Synopses & Reviews
Wild Boy is the explosive first inside account of the rise and fall of Duran Duran. The band rose to conquer the globe with a string of unforgettable hits such as "Rio," "Hungry Like the Wolf," and "The Reflex." With Simon Le Bon as their frontman, they were the defining pop act of the 1980s, but Andy Taylor, the enigmatic lead guitarist, is widely acknowledged to have been their musical driving force.
Then, at the very height of their achievement in 1985, Duran Duran imploded. Now Andy shares the story of what went wrong. With searing honesty, he charts every moment of Duran Duran's roller-coaster rise from their early days as club musicians through to international superstardom. He captures the glamour and excitement of the band's epic video shoots and the opulence of their world tours.
He reveals the truth about the allegations of drug abuse and wild hedonism that dogged Duran Duran. Packed with more than twenty-five years worth of rock 'n' roll anecdotes, Andy tells of his time in the band The Power Station, and explains why Duran Duran reformed with its original line-up in 2003.
But Wild Boy is also a moving story on a human level, as Andy describes how the pressures of fame took a terrible personal toll on him and his family. Moving from hilarious to harrowing at the turn of a page, Wild Boy is a must-read for anyone who lived through the 1980s, or who cares about music.
Review
"[An] evocative...portrait of the limitless privileges and life-draining pressures of day-to-day life in the rock 'n' roll touring bubble." Kirkus Reviews
Synopsis
WILD BOY is the first intimate and explosive account of the immensely popular rock group Duran Duran--from the man who was at the center of it all.
Wild Boy is the explosive first inside account of the rise and fall of Duran Duran. The band rose to conquer the globe with a string of unforgettable hits such as "Rio," "Hungry Like the Wolf," and "The Reflex." With Simon Le Bon as their frontman, they were the defining pop act of the 1980s, but Andy Taylor, the enigmatic lead guitarist, is widely acknowledged to have been their musical driving force.
Then, at the very height of their achievement in 1985, Duran Duran imploded. Now Andy shares the story of what went wrong. With searing honesty, he charts every moment of Duran Duran's roller-coaster rise from their early days as club musicians through to international superstardom. He captures the glamour and excitement of the band's epic video shoots and the opulence of their world tours.
He reveals the truth about the allegations of drug abuse and wild hedonism that dogged Duran Duran. Packed with more than twenty-five years worth of rock 'n' roll anecdotes, Andy tells of his time in the band The Power Station, and explains why Duran Duran reformed with its original line-up in 2003.
But Wild Boy is also a moving story on a human level, as Andy describes how the pressures of fame took a terrible personal toll on him and his family. Moving from hilarious to harrowing at the turn of a page, WILD BOY is a must-read for anyone who lived through the 1980s, or who cares about music. span
Synopsis
Duran Duran was the defining pop act of the 1980s, until, at the height of their achievement, the band imploded. Now Taylor shares the story of what went wrong. With searing honesty, he charts every moment of the group's rollercoaster rise to international superstardom.
About the Author
Andy Taylor was born in a small fishing village in the North East of England in 1961. He learned to play guitar at the age of eight and as a teenager he toured American airbases in Germany with a cover band, before joining Duran Duran in 1980. In the five years that followed, the band would have ten Top 10 UK hit singles and two #1 hit singles in the U.S. before he left, and have gone on to sell 100 million records worldwide. A hugely accomplished musician, having worked with artists as diverse as Robert Palmer, Rod Stewart, and Steve Jones of the Sex Pistols, Andy lives with his wife Tracey and their family in Ibiza.