Duran Duran drummer Roger Taylor has announced his retirement. The 66-year-old musician described leaving the band due to his worsening tinnitus as “one of the hardest decisions” he has ever made.
Roger Taylor quits Duran Duran as worsening tinnitus forces him to stop drumming
Taylor, who first joined the band in 1979, left in 1985 before reuniting with the group in 2001. He remained with the band until his retirement. He announced his departure through a statement shared on the band’s official social media channels.
The statement read, “This is one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make. Playing drums in this band has been the joy of my life, and I’ll never be able to properly thank the fans for the love they’ve shown us over the years.” He continued, “But the truth is that my tinnitus has been getting steadily worse, and I’ve reached the point where I must now listen to my body and my doctors.”
Taylor’s fellow band members, Simon Le Bon, Nick Rhodes and John Taylor, expressed their appreciation. They said, “Roger is our brother. His drumming helped define the sound of Duran Duran from the very beginning, and having him back with us since 2001 has been incredibly important to us all. We completely support his decision and wish him health and happiness. He will always be part of this family, while we continue exploring new and exciting projects with the band.”
During his time with Duran Duran, Taylor contributed to several of the band’s biggest hits. These included Girls on Film, Hungry Like the Wolf, Rio and The Reflex. He also played on the 1985 James Bond theme, A View to a Kill. The drummer contributed to 10 of the band’s albums, including its self-titled debut in 1981 and Seven and the Ragged Tiger, released in 1983.
