Several months after revealing that he was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer, Andy Taylor is ready to release his new album Man’s A Wolf To Man, on September 8. The album marks his first new solo material from the former Duran Duran guitarist in more than three decades. His second solo album, Dangerous, was released in 1990.
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Initially delayed by the pandemic, Taylor had a chance to rework the 11 tracks of Man’s A Wolf To Man. During this time, he also learned that his cancer, which he had been battling since 2018, had become terminal. This prevented him from attending his induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with Duran Duran in 2022.
“When I started writing this album, it was the beginning of the chaos – 2016, 2017,” said Taylor in a statement. “‘Man’s A Wolf To Man’ is pretty apt now. Having lived there, had kids there, had an amazing career there, I know America very well. And when you watch the breakdown, and the extremes of it, how quickly people became vicious enemies.”
[RELATED: Duran Duran to Play Benefit Concert for Former Guitarist Andy Taylor]
Taylor, who released a new song, “This Will Be Ours,” several weeks ago, continued, “’Man’s A Wolf To Man’ is about how man is his own worst enemy and will behave like a pack of wolves towards his other human enemy. What we saw bubbling when I started writing, it was all about getting even. Why do you get so mad trying to get even? Why do people get angry? Why don’t they just do better themselves? I was getting back to making records that are human, about something that mattered or matters, that are in the moment.”
Man’s A Wolf To Man bends around a number of genres. Taylor leans in on a country-rock ballad “Try To Get Even,” featuring Tina Arena, along with the glammed up “Influential Blondes,” a harder “Gettin’ It Home,” and the more Power Station slanted “Reachin’ Out To You.”
Throughout his 40-plus-year career, Taylor has collaborated with everyone from Rod Stewart and Robert Palmer to The Almighty, The Ting Tings and Thunder. In 1984, during a brief hiatus from Duran Duran, he and bassist John Taylor, along with late Chic drummer Tony Thompson and Robert Palmer, formed the power group Power Station. The band released their eponymous debut in 1985 and its follow-up, their final album together, Living in Fear, came more than a decade later in 1996.
Shortly after recording with the band on their 1986 album Notorious — and entering into the Power House project — Taylor parted ways with Duran Duran. He reunited with them again in 2001 and was featured on Duran Duran’s 2004 album Astronaut before parting ways with the band again in 2006.
[RELATED: Andy Taylor Returning to Duran Duran for New Album]
Taylor released his debut solo album, Thunder in 1987, followed by Dangerous three years later. In 2023, Taylor also worked with Tina Arena on her album Love Saves.
On Saturday (August 18) Duran Duran will perform a benefit concert in honor of Taylor, which will take place at a more intimate venue, The Guild Theatre in Menlo Park, California, and benefit the U.K. charity The Cancer Awareness Trust. The charity will support a life-extending treatment for cancer patients like Taylor.
Duran Duran also recently revealed that Taylor will appear on their forthcoming album. The project is a collection of covers of songs that inspired the band in their younger years.
‘Man’s a Wolf to Man’ Track List:
- “Man’s A Wolf To Man”
- “Influential Blondes”
- “Did It For You”
- “Try To Get Even” (Featuring Tina Arena)
- “Reachin’ Out To You”
- “Getting It Home”
- “The Last Straw”
- “This Will Be Ours”
- “Gotta Give” (Featuring Gary Stringer)
- “Big Trigger”
- “Man’s A Wolf To Man” (reprise)
Photo: Courtesy of Andy Taylor / Shore Fire Media
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