John Taylor (bass guitarist) facts for kids

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Quick facts for kids John Taylor
Taylor performing at the O2 Arena in 2023
Background information
Birth name	Nigel John Taylor
Also known as	J.T., Tigger (1980s nickname)
Born	(1960-06-20) 20 June 1960 (age 65) Solihull, Warwickshire, England
Origin	Birmingham, England
Genres	New wave new romantic pop rock hard rock heavy metal
Occupation(s)	Bassist
Years active	1978–present

Nigel John Taylor (born 20 June 1960) is a British musician. He is best known as the bass guitarist for the new wave band Duran Duran. He was one of the founding members of the group.

Duran Duran became one of the most popular bands in the world during the 1980s. Their music videos were played a lot on MTV when it first started. John Taylor played with Duran Duran from 1978 until 1997. He then left to work on solo music and movies.

Over the next four years, he released many solo albums and video projects. He also had a main role in the movie Sugar Town. He appeared in several other film projects too. In 2001, he rejoined Duran Duran for a reunion with the original members. He has been with the band ever since.

John Taylor was also part of two supergroups. These were the Power Station and Neurotic Outsiders.

Early Life and Music Discovery

John Taylor was born in Solihull, England. He grew up in a nearby town called Hollywood. As a child, he went to Our Lady of the Wayside Catholic School and Abbey High School. He wore glasses and enjoyed James Bond movies. He also liked wargaming with model soldiers.

When he was a teenager, he found his love for music. His favorite band was Roxy Music. He started collecting records and taught himself to play the piano. His very first band was called Shock Treatment.

Music Career Highlights

Forming Duran Duran (1978-1997)

In 1978, John Taylor and his school friend Nick Rhodes started Duran Duran. They formed the band with Stephen Duffy while studying in Birmingham. Around this time, John Taylor changed his look. He stopped wearing glasses and started using contact lenses. He also adopted the New Romantic fashion style. He stopped using his first name, "Nigel," and became known as John Taylor.

When Duran Duran first started, John Taylor played guitar. But he switched to bass guitar after hearing the music of Chic. He enjoyed playing in the rhythm section with Duran Duran's new drummer, Roger Taylor. He has often said that Chic's Bernard Edwards and the Clash's Paul Simonon were big influences on his playing. Other influences include Paul McCartney, James Jamerson, and Roxy Music players Graham Simpson and John Porter. Duran Duran released their first album in 1981. They quickly became famous around the world in the early 1980s.

Side Projects and Solo Work

In 1985, after recording the theme song for the James Bond movie A View to a Kill, Duran Duran members worked on other projects. John Taylor and guitarist Andy Taylor formed a band called the Power Station. They joined with former Chic drummer Tony Thompson and singer Robert Palmer. They released one album, The Power Station. This album had hit songs like "Some Like It Hot" and "Bang a Gong (Get It On)".

That same year, John Taylor also started his first solo project. He recorded the song "I Do What I Do..." for the movie 9½ Weeks. He also wrote some instrumental music for the movie.

When Andy and Roger Taylor left Duran Duran, the remaining three members continued. They released the album Notorious in 1986. They kept recording and touring through the 1990s with new guitarist Warren Cuccurullo.

John Taylor moved from England to Los Angeles. This helped his wife's acting career. It also helped him avoid constant attention from British newspapers. His marriage ended in May 1995.

After the 1995 covers album Thank You, Duran Duran worked on their next album, Medazzaland. At the same time, John Taylor also worked with his side project, Neurotic Outsiders. He recorded and toured with them from late 1995 to early 1996.

Solo Music Career (1997-2001)

In January 1997, John Taylor announced he was leaving Duran Duran. During 1997 and 1998, he formed a band called "John Taylor Terroristen." They played many shows in California and toured the United States. This band released a live album and video. After the events of September 11, 2001, Taylor decided he would no longer use the name "Terroristen" for his band.

Taylor also started acting. He had a main role in the independent film Sugar Town in 1998. He also appeared in small roles in other movies and TV shows.

In 1999, Taylor released two albums of older music. One was called Résumé, which had music he worked on for the 9½ Weeks movie soundtrack. The second, Meltdown, was a collection of songs he recorded in 1992.

