Roger Taylor is retiring from Duran Duran after doctors warned that his tinnitus has become too severe to continue.
The drummer, 77, announced Thursday that he is stepping down from the band he helped build, saying the ringing in his ears has grown “steadily worse” and forced him to finally “listen to my body and my doctors.” Taylor joined the group in 1979 and played on their first four albums before an initial departure in 1986, then returned in 2001 for a second run that has now reached its end.
“This is one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make,” Taylor wrote in his statement. “Playing drums in this band has been the joy of my life, and I’ll never be able to properly thank the fans for the love they’ve shown us over the years.”
The timing, he admitted, had been difficult to settle. But Taylor emphasized that his exit follows a period of renewed triumph for the band. He pointed to their recent UK and European tour, their second headline appearance at BST Hyde Park, their 2022 induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and studio sessions with producer Nile Rodgers as proof that he is “going out on a real high.”
“I couldn’t have asked for a better final chapter,” he continued. “I’ve got nothing but love for Simon, Nick and John.”
The remaining members — singer Simon Le Bon, 68, keyboardist Nick Rhodes, 64, and bassist John Taylor, 66 — issued their own joint statement the same day. They called Roger “our brother” and credited his playing with helping “define the sound of Duran Duran from the very beginning.”
“Having him back with us since 2001 has been incredibly important to us all,” the trio wrote. “We completely support his decision and wish him health and happiness. He will always be part of this family, while we continue exploring new and exciting projects with the band.”
Taylor’s health struggles center on tinnitus, a condition that causes persistent ringing or noise perception without external sound. For a drummer, whose instrument delivers repeated high-decibel impact, the condition can become physically untenable. His statement made clear that medical professionals had urged the move.
The drummer’s retirement marks the end of a 45-year association with one of the most commercially successful bands to emerge from the 1980s new wave era. Duran Duran sold millions of records on the strength of hits driven by Taylor’s precise, prominent percussion.
Last year, Roger spoke with XS Noize about the band’s unusual commitment to foregrounding his instrument. “Everybody in the band really loved drums,” he told the outlet. “Everybody came from a background where they really wanted the drums to be prominent.”
He added that he felt “lucky” to be “in a band who really wanted to make the drums a feature.”
Taylor’s statement Thursday closed with a note of gratitude for the “special moments” he said he would “treasure forever,” and he maintained that he was leaving with “enormous pride.” No replacement drummer has been named, and the band has not detailed how upcoming projects might proceed without him.
Duran Duran continues with scheduled performances and recording plans as a three-piece core.