Duran Duran [ tickets ] guitarist Andy Taylor departed the band's ongoing U.S. tour last week to visit his ailing father in the U.K.

"On Monday evening of March 14, just hours before they were scheduled to hit the stage at The Joint in Las Vegas, Duran Duran guitarist Andy Taylor received news that his father's health had seriously deteriorated and that doctors were requesting his immediate return to the U.K., where his father has been in hospital for the past few weeks," said a statement posted band's official website. "Andy left on a flight home yesterday afternoon and plans to return to the tour as soon as possible."

Dominic Brown, who played a few shows in Taylor's place late last year, will fill in on guitar.

"I am obviously extremely disappointed that I'm going to be missing a few dates, but hope that our fans will appreciate the situation and understand why I've had to go home to see my father," Taylor said in the statement. "I will be back to finish the tour as soon as I can and am relieved that Dom was available to take the reins for a couple of days, so that we didn't have to cancel any of our shows."

Taylor still hadn't returned to the band by Sunday's (3/20) performance in Louisville, KY; no further information has surfaced.

The Fugees reunited to perform at Friday's (3/18) seven-hour "Force of Nature" tsunami benefit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The event--which also featured Backstreet Boys, Black Eyed Peas and Boyz II Men--reportedly attracted a crowd of 15,000 and raised more than $2.6 million.

Work on the 13th studio album from Journey--whose lineup now features guitarist Neal Schon, bassist Ross Valory, keyboardist Jonathan Cain, singer Steve Augeri and drummer Deen Castronovo--is getting underway at the Record Plant recording studio in Sausalito, CA. Kevin Elson, who produced Journey's multi-platinum albums "Escape," "Departure" and "Frontiers," is behind the knobs.

The set, which is the band's first new material since 2002's "Red 13" EP and its first full-length since 2001, is due this summer. The band is also planning a summer tour.

Devendra Banhart is currently recording his first release for XL Recordings, an as-yet-untitled album that should hit stores later this year. He's expected to tour the U.S. in October.