Duran Duran are to reunite with their former guitarist for their induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Eminem, Duran Duran, Dolly Parton and Lionel Richie will all be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame in 2022, as will Eurythmics, Carly Simon, Judas Priest and Pat Benatar.
When recently asked about Duran Duran’s plans for their performance at the upcoming ceremony, frontman Simon Le Bon confirmed that Andy Taylor, the band’s former guitarist and bassist, would be in attendance.
“I’ve already had a definite yes from Andy,” Le Bon told Rolling Stone when asked about the band’s performance at the ceremony.
“He’s definitely up for it. I’m pretty sure Warren [Cuccurullo, former guitarist/bassist] will want to do it…We’ve always maintained a decent relationship with these guys. We didn’t have so-called ‘acrimonious splits.’ It was gentlemanly and it was understood. And pretty much mutual.”
Le Bon went on to explain how the band are choosing song’s for the performance. “We’ve got Andy on the first three albums, so you have songs like ‘Hungry Like the Wolf’ and ‘Rio’ and ‘Planet Earth,’” Le Bon said. “[Cuccurullo] was a very important part of ‘The Wedding Album’, which had ‘Ordinary World’ and ‘Come Undone’ on it. We’re not struggling for good songs, that’s for sure.”
Taylor joined the band in 1980 and left in 1986; he returned in 2000 for six years. Cuccurullo, meanwhile, initially joined Duran Duran in 1986 as a session and touring member before officially joining their official lineup in 1989. He left in 2001.
The honourees for this year’s Hall of Fame are voted on by more than 1000 artists, historians and music industry professionals and each “had a profound impact on the sound of youth culture and helped change the course of rock ’n’ roll,” said John Sykes, the chairman of the Rock Hall, in a statement.
The 2022 event, which will mark the Hall’s 37th annual induction ceremony, will be held on November 5 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles.