When Frank Zappa met Elton John...

 

In the mid 70's Elton John and Frank Zappa were rehearsing their bands at Pirate Sounds in Los Angeles just doors apart. In the interview clip above Frank tells what happened when he went to check out Elton's rehearsal. "I walked in there one day. He got panic stricken", says Frank. This is just Frank's point of view and he loved to see himself as the demanding band leader. It would be interesting to hear Elton's memories of this encounter.

Surprise new album from Elton John

You can stream it, get it on CD, vinyl and ... cassette!

As his final world tour ground to a Covid-19 halt for more than a year, Elton John sort of seems to have stumbled into making new music adding up to the suitably named album The Lockdown Sessions due to be released 22 October this year. 

It is a 16 track collaboration album and here's what Elton has to say about it:

All the tracks I worked on were really interesting and diverse, stuff that was completely different to anything I’m known for, stuff that took me out of my comfort zone into completely new territory.

At the start of my career, in the late 60s, I worked as a session musician. Working with different artists during lockdown reminded me of that. I was a session musician again. And it was still a blast.

Four of the songs have already been released in 2020 and 2021 as separate tracks. They're marked with a *.

1. Elton John & Dua Lipa – Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) *

2. Elton John, Young Thug & Nicki Minaj – Always Love You

3. Surfaces feat. Elton John – Learn To Fly *

4. Elton John & Charlie Puth – After All

5. Rina Sawayama & Elton John – Chosen Family *

6. Gorillaz feat. Elton John & 6LACK – The Pink Phantom

7. Elton John & Years & Years – It's a sin (global reach mix) *

8. Miley Cyrus feat. WATT, Elton John, Yo-Yo Ma, Robert Trujillo & Chad Smith – Nothing Else Matters

9. Elton John & SG Lewis – Orbit

10. Elton John & Brandi Carlile – Simple Things

11. Jimmie Allen & Elton John – Beauty In The Bones

12. Lil Nas X feat. Elton John – One Of Me

13. Elton John & Eddie Vedder – E-Ticket

14. Elton John & Stevie Wonder – Finish Line

15. Elton John & Stevie Nicks – Stolen Car

16. Glen Campbell & Elton John – I’m Not Gonna Miss You

Eltons output over the past few years has been a mix of new and old:

His latest album of new music dates back five years; Wonderful Crazy Night, released in 2016.

Live from Moscow 1979 was released in 2020 and Regimental Sgt. Zippo recorded late 1967 and early1968 was released this summer.

Elton John and Dua Lipa release four songs in one!

 Cod Heart is the title of the song that Elton John and Dua Lipa released yesterday. But in reality it is a mix of four old Elton songs that has been cut up and joined as one by Australian trio Pnau.

Pnau is a trio consisting of Peter Mayes and brothers Nick and Sam Littlemore who already back in 2012 released Good Morning to the Night which was a remixed collection of Elton songs made into new ones. And it was a hit giving Elton his first number 1 on the UK for 22 years.

Radio Dupree's Elton specialist has listened to the new song and deems it a hit. He also added that it is a bit strange when Elton's remixed and remodeled old songs comes across as more exciting than his recent albums of new songs, but that's the way it goes.

For your entertainment here's brand new Cold Heart video and here's the links to the song that this song was complied from:
Sacrifice (1989) Album: Sleeping With The Past.
Kiss The Bride (1983) Album; Too Low For Zero
Where's The Shoorah (1976) Album: Blue Moves
Rocket Man (1972) Album: Honky Château

New Elton John box full of rarities and unreleased music arriving November 13

Jewel Box is the title of a mammoth 8 CD or 9 LP box set of rarities and unreleased stuff from Elton John's long career. A career that has been on a slight but still upward trajectory since the release of the movie Rocketman in 2019.

And just as with most artists that have their peak a few decades back the new recordings released are usually passed upon by old fans while finding few new. At the same time yet one more Greatest Hits compilation is a sure seller. That's why you'll find artists of that time but still active today having a Best Of compilation coming every three, four years. Usually around Christmas time. 

