Elton John

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

His autobiography is published on 15th October. I'm reading a review copy at the moment and it's as funny, self-aware and brutally self-admonishing as you'd expect. I can't think of another star of Elt's magnitude who's only too willing to admit that they have, at times, behaved like a total fucking arsehole. He even admits that some of his albums are dreadful.

You can, obviously, say things like that while secure in the knowledge that you've also written magisterial classics such as Tiny Dancer and Rocket Man, but I admire the man's candour. A generous fella too, he's raised an absolute fortune for Aids research and numerous other worthy causes. He also sued The Sun in the '80s for fabricating a load of homophobic lies about him and he detests nasty right-wing cunts in general. He's a great bunch of lads.

But this is Oscillations, so let's talk about his music. In my opinion, he penned some incredible tunes during his ludicrously prolific early to mid '70s streak. He dashed some of them off in about 20 minutes, the chords and melodies just poured out of him. He'd sit down with a fresh set of Bernie Taupin lyrics, and voila! Another number one hit.

Some might argue that this fecundity, this casual pop genius, wasn't always a force for good. Like McCartney, he's written too many songs, many of them total crap. But he also wrote Daniel and Goodbye Yellow Brick Road and Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting and... well, you know all the indelible hits.

Your thoughts, Elt-crazed youngsters?

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Oh, and he addresses the fact that he played Sun City in the early '80s. He's utterly ashamed of that and blames himself entirely for being a coked-up, alcoholic, naive idiot who thought, by playing to a desegregated crowd, he was making a powerful statement.

Yes, the show was officially desegregated, but the tickets were so expensive he ended up playing to a mostly white crowd. He should never have played there in the first place, but at least he feels terribly guilty about it. That must count for something?

[Custard]

Yeah,I like him a lot. He clearly still adores music, and still orders every single new release each week. More money than sense, maybe, but that's dedication.

Of course, the 70's stuff is incredible,but I also think This Train Don't Stop There Anymore from the early 00's was a great record. Could've been beamed in from his imperial phase

As for books, I recommend Captain Fantastic, which focuses entirely on his 70's run. It's not as salacious as you'd maybe expect, but he comes across as a good lad, and dare I say it, a proper fucking pop star. Not like what you get nowadays

I'd also recommend his live album, 17-11-70. Him in his early brilliance, blasting through a set like a whirling camp tornado

Not seen Rocketman yet. Might correct that tonight, if Mrs Custard is game

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Yeah,I like him a lot. He clearly still adores music, and still orders every single new release each week. More money than sense, maybe, but that's dedication.

Of course, the 70's stuff is incredible,but I also think This Train Don't Stop There Anymore from the early 00's was a great record. Could've been beamed in from his imperial phase

As for books, I recommend Captain Fantastic, which focuses entirely on his 70's run. It's not as salacious as you'd maybe expect, but he comes across as a good lad, and dare I say it, a proper fucking pop star. Not like what you get nowadays

I'd also recommend his live album, 17-11-70. Him in his early brilliance, blasting through a set like a whirling camp tornado

Not seen Rocketman yet. Might correct that tonight, if Mrs Custard is game

Tom Doyle's Captain Fantastic is indeed a great book, it really captures the whirlwind madness of being the most famous pop star on the planet during a decade of mad, druggy decadence.

That live album is great too, I agree. A funky, rocking article.

As for Rocketman, it's a brilliant film, hugely entertaining.

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

He is absolutely shit, and hasn't released one single decent song. Hasn't got the wit to write lyrics, so gets some other cunt to do them for him. Doesn't have the common decency to retire and stop releasing his shit music, even though he can fucking well afford it. Performed in Putin's famously homophobic Russia like a money- grubbing cunt. Always uses that fucking horrible Trans-Atlantic accent when singing his shit songs.
Tell you what, there was one decent song he was involved in, that one with Kiki Dee. There you go.

