Post by bass_echo on Nov 27, 2005 13:25:38 GMT -5
Thanks to Sasha (Rio Khanada) at LK for posting and translating this!
MUSIC/ANDY TAYLOR, LEGENDARY GUITARIST OF DURAN DURAN
"On the good days, this is the best job in the world"
The musician talks about the return of the original line-up of Duran Duran, pioneers of the new romantic movement who, still today, leave their mark on several groups. And he adds: "We love playing the hits."
[[ caption under photo ]] The original line-up of Duran Duran, one of the main attractions of next week's Personal Fest.
By Roque Casciero
Even though the majority of 15 year old girls who covered their walls with Duran Duran posters passed into their 30s some time ago, it is certain that the British quintet's music matured much better than one could have imagined in the mid 80s. It would also have been difficult to predict that the sounds categorized as New Romantic or New Wave would have been such a strong influence today. Nevertheless, there it is, in bands like Scissor Sisters, The Killers or The Bravery. For that it seems more than adequate that the result was Duran Duran returning in its original lineup in the new century. And if until now the Argentine fans only had been able to see another version of the band, on Saturday the 3rd at the Personal Fest they will be able to get their fill of being in front of an authentic classic: Simon LeBon on vocals, Andy Taylor on guitar, Nick Rhodes on keyboards, John Taylor on bass and Roger Taylor on drums. As if to add to the expectations, the guitarist let on to Pagina 12 that Duran Duran's set will be, like the fiery Live from London DVD, almost exclusively filled of hits like Hungry Like the Wolf, Rio, Wild Boys, Union of the Snake y The Reflex. “We are very conscious of the fact that we have many songs that people want to hear," assures Taylor. "Plus, we love playing the hits: there's no point in making ourselves too dark".
–One day in 1979, you opened the now-defunct music paper Melody Maker and read an ad about a band looking for a "live wire guitarist".
–Yes, and that started us down this road that has lasted over 25 years. I don't know how many people had answered that Melody Maker ad, but it was one of those moments where you grab your calendar and mark the date.
–¿Did you ever imagine a future like what you had?
–I guess when you are young you aspire for many things. From adolescense I went to a bunch of concerts and always wanted to be on stage, playing guitar in a band. I was obsessed with that, it was all I wanted to do. And later, when I met with Nick, John, Roger and Simon, everyone had gone thru something similar: they had gone to many concerts and had the same aspirations. When we started, I immediately understood that we all had the same hunger to do something famous. Every one came with so many ideas... And it is still that way: we propose doing a bunch of things that if we really tried to do them all, we'd never finish one.
–With influences such as the Sex Pistols and T-Rex, you were more of the rocker in Duran Duran, right?
–Well, I guess the job of a guitarist brings that tag (laughs). The guitar is one of those instruments that can be played at night or in the day, in the bath or in the park, sober, drunk or drugged. It's real easy to be drunk and start playing... It's a very expressive instrument, so some guitarists have experimented with their mental states while playing. But I'm already 44, it's better to keep your wits about you.
–But your influences are more rock than the rest of the band. How did you rationalize that in the beginning?
–The fact that the guitar needed to make itself known was very important for the band, because it gave it the extra rawness that other bands lacked. And a rock influence was something they wanted, because in the ad it said that they wanted someone like Steve Jones, David Gilmour and Mick Ronson. I thought: “I can do that, I can do all three quite well” (laughs).
–¿Did you all feel you were pioneers of the New Romantic movement?
–That was something that happened at that moment and we got tagged as such. It didn't bother us, but it wasn't something conscious for us. We didn't live in London but in Birmingham, so we were on another plane, but all the groups became "that" along the way. If I think about it, it also helped us, but the truth is we didn't really fit, because we weren't totally electronic nor did we look as strange as the real New Romantics. We were more masculine than feminine. Right away we had female followers that it became something more pop, what made us run, and when we became famous in the US, it had already become more rock and for stadiums, which is something light years away for electronic music. But that was always our vision, because we wanted to play in stadiums and because we always felt that we were a band. There's someone I respect alot, who works for Sony, who saw us recently in New York and told me: "Know what? I think you're the greatest band alive from your generation." And that makes it all worth it: I can die happy now.