There's no surprise there's rarities and even some unreleased music in the vaults when it comes to Elton John. Back in the day he refused to have singles released with albums tracks as B-sides. A buyer of his latest hit always got one more new song on the flip side.

There's been one box set before this from Elton:

To Be Continued... released back in 1990 with a mix of hits, album tracks, unreleased old and new songs on a total of 4 CDs.

But the 1992 double-CD Rare Masters should also be mentioned. A collection of songs from his singles between 1968-1975 that had not been included on any albums. Also five unreleased songs plus the complete soundtrack to the 1971 movie Friends for the first time on CD.

Two songs from the forthcoming Jewel Box has already been released on streaming services. The above Sing Me No Sad Songs as well as Snow Queen, a duet with Kiki Dee that was the B-side to their 1976 hit Don't Go Breaking My Heart.

So what about the contents of the new box set then?

Apart from a book with texts and photos there's 148 songs in total. 80 for the first time in digital, non-physical format. 60 never before released in any format.

The first two CDs are titled Deep Cuts which means album tracks and such that weren't hits:

1. Monkey Suit -- Elton John and Leon Russell 2. Where To Now St Peter? 3. Mellow 4. The Ballad Of Danny Bailey (1909-34) 5. Chameleon 6. Gone To Shiloh -- Elton John and Leon Russell 7. We All Fall In Love Sometimes 8. Too Low For Zero 9. The Power -- Elton John With Little Richard 10. All That I'm Allowed 11. The Bridge 12. The New Fever Waltz 13. Stone's Throw From Hurtin' 14. The North 15. Hoop Of Fire 16. Boogie Pilgrim 17. Crystal 3. All Quiet On The Western Front 4. Tell Me When The Whistle Blows 5. Freaks In Love 6. Never Too Old (To Hold Somebody) -- Elton John and Leon Russell 7. The Emperor's New Clothes 8. House 9. (Gotta Get A) Meal Ticket 10. Understanding Women  11. Shoot Down The Moon 12. Have Mercy On The Criminal 13. Blues For Baby And Me 14. My Quicksand 15. Street Kids

CD 3 is rarities 1965-1968
1. Come Back Baby -- Bluesology 2. Mr. Frantic -- Bluesology 3. Scarecrow (Piano/Tambourine Demo) 4. A Dandelion Dies In The Wind (Piano Demo) 5. Velvet Fountain (Piano Demo) 6. A Little Love Goes A Long Way (Piano Demo) 7. If You Could See Me Now (Piano Demo) 8. Mr. Lightning Strikerman (Piano Demo) 9. Countryside Love Affair (Piano Demo) 10. I Could Never Fall In Love With Anybody Else (Piano Demo) 11. I Get A Little Bit Lonely (Piano Demo) 12. The Witch's House (Piano Demo) 13. Get Out Of This Town (Piano/Tambourine Demo) 14. Year Of The Teddy Bear (Piano Demo) 15. Where It's At (Piano/Percussion Demo) 16. Who's Gonna Love You (Piano/Percussion Demo) 17. Nina (Band Version) 18. Angel Tree Piano/Guitar/Tambourine Demo) 19. Here's To The Next Time (Piano/Tambourine Demo) 20. Thank You For All Your Loving (Band Version) 21. Watching The Planes Go By (Band Version) 22. When The First Tear Shows (Arranged Band Version) 23. Tartan Coloured Lady (Arranged Band Version)