[rue the polywhirl]

The PNAU remix album is one bestiest besty things he has helped put out in the past decade or so. I can't really enjoy his music much because of the oversaturation of it thanks to the biopic (same with Queen). Really hard to think of an artist who had a better run with such a volume of output between 1970-75. Even scattered nuggets during the 80s onwards are quite good. All the singles, Lion King plus Little Jeannie is a beast.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

He is absolutely shit, and hasn't released one single decent song. Hasn't got the wit to write lyrics, so gets some other cunt to do them for him. Doesn't have the common decency to retire and stop releasing his shit music, even though he can fucking well afford it. Performed in Putin's famously homophobic Russia like a money- grubbing cunt. Always uses that fucking horrible Trans-Atlantic accent when singing his shit songs.
Tell you what, there was one decent song he was involved in, that one with Kiki Dee. There you go.

Whenever he's performed in Russia he's made unequivocal statements about LGBT rights. On stage. Putin thinks he's "a musical genius" but "deeply mistaken". There you go.

Should the Russian people be denied the entertaining spectacle of a performance from the out and proud homosexual rock star Elton John? Especially when he tells them that their glorious leader is a cunt?

The rest of your post is tedious hyperbole.

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Even the comment about that song with Kiki Dee?

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

I liked that bit.

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

Well, I'm glad you " didn't go breaking my heart " with your comments!!



_{Elton John *is* shit, though.}

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

I couldn't if I tried.

And so on.

Here, if you like Don't Go Breaking My Heart, you'll probably like his other Philly soul stuff.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QSA7pSvh-o

DON'T CARE IF YOU DON'T. But you might like this, who knows?

[Lisa Jesusandmarychain]

I'll give it a try, but as I say, his singing voice really gets on me nerves.

Oh, and " Song For Guy" is alright, too.
And I like " Nikita", just for the amusing video featuring his excellent mullet.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Fair enough, if you don't like his voice then there's no getting past it. I'm the same with Elvis Costello.

[Bennett Brauer]

Honky Chateau is probably my favourite album, but I love almost everything he did up to 1975, Captain Fantastic being the last essential album for me, although I admit I haven't heard a lot of the more recent stuff.

I used to think it was a bit pathetic that he and his mother had fallen out and didn't speak to each other for years, but the book's a real eye-opener about what a piece of work she turned into. I know it's just his side of the story, but you have to admire his patience. Some horrific stuff, eg the civil partnership ceremony and later "You care more about that fucking thing you married than your own mother", but some of it is grimly amusing too thanks to Elton's dry humour.

[Satchmo Distel]

Does he mention the boozed-up session he did for John Peel in Xmas 1973?:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z61jJDMoHg8

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

He does mention Peel - an early supporter - but there's no mention of that session!

Elton John, the world's greatest boozy pub pianist. In the book he waxes lyrical about his love of Winifred Atwell, Russ Conway and Mrs Mills- you can really hear those influences there.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Honky Chateau is probably my favourite album, but I love almost everything he did up to 1975, Captain Fantastic being the last essential album for me, although I admit I haven't heard a lot of the more recent stuff.

I used to think it was a bit pathetic that he and his mother had fallen out and didn't speak to each other for years, but the book's a real eye-opener about what a piece of work she turned into. I know it's just his side of the story, but you have to admire his patience. Some horrific stuff, eg the civil partnership ceremony and later "You care more about that fucking thing you married than your own mother", but some of it is grimly amusing too thanks to Elton's dry humour.

His mum sounds awful. Yes, as you say, it's just his side of the story, but it comes across as an authentic portrait.

[Satchmo Distel]

I think he was the first person to release a Nick Drake cover. I also like this version of Young Gifted and Black, although I'm not sure who does the female part:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tmKSg5g8S0

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

I think he was the first person to release a Nick Drake cover. I also like this version of Young Gifted and Black, although I'm not sure who does the female part:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tmKSg5g8S0

Elton's versions of Nick's songs are... interesting. He turns them into Band-esque country soul tunes.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIoBvS7ODmk

[pupshaw]

He does mention Peel - an early supporter - but there's no mention of that session!

Elton John, the world's greatest boozy pub pianist. In the book he waxes lyrical about his love of Winifred Atwell, Russ Conway and Mrs Mills- you can really hear those influences there.

