Duran Duran’s Rock Hall Induction Had One Less Taylor

“I’m truly sorry and massively disappointed I couldn’t make it,� Andy Taylor wrote. Photo: Getty Images for The Rock and Ro

No bras were flung at Duran Duran during this year’s Rock and Roll Hall of Fame ceremony, likely because, well, this isn’t 1983 … and the stage was too far away for the optimum throwing distance. However, the more practical reason against a lingerie frenzy was that the band revealed during their speeches that guitarist Andy Taylor — who was rumored to reunite with his musical brethren for the occasion after a long period of absence — had been diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer, rendering him unable to make the trip to Los Angeles.

“There’s nothing that comes close to such recognition. You can dream about what happened to us but to experience it, on one’s own terms, as mates, was beyond incredible,� Taylor wrote in a letter relayed by front man Simon Le Bon. “Many families have experienced the slow burn of this disease, and of course, we are no different, so I speak from the perspective of a family man, but with profound humility to the band, the greatest fans a group could have, and this exceptional accolade. I’m truly sorry and massively disappointed I couldn’t make it. Let there be no doubt I was stoked about the whole thing — even bought a new guitar with the essential whammy! I’m so very proud of these four brothers, I’m amazed at their durability, and I’m overjoyed at accepting this award. I often doubted the day would come. I’m sure as hell glad I’m around to see the day.�

The two other Taylors, bassist John and drummer Roger, were fêted alongside keyboardist Nick Rhodes. Former guitarist Warren Cuccurullo wasn’t in attendance due to undisclosed reasons. Despite sound issues forcing them to restart their opening performance of “Girls on Film� (“we just needed to prove to you that we weren’t lip syncing,� Le Bon joked from the mic), the quartet were in a jubilant mood and repeatedly thanked their “driven� and “real� fans for being the key to their success. As Le Bon put it succinctly during his speech: “Over 40 years I’ve been working, I’ve come to believe that the essence of our job is this: We get to make people feel better about themselves.� Robert Downey Jr., dressed in his finest Master of Disguise Turtle Club ensemble, echoed the sentiment in his remarks.

Oh, you thought we were kidding about the Turtle Club thing? Photo: Getty Images for The Rock and Ro

“I shit you not,� Downey Jr. recalled of one of his recent birthday parties that featured a Duran Duran performance, “halfway through ‘Rio,’ a prominent Hollywood director’s wife tore off her bra and tossed it onstage.� Oh, heroic woman of taste, please reveal yourself in the comments.