CD 4: Rarities Part Two 1968
1. Hourglass (Band Version) 2. 71-75 New Oxford Street (Band Demo) 3. Turn To Me ( Arranged Band Version) 4. Reminds Me Of You (Piano Demo) 5. I Can't Go On Living Without You (Arranged Band Version) 6. And The Clock Goes Round (Piano Demo) 7. When I Was Tealby Abbey (Piano Demo) 8. I'll Stop Living When You Stop Loving Me (Piano Demo) 9. Trying To Hold On To A Love That's Dying (Piano Demo) 10. Sitting Doing Nothing (Band Version) 11. Regimental Sgt. Zippo (Band Version) 12. Cry Willow Cry (Band Demo) 13. There Is Still A Little Love (Band Demo) 14. If I Asked You (Band Demo) 15. Skyline Pigeon (Piano Demo) 16. Two Of A Kind (Arranged Band Version) 17. The Girl On Angel Pavement (Arranged Band Version) 18. Smokestack Children (Arranged Band Version) 19. Baby I Miss You (Band Demo) 20. All Across The Havens (Piano/Guitar Demo) 21. Bonnie's Gone Away (Piano/Guitar Demo) 22. Just An Ordinary Man (Piano Demo) 23. There's Still Time For Me (Piano/Guitar/Tambourine Demo)

CD 5: Rarities Part Three 1968-1971
1. The Tide Will Turn For Rebecca (Piano Demo) 2. Dick Barton Theme (Devil's Gallop) (Bread And Beer Band) 3. Breakdown Blues (Bread And Beer Band) 4. Taking The Sun From My Eyes (Arranged Band Version) 5. It's Me That You Need (Band Demo) 6. Sing Me No Sad Songs (Band Demo) 7. The Flowers Will Never Die (Piano Demo) 8. In The Morning (Band Demo) 9. Open Your Eyes To The Sun (Piano/Tambourine Demo) 10. One Time, Sometime or Never (Band Demo) 11. Slow Fade To Blue (Piano/Guitar Demo) 12. Rolling Western Union (Piano Demo) 13. My Father's Gun (Piano Demo) 14. Amoreena (Piano Demo) 15. Burn Down The Mission (Piano Demo) 16. Razor Face (Piano Demo) 17. Madman Across The Water (Piano Demo) 18. Holiday Inn (Piano Demo) 19. All The Nasties (Piano Demo)

CD 6: B-Sides Part One 1976-1984
1. Snow Queen (Elton John and Kiki Dee) 2. Conquer The Sun 3. Cartier 4. White Man Danger 5. Tactics 6. Steal Away Child 7. Love So Cold 8. Les Aveux (Elton John and France Gall) 9. Donner Pour Donner (Elton John and France Gall) 10. J'veux D'la Tendresse 11. Fools In Fashion 12. Can't Get Over Getting Over Losing You 13. Tortured 14. Hey Papa Legba 15. Take Me Down To The Ocean 16. Where Have All The Good Times Gone? (Alternate Mix) 17. The Retreat 18. Choc Ice Goes Mental 19. A Simple Man

CD 7: B-Sides Part Two 1984-2005
1. Lonely Boy 2. Highlander 3. Billy And The Kids 4. Lord Of The Flies 5. Rope Around A Fool 6. Medicine Man 7. I Know Why I'm In Love 8. Big Man In A Little Suit 9. God Never Came Here 10. The North Star 11. Did Anybody Sleep With Joan Of Arc 12. So Sad The Renegade 13. A Little Peace 14. Keep It A Mystery 15. How's Tomorrow 16. Peter's Song 17. Things Only Get Better With Love
CD 8: And This Is Me...

1. Empty Sky 2. Lady Samantha 3. Border Song 4. My Father's Gun 5. All The Nasties 6. I Think I'm Going To Kill Myself 7. Philadelphia Freedom 8. Song For Guy 9. Sartorial Eloquence 10. Elton's Song 11. Cold As Christmas (In The Middle Of The Year) 12. I Fall Apart 13. Amazes Me 14. The Last Song 15. American Triangle 16. (I'm Gonna) Love Me Again (Elton John and Taron Egerton)

Radio Dupree's long time Elton John fan Neb Stephenson says that this is interesting enough for him to get his wallet out November 13 when the box set is released. Although this also means that his vinyl and CD bootleg collection of Elton stuff will further deprecate in whatever value it currently has.

