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Story and photos by Andy Argyrakis
It's certainly a season for rock n' roll autobiographies,
which according to Duran Duran bassist John Taylor, is something we can chalk
up to Keith Richards' tell-all from 2010. Though no other book may ever be as
scintillating as the inside scoop on The Rolling Stones, the affable Taylor
sure comes close (at least for fab five fans) throughout "In The Pleasure
Groove: Love, Death & Duran Duran" (Dutton). In fact, he added extra
purchasing incentive to Chicago fans with a visit to the beautiful new concert
hall/supper club City Winery for a signing, reading and interview-styled
conversation with Mark Bazer (host of "The Interview Show"), followed by fielding
questions from a few lucky faithful.
For well over an hour, Taylor
took the sold out audience on a journey through Duran Duran's beginnings, which
contrary to popular belief, found the fellas hoping to follow in the footsteps
of David Bowie and Bryan Ferry instead of simply conquering the teen scene.
Though the critics lambasted the band back then, the latest wave of synth-laden
indie rockers citing D2 as influences shifted the act towards the cool category,
as evidenced by Taylor's eloquent
reading about being warmly received at the hipster-saturated Coachella Valley
Music and Arts Festival thirty years into the band's career. .
The famed player was also very candid about the loneliness
and lows of the road, which probably won't shock anyone who's read a celebrity
biography
before, but were nonetheless vulnerable and revealing. Now 52, he doesn't just
appear to be completely comfortable in his own skin, but also the most
musically satisfied, especially in light of the band's impressive recording and
touring streak since the core line-up reunited in 2001. Before leaving the
stage for the signing line, Taylor
also promised the boys will head back to the studio this spring, meaning the juggernaut
known as Duran Duran will keep on rolling well into the foreseeable future.
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