–¿Do you have an anecdote of what it's like to be a rock star Duran Duran style?
–Yes. Tomorrow (now today) I thought about going into the studio and grabbing some of my guitars and discovered that all my equipment was sent to Argentina (laughs). That's being part of a band. And then people wonder why musicians start to drink....
–When you left the band, was it because you couldn't stand your bandmates?
–It was like magnets, when you change the polarity you start repelling each other. THere's a fine line between love and hate, and music is a topic that generates passion. As much as you believe in something, you can go in another direction because the moment of musical creation is so emotional. When you truly believe in something, you don't give up easy and want everyone to hear it. It has to do with obsession, with perfectionism. I don't know, on its good days it's the best job in the world, but on its bad days, it's sh*t like any other job (laughs).
–After leaving Duran Duran, did you still pay attention to what the band was doing?
–In some instances. After some years, I went to a couple of shows, but it wasn't like "Ha, let me see what they're up to". It had stopped being important to me. Duran Duran isn't something you can watch from the sidelines: either you're completely dedicated to it, or you stay out. Once you leave, you really have to get away.
–That's fine, but what did you think of the album Thank You?
–Well, we've all done covers albums. I've done one, they did one, several friends did their own... (he laughs). You can't have a perfect rock career without doing a bad covers album!
–You worked on solo albums for (the deceased) Robert Palmer and you also recrossed paths with him with Power Station.
–I spent alot of time with Robert, who was like a musicologist and a great person to have near. He had a free spirit and a great energy focused on his work. IF someone chemically analyzed Robert's body, he would fit perfectly in the title of "Music Artist" because he could go in whatever direction and always find the way to do it. Whether it be cajun music or blues, he was capable of doing it well and make it work. God bless him!
–¿What made you think it was a good idea to get back together with your old friends?
–It was several factors. The first was that we only did 3 albums in such a short period of time. And for us, it was always nagging that we didn't get the chance to finish...I think we all felt that we could have done alot more together. Plus, we heard alot of music around us and thought, "Sh*t, this sounds like Duran Duran” (laughs). The timing was important, the same as the influence of dance music. Because the electronic music of the early 80s influenced us alot, and now dance music is being made by bands instead of DJs, it's back to the same place where we came from. I live in Ibiza and alot of clubs have live bands. At Manumision they've had this year The Bravery, Kaiser Chiefs, Bloc Party, Babyshambles... It's like dance music is dying and the bands are taking the reins again on dance. And that's good for us, because those are our roots, the place where we came from.
–Timing is important, but you have to get along as human beings too, or no??
–Yes, of course. Noone can say that it's easy living with other people. And I don't mean a rock band necessarily: if 5 guys climb a mountain, after several months together on the same mountain it's probable that they start getting on each other's nerves. But I worked in construction for years, because my dad was, and that does not even compare to one bad day in Duran Duran: in construction, every day was "the worst day". So when you put that into perspective, are you getting upset because it's the wrong bottle of wine?? Most of the "major" problems in the band are trivial, but it's egos that make the trivial things become complicated. I guess we grew....
–Right before you and Roger Taylor left, Duran Duran participated in Live Aid. And recently you did Live 8. ¿What emotions did that provoke?
–We were on tour in Europe and thought we should do it in Rome because we had great success in Italy. One of the things I felt at that moment was a sense of déjà vu, but I couldn't believe we could still do something like that. ¿Why hadn't a solution been found for this problem? Although Live 8 disappeared from the press almost immediately, it still managed to accomplish some objectives. Plus, Bob Geldof has aways been a strong communicator and won't abandon his ways of creating intelligent means of shaking the establishment. Anyways, it would be really sad if in 20 years time we have to do another such festival. We did it twice and it's clear that was more than enough.
–On your website it says you've already started working on the next album.
–Yes, it's been a couple of months, but we're still in the writing process, so I don't know when it will be done. On another note, we've still got a few shows to do...it's the first time we're going to Argentina with the original lineup and it's something I'm really looking forward to. Living in Ibiza, I know alot of Argentinians, and in general, they're the most fun guys in the world.