Elton John looking for a video. Or three...

Here's a way to do something different for an artist that peaked in the 1970's:

Make a video competition together with YouTube trying to find videos for some of your old classic hits.

Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin has three songs waiting for that perfect video: Rocket Man, Tiny Dancer and Bennie And The Jets.

And the competition is on!

Elton John album gets belated vinyl release

Fifteen years after it was released on CD the 2001 Elton John album Song From The West Coast is out on vinyl. But only as part of a limited box set available through the English luxury fashion house Burberry. Both online and select stores. 800 numbered copies will be available.

Elton John has personally picked the six albums that together with a poster is included. So what albums did he pick?

'Elton John (1970)
17-11-70 (1971)
Madman Across the Water (1971)
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy (1975)
Too Low for Zero (1983)
Songs from the West Coast (2001)

Elton, Madman and Captain Fantastic are all classic Elton John, and 17-11-70 is a live album that is highly regarded among fans. Songs From... got good reviews when it was released and that leaves Too Low For Zero as somewhat of odd choice as it is part of Elton's ... lesser period. It would be fun to hear why he picked these six for the box.

A box that will set you back 225 British pounds, clearly making it priced for the clientèle that shop at Burberry.

Rosanne Cash and Elton John writing songs togetherr

Looks like Rosanne and Elton has made some music together. Here's a post frm her Twitter feed:

Writing songs w/ @eltonofficial today. @johnleventhal held it all together. At 17, could I even have imagined...? pic.twitter.com/cSV2qkwft1

— rosanne cash (@rosannecash) 12 april 2016

Oxford Street today: Elton John's first record signing there in 43 years!

Just posted on Elton John's Instagram is this picture of him signing his 1973 album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player.
Today he's doing the same for his new one; Wonderful Crazy Night, and writes that it's been 43 years since he last signed albums there.

Oh. And it's not actually out in the street he'll be signing the record, it's in the HMV store on said street. Today.

Its been 43 years since my last UK album signing, looking forward to meeting fans at HMV Oxford Street today. Will be signing copies of my new album "Wonderful Crazy Night". 43 years?!?!?! 😳😳😳😳@RocketEntertainment @hmvinstagram @IslandRecords #WonderfulCrazyNight

A photo posted by Elton John (@eltonjohn) on Feb 3, 2016 at 12:59am PST

Video: Elton John's Looking Up

The first song from his Wonderful Crazy Night album to be released February 5, 2016 has been released with a colourful video:

New Elton John album arriving February, 2016

Elton John's next album has been announced! It is titled Wonderful Crazy Night and will be released February 5, 2016.

It is Elton's 33 studio album and once again T Bone Burnett is aboard as producer. Davey Johnstone, guitars, and Nigel Olsson, drums, who made up the original trio with Elton back in the day plays on the album. As does bassist Matt Bissonette, keyboard player Kim Bullard and percussionist John Mahon. Veteran Elton collaborator Ray Cooper, percussion, pops in for five of the tracks.

All the above people plus the sound of the first track released; Looking Up, indicate that we'll get a back-to-basics record like the previous two Burnett produced albums The Union (2010) and The Diving Board (2013).

   


You can choose between the basic 10 track album, the Deluxe version with two additional tracks and more pages in the booklet or the Super Deluxe Box with four extra tracks for a total of 14 on two CD:s , a special 20 page photo/lyrics magazine as well as the 180 gram vinyl version of the album. The vinyl can also be purchased separately.

TRACKLISTING

1. Wonderful Crazy Night
2. In The Name Of You
3. Claw Hammer
4. Blue Wonderful
5. I've Got 2 Wings
6. A Good Heart
7. Looking Up
8. Guilty Pleasure
9. Tambourine
10. The Open Chord

Deluxe CD Bonus Tracks
1. Free And Easy
2. England And America

Super-Deluxe Bonus Tracks
1. Free And Easy
2. Children's Song
3. No Monsters
4. England And America

Elton John's Rocket Hour on Beats 1 now streaming on demand

Apple Music has decided to make Elton John's weekly show on Beats 1 Radio available on demand. You can listen whenever you like.

