Wild Boy: My Life in Duran Duran

Andy Taylor
Grand Central Publishing (2008)
ISBN 9780446509305
Reviewed by Carol Hoyer for Reader Views (9/08)

 

In 1972, Andy Taylor’s mother decided to leave her family without as much as a goodbye. During hard economic times his mother took on a waitressing job to help with bills, but what really happened is she changed. Left alone with two young boys to raise his father did the best he could.

By the time Andy got to high school he found another world – playing the guitar.  Jamming four nights a week, listening to records and practicing guitar helped him through the bad times. One day a neighbor introduced him to a band looking for a guitar player.

From that time on Andy’s talents grew. In 1980 he had the great fortune to audition for Duran Duran, one of the hottest groups around. He also developed other talents such as drinking; using drugs and bar room fights. As suddenly as his fame exploded, it ended just as fast. Due to tension in the group and too much alcohol and drugs, Duran Duran lost Andy Taylor. He couldn’t live that life anymore – he had a family to take care of and he just walked away.

Although this may seem a typical “star” road to fame, there is a side to Andy Taylor that is caring, compassionate and goal-oriented. In “Wild Boy: My Life in Duran Duran,” by Andy Taylor it’s easy to see how one can get caught up in all the glamour and how it can turn your life around in a minute.

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