What gets overlooked sometimes in the glare of superstardom is that Elton and his ilk, like Townshend, Bowie, Ray Davies, are a vanishing link to British especially London cultural history where pub singalongs and dance halls were the thing, and radio shows of the 40s and 50s were a vivid thread through our culture. So much of Elton's arsing about there was a throwback to Round the Horne etc.

And Mrs Mills is fucking ACE.

https://youtu.be/GhkYB4kcaLg?t=104

[Pearly-Dewdrops Drops]

Elton John (1970)
Tumbleweed Connection (1970)
Madman Across the Water (1971)
Honky Chateau (1972)
Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player (1973)
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road (1973)
Caribou (1974)
Captain Fantastic (1975)

...is the greatest run in pop music history and without exaggeration better than the Beatles career output (true, the Beatles were much more influential).

I think he's better than McCartney, and unlike the latter his many throwaway little ditties are never grating because they are always camp rather than twee.

[bomb_dog]

That duet with George Michael though...

"seemee won..... seethewayahfeee...'

[jenna appleseed]

That duet with George Michael though...

"seemee won..... seethewayahfeee...'

That other duet with George Michael when they're both being ultra sexistly enthusiastic about the female form though
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DDJyv-aJwy0 Wrap Her Up

that was hilarious discovering it knowing Elton was gay & doubly hilarious re-discovering it years later knowing they both were.

I think he was the first person to release a Nick Drake cover.

Publishers demos weren't they? not done for commercial release but to get people interested in (covering) Nick Drake songs?

Got them on a bootleg EP, remember his versions being shit. No idea now if they really were shit, or a combo of a poor quality bootleg (of)a poor quality copy of a recording & me being too attached to Nick's songs.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

No idea now if they really were shit

The link I posted earlier might jog your memory.

[Natnar]

Elton does seem to be mates with every famous musician of the past 50 years.

[jenna appleseed]

image stolen from HMV's national album day webpage (imgur link theirs not mine)
https://i.imgur.com/3Wm0Kv7.jpg
I have Goodbye Yellow Brick Road on charity shop vinyl somewhere & have no memory of the original artwork looking like a racist tumblur/reddit shitpost.

eta: *looks on discogs*
Oh.

*crosses arms*
well, I have no memory of that, at all. /vaguely posh indignant voice

[iamcoop]

He seems like a good lad and I like some of his stuff but I dunno, his music has never really moved me in anyway. It seems so plasticky and devoid of any real emotion. I know he doesn't write his own lyrics but I just don't believe him, if that makes any sense. I'll definitely give his book a read though, I bet it's very entertaining.

[Satchmo Distel]

I'll give it a try, but as I say, his singing voice really gets on me nerves.

Oh, and " Song For Guy" is alright, too.
And I like " Nikita", just for the amusing video featuring his excellent mullet.

"Song For Guy" contains my favourite Elton vocal.

Seriously, however, I also greatly admired 'Empty Garden' and 'Blue Eyes' so I think he can do emotional ballads convincingly. I also feel that 'I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues' and 'I'm Still Standing' still, er, stand up.

Would I make it through a whole album? I don't know because I have never tried, but I really should give it a go, probably taking his albums in chronological order one a day via Youtube.

[Satchmo Distel]

The Nick Drake session was from July 1970, not 1968, and I think The Band influence* is because Joe Boyd rearranged them to market them to rock musicians and their A&R people. Nick was already very reclusive by July 1970 and would have had no input into the arrangements. The bootleg only actually contains 4 Drake tracks (1, 2, 4 and 9), the others being by other Boyd artists.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hIoBvS7ODmk

I'm fine with Boyd's arrangements and think they show the robustness of Drake's compositions.

*Day Is Done is more like Richie Havens, though.

[TheMonk]

I chucked on Too Low For Zero recently for old time's sake and thought it held up pretty well.
After his obvious 70's purple patch he's very hit and miss. And his misses are awful.
Even the dud albums though tend to harbour a gem or two.