted. I also decided I wanted to join a band, which I also did. Somewhere between college and the band, I began working in the entertainment industry and I decided I preferred the behind the scenes work. But the point is, my whole life’s direction changed that summer. Who I am today, who I married and my children, would not have happened if not for my experiences with Duran Duran.
And like mine, John Taylor’s journey (albeit more exciting and drug-filled) has taken him to a good place. I enjoyed reading about his life so far, and I was tickled to have the trip down memory lane. I recommend this book for Duran Duran fans and for anyone interested in the life of a pop star. 3 1/2 stars!
August 31, 2016
Naja, es ist wieder eine dieser Autobiographien, bei welcher der Verfasser zu Unrecht einen Abstecher in die literarische Zunft unternommen hat. Taylors Erzählweise ist so ungeheuer ärmlich. Bei der Wahl seines Vokabulars möchte man meinen, keinen Mann mittleren Alters vor sich schreiben zu sehen, sondern einen egozentrischen Zwanzigjährigen, der sich nach Aufmerksamkeit und Bewunderung sehnt. - Wenn ich sein Papierwerk mit dem von Midge Ure vergleiche, das auch in durchaus einfacher Sprache verfasst wurde, wirkte Ure nach dem erfolgreichen Entzug emotional gereift. Auch war der Aufbau seines Buches logisch, sein Erzählstil spannend und der Inhalt viel tiefgründiger. Taylor bleibt indes oberflächlich, unstrukturiert, sprunghaft.
Da ich einige Lieder von Duran Duran schätze, konnten mich immerhin die Geschichten zur Enstehungsgeschichte der Band und über die anderen vier Mitglieder fesseln. Außerdem genoss ich es, in die Atmosphäre der 80er zurückzutauchen und auch auf andere musikalische Größen jener Zeit wieder zu treffen.
Da ich einige Lieder von Duran Duran schätze, konnten mich immerhin die Geschichten zur Enstehungsgeschichte der Band und über die anderen vier Mitglieder fesseln. Außerdem genoss ich es, in die Atmosphäre der 80er zurückzutauchen und auch auf andere musikalische Größen jener Zeit wieder zu treffen.
December 15, 2021
The second-t0-last chapter, about a great loss, and the last, about a great redemptive feeling, provide a powerful ending to a story of loneliness, of a man for himself. Even as I write this review, I think "Who will read it?" "Who, real, will connect with me?" Everyone from a rock star on out struggles with this connection to others.
But first, to themselves.
All the fame, drugs and sex couldn't do anything for Taylor until he striped things down to the tenuous connection he had with his own soul. The writing here is easy, but the struggle could not have been, could not have been short or simple if it was to be real.
We make fun of rock stars for being self-absorbed, but it's the grandiosity and focus that set the stage for the grace it takes to write stories like this. So many of us go down in silence, without feeding our own ridiculous rhythms with enough fuel to walk the last mile to authenticity. While Taylor writes this for the general Duran Duran fan, I still ache for all the white space between these lines, to all he could have said. Then again, it's where we get back to our own stories.
But first, to themselves.
All the fame, drugs and sex couldn't do anything for Taylor until he striped things down to the tenuous connection he had with his own soul. The writing here is easy, but the struggle could not have been, could not have been short or simple if it was to be real.
We make fun of rock stars for being self-absorbed, but it's the grandiosity and focus that set the stage for the grace it takes to write stories like this. So many of us go down in silence, without feeding our own ridiculous rhythms with enough fuel to walk the last mile to authenticity. While Taylor writes this for the general Duran Duran fan, I still ache for all the white space between these lines, to all he could have said. Then again, it's where we get back to our own stories.
February 5, 2023
“Standing in the rain, with his head hung low…
Couldn’t get a ticket, it was a sold-out show…
Heard the roar of the crowd, he could picture the scene…
Put his ear to the wall, then like a distant scream…
He heard one guitar…just blew him away…
He saw stars in his eyes, and the very next day…
Bought a beat up six-string in a second-hand store…
Didn’t know how to play it, but he knew for sure…
That one guitar felt good in his hands…
Didn’t take long to understand…
Just one guitar, slung way down low…
Was a one-way ticket, only one way to go…
So, he started rockin’, aint never gonna stop…
Got to keep on rockin’, someday he’s gonna make it to the top…”
-"Jukebox Hero," by Foreigner
Duran Duran always sounded amazing to me; their synth-pop, New Wave dance-rock awesomeness pervaded my young life in so many places, and in so many ways. It might be “The Reflex” booming out from a ghetto blaster at the local tennis court, or the pulsating beat of “Girls on Film” reverberating from the cassette player of my ’82 Mercury Capri. Sometimes it was the youthful energy of “Planet Earth” being piped through my Sony Walkman headphones, spurring me on to pick up my running pace. It could be “Notorious” rocking the nightclub, it’s “sharp, tidy and made for dancing” sound much smoother and more streamlined than my own dance moves. It might even be at the movie theatre where Duran Duran’s awe-inspiring “A View to a Kill” the only “Bond theme” to ever reach #1 on the U.S. music charts, served as the soundtrack to the action sequences of Roger Moore’s James Bond.
I loved Duran Duran’s music, and knew the names of the band members, (Nick Rhodes, Simon Le Bon and the “Three Taylors,” John, Roger and Andy) but beyond that, I knew very little about the story of who they were and how they came to be.
So, when I spotted John Taylor’s bio, titled, “In The Pleasure Groove, Love, Death and Duran Duran,” I picked it up and began my enthusiastic reading journey about the life of John, one of the founders of one of the biggest, most influential bands of the 1980’s and ‘90’s. The book is a series of “life sketches” that together, comprise John’s amazing life. Each episode was brief, often only a few pages long, but the brevity took nothing away from the power each vivid story had to kick start my imagination. Also, much to my delight, I discovered that many of the stories were humorous, and self-deprecating, even though many of the subjects were serious in nature. When I completed the book, I realized that John had roughly divided this series of sketches into three broad categories:
Life Before Duran Duran.
