John leaves Duran Duran

I got my usual Duran nerves and started shaking cause it took a while before he actually started walking up to the stage. There was probably I guess 80-100 people there, I don't know. Most people were sitting on the floor. Bev brought Atlanta up to sit in front along with this lady with loads of make-up and another little girl older than Atlanta.

So then John comes up and everyone goes nuts - so he talks to us - very laid-back and cool and funny, making jokes, lots of energy and really relaxed I guess, but probably very nervous - his face was kinda red.

(...) After one song, I think Better Way, he stopped to talk to us and said he had talked to the guys today - Nick and Simon. And then he said that he is leaving Duran Duran. That he wanted to tell us this way and not for us to hear it in the media and not know if it was real or not for months. And that after 20 years, it was time for him to leave and that they were still friends and that after 20 years, they would still always be friends. And that he would still be doing solo stuff and that he hopes we (meaning the fans and him) would still be friends.

This is all what I basically remember - it happened so fast and I wasn't prepared at all. I wasn't sure what he said was for real. I was waiting for the punch line because he seemed to be very nonchalant about it. I realize now he was way nervous and someone said he teared up too. I saw one girl across the room get up and leave when he started playing his next song and I think he noticed. Some people seemed in shock, some seemed not to be hearing him or something and when I heard people sobbing, I knew it was for real.