Duran Duran’s Roger Taylor has recently opened up about his childhood, admitting that he was too shy to become a frontman. In this conversation with Dublin Gazette, the drummer revealed how he lacked the necessary arrogance and self-assurance to lead a band from the front.
Roger Taylor discovered his natural ability for drums when he first sat down at a drum kit, quickly realizing that it was the perfect instrument for him. The drummer’s dreams of becoming a musician became a reality when he joined Duran Duran in 1978 and is innate talent has been a driving force behind the band’s success for years.
The drummer explained that while he had the musical talent to be in a band, being a frontman required a different set of qualities. He acknowledged that he was shy growing up and didn’t possess the ‘cockiness’ needed to take center stage. Leading a band as a frontman and being a skilled musician are two distinct roles, and Taylor knew that he was better suited for the latter.
He said:
“I knew that I wanted to be a musician, and Birmingham taught me everything I needed to know. I was quite shy growing up, and I never had that frontman cockiness that you need. I get to hide a little bit at the back. When first sat down at a drum kit, I felt like I had a natural ability. I found I could play a lot of the songs I was listening to in my record collection. It’s the perfect instrument for me.”
This was a candid revelation from the drummer’s side as not many musicians would admit that they lack something to become something else. Taylor lacking the ‘arrogance’ needed to become a frontman was a huge gain to Duran Duran for sure. Speaking of the band, Duran Duran is currently on the European foot of their ‘Future Past’ tour and will move on to North America throughout 2023 and their fans are super hyped to still be able to see them onstage.