The superstardom years when Duran Duran was on top of the world.
The “After Duran” years, which turned out to be some of the most meaningful for John.
Here were a few small samples of John’s “Life Sketches” from each era of his life:
Life Before Duran Duran:
Among my favorite from this era were John’s “pre-five-year-old” adventures as he accompanied his “Catholic-Aholic” mom to church almost every day. These included: the “We Three Kings” manthem, Father Cassidy and his chalice-swinging posse, and the rather comic way that church life was lived out inside the ramshackle building that up to that point was 20 years past its prime, (perhaps this partially explains John’s dad, Jack had long before made a habit of dropping his wife off at church, but not going inside himself).
I smiled as I read of young John the bell bottom wearing, bespectacled numismatist, figurine painter, and model-maker. I learned that John’s musical amazement as he delved into his cousin Eddy’s expansive collection of LPs. I came to understand that he was “Putty in the hands of Ed ‘Stewpot’ Stewart, remembering how powerful radio shows were in the 1960’s. There was Jean and Jack’s twelve-month gift to Nigel (his real first name). And most memorable was John’s “Roxy Music Moon Landing” experience, which proved as intriguing as it was a harbinger of things to come for him. As I read it, I sensed that he could’ve written another whole book based on this life changing event alone.
Lastly was John’s account of telling Sting to “F*** Off” in front of an audience…yeah, I’m referring to THAT Sting.
All this led to the early 80’s punk drift from Sex Pistols to Bowie and Ferry, a new decade where people wanted to get dressed up again, the ushering in of the “New Romantics” and the time of Duran Duran…
Life During His Superstardom Years:
Okay, I knew Duran Duran was a hugely famous band, but after reading John’s account, I realized that they were, (and are) even bigger than I could’ve guessed. I also couldn’t have imagined how out of control, even dangerous that crazed brand of fame could be, not only for the members of the band, but for their fans. I learned of the band’s penchant for “demob suits” and shopping for ladies’ blouses for on and off-stage costuming. There was the secret world of the soundcheck, the arrival of the poet, the bass as a lead instrument, and the beauty of being “chosen” by a velvet rope.
I eagerly flipped the pages as I read John talking about he and the band embracing the glamorous “Decadent Empire” style of dress, the introduction of “White Reggae.” I was impressed by the equality value system embraced by the band, a system John described as, “A Teenage Democracy.” There was the band’s most colorful “Beer-Drinking Rugby Hooligan Tour,” the leggy music biz executive with a penchant for sitting provocatively atop her desk and the crazy fan who went out of her way to catch John’s cold. I laughed when John referred to himself as “A bad tempered Henry Kissinger,” and his shame at “being called to the principal’s office” at the Rum Runner, and his experience being hosed by an unimpressed elephant.
I was impressed as I read his accounts of the amazing collaboration that happened between the members of the band, and the natural way that they all contributed to the creation of their astoundingly wonderful songs. I appreciated the work John put into becoming a journeyman bassist, and how he pushed himself creatively in order to make his contributions to the band’s body of work. But interspersed between these inspiring stories were stranger than fiction tales, such as the one where a hit single was presented to John by a man in a winged, white silk bodysuit…
It was in their heyday that they became, among many other things, the favorite band of none other than Princess Diana. Now that’s quite an endorsement!
But between performances, and recording sessions, John was becoming a very heavy drug addict. The steady downward spiral was evident, even as his career was taking off. But as time went on, and the “teenage euphoria” changed to “serious paying audiences” John’s life was filled with partying and abuse of hard drugs.
This happened over a number of years, and along the way John began dating Amanda de Cadenet, and soon she became pregnant. In short order, I learned, John and Amanda married, and then their daughter, Atlanta was born.
The birth of his child was a sea-change in John’s life, pushing him to seek help to overcome the destructive nature of his dependence on drugs.
He decides to make a call to a therapist that was recommended to him, a woman named Lois Evans, who’d agreed to slot John into her schedule that very night. It was she who said something to him that struck home, “If you can get sober,” she’d said, “Then you could really be somebody.”
John took hope in what she’d said and booked himself into a Tucson-based treatment facility. And that for me marked the third phase of the story, the “After Duran” years.
Third Phase:
Reading this one started out tough for me as I tried to imagine how John must’ve felt, calling his parents from Tucson, asking them if they’d be willing to come to be with him for “family week” at the rehab center. The counsellors told all the patients that this was a week to “bring in” those closest to them to share in a week of healing activities together. John called his parents, I read, but they said they’d prefer not come as it was so far away. In my imagination, I saw him standing at the payphone, hearing these words a refusal from his parents…whew! Hard.
But Amanda did come, and she brought little Atlanta with her. I read this, literally breathing a sigh of relief, John’s healing was really happening…
I read the amazing tale of John leaving the treatment facility, his “Michael Douglas moment” of realization that perhaps he could have a career, and stay sober at the same time.
John separates from Amanda, but does so in a sober, clear eyed way, she leaves him to start her career in the L.A. entertainment business. John, feeling stronger as he remains sober for longer and longer forms a small band called “Neurotic Outsiders,” their single, “Better Way,” the testament to the new life of sobriety lived out by John and the other members of this unique band. I was further encouraged as I read about John meeting Gela Nash, one of the founders of Juicy Couture. I found myself quite emotional reading about “The Five” that was John’s new family: John, Gela, Travis and Zoe, (Gela’s children) and Atlanta as the “baby.” I laughed when I read John call it the “What To Expect When You’re Blending” as a nod to the famous pregnancy guide, pertaining to the many new adjustments required when blending two families.
