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Robert Taylor, former guitarist of New Zealand rock band Dragon, has died.

The group formed in Auckland in 1972 is best known for its songs April Sun in Cuba and Rain.

Taylor was Dragon’s lead guitarist from 1974 to 1979 and again from 1982 to 1985.

Audio Culture shared the news of Taylor’s death on Facebook, writing, “[We are] sad to learn of the death of one of New Zealand’s best-known lead guitarists”.

“On the recording of the band’s big hit ‘April Sun in Cuba’ – written by keyboardist Paul Hewson on a broken guitar – it is Taylor who plays the chunky two chords on which the song is based.

“In 1977, just as the band began to have its string of big radio hits, Taylor penned a short account of his life thus far: ‘Born in Waipukarau, New Zealand … son of an ice cream manufacturer and housewife … rugby and blues licks with the Māoris … confirmed in the Anglican church… won a scholarship to Wellington Uni … majored in English … English lecturer dealt dope, ran a rock band: goodbye studies … joined acid-symphonic rock’n’roll band Mammal ...’ ."

Taylor joined Dragon at the end of 1974, after the demise of Wellington band Mammal, the post wrote.

“At the time, Dragon had already released two albums, Universal Radio, and Scented Gardens for the Blind.

“In early 1975 a song Taylor wrote, ‘Education’, became Dragon’s next single.”

New Zealand composer and songwriter Peter Dasnet wrote on Facebook, “I’m beyond sad to hear that Robert Taylor has died”.

“He had been unwell for a while but we didn’t expect him to go quite so soon,” he wrote.

“We all know he was a great guitar player in the original version of NZ band Dragon.

“Like most musicians he had a lot of stories to tell, and Robert had a particular turn of phrase, a wonderfully articulate and amusing take on the world.

“We spent many a happy hour there talking bollocks of the most rarified kind, accompanied by a drink or three.

“R.I.P. my friend.”