MUSIC/ANDY TAYLOR, LEGENDARY GUITARIST OF DURAN DURAN
"On the good days, this is the best job in the world"
The musician talks about the return of the original line-up of Duran Duran, pioneers of the new romantic movement who, still today, leave their mark on several groups. And he adds: "We love playing the hits."
[[ caption under photo ]] The original line-up of Duran Duran, one of the main attractions of next week's Personal Fest.
By Roque Casciero
Even though the majority of 15 year old girls who covered their walls with Duran Duran posters passed into their 30s some time ago, it is certain that the British quintet's music matured much better than one could have imagined in the mid 80s. It would also have been difficult to predict that the sounds categorized as New Romantic or New Wave would have been such a strong influence today. Nevertheless, there it is, in bands like Scissor Sisters, The Killers or The Bravery. For that it seems more than adequate that the result was Duran Duran returning in its original lineup in the new century. And if until now the Argentine fans only had been able to see another version of the band, on Saturday the 3rd at the Personal Fest they will be able to get their fill of being in front of an authentic classic: Simon LeBon on vocals, Andy Taylor on guitar, Nick Rhodes on keyboards, John Taylor on bass and Roger Taylor on drums. As if to add to the expectations, the guitarist let on to Pagina 12 that Duran Duran's set will be, like the fiery Live from London DVD, almost exclusively filled of hits like Hungry Like the Wolf, Rio, Wild Boys, Union of the Snake y The Reflex. “We are very conscious of the fact that we have many songs that people want to hear," assures Taylor. "Plus, we love playing the hits: there's no point in making ourselves too dark".
–One day in 1979, you opened the now-defunct music paper Melody Maker and read an ad about a band looking for a "live wire guitarist".
–Yes, and that started us down this road that has lasted over 25 years. I don't know how many people had answered that Melody Maker ad, but it was one of those moments where you grab your calendar and mark the date.
–¿Did you ever imagine a future like what you had?
–I guess when you are young you aspire for many things. From adolescense I went to a bunch of concerts and always wanted to be on stage, playing guitar in a band. I was obsessed with that, it was all I wanted to do. And later, when I met with Nick, John, Roger and Simon, everyone had gone thru something similar: they had gone to many concerts and had the same aspirations. When we started, I immediately understood that we all had the same hunger to do something famous. Every one came with so many ideas... And it is still that way: we propose doing a bunch of things that if we really tried to do them all, we'd never finish one.
–With influences such as the Sex Pistols and T-Rex, you were more of the rocker in Duran Duran, right?
–Well, I guess the job of a guitarist brings that tag (laughs). The guitar is one of those instruments that can be played at night or in the day, in the bath or in the park, sober, drunk or drugged. It's real easy to be drunk and start playing... It's a very expressive instrument, so some guitarists have experimented with their mental states while playing. But I'm already 44, it's better to keep your wits about you.
–But your influences are more rock than the rest of the band. How did you rationalize that in the beginning?
–The fact that the guitar needed to make itself known was very important for the band, because it gave it the extra rawness that other bands lacked. And a rock influence was something they wanted, because in the ad it said that they wanted someone like Steve Jones, David Gilmour and Mick Ronson. I thought: “I can do that, I can do all three quite well” (laughs).
–¿Did you all feel you were pioneers of the New Romantic movement?
–That was something that happened at that moment and we got tagged as such. It didn't bother us, but it wasn't something conscious for us. We didn't live in London but in Birmingham, so we were on another plane, but all the groups became "that" along the way. If I think about it, it also helped us, but the truth is we didn't really fit, because we weren't totally electronic nor did we look as strange as the real New Romantics. We were more masculine than feminine. Right away we had female followers that it became something more pop, what made us run, and when we became famous in the US, it had already become more rock and for stadiums, which is something light years away for electronic music. But that was always our vision, because we wanted to play in stadiums and because we always felt that we were a band. There's someone I respect alot, who works for Sony, who saw us recently in New York and told me: "Know what? I think you're the greatest band alive from your generation." And that makes it all worth it: I can die happy now.