This kickstarted a rather wonderful section of the book where John decides to “Be John,” “Be a Husband” and “Be Dad.” He places family as a priority in his life, and treats his music career rather spontaneously, most memorably when he chooses to initiate a impromptu, one man, acoustic performance of “Rio” at a Venice Beach art gallery. I imagined how the patrons of the gallery must’ve reacted when they realized they were being treated to an unexpected live show from a founding member of one of the biggest pop bands in history.
John speaks with authenticity and real feeling when he talks about being able to be “all there” for his mom, sitting by her bedside during the last days of her life, and being by his dad’s side in his own last years. I was thrilled to read of the wonderful, witty, and loving wife Gela is to John, and the committed, loving husband he is for her. I was delighted to read of Gela’s first meeting of Simon Le Bon, and her enthusiastic suggestion that John and Simon should sing a song together, a suggestion that lead to what John calls his “Best ten minutes under the lights,” and, amazingly, the reunion of Duran Duran!
But John reminded us that addiction never really goes away, and how he had temptations to take a drink, or drugs, but found that prayer helped him. His “Osaka Prayer” experience led him to put off the idea of a drink and going to bed early instead. He sleeps well, and wakes refreshed to play a great concert later on, one of the most wonderful of his career.
God lowered the lights of that outdoor venue and everyone in the band was ready to perform for a cheering audience.
And the music never sounded better.
Couldn’t get a ticket, it was a sold-out show…
Heard the roar of the crowd, he could picture the scene…
Put his ear to the wall, then like a distant scream…
He heard one guitar…just blew him away…
He saw stars in his eyes, and the very next day…
Bought a beat up six-string in a second-hand store…
Didn’t know how to play it, but he knew for sure…
That one guitar felt good in his hands…
Didn’t take long to understand…
Just one guitar, slung way down low…
Was a one-way ticket, only one way to go…
So, he started rockin’, aint never gonna stop…
Got to keep on rockin’, someday he’s gonna make it to the top…”
-"Jukebox Hero," by Foreigner
Duran Duran always sounded amazing to me; their synth-pop, New Wave dance-rock awesomeness pervaded my young life in so many places, and in so many ways. It might be “The Reflex” booming out from a ghetto blaster at the local tennis court, or the pulsating beat of “Girls on Film” reverberating from the cassette player of my ’82 Mercury Capri. Sometimes it was the youthful energy of “Planet Earth” being piped through my Sony Walkman headphones, spurring me on to pick up my running pace. It could be “Notorious” rocking the nightclub, it’s “sharp, tidy and made for dancing” sound much smoother and more streamlined than my own dance moves. It might even be at the movie theatre where Duran Duran’s awe-inspiring “A View to a Kill” the only “Bond theme” to ever reach #1 on the U.S. music charts, served as the soundtrack to the action sequences of Roger Moore’s James Bond.
I loved Duran Duran’s music, and knew the names of the band members, (Nick Rhodes, Simon Le Bon and the “Three Taylors,” John, Roger and Andy) but beyond that, I knew very little about the story of who they were and how they came to be.
So, when I spotted John Taylor’s bio, titled, “In The Pleasure Groove, Love, Death and Duran Duran,” I picked it up and began my enthusiastic reading journey about the life of John, one of the founders of one of the biggest, most influential bands of the 1980’s and ‘90’s. The book is a series of “life sketches” that together, comprise John’s amazing life. Each episode was brief, often only a few pages long, but the brevity took nothing away from the power each vivid story had to kick start my imagination. Also, much to my delight, I discovered that many of the stories were humorous, and self-deprecating, even though many of the subjects were serious in nature. When I completed the book, I realized that John had roughly divided this series of sketches into three broad categories:
Life Before Duran Duran.
The superstardom years when Duran Duran was on top of the world.
The “After Duran” years, which turned out to be some of the most meaningful for John.
Here were a few small samples of John’s “Life Sketches” from each era of his life:
Life Before Duran Duran:
Among my favorite from this era were John’s “pre-five-year-old” adventures as he accompanied his “Catholic-Aholic” mom to church almost every day. These included: the “We Three Kings” manthem, Father Cassidy and his chalice-swinging posse, and the rather comic way that church life was lived out inside the ramshackle building that up to that point was 20 years past its prime, (perhaps this partially explains John’s dad, Jack had long before made a habit of dropping his wife off at church, but not going inside himself).
I smiled as I read of young John the bell bottom wearing, bespectacled numismatist, figurine painter, and model-maker. I learned that John’s musical amazement as he delved into his cousin Eddy’s expansive collection of LPs. I came to understand that he was “Putty in the hands of Ed ‘Stewpot’ Stewart, remembering how powerful radio shows were in the 1960’s. There was Jean and Jack’s twelve-month gift to Nigel (his real first name). And most memorable was John’s “Roxy Music Moon Landing” experience, which proved as intriguing as it was a harbinger of things to come for him. As I read it, I sensed that he could’ve written another whole book based on this life changing event alone.
Lastly was John’s account of telling Sting to “F*** Off” in front of an audience…yeah, I’m referring to THAT Sting.
All this led to the early 80’s punk drift from Sex Pistols to Bowie and Ferry, a new decade where people wanted to get dressed up again, the ushering in of the “New Romantics” and the time of Duran Duran…
Life During His Superstardom Years:
Okay, I knew Duran Duran was a hugely famous band, but after reading John’s account, I realized that they were, (and are) even bigger than I could’ve guessed. I also couldn’t have imagined how out of control, even dangerous that crazed brand of fame could be, not only for the members of the band, but for their fans. I learned of the band’s penchant for “demob suits” and shopping for ladies’ blouses for on and off-stage costuming. There was the secret world of the soundcheck, the arrival of the poet, the bass as a lead instrument, and the beauty of being “chosen” by a velvet rope.
I eagerly flipped the pages as I read John talking about he and the band embracing the glamorous “Decadent Empire” style of dress, the introduction of “White Reggae.” I was impressed by the equality value system embraced by the band, a system John described as, “A Teenage Democracy.” There was the band’s most colorful “Beer-Drinking Rugby Hooligan Tour,” the leggy music biz executive with a penchant for sitting provocatively atop her desk and the crazy fan who went out of her way to catch John’s cold. I laughed when John referred to himself as “A bad tempered Henry Kissinger,” and his shame at “being called to the principal’s office” at the Rum Runner, and his experience being hosed by an unimpressed elephant.
I was impressed as I read his accounts of the amazing collaboration that happened between the members of the band, and the natural way that they all contributed to the creation of their astoundingly wonderful songs. I appreciated the work John put into becoming a journeyman bassist, and how he pushed himself creatively in order to make his contributions to the band’s body of work. But interspersed between these inspiring stories were stranger than fiction tales, such as the one where a hit single was presented to John by a man in a winged, white silk bodysuit…
It was in their heyday that they became, among many other things, the favorite band of none other than Princess Diana. Now that’s quite an endorsement!
But between performances, and recording sessions, John was becoming a very heavy drug addict. The steady downward spiral was evident, even as his career was taking off. But as time went on, and the “teenage euphoria” changed to “serious paying audiences” John’s life was filled with partying and abuse of hard drugs.
This happened over a number of years, and along the way John began dating Amanda de Cadenet, and soon she became pregnant. In short order, I learned, John and Amanda married, and then their daughter, Atlanta was born.
The birth of his child was a sea-change in John’s life, pushing him to seek help to overcome the destructive nature of his dependence on drugs.
He decides to make a call to a therapist that was recommended to him, a woman named Lois Evans, who’d agreed to slot John into her schedule that very night. It was she who said something to him that struck home, “If you can get sober,” she’d said, “Then you could really be somebody.”
John took hope in what she’d said and booked himself into a Tucson-based treatment facility. And that for me marked the third phase of the story, the “After Duran” years.
Third Phase:
Reading this one started out tough for me as I tried to imagine how John must’ve felt, calling his parents from Tucson, asking them if they’d be willing to come to be with him for “family week” at the rehab center. The counsellors told all the patients that this was a week to “bring in” those closest to them to share in a week of healing activities together. John called his parents, I read, but they said they’d prefer not come as it was so far away. In my imagination, I saw him standing at the payphone, hearing these words a refusal from his parents…whew! Hard.
But Amanda did come, and she brought little Atlanta with her. I read this, literally breathing a sigh of relief, John’s healing was really happening…
I read the amazing tale of John leaving the treatment facility, his “Michael Douglas moment” of realization that perhaps he could have a career, and stay sober at the same time.
John separates from Amanda, but does so in a sober, clear eyed way, she leaves him to start her career in the L.A. entertainment business. John, feeling stronger as he remains sober for longer and longer forms a small band called “Neurotic Outsiders,” their single, “Better Way,” the testament to the new life of sobriety lived out by John and the other members of this unique band. I was further encouraged as I read about John meeting Gela Nash, one of the founders of Juicy Couture. I found myself quite emotional reading about “The Five” that was John’s new family: John, Gela, Travis and Zoe, (Gela’s children) and Atlanta as the “baby.” I laughed when I read John call it the “What To Expect When You’re Blending” as a nod to the famous pregnancy guide, pertaining to the many new adjustments required when blending two families.
This kickstarted a rather wonderful section of the book where John decides to “Be John,” “Be a Husband” and “Be Dad.” He places family as a priority in his life, and treats his music career rather spontaneously, most memorably when he chooses to initiate a impromptu, one man, acoustic performance of “Rio” at a Venice Beach art gallery. I imagined how the patrons of the gallery must’ve reacted when they realized they were being treated to an unexpected live show from a founding member of one of the biggest pop bands in history.
John speaks with authenticity and real feeling when he talks about being able to be “all there” for his mom, sitting by her bedside during the last days of her life, and being by his dad’s side in his own last years. I was thrilled to read of the wonderful, witty, and loving wife Gela is to John, and the committed, loving husband he is for her. I was delighted to read of Gela’s first meeting of Simon Le Bon, and her enthusiastic suggestion that John and Simon should sing a song together, a suggestion that lead to what John calls his “Best ten minutes under the lights,” and, amazingly, the reunion of Duran Duran!
But John reminded us that addiction never really goes away, and how he had temptations to take a drink, or drugs, but found that prayer helped him. His “Osaka Prayer” experience led him to put off the idea of a drink and going to bed early instead. He sleeps well, and wakes refreshed to play a great concert later on, one of the most wonderful of his career.
God lowered the lights of that outdoor venue and everyone in the band was ready to perform for a cheering audience.
And the music never sounded better.
October 21, 2012
Yes, I fess up... I've been a Duranie since 1985... I grew up with the band and with JT, so am generally up to speed with Duran's timeline and probably read it from a whole different perspective than someone who knows them simply as that eighties band with a bunch of hits and interesting video's.
After reading Wild Boy by Andy Taylor (no, I am not going to say the two are not related... I am just not) I was really curious about what this Taylor was going to say and what his perspective was and is (really love the idea of same story, different perspectives so Nick, Simon and Roger - get writing boys!).
First it is a good read I really enjoyed it, it is funny, sincere, nostalgic and quite heartwarming the early years read like it could be put into a movie, it could. Loved the way the songs came to existence, JT's family, his parents, meeting Nick and them being up and about Brum with a huge passion of music and style.
Second yes even as a Duranie there were loads of things I did not know... That Notorious was Hitchcock inspired (do feel a bit silly now), that he wasn't involved in making the song 'Come Undone', 'The Edge of America' is about the shore at Chicago, Michigan Lake. And that he says that the song 'Do You Believe in Shame' is the first one of a trilogy remembering the passing of a dear friend of Simon's the second was 'Ordinary World' and that he has no clue of what the third one is. That just baffled me... I thought it was 'Out of My Mind'... According to Wikipedia it is (alas he left the band by the time that song was recorded - but in hindsight, he could have known)... Or maybe we all are wrong and only Simon knows the answer...