Later in 1999, Taylor signed a record deal in Japan. He released an album simply called John Taylor. In 2000, he continued recording and released Techno for Two in 2001. This album featured personal songs. As talks began for a Duran Duran reunion, Taylor created a collection called Retreat into Art. This showed his music development over five years.

His last solo release was MetaFour in 2002. It included an interview with another bass player, Christopher Maloney. In October 2012, Taylor released his autobiography called In the Pleasure Groove: Love, Death and Duran Duran.

Duran Duran Reunion (2001-Present)

Taylor performing in 2015

In 2000, singer Simon Le Bon asked John Taylor about a possible reunion with the original Duran Duran members. Taylor was excited about the idea, as long as Roger and Andy Taylor also wanted to rejoin. They all agreed. John Taylor showed his commitment by getting a large Duran Duran tattoo on his arm.

After a successful tour in Japan in 2003, the reunited band signed with Epic Records. They released the album Astronaut in October 2004. They toured in 2005 and then returned to the studio. Guitarist Andy Taylor left the band again in October 2006. The band then worked with producer Timbaland. Their album, Red Carpet Massacre, was released in November 2007. To celebrate, the band performed the entire album on Broadway in New York City. They then went on a world tour in 2008.

In December 2010, the band released their 13th studio album, All You Need Is Now. They released it on their own record label, Tapemodern. In February 2013, John Taylor was ranked 29th in MusicRadar's poll of greatest bassists. In December 2021, Bass Player magazine gave Taylor a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Guest Appearances and Film Roles

John Taylor's side project Neurotic Outsiders has played occasional live shows since 1999.

Taylor's first film appearance outside of Duran Duran was in a TV show pilot called Timeslip in 1985. He also appeared in a 1985 episode of Miami Vice. In that episode, he played with the Power Station. John was the only band member who had speaking lines. He also had small roles in movies like The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas and A Diva's Christmas Carol. He appeared on the BBC Two comedy show Never Mind the Buzzcocks in April 2001.

In 2010, he played bass on a song called "Tigress Ritual" for the band Swahili Blonde. In 2020, he was interviewed for the documentary King Rocker. This film was about the early punk music scene in Birmingham.

Personal Life

From 1985 to 1989, John Taylor dated Danish model Renée Toft Simonsen. They were engaged. He married Amanda De Cadenet on 24 December 1991. They had one daughter, Atlanta Noo, born on 31 March 1992. They separated in May 1995.

John Taylor met his second wife, Gela Nash, in 1996. She is a co-founder of Juicy Couture. They married in Las Vegas on 27 March 1999.

John Taylor and Gela Nash-Taylor mainly live in Los Angeles. They also spend time at South Wraxall Manor, which they bought in 2005. In 2013, John Taylor became an American citizen. He has dual citizenship.

Discography

Studio Albums

Feelings Are Good and Other Lies (1997)
Résumé with Jonathan Elias (1999)
Meltdown (1999)
The Japan Album (1999)
Techno for Two (2001)
MetaFour (2002)

With Duran Duran

Duran Duran (1981)
Rio (1982)
Seven and the Ragged Tiger (1983)
Arena (1984)
Notorious (1986)
Big Thing (1988)
Liberty (1990)
The Wedding Album (1993)
Thank You (1995)
Medazzaland (1997)
Astronaut (2004)
Reportage (2006; unreleased)
Red Carpet Massacre (2007)
All You Need Is Now (2010)
Paper Gods (2015)
Future Past (2021)
Danse Macabre (2023)

With the Power Station

The Power Station (1985)

With Neurotic Outsiders

Neurotic Outsiders (1996)

Live Albums

(:live cuts) (2000)

Compilation Albums

Only After Dark with Nick Rhodes (2006)

Box Sets

Retreat into Art (2001)

Extended Plays

Autodidact (1997)
The Japan EP (2000)
Terroristen: Live at the Roxy (2001)

Soundtrack Appearances

"I Do What I Do" (from 9½ Weeks) (1985)

Film Credits

1999 – Sugar Town: Clive
2000 – Four Dogs Playing Poker: Dick
2000 – The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas: Keith Richrock
2000 – A Diva's Christmas Carol: Ghost of Christmas Present (VH1)
2001 – Strange Frequency: Jimmy Blitz (VH1)
2001 - Vegas: City of Dreams: Byron Lord