Duran Duran drummer Roger Taylor retires as tinnitus worsens
The founding member, 66, played his final concert with the band at Madrid’s Movistar Arena.
Roger Taylor, Duran Duran’s founding drummer, has announced his retirement from the group after a recent tinnitus diagnosis. Taylor, 66, said in a statement published through the band’s website and social media that the condition had grown worse, prompting his decision to leave.
His last performance with Duran Duran took place at Madrid’s Movistar Arena. Taylor described leaving as a difficult decision but said he needed to heed his doctors and his body. He thanked fans for their support and expressed affection for bandmates Simon, Nick and John.
In his farewell statement, Taylor pointed to several recent milestones: a UK and European tour, the band’s second BST Hyde Park headline appearance, induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and studio work with Nile Rodgers.
Taylor joined as Duran Duran’s first drummer in 1979 and played on its first three albums. He departed in 1985 following the group’s Live Aid appearance, citing exhaustion with fame and its demanding schedule. He returned in 2001 when the lineup behind 1982’s Rio reunited, and remained with the band until his retirement.