Third JT is quite tough on himself and comments on the do's and dont's on his younger self. I really appreciated that in a coming of age kind of way; As a fan makes me appreciate the person behind the bass even more.
Fourth, why not four stars or more? Simple it was way too short... it felt unfinished and especially at the end (the reunion to present but to be honest things get sped up from Notorious on)... rushed. Being more than 60% through the book and The Bass God was at Wild Boys (Duran Career 1978 - present, Wild Boys was released in October 1984). Of course or probably most are interested in the early years, well than just write a book about the early years. I was hoping on a biography up till the moment he put his pen down, not so much. As tough as he is on himself as easy he is on the people in his life, when he mentions tribulations he does not elaborate or really discloses how he feels (no mention of the A View to a Kill yodel during Live Aide - would imagine that as the band was at odds with each other that that did not help - or maybe it was just ignored b/c of the chilly situation - I do not know it is not mentioned). I would have loved to have read about getting older, having a family the joys and problems- juggling a family with band live, US vs UK, the importance of Duran in his life. His current music tastes and and distastes. The whole deal with Andy leaving AGAIN is just summarized as 'not musical differences but differences period'. That's it... What did he think of albums Medezzaland and Pop Trash? How did the last three albums came to be Astronaut, Red Carpet Massacre, All You Need is Now? songs that not made the cut, album that was not released Reportage, the collaboration with Justin Timberlake and Timbaland, Mark Ronson. Quitting smoking. No mention of Andy Hamilton or Simon Willescroft (or any of the backing vocals - there is a picture of both Simon and Anna), or Wes Wehmiller who replaced him on tour when he quit. His adventures being creative with cd sleeves and tour books, clothing for the RCM tour and the collaboration there with Juicy especially since he did mention this passion of this in the early years. Concerts like the revival of Live 8 (I think it was called now), Unstaged with David Lynch, the fan gig they did in '07 in NYC... The early gigs of the AYNIN tour with girls on string instruments...
Last but not least it was a good read I enjoyed it a lot, the photography is elaborate and just lovely. I spoiled myself and got the audio too and read along while John read it. New experience for me and it sure added to the experience. I have never cried reading a book, never! (cry my eyes out in front of the tv or in the movie theater but a book... nope) well mr. Taylor managed to get me bawling twice! It must have been the audio.
I hope he will eventually update this book, it would be a missed chance not to.
After reading Wild Boy by Andy Taylor (no, I am not going to say the two are not related... I am just not) I was really curious about what this Taylor was going to say and what his perspective was and is (really love the idea of same story, different perspectives so Nick, Simon and Roger - get writing boys!).
First it is a good read I really enjoyed it, it is funny, sincere, nostalgic and quite heartwarming the early years read like it could be put into a movie, it could. Loved the way the songs came to existence, JT's family, his parents, meeting Nick and them being up and about Brum with a huge passion of music and style.
Second yes even as a Duranie there were loads of things I did not know... That Notorious was Hitchcock inspired (do feel a bit silly now), that he wasn't involved in making the song 'Come Undone', 'The Edge of America' is about the shore at Chicago, Michigan Lake. And that he says that the song 'Do You Believe in Shame' is the first one of a trilogy remembering the passing of a dear friend of Simon's the second was 'Ordinary World' and that he has no clue of what the third one is. That just baffled me... I thought it was 'Out of My Mind'... According to Wikipedia it is (alas he left the band by the time that song was recorded - but in hindsight, he could have known)... Or maybe we all are wrong and only Simon knows the answer...
Third JT is quite tough on himself and comments on the do's and dont's on his younger self. I really appreciated that in a coming of age kind of way; As a fan makes me appreciate the person behind the bass even more.
Fourth, why not four stars or more? Simple it was way too short... it felt unfinished and especially at the end (the reunion to present but to be honest things get sped up from Notorious on)... rushed. Being more than 60% through the book and The Bass God was at Wild Boys (Duran Career 1978 - present, Wild Boys was released in October 1984). Of course or probably most are interested in the early years, well than just write a book about the early years. I was hoping on a biography up till the moment he put his pen down, not so much. As tough as he is on himself as easy he is on the people in his life, when he mentions tribulations he does not elaborate or really discloses how he feels (no mention of the A View to a Kill yodel during Live Aide - would imagine that as the band was at odds with each other that that did not help - or maybe it was just ignored b/c of the chilly situation - I do not know it is not mentioned). I would have loved to have read about getting older, having a family the joys and problems- juggling a family with band live, US vs UK, the importance of Duran in his life. His current music tastes and and distastes. The whole deal with Andy leaving AGAIN is just summarized as 'not musical differences but differences period'. That's it... What did he think of albums Medezzaland and Pop Trash? How did the last three albums came to be Astronaut, Red Carpet Massacre, All You Need is Now? songs that not made the cut, album that was not released Reportage, the collaboration with Justin Timberlake and Timbaland, Mark Ronson. Quitting smoking. No mention of Andy Hamilton or Simon Willescroft (or any of the backing vocals - there is a picture of both Simon and Anna), or Wes Wehmiller who replaced him on tour when he quit. His adventures being creative with cd sleeves and tour books, clothing for the RCM tour and the collaboration there with Juicy especially since he did mention this passion of this in the early years. Concerts like the revival of Live 8 (I think it was called now), Unstaged with David Lynch, the fan gig they did in '07 in NYC... The early gigs of the AYNIN tour with girls on string instruments...
