Duran Duran Bassist Sends Strong Message on Music Today
During a performance at the Sanremo Music Festival in Italy, Duran Duran bass player John Taylor talked about the idea of bands being gone. – Author: Cat Badra, Photo via High Rise PR
The music industry is constantly evolving, and at least one ’80s rocker is coming to terms with the belief that actual bands aren’t a thing anymore. Back in the day, bands were all the rage, and rock ‘n’ roll took center stage at plenty of high-profile music and entertainment events, with full bands performing sets. Now, this rocker thinks having groups in music just isn’t nearly as popular anymore.
During a performance at the Sanremo Music Festival in Italy, Duran Duran bass player John Taylor talked about the idea of bands being extinct.
A Band is Having ‘Equal Partners Bringing Something Special’ to People
“[The] day of the group is almost gone,” he said, as reported by the Independent on February 14. “Were there any groups at the Grammys this year?”
It’s true that the Grammy Awards were packed with solo acts this year, such as Beyonce, Kendrick Lamar, Billie Eilish, Sabrina Carpenter and Chappell Roan. But, the rock and metal categories had plenty of bands in there, such as the Rolling Stones, Metallica, Green Day and Pearl Jam.
Even with the Grammys having some bands being honored, it’s true that back when Duran Duran were getting into music, having a group making music was much more the norm. Remember, this was years, even decades, before the Internet changed so much about the music industry. Today, musicians don’t need a full band to make music or a song. The online music world has so much to offer, and that’s both good and bad for the industry, depending on how you look at it.
“We grew up in the ’60s and ’70s and we saw that dynamic play out onstage and on record, where you have equal partners bringing something special to everything that they do, and we haven’t found a way of improving on that,” he said. “There’s something very special about our chemistry with each other.”
Duran Duran Vocalist Discusses Band’s Longevity
It’s wild to think about, but the chart-topping band has been together for more than 40 years. They played their first show together in 1980. They’re pretty much classic rock at this point, although that seems more reserved for bands such as Led Zeppelin and the Rolling Stones.
Sharing in his bandmates’ beliefs, vocalist Simon Le Bon talked about what has kept Duran Duran enact for over 40 years. It’s all about the music.
“First of all, we love the music we make together – nobody else makes music like we do,” he said. “We’ve tried doing things on our own, and it just doesn’t seem to be as exciting as when the four of us get together and work.”
“We make each other laugh,” he added. “I think that’s really important in a long relationship. When we’re under stress, we laugh our way through it and it keeps everything light and fun. And the other thing is, we split all the proceeds equally… we all share equally in the finances.”
That last note is a big one. So many bands break up because of financial issues, so knowing that Duran Duran keeps everything equal is likely one of the secrets to their success as a unit.
- Duran Duran Bassist Sends Strong Message on Music Today - February 19, 2025
- Tool Bassist Delivers Good News on Upcoming Album - February 16, 2025
- Rock Hall 2025 Nominees Highlight a Mix of Genres - February 12, 2025
