Duran Duran's Andy Taylor Says His Wife of '40,000 Years' Deserves an Award for Her 'Tolerance Meter'

When Duran Duran's Andy Taylor was diagnosed with stage 4 prostate cancer in 2018, there were two things that kept him afloat: music and family.

"I've been married for 40,000 years," Taylor, 61, tells PEOPLE exclusively in this week's issue of his marriage to wife Tracey Wilson. "I'm old school. Maybe I've just seen so many of my friends have four divorces that I kind of always thought it was worth working it out."

Taylor met Wilson at The Rum Runner Club in Birmingham on her 20th birthday in 1981, Taylor says, and she's been around for all of it.

"I think if there was a tolerance meter for a lady who's lived right in the thick of it since 1980... Yeah, there should be an award for women who've survived rock and roll," he says.

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"She's always been there. In a way, through everything in Duran," he adds, referencing their rise to fame — as well as his ups and downs with the band. (After their formation in 1981, Taylor left in 1986 to pursue a solo career before rejoining in 2001 for another five-year stint.)

Taylor and Wilson share four kids, Izzy, Bethy, Andy and Georgie — and December was the first time the entire family got together for a "Disney Christmas" in Ibiza, where he currently resides, since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"We're a very, very close family. And I've got a grandson now, which I didn't know if I'd live to see his 10th birthday, but I'm pretty sure I'm good," he says of his grandson Albie.

"We had new puppies and new cats. What a lovely temperament in the house with all those animals running around," Taylor adds. "But yeah, I actually had a really nice Christmas with my family and a few friends. And I can't do the big stuff no more, so a couple of the iconic clubs were open here at Christmas, but I see it out now."

Living with his diagnosis certainly hasn't been easy, but Taylor's well aware of the "hell of an effect it can have on your kids."

Tracey Taylor

"I'm glad I've got a strong marriage," he says. "The real support you get is from your family. They're the people who have to live with [the diagnosis] daily."

Taylor's most valuable advice for someone living with stage 4 prostate cancer, however, is to have conversations with your family.

"If [they] understand it, and understand not to ask that question, try to stay optimistic in general and not to hide life from you, but just to have a birthday pie," he says, adding that it makes all the difference. "Don't talk politics. Just be happy that you're all here still."

"I had to sit down with them and say, 'Guess what? My dad had it, and I didn't talk to myself about it.' I think I had a PSA test when I was about 46 or 47, and then I left it for 10 years. Too late," Taylor adds.

This way, "you won't have to have any therapy, or any terrifying hospital visits" — including the times when you're "getting scans done where you've got face masks on" and being asked 'What choice of music would you like, Andy?'"

He jokes, "Anything but Duran Duran, please."