Last but not least it was a good read I enjoyed it a lot, the photography is elaborate and just lovely. I spoiled myself and got the audio too and read along while John read it. New experience for me and it sure added to the experience. I have never cried reading a book, never! (cry my eyes out in front of the tv or in the movie theater but a book... nope) well mr. Taylor managed to get me bawling twice! It must have been the audio.
I hope he will eventually update this book, it would be a missed chance not to.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 3, 2012
I'm not even going to try and be objective for this review. I've been a Duran Duran fan for about 30 years and I read this book in one sitting. Although I thought this book was well written, I can't say whether or not someone who is not a fan would like it quite as much, but I think it would appeal to any fan of music or good biographies. There is alot about the very early days of Duran, which i've read about in articles before, but it gave it much more context reading JT's first hand account. But it also goes deeper into the music scene in England in the late '70's through John's experiences, which I particularly enjoyed reading about.
There was quite a bit written about the '80's, but I felt Taylor only wrote as much as he had to about the things the band was involved in and kept it personal. He is honest about his drug use and feelings of loneliness on the road. It's really kind of heartbreaking to read about what bad shape he was in.
The personal chapters in the book were strong and when he writes about his relationships, he writes about the ups and downs taking personal responsibility, especially when he writes about his first marriage to Amanda de Cadenet. I could relate to the chapter on the Catholic Church and school. Anything he wrote about his parents was heartfelt but not overly sentimental, although the chapters on his parents dying are incredibly sad.
I do wish he would have written about his acting career and solo years, but there is nothing even mentioned in the book. Maybe he doesn't consider the topic significant enough in his life?
And the pictures in the book are fantastic. Now I can't wait to get the audiobook to hear John read the book.
There was quite a bit written about the '80's, but I felt Taylor only wrote as much as he had to about the things the band was involved in and kept it personal. He is honest about his drug use and feelings of loneliness on the road. It's really kind of heartbreaking to read about what bad shape he was in.
The personal chapters in the book were strong and when he writes about his relationships, he writes about the ups and downs taking personal responsibility, especially when he writes about his first marriage to Amanda de Cadenet. I could relate to the chapter on the Catholic Church and school. Anything he wrote about his parents was heartfelt but not overly sentimental, although the chapters on his parents dying are incredibly sad.
I do wish he would have written about his acting career and solo years, but there is nothing even mentioned in the book. Maybe he doesn't consider the topic significant enough in his life?
And the pictures in the book are fantastic. Now I can't wait to get the audiobook to hear John read the book.
February 6, 2017
In the Pleasure Groove was everything you'd expect from JT. It was compelling, entertaining, slick, sexy, jet-setty... and flavored with a sad undercurrent of, well, narcissism. Still. Even in his chapters on facing down his drug and alcohol addictions. Don't get me wrong: I am super glad the guy is working so hard health in all its dimensions, so invested in being a good father and husband. I'm concerned, though, that as long as he stays his own Higher Power, it might not last. In the end, that made the book unsatisfying. Still, if you're recovering from or still a hardcore Duran Duran addict, I can't not recommend In the Pleasure Groove. There's a bit of depth for the reader in it, even if the author himself may have missed it.
September 27, 2023
If you are looking for a tell-all, you will not find it here. John Taylor definitely holds some things back, but I respect his privacy & his professionalism. I just saw this band in concert for the first time last month, and loved reading this book as a follow up – you can see how much they enjoy working, creating, & performing together. 40 years is a long time!
February 25, 2021
This rock memoir captures all the charm, glam, ambition and arrogance of Duran Duran. The short, detailed chapters mirror the fast pace of stardom and fame. Sit back, press play —get into the pleasure groove of their influential tunes —and feel the ups and downs of being a new romantic.
June 19, 2013
I was twelve years old and only two rows away from the stage when I collapsed at my first Duran Duran concert. Nick Rhodes with his bright orange hair and glittery sweater, actually glanced up from his keyboard. His concern only made me scramble to my feet, bloody elbows and all, and scream harder. A couple years later, my uncle who knew a tour organizer, gave me backstage passes to Power Station. But my sister who came with me because I was still too young to drive had just had her wisdom teeth pulled and the meds they gave her made her throw up. We had to leave early. By the time I attended my third Duran Duran concert I was older, so much wiser, and was curious to see just how close I was to the stage. So I took my shirt, not the one I was wearing but the tour shirt I'd just purchased with the faces of the band members outlined in neon, and wadded it in a fabric ball straight at John Taylor. It was nearing the end of their final encore and I can remember him stretching the t-shirt out on his way offstage, looking for some message, a personalized photo, something. But there was none except that I was just another senseless, faceless, female Duran Duran fan.
So now as an adult, both a professor and writer, I was anxious to read John Taylor's memoir. I don't count Andy Taylor's memoir because to me he and Roger were as interesting and integral to the make-up of the band as a pair of bookends. My attention was always focused between Simon, John and Nick. And, as it turns out, they really were the creative minds behind the music. They've also been the most loyal to the band.
Taylor's memoir itself is told in snatches of chapters which obviously read quickly, almost too quickly. Certain events and conversations are glossed over. For example, what exactly was said between Taylor and Rhodes when they were disagreeing about the direction the band was taking near the end before the brief time they broke up? A little dialogue and scene would've helped to dramatize the moment. A good editor might've pointed that out.
Some of the in-depth relationships Taylor had with important women in his life are only superficially defined. Being a girlfriend on tour with her pop star boyfriend must come with a whole other kind of baggage, and I was interested in hearing about the emotionally weightier parts. I was surprised in a good way that Taylor did not spend the entire book recounting all the women he slept with, although he does list quite a few, even some of the ones whose names he doesn't remember. The bulk of the book consists of interesting antecdotes like the time he, Nick and Simon stole back something they felt was rightfully theirs in the broad light of day, from I believe it was their former managers. He writes about being a part of Band Aid, his constant and eventually collaborative run-ins with Robert Palmer and other musically minded stories that distinctly separate his memoir from that of other self-aggrandizing musicians. After all, when it comes down to it, sex, drugs and rock n' roll really are cliche'.
