Duran Duran are reforming with North Tyneside's Andy Taylor who is battling cancer.
The group is reforming for a new album - after almost two decades apart.
John Taylor revealed that Andy, battling terminal prostate cancer, will soon start recording with the British pop power group, famous for hits like Girls on FIlm and Rio.
The 62-year-old guitarist and lead singer Simon Le Bon, 64, are set to work on the tracks at Andy’s studio in Ibiza, covering tunes which were inspirational in their youth.
Bassist John, 62, opened up on Andy’s five-year cancer fight, which became public when Duran Duran explained his absence from the The Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in November in LA.
“Obviously when he dropped the bomb really two days before the Hall of Fame, it was really shocking and terribly sad,” said John.
“He made the decision not to go, not to leave his home, not to play across the Atlantic.
“We’re working on an album right now that is going to be coming out at the end of the year, and he’s playing guitar. So it’s kind of cool.
“Had he come to LA and he had just gone on the TV show, we probably wouldn’t have even thought about it. That (the album) really happened as a result of this.
“There’s a lot of cover songs on the album, songs that were meaningful to us when we were kids. So having him be a part of that project is great.”
John spoke about life long pal Andy’s bravery and determination to perform at the Unforgettable Evening event in LA this week, which raised $2m for the Women’s Cancer Research Fund. He and wife Gela have long supported the gala, which honoured Sharon Stone.
The band, who begin a UK tour in May, will record in LA and London, but lead singer Simon will work with Andy in Ibiza.
John said: “LeBon is flying to Ibiza to work with him. So that’ll be amusing, I kind of wish I was there. I think it’ll be great. I think it’ll be really profound for them,
“They haven’t been in the studio together in maybe 10 to 20 years.”
Today, the band members include Simon, Nick Rhodes, 60, John and Roger Taylor, 62.
Born and raised in North Tyneside, Taylor is a former Marden High School pupil and began playing guitar at the age of 11.
But it was only when neighbour Dave Black, who tasted success with David Bowie offshoot The Spiders Of Mars, took Taylor under his wing that the ambitious Geordie realised his full potential.
As a teenager Taylor headed to Birmingham and, following a successful audition, joined founder members John Taylor and Nick Rhodes in Duran Duran.
The pop idols went on to headline the US leg of Live Aid, sell more than 100 million albums worldwide and produce hit singles including Rio, The Reflex, Girls On Film and the James Bond smash A View To A Kill.
Taylor left the band for the second time in 2006 to focus on production work and solo material.
John didn’t say if the comeback will be part of a documentary, but smirked: “Somebody will have an iPhone on it. “
Heartbroken fans were shocked when Andy didn’t attend the Hall Of Fame, before Simon revealed he “will not be around for very long” because of Stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer.
Father-of-four Andy told People magazine later: “It’s a death sentence... it’s a slow burn, so it’s not going to take you quickly.”