–¿Do you have an anecdote of what it's like to be a rock star Duran Duran style?
–Yes. Tomorrow (now today) I thought about going into the studio and grabbing some of my guitars and discovered that all my equipment was sent to Argentina (laughs). That's being part of a band. And then people wonder why musicians start to drink....
–When you left the band, was it because you couldn't stand your bandmates?
–It was like magnets, when you change the polarity you start repelling each other. THere's a fine line between love and hate, and music is a topic that generates passion. As much as you believe in something, you can go in another direction because the moment of musical creation is so emotional. When you truly believe in something, you don't give up easy and want everyone to hear it. It has to do with obsession, with perfectionism. I don't know, on its good days it's the best job in the world, but on its bad days, it's sh*t like any other job (laughs).
–After leaving Duran Duran, did you still pay attention to what the band was doing?
–In some instances. After some years, I went to a couple of shows, but it wasn't like "Ha, let me see what they're up to". It had stopped being important to me. Duran Duran isn't something you can watch from the sidelines: either you're completely dedicated to it, or you stay out. Once you leave, you really have to get away.
–That's fine, but what did you think of the album Thank You?
–Well, we've all done covers albums. I've done one, they did one, several friends did their own... (he laughs). You can't have a perfect rock career without doing a bad covers album!
–You worked on solo albums for (the deceased) Robert Palmer and you also recrossed paths with him with Power Station.
–I spent alot of time with Robert, who was like a musicologist and a great person to have near. He had a free spirit and a great energy focused on his work. IF someone chemically analyzed Robert's body, he would fit perfectly in the title of "Music Artist" because he could go in whatever direction and always find the way to do it. Whether it be cajun music or blues, he was capable of doing it well and make it work. God bless him!
–¿What made you think it was a good idea to get back together with your old friends?
–It was several factors. The first was that we only did 3 albums in such a short period of time. And for us, it was always nagging that we didn't get the chance to finish...I think we all felt that we could have done alot more together. Plus, we heard alot of music around us and thought, "Sh*t, this sounds like Duran Duran” (laughs). The timing was important, the same as the influence of dance music. Because the electronic music of the early 80s influenced us alot, and now dance music is being made by bands instead of DJs, it's back to the same place where we came from. I live in Ibiza and alot of clubs have live bands. At Manumision they've had this year The Bravery, Kaiser Chiefs, Bloc Party, Babyshambles... It's like dance music is dying and the bands are taking the reins again on dance. And that's good for us, because those are our roots, the place where we came from.
–Timing is important, but you have to get along as human beings too, or no??
–Yes, of course. Noone can say that it's easy living with other people. And I don't mean a rock band necessarily: if 5 guys climb a mountain, after several months together on the same mountain it's probable that they start getting on each other's nerves. But I worked in construction for years, because my dad was, and that does not even compare to one bad day in Duran Duran: in construction, every day was "the worst day". So when you put that into perspective, are you getting upset because it's the wrong bottle of wine?? Most of the "major" problems in the band are trivial, but it's egos that make the trivial things become complicated. I guess we grew....
–Right before you and Roger Taylor left, Duran Duran participated in Live Aid. And recently you did Live 8. ¿What emotions did that provoke?
–We were on tour in Europe and thought we should do it in Rome because we had great success in Italy. One of the things I felt at that moment was a sense of déjà vu, but I couldn't believe we could still do something like that. ¿Why hadn't a solution been found for this problem? Although Live 8 disappeared from the press almost immediately, it still managed to accomplish some objectives. Plus, Bob Geldof has aways been a strong communicator and won't abandon his ways of creating intelligent means of shaking the establishment. Anyways, it would be really sad if in 20 years time we have to do another such festival. We did it twice and it's clear that was more than enough.
–On your website it says you've already started working on the next album.
–Yes, it's been a couple of months, but we're still in the writing process, so I don't know when it will be done. On another note, we've still got a few shows to do...it's the first time we're going to Argentina with the original lineup and it's something I'm really looking forward to. Living in Ibiza, I know alot of Argentinians, and in general, they're the most fun guys in the world.
