In the Pleasure Groove

Love, Death, and Duran Duran

By: John Taylor

Narrated by: John Taylor

Length: 7 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

John Taylor, Duran Duran's co-founder, takes the listener on a wild ride through his life. From the 80s 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.

©2012 John Taylor (P)2012 Penguin Audio

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)

"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.

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.

Loved It

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

Felt good going on the trip

I felt like I was able to grow along with John Taylor - even if some more painful details were glossed over. Overall this was enjoyable to listen to while doing household chores or driving to and from work.

John Taylor comes across as authentic and real!

My heart broke a little bit when I realized that I was quickly coming to the end of this audio book. John became a treasured friend, someone who I quickly became accustomed spending my early morning driving time with, and also someone who I daydreamed about since the early 80's from the first moment I listened to Planet Earth!! I loved every single moment that I spent listening to John as he told his story of a young lad growing up in Birmingham, being a teen in the 70's music scene, meeting Nick Rhodes, and becoming a driving force behind Duran Duran. What I LOVED most was how authentic John was in telling his story. He didn't sugarcoat any of his mistakes, his drug and alcohol abuse, and being a lousy boyfriend. He was also such a true gentlemen by NOT dishing the dirt on his fellow bandmates and friends, and for that I respect him.

Recommend? If you were a Duranie then YES, of course you MUST read this. I was in love with John Taylor from the first moment I saw him. I knew one day that my last name would be Taylor...had to be, because I was so going to marry this man!! (Got the same last name just a different guy!!) I saved my money so that I could buy the teen mags that always had some type of poster of Duran Duran or one of the guys. My bedroom walls were one big Duran Duran collage with John being the main focus. What I learned from this audio was that all those years mooning over a fantasy has led me to now realize that John Taylor is so very human, down-to-earth, and truly someone I would be honored to call friend!

* Warning: Listening to this audio book can lead to hours spent on YouTube watching Duran Duran videos, interviews, and singing at the top of your lungs....Her name is Rio and she dances on the sand.....

Source: Audible.com
Narrator: John Taylor (I admit to pretending that he was sitting beside me in the car telling his story)
Length: 7 hours and 55 minutes


Six Sentence Bookish Thoughts #97
© 2013, Staci of Life in the Thumb. All Rights Reserved. If you reading this on a site other than, Life in the Thumb or Staci's feed, be aware that this post has been stolen and is used without permission.

A must for any DD fan!

Would you consider the audio edition of In the Pleasure Groove to be better than the print version?

Hearing the story from JT directly really brought the stories to life. His honesty and emotion really set the tone for the stories.

What was one of the most memorable moments of In the Pleasure Groove?

Finally having a glimpse into what their lives were really like at the height of their popularity was fun to hear.

What about John Taylor’s performance did you like?

Loved it. He is engaged and passionate. Great performance.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I enjoyed every minute of it.

Any additional comments?

His honesty really struck me. Any fan of the band will enjoy reliving the heydays!

An enjoyable, open autobiography narrated by John

I have to admit I was skeptical about this book, but it was surprisingly well done. As he narrates his life, and the common struggles many of us face in life, I remained engrossed in the story from beginning to end.

Great book

If you could sum up In the Pleasure Groove in three words, what would they be?

Informative and nicely done

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

Keith Richards My Life, because they're both fairly well done

Which scene was your favorite?

His early years

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When his Dad died

John Taylor Autobiography

I loved this books so much! I’ve been a Duranie almost my entire life. This is such an “authentic” take into Johns life and journey from his early days in Duran Duran. I was fascinated at what John describes the rock star life as everyone envies yet its lonely. It’s such a heartfelt story about his parents and his upbringing and many times I laughed and I cried. Nice job John. I’m glad you have found happiness and peace as what it’s like to grow up and realize what’s important in our short life!

big fan so enjoyed

loved that John was narrator. good overall summary of the bands journey from his perspective. nice to hear his overcoming alcoholism and finally finding love.