Duran Duran’s John Taylor plays it forward
By Aidin Vaziri Published 4:49 pm, Friday, September 18, 2015
Q: It feels like you become a new band with every album. Why put that pressure on yourself?
A: We don’t really know what we’re going to do when we start making an album — we just try to make the best album that we can. With a little bit of perspective, the last couple of albums were sort of underwhelming. For this one it behooved us to leave no stone unturned.
Q: Did serendipity play a big part in the making of “Paper Gods”?
A: We could have never predicted this album. If it had gone according to plan, it would not be anywhere near as interesting. I had my time as a control freak. I’ve come to appreciate it’s better to let go. We had so many people show up for us on this record, and everybody is in there to make a great record, to honor our band. It’s overwhelming, in a way.
Q: Given how much it sounds like “Notorious,” what did you think when Mark Ronson went off and made “Uptown Funk”?
A: Mark’s amazing. When I saw him do it on “Saturday Night Live,” I thought this could be a real game changer. That was a big moment, just like when Nile came back with Daft Punk on “Get Lucky.” We knew we were not that far off the center of things. There have been years where we felt so far from the zeitgeist. When those songs connected, we realized there are still signature Duran sounds we can use. We don’t have to throw everything away.
Q: You spent a few years away from Duran Duran, doing your solo thing. Are you glad you came back?
A: What I learned is there’s no such thing as a solo act. You’re still leaning on co-writers and musicians. There’s no avoiding that. In part, I was emotionally exhausted by the intragroup dynamic. I thought, ‘If I could control that, it would be less exhausting.’ But I couldn’t. At least, I know where I am with these guys. We’re all in service of Duran Duran.
http://www.sfgate.com/music/popquiz/art ... 514915.php