So now as an adult, both a professor and writer, I was anxious to read John Taylor's memoir. I don't count Andy Taylor's memoir because to me he and Roger were as interesting and integral to the make-up of the band as a pair of bookends. My attention was always focused between Simon, John and Nick. And, as it turns out, they really were the creative minds behind the music. They've also been the most loyal to the band.
Taylor's memoir itself is told in snatches of chapters which obviously read quickly, almost too quickly. Certain events and conversations are glossed over. For example, what exactly was said between Taylor and Rhodes when they were disagreeing about the direction the band was taking near the end before the brief time they broke up? A little dialogue and scene would've helped to dramatize the moment. A good editor might've pointed that out.
Some of the in-depth relationships Taylor had with important women in his life are only superficially defined. Being a girlfriend on tour with her pop star boyfriend must come with a whole other kind of baggage, and I was interested in hearing about the emotionally weightier parts. I was surprised in a good way that Taylor did not spend the entire book recounting all the women he slept with, although he does list quite a few, even some of the ones whose names he doesn't remember. The bulk of the book consists of interesting antecdotes like the time he, Nick and Simon stole back something they felt was rightfully theirs in the broad light of day, from I believe it was their former managers. He writes about being a part of Band Aid, his constant and eventually collaborative run-ins with Robert Palmer and other musically minded stories that distinctly separate his memoir from that of other self-aggrandizing musicians. After all, when it comes down to it, sex, drugs and rock n' roll really are cliche'.
October 11, 2013
For those who follow my reviews, you can gather I am a huge fan of the rock n' roll memoir. It is not really the decadence, drug/alcohol taking that I find fascinating, but the working relationship between members of the band or even with the fans themselves. Duran Duran by no means is it a favorite band of mine, yet I admire what they do, because they do it with zest and without a doubt all of them have the 'ball' in their sights.
The strong part of John Taylor's book is regarding his youth before Duran Duran, and the relationship with his parents in the later years. It is funny when you read a biography on a subject matter, the childhood part is the most boring part of the book. You're dying to get to chapter three or four, where the subject matter starts doing their work, recording, book writing or whatever made them interesting in the first place. But with respect to the memoir, the childhood is usually the most fascinating aspect of the book.
When I look at my life compared to Taylor's I find some interesting similar things we share. His description of hearing the first Roxy Music album and later the first Sex Pistols' single is right-on-the-mark, and I realize that we're both coming from the same place musically speaking. Except I am not that in love with 'pop' music itself, but more of its weirdness. But that is just in theory!
"In The Pleasure Groove" is very much a book about recovery - and I am glad he's in a good place, but for the reader was he ever in a bad place? Some other reviewer pointed this out, but another bass player Alex James of Blur also wrote a memoir that is almost of a shadow of Taylor's book. Both had drink problems, both are bass players, and both need other musicians to do their art. And both are super handsome! But what separates them is character. Alex seems to go through his life with great pleasure, and John does the same, but he has deep doubts about it. He has very mixed feelings about the whole role of being a star, but clearly he fits that role to the capital "T." When I read the Townshend, Keith Richards, and Neil Young memoirs, I thought these guys are messed up for various reasons. But I think Taylor lives a very charmed life. He clearly loves his bandmates, his family, and it seems like he gets the love back as well. And beyond that it takes skill and guts to keep the work going. He's a good man doing his job well.
The strong part of John Taylor's book is regarding his youth before Duran Duran, and the relationship with his parents in the later years. It is funny when you read a biography on a subject matter, the childhood part is the most boring part of the book. You're dying to get to chapter three or four, where the subject matter starts doing their work, recording, book writing or whatever made them interesting in the first place. But with respect to the memoir, the childhood is usually the most fascinating aspect of the book.
When I look at my life compared to Taylor's I find some interesting similar things we share. His description of hearing the first Roxy Music album and later the first Sex Pistols' single is right-on-the-mark, and I realize that we're both coming from the same place musically speaking. Except I am not that in love with 'pop' music itself, but more of its weirdness. But that is just in theory!
"In The Pleasure Groove" is very much a book about recovery - and I am glad he's in a good place, but for the reader was he ever in a bad place? Some other reviewer pointed this out, but another bass player Alex James of Blur also wrote a memoir that is almost of a shadow of Taylor's book. Both had drink problems, both are bass players, and both need other musicians to do their art. And both are super handsome! But what separates them is character. Alex seems to go through his life with great pleasure, and John does the same, but he has deep doubts about it. He has very mixed feelings about the whole role of being a star, but clearly he fits that role to the capital "T." When I read the Townshend, Keith Richards, and Neil Young memoirs, I thought these guys are messed up for various reasons. But I think Taylor lives a very charmed life. He clearly loves his bandmates, his family, and it seems like he gets the love back as well. And beyond that it takes skill and guts to keep the work going. He's a good man doing his job well.
May 4, 2013
I have been a Duranie since the 80s when I first heard of Duran Duran when I was in Jr. High School. I was so excited when I heard that John Taylor had written a Memoir. So you could guess my more excitement when I received the book as a birthday present! So on New Year's Day I dove into "The Pleasure Groove: Love, Death and Duran Duran".
As I started to read pages, they soon turned into chapters with in seconds. John Taylor takes us into parts of his private life and allows us to see him grow up as an only child, facing the challenges of school and how he came about forming Duran Duran up until his life today. I knew he had be a drug addict but not to the extent he talked about. I also did not know that he and Nick were not on speaking terms for a long time. Love his explaining of the first time he met Simon and had no clue that it was Andy Taylor that gave Simon the nickname "Charlie". Speaking of Andy Taylor, he speaks very well of him and how close they were, but briefly and I mean briefly of why they are not speaking today. As much of an Andy fan that I am, I am glad he left that out of the book. There are some things that just still need to be private. Although I do hope they work out their differences and being speaking again.
