In the Pleasure Groove

Love, Death, and Duran Duran

By: John Taylor

Narrated by: John Taylor

John Taylor, Duran Duran’s co-founder, takes the reader on a wild ride through his life. From the eighties through today, from Rio to All You Need is Now, John writes about the music, the parties, and the MTV videos that made millions swoon.

With Duran Duran, John Taylor has created some of the greatest music of our time. From the disco dazzle of debut single ‘Planet Earth’ right up to their latest number one album, All You Need is Now, Duran Duran has always had the power to sweep the world onto its feet.

It’s been a ride – and for John in particular, the ride has been wild, thrilling... and dangerous. Now, for the first time, he tells his incredible story. A tale of dreams fulfilled, lessons learned and demons conquered.

A shy only child, Nigel John Taylor wasn’t an obvious candidate for pop stardom and frenzied girl panic. But when he ditched his first name and picked up a bass guitar, everything changed. John Formed Duran Duran with his friend Nick Rhodes in the summer of 1978, and they were soon joined by Roger Taylor, then Andy Taylor and finally Simon Le Bon. Together they were an immediate, massive global success story, their pictures on millions of walls, every single a worldwide hit.

In his frank, compelling autobiography, John recounts the highs –hanging out with icons like Bowie, Warhol and even James Bond; dating Vogue models and driving fast cars – all the while playing hard with the band he loved. But there were tough battles ahead – troubles that brought him to the brink of self-destruction – before turning his life around.

Told with humor, honesty and hard-won wisdom, and packed with exclusive pictures, In the Pleasure Groove is a fascinating, irresistible portrait of a man who danced into the fire... and came through the other side.

Critic reviews

“Unlike most cred-obsessed rockers, the Duran Duran bassist presents his (and the band's) story as one of substance in the service of style. And his natural raconteur's wit lends Duran's ruthless ambition some crucial charm.”—LA Times

“Taylor's honest and heartfelt style makes for a highly worthwhile and entertaining read whether you are a fan of the band or not. In the Pleasure Groove is, quite simply, a fascinating tale of very interesting man who has jammed one hell of a lot of living into his 52 years.”—Huffington Post

“Taylor’s insightful, entertaining memoir, the inside story of the seminal ‘80s band, Duran Duran.”—Publishers Weekly

“The book is a familiar tale of rock ’n’ roll, sin and redemption, but Taylor’s capable voice make this a more nuanced and intriguing memoir than might be expected.”—Kirkus

my husband and I loved this book

Would you listen to In the Pleasure Groove again? Why?

Yes - John Taylor's narration was fantastic. I just finished listening to a different book, and the narrator was so slow. John kept the flow going.

What other book might you compare In the Pleasure Groove to and why?

Like Rob Lowe's autobiography, which my husband I really liked, too.

Which scene was your favorite?

He talked about his struggles with addiction to alcohol and drugs, which are common not only with performers but other people, as well.

So Great to Hear John’s Story

Loved John Taylor’s memoir! A fantastic story of his falling into music, the founding and development of Duran Duran, and John’s inspiring recovery. He’s a terrific narrator. Hearing him read such a personal story makes me feel like we’re now old friends. ☺️

fascinating and insightful

I love listening to John Taylor's recounting his memories from early days of Duran Duran all the way through his drug addiction alcoholism rehab back to Duran Duran being on top I loved it I thought it was a great fascinating compelling love listening to him.

The Ups and Downs to Stardom

John tells of his personal struggles and how he overcame them from the dream, development, and success. Highly recommend!!

Loved It

Great story. I mainly l9ved that John read it himself. That made it more enjoyable.