Click this link to hear the most recent episode:

http://apple.co/1D8NRPZ 

So what music did Elton John play on his Beats 1 Rocket Hour?

Answer: As expected a mix of old an new. Mainly new. Here's the playlist for his first show that aired this week.

Ship To Wreck - Florence + The Machine
Shine - Years & Years
Go Out - Blur
Everyday - Mick Ronson feat. Rod Stewart & Miguel
Like An Arrow- Lucy Rose
Get Into It - The Strypes
Don't Play That Song Aretha Franklin
Can't Feel My Face - The Weekend
An Open Heart - Bright Light Bright Light
Lonely Town - Brandon Flowers
Multi-Love - Unknown Mortal Orchestra
Love Revolution -  Will Young
Love Is A Losing Game - Amy Winehouse
Future Pleasures - White
Go - The Chemical Brothers
Blue Monday - New Order

Tune in to Elton John's Rocket Hour only on Beats1 Radio. GMT: Tuesday 3am and Tuesday 2pm beats1radio.com #rocket #rocketentertainment #rocketmusic #apple #beats1 #applemusic #eltonjohn @eltonjohn

Ett filmklipp publicerat av Elton John (@eltonjohn) Jul 8, 2015 kl. 8:24 PDT

Ett filmklipp publicerat av Elton John (@eltonjohn) Jul 8, 2015 kl. 8:31 PDT

More on Elton John's Rocket Hour.

Elton John gets his own show on Apple's Beats 1 Radio

Part of Apple's new music offering is the 24/7 radio station Beats 1 starting Tuesday June 30.
The stations three main radio DJ:s are Ebro Darden, Julie Adenuga och Zane Lowe, but there will also be room for shows by people like Dr Dre, Pharrell, St. Vincent and Elton John!

Elton's weekly show is titled Elton John's Rocket Hour and is said to offer an eclectic mix of old and new music. What that means? Tune in next week!

More on Beats Radio 1 here.

Elton and T-Bone team up for a third album

T-Bone Burnett produced Elton's two latest albums (The Union from 2010 and The Diving Board in 2013) and will be the producer for the next one as well. According to guitarist Davey Johnstone it will be a rock 'n roll record.

Here's a photo from Elton's Instagram feed posted less than a day ago:

And if Elton's record sales have been on the low side of the spectrum for some time now, he still manages to pull the big crowds on the road. And make a healthy income from it as well. For 60 shows played in 2014 he reportedly made 59 million US Dollars.

Elton John's Legendary Covers Album legendary once more...

It is reincarnated once more; the set of cover songs recorded by a your Elton John before his big break. Usually titled The Legendary Covers Album 1969-70 it is re-released time and time again on small record labels. We got our CD well over a decade ago.

This particular release is available on CD, vinyl and coloured vinyl form.

So what songs are on the album?

1.  United We Stand
2.  Spirit In The Sky
3.  Travelin’ Band
4.  Up Around The Bend
5.  Come And Get It
6.  Love Of The Common People
7.  It’s All In The Game
8.  Yellow River
9.  My Baby Loves Lovin’
10. Lady D’Arbanville
All part of quickly recorded sound-alike covers for popular low budget album series of which Top Of The Pops was the most successful. Read more on this particular part of pop history here. And here!

Elton John and David Furnish married

And BBC has the whole story with pictures and video here:

http://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-30568634

Unseen footage for new Elton John documentary

Tam Johnstone, son of long time Elton John band member Davey Johnstone, is currently making a documentary about the original Elton John band from the early 1970's.

It all began with late bass playes Dee Murray's wife Anett wanting to make a documentary about her husband. She got in touch with a couple of crew members from the early days and discovered that they had shot Super 8 footage while on the road with Elton and the band.
That unseen footage from the years 1971-1974 is now part of the documentary on the whole band.

