Exclusive | Duran Duran bassist John Taylor teases ‘surprises’ on epic tour, reveals his favorite items from music to art.

As part of the Grammy-winning band Duran Duran, “Bass God” John Taylor has toured the world, sold more than 100 million records and been inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Fashion has been part of the band’s success since its inception in 1978. The band’s coordinated outfits (designed by everyone from Antony Price to Vivienne Westwood) helped them take over MTV with iconic videos like “Rio” and “Ordinary World”. Taylor, who splits his time between London and LA, is also married to another style icon: Juicy Couture co-founder Gela Nash-Taylor.

Now Duran Duran is back on tour in support of its sixteenth album, Danse Macabre – a thrilling seasonal mix of the band’s songs alongside covers of hits by Billie Eilish, the Rolling Stones and Talking Heads – and the legends will play Madison Square Garden in NYC on Halloween. “There’s nowhere like it,” Taylor, 64, tells Alexa of MSG. “You must enter respectfully and be on your best behavior.” Leaving room for a little debauchery, of course. “There will be surprises!” promises the pop star. While Taylor isn’t ready to let go of those heady moments, he’s happily sharing with us all the things—from music and art to workout gear—that rock his world.

“Since this is my signature bass, designed by bass maker Sheldon Dingwall, I am bound to be biased. But this really is the best damn bass ever.”

“This [smoky chamomile, vanilla and patchouli scent] it is one of my favorite colognes. I’ve been wearing it for years.”

“Once I started reading this, I realized how little I knew about the life of the painter David Hockney calls ‘The Greatest of the 19th Century.’ Much less has been written about Van Gogh, but no less fascinating. He led the impressionist revolution, the punk painters of their time.”

“I’ve been working with this LA t-shirt company, Punk Masters, for years. We’ve recently turned up the heat and designed an entire collection of hats, merchandise, sweatshirts and hoodies. It’s a lot of fun.”

“One of my favorite songs on our latest album is our version of ‘Supernature,’ originally by Cerrone. It’s one of the greatest discos of all time.”

“I’m like a teenager when it comes to free merch, especially when Duran plays festivals like Latitude in the UK. Wristbands pile up, as do questionable hats and T-shirts, reminding me of who I am and what I do.”

“I saw a very beautiful exhibition recently by the Indian artist Sosa Joseph at David Zwirner in London. She uses beautiful colors and her work is very spiritual.”

“I’m crazy about hi-fi and I’m always upgrading my system. Recently, I bought a CD player, amplifier and streamer made by Naimi, an English company. I love the sound and the detail is fantastic.”

“My friend Orian Williams got up close and personal with this documentary about Brian Eno, the most restless and fascinating music maker of the 20th century. This is the soundtrack.”

“While I’m on the road for a tour, I always like to grab a pair of stretchers and a Pilates circuit for a set of floor exercises that I try to do every morning.”