It was a fabulous and enjoyable read. I could not put the book down. Ending my review on a very funny part of the book that had me rolling. John talks about how he is at a press conference for the reunion tour in Atlanta. He says he had a cold and was sniffling into a series of tissues, absentmindedly throwing them into a wastepaper bin under the table. The next time he was in the city, the girl called out to him at another public appearance that she got his cold. He wondered what was she talking about. She told him, "After you left the press conference last year I stole your used tissues. I wanted to get your cold". I was rolling with laughter, because to me that was WAY extreme for a Duranie!! I love Duran Duran, but if they have a cold, I'll just let them keep that...lol. Thanks for the great laughs and wonderful book, John Taylor!!
As I started to read pages, they soon turned into chapters with in seconds. John Taylor takes us into parts of his private life and allows us to see him grow up as an only child, facing the challenges of school and how he came about forming Duran Duran up until his life today. I knew he had be a drug addict but not to the extent he talked about. I also did not know that he and Nick were not on speaking terms for a long time. Love his explaining of the first time he met Simon and had no clue that it was Andy Taylor that gave Simon the nickname "Charlie". Speaking of Andy Taylor, he speaks very well of him and how close they were, but briefly and I mean briefly of why they are not speaking today. As much of an Andy fan that I am, I am glad he left that out of the book. There are some things that just still need to be private. Although I do hope they work out their differences and being speaking again.
It was a fabulous and enjoyable read. I could not put the book down. Ending my review on a very funny part of the book that had me rolling. John talks about how he is at a press conference for the reunion tour in Atlanta. He says he had a cold and was sniffling into a series of tissues, absentmindedly throwing them into a wastepaper bin under the table. The next time he was in the city, the girl called out to him at another public appearance that she got his cold. He wondered what was she talking about. She told him, "After you left the press conference last year I stole your used tissues. I wanted to get your cold". I was rolling with laughter, because to me that was WAY extreme for a Duranie!! I love Duran Duran, but if they have a cold, I'll just let them keep that...lol. Thanks for the great laughs and wonderful book, John Taylor!!
November 9, 2012
John Taylor covers a large span of music evolution in this autobiography of his life and that of Duran Duran, the rock group in which he still performs. It is that diverse, evolving story that speaks volumes for the success he has achieved. Yes, the audience may change, but the "real" audience has evolved with his talent and musical styles over the years.
Taylor knows how to grab an audience. Right from the beginning, the reader is charged from the opening account of a concert performance in which the song "Tel Aviv" was played and Taylor confesses to being scared out of his mind at the almost animal atmosphere of the screaming, violent crowd. How does one play and what is it about the music that creates such a wild response to the group's music?
We are then led back even further to the very start of his life, through his education, interest in music at first without any thought about actually becoming a rock star, and more. The terrific part of this next section is that he chronicles how the music evolved from simple chord music on acoustic guitar through the time of the Beatles through to rock music...to punk rock...., etc. For those who are older, it will bring back some great memories; for those who are younger, it might make them curious to check out the "older" music.
Then comes the beginning Duran, Duran, playing as introductory music for other more famous singers and bands....then comes evolving success. Plenty of unknown and fascinating details follow about different and better instruments that were used, as well as how the other band members adapted, left, and joined, leading up to the present band members. There's a very riveting section on how drugs and booze almost blew the whole success chance out the window and a very painful part of how it broke him down. Fortunately, it didn't end there...
Absolutely great biography about a singer, composer, producer and band leader who clearly is "passionate" beyond belief about his art. Read it and enjoy the music you will hear and the interesting guy you will come to know so much better as you read!
Taylor knows how to grab an audience. Right from the beginning, the reader is charged from the opening account of a concert performance in which the song "Tel Aviv" was played and Taylor confesses to being scared out of his mind at the almost animal atmosphere of the screaming, violent crowd. How does one play and what is it about the music that creates such a wild response to the group's music?
We are then led back even further to the very start of his life, through his education, interest in music at first without any thought about actually becoming a rock star, and more. The terrific part of this next section is that he chronicles how the music evolved from simple chord music on acoustic guitar through the time of the Beatles through to rock music...to punk rock...., etc. For those who are older, it will bring back some great memories; for those who are younger, it might make them curious to check out the "older" music.
Then comes the beginning Duran, Duran, playing as introductory music for other more famous singers and bands....then comes evolving success. Plenty of unknown and fascinating details follow about different and better instruments that were used, as well as how the other band members adapted, left, and joined, leading up to the present band members. There's a very riveting section on how drugs and booze almost blew the whole success chance out the window and a very painful part of how it broke him down. Fortunately, it didn't end there...
Absolutely great biography about a singer, composer, producer and band leader who clearly is "passionate" beyond belief about his art. Read it and enjoy the music you will hear and the interesting guy you will come to know so much better as you read!
November 27, 2012
I originally expected something a bit more tawdry from a memoir titled "In The Pleasure Groove." Especially from the hottest member of Duran Duran. And while it started a bit slow for me, it turned out to be a very sweet and honest account of his rise and fall and rise and fall with Duran Duran. While he is honest, the worst of it is often doled out in very small portions. But we get the picture -- he wasn't always nice to his parents, bandmates and friends. Addiction was present for a long time. He slept with a lot of girls. Some of my favorite parts are about his relationship with his parents and with his fans. He had only nice things to say about ex-girlfriends and kept most of his thoughts about former relationships positive. He took responsibility. While these revelations were less sensational than I originally expected, they were very heartfelt and true. I did find it interesting that at the end of the book he acknowledged all the guys in Duran Duran except Andy.
Expectations are resentments under construction. (p. 224)
Expectations are resentments under construction. (p. 224)
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