Here's a taster using some of that footage used in a new video for Harmony from the 1973 double album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road:


Spot Stevie Wonder at 1:56!

Elton's "new" old one and The Endless Versions dilemma

Today is the day that all fans of Elton John gets a chance to buy his 1973 classic Goodbye Yellow Brick Road in a brand new 40th Anniversary version.
Hold on! Make that "versions".

These days the deluxe versions of classic or more recent successful albums is a lucrative market and the way the business works means that these days it's not enough with one new re-release. They usually come in two or more versions.

Let's take the Elton John release as a prime example.

One: You can go for the basic remastered CD. What you do get here is a hopefully better sounding album compared to the previous remaster.

Two: The next step up is the 2CD version adding one CD with nine brand new covers by "contemporary artists" like Ed Sheeran and Imelda Marcus plus nine demos and outtakes from the original recording sessions.

Third: The vinyl version. As the original on two LP:s but this time around pressed on 180-gram yellow vinyl.

Fourth: The Supe Deluxe version. The box with the 2CD version mentioned above plus 2CD:s containing a recording of Elton's December 1973 concert at the Hammersmith Odeon in London. There's also a DVD with the 1973 documentary Elton John and Bernie Taupin Say Goodbye To Norma Jean and Other Things and a 100 page book in the box.

And that's it, right?
No!

The audiophile Elton John fan will want the HD Pure Audio Blu-ray version that includes a high resolution version of the new stereo and a 5.1 surround mix. The latter seems to be the same as the 5.1 mix released on SACD in 2003 and DVD Audio 2004 (remember those formats?)

Let's see. That's five new physical versions. Downloads not counted.
And we could argue that the HD Pure Audio version should've been included in the box to be able to call it Suped Deluxe, but...

But ... if you care to wait a month you can get a sixth alternative; the Japanese SHM-CD pressing. With SHM-CD:s supposedly sounding better than the usual CD:s, but the jury is out on that one.

OK. So this is just one example of the piling up of versions when an album gets re-released. Usually stacked so that you have to buy multiple copies to get all the goodies.
Still, it must work as they become more frequent.

The lesson learned is to check and compare before you buy! And maybe that 30th Anniversary version you bought ten years ago will do...?

Elton John live on BBC Radio 2 tomorrow! (11 September 2013)

Wednesday September 11, 2013 is Elton John day on BBC Radio 2.

Starting with two tracks performed during Ken Bruce's show starting at 11:05 via a preview of the evening's performance during Simon Mayo's show 17:00 and an Ask Elton portion with Jo Whiley to the big finale; a live show broadcast from BBC Radio Theatre starting 20:00 local time.

Elton has a new album titled The Diving Board set for release September 16. Three years after the duet album with Leon Russel The Union and seven years since his most recent solo outing The Captain & The Kid.

More detalis here!

Elton John is 65! (Pnau & The Diving Board coming up)

And he celebrated his Birthday a couple of days ago; Sunday.

Just the right time to wish him a Happy Birthday and write about a couple of new things happening this year as fas as Elton goes:

 1) Back in 2008 Elton's management signed the Australian dance music duo Pnau (Nick Littlemore and Peter Mayes).
They have been working on his original multitrack recordings with the goal to make eight remix tracks that will eventually make an album's worth of new music. The first track is out and called Say Good Morning To The Night. It is based on Elton's Mona Lisa And The Mad Hatters plus a couple of other songs. Hear it a bit further down this post after we've written about...

2) Elton's brand new album set for an autumn release and his first solo album since The Captain & The Kid in 2006. After that one he released The Union in 2010 with Leon Russell. Just like The Union his new one is produced by T Bone Burnett. And it is thanks to T Bone that they ended up recording the album, titled The Diving Board, with just piano, bass and drums. Read more about it in this Rolling Stone article and - just like us - look forward to hearing the results later this year.



Soundcloud link: