Drummer Roger Taylor is best known as an original member of the iconic British new wave and dance-rock outfit Duran Duran. With his steady funk-, disco-, and glitter rock-influenced style, Taylor appeared on the band's breakthrough albums, including 1982's Rio and 1983's Seven and the Ragged Tiger, playing on hits like "Rio," "Hungry Like the Wolf," and "The Reflex." He also contributed to the band's 1985 side project Arcadia and led his own group, Freebass, in the '90s. Following a hiatus away from the group, he returned to Duran Duran full-time with 2004's Astronaut, which hit number three in the U.K. Taylor has continued to tour and record with the group, scoring more Top 20 U.K. albums like 2010's All You Need Is Now, 2015's Paper Gods, and 2021's Future Past.

Roger Andrew Taylor was born in 1960 in Birmingham, England and moved with his family to Castle Bromwich at age of 11. A year later, he started on drums and largely taught himself by playing along to albums by his favorite bands including the Rolling Stones, Roxy Music, and Chic. Inspired by the burgeoning Birmingham punk scene, he formed the group Scent Organs and was a member of Cult Figures. In 1979, he joined an early version of Duran Duran, whose line-up soon solidified in 1980 with singer Simon LeBon, keyboardist Nick Rhodes, bassist John Taylor, and guitarist Andy Taylor. Taylor and Duran Duran made their official debut with 1981's eponymous Duran Duran, which hit number three in the U.K. and included the hits "Planet Earth" and "Girls on Film."

Duran Duran's success grew exponentially throughout the '80s with 1982's Rio, 1983's Seven and the Ragged Tiger, and the 1984 concert album Arena. All three albums hit the Top Ten in both the U.K. and the U.S., buoyed by hits like "Hungry Like the Wolf," "Rio," "The Reflex," and "Wild Boys." Taylor and the band also became stars on MTV, appearing in their highly stylized videos, including "Girls on Film/Hungry Like the Wolf" which won the Grammy Award for Best Video, Short Form. The band also scored a number one hit with "A View to a Kill," their theme to the 1985 James Bond film of the same name. They also toured extensively, appearing that same year at the highly publicized Live Aid benefit concert in Philadelphia.

Also in 1985, Taylor joined Duran Duran bandmates LeBon and Rhodes in their side project Arcadia, which debuted that year with So Red the Rose. He also played on "Some Like It Hot," the debut single from John Taylor and Andy Taylor's Duran Duran off-shoot band Power Station with singer Robert Palmer. Both projects were put together during a down period for the band. It was during this time that Taylor, fatigued by constant touring and looking to reconsider his life and career outside of Duran Duran, left the group. Although initially considered a hiatus, by 1986 he had officially left the band.

From 1986 to 1994, Taylor remained largely out of the spotlight having purchased a farm in Gloucestershire. However, on a trip to Paris he briefly reunited with Duran Duran, playing drums on their 1995 covers album Thank You, including their renditions of Lou Reed's "Perfect Day" and Elvis Costello's "Watching the Detectives." He also formed the electro-dance group Freebass, hitting the Top Ten of the U.K. Dance Chart in 1997 with a cover of Sweet's "Love Is Like Oxygen."

Taylor officially rejoined Duran Duran in 2001, a period that also marked a reunion of the classic '80s line-up. Following sold-out shows at Wembley Arena and Madison Square Garden, the group released their 11th studio album (and first to feature the original five members since 1985's "A View to a Kill"), 2004's Astronaut. The album hit number three in the U.K. and number 17 on the Billboard 200, and paved the way for a two-year-long tour, during which they were bestowed a Brit Award for Contributions to Music. Although guitarist Andy Taylor eventually left the group, the core lineup of drummer Taylor, singer LeBon, keyboardist Rhodes, and bassist Taylor continued to enjoy success, releasing 2007's Red Carpet Massacre, 2010's All You Need Is Now, and 2015's Paper Gods, the latter of which featured production by Mark Ronson, Ben Hudson, and Nile Rodgers. Away from the band, the drummer also built a reputation as a DJ, appearing regularly at London's Met Bar, as well as clubs like Pacha in Ibiza and Cielo in New York. In 2021, Taylor was on board for Duran Duran's 15th studio album, Future Past, which again featured production by Ronson, as well as Giorgio Moroder and Erol Alkan. It also included guitar contributions by Blur's Graham Coxon. The album reached number three in the U.K. and cracked the Top 30 of the Billboard 200. In January 2022, Taylor was with the group when they made their debut on the PBS show Austin City Limits. ~ Matt Collar, Rovi