New Musical Express, October 28, 1978

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NME

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A single man

The Elton John interview

Roy Carr

Just after the release of “Tumbleweed Connection”, Elton John was approached in the Speakeasy Club one evening by Jeff Beck, who asked to join Elton’s band.

For the next week, they rehearsed solidly. Enter Beck’s manager, who suggested that the guitarist should receive 90 per cent of the take and Elton the remaining ten.

Enter Dick James who was then acting on behalf of Elton John and who, to the pianist’s chagrin, immediately scuppered the one-sided deal. “Within nine months,” James insisted, “Elton will be earning 15,000 dollars a night”. And nine months later his prophecy came true.

As regards visiting the States, our budding megastar was not keen. He was more concerned with establishing himself in Europe – and his only motivation to play the Troubadour in L.A. was to satisfy his vinyl junkie fixation by visiting the world-famous Tower Records supermarket.

But within 10 days of his opening date, he was known coast-to-coast, returning soon after for a full-scale tour as a headliner.

“My success”, admits Elton, “was a freak. I was just the right person in the right place at the right time.”

He emerged as the most popular solo recording artist since Elvis Presley, a media personality who became more newsworthy for his extrovert appearance than for his undoubted musical ability.

“When I had a hair transplant it reached such ludicrous proportions that – on the day Bob Dylan played to over 250,000 fans at Blackbushe – The Sun put a photograph of me without a hat on the front page, and only gave Dylan, who’d just played to the biggest ever audience in this country, about four column inches somewhere inside.”

By 1975, Elton John’s professional career had turned sour on him and after much soul-searching he announced his retirement from the stage. But now, having temporarily severed his working relationship with lyricist Bernie Taupin to collaborate with Gary Osborne, Elton John insists that his new album “A Single Man” once again finds him poised at a crucial crossroad in his career.

“In the past I’ve often neglected my singing. On this new album and, especially on “It Ain’t Gonna Be Easy”, I’ve sung far better than I’ve ever sung in my entire life.”

After the comparative commercial failure of his last album (“Blue Moves”) and an artistically daring single, “Ego”, he’s optimistic about his new album.

“If it does flop”, he states, “I’ll be very disappointed, but I won’t be destroyed. In the past, if something failed I could put it down to other things, to other people: this time it’s really all down to me”.

Unlike other megastars, Elton John didn’t become a tax exile: he remained in Britain, channelling both his energies and a considerable amount of finance into Watford Football Club. As the club’s chairman, he has seen Watford rise to a position where – on their present form – they could be promoted from the Third into the Second Division.

Possibly one of the few genuine Good Guys in the music business, Elton John lives near Windsor surrounded by arguably the most comprehensive private record collection in Britain and some beautiful works of art. He keeps open house. He welcomes visitors with genuine hospitality. His home is not a shrine to expensive bad taste.

“I’ve really had to struggle for what I’ve got out of life”, he reflects “but when I look back on it now, I honestly enjoyed those early days working for a miserable £15 a week with Bluesology. In retrospect they weren’t the bad times I imagined them to be at the time”.

Undoubtedly the most enthusiastic fan in the business, Elton John champions the cause of other musicians as vigorously as he approaches his own career.

For the first time in well over two years, he has agreed to give an interview. And for the very first time has spoken openly about both his private and professional life.

Elton John reclines on the leather couch …

Roy Carr files a report.

RC: Over the last year or so you have made a number of statements that have garnered a great deal of headline press. Like when you received Capital Radio’s Award for the Best Male Singer you said it should have gone to Elvis Costello. Did you mean that?

EJ: I felt guilty afterwards, because those awards come from the fans, but I really hadn’t done anything during that year to warrant it… hadn’t put out any new product. I honestly felt that of all the people who had emerged Elvis Costello was the most important – by far the best songwriter and the best recordmaker. It seemed a bit farcical for me to pick up the award. I was genuinely shocked. Sure, I knew I must stand a chance in the Best London Concert category, but as far as Best Male Singer was concerned, me winning it was a bit unfair.

Over the last couple of years most established artists have been extremely guarded in viewing their opinions of newcomers like Elvis Costello or The Sex Pistols, and some have been downright partonising. But you have been must enthusiastic in your support.

Yeah, and I still get all the shit slung at me.

Sure, but not as much as, say, The Rolling Stones, The Who and in particular Rod Stewart.

I think I have, but generally it doesn’t worry me. I think that what has happened over the last year and a half has been one of the best things that’s happened to the industry in years. It’s very healthy. The first time I saw The Sex Pistols was on the Janet Street-Porter London Weekend Show. I was sitting in bed watching television and suddenly I felt really old … fuckin’ hell, I thought, what the hell’s going on? I wasn’t frightened by it, but I was a little perturbed.

Why? Because suddenly here was something very new and very exciting. It was a good programme. The guy they interviewed from the 100 Club said it was something new that the kids were creating for themselves, not something new that the record industry was creating… and I feel very strongly about the industry creating monsters, dictating what people buy.

After listening to Costello and The Stranglers and artists like that, I felt it has proved extremely healthy. I also think some aspects are very comical. Anyone who gets dressed up like so many new bands do – tie both legs together and run for a bus – has my full approval.

Well, there have been persistent rumours that President Carter’s administration applied pressure on the American record industry to keep the new wave in check.

It’s strange. I’m surprised that the Costello and Stranglers records haven’t made more impact in the States than they have.

As far as Costello is concerned, they chose a good single, “Alison”, but nothing really happened. It’s such a great song that I seriously considered covering it myself.

However, there is a certain amount of prejudice against new British acts at the moment; they’re highly suspicious of things that have proved successful outside of America.

I know that Costello and The Stranglers have done U.S. tours but the only way you’re gonna break big over there is to tour constantly for three or four years and that’s why, after ELO, Thin Lizzy are going to the next Big British Band and the best of luck to ‘em.

Ian Dury has probably one of the best road bands but I don’t feel he stands too much chance Stateside. I’ve never seen him live, only on TV, and I don’t mean this remark to be derogatory to anyone, but I hope Dury doesn’t end up being like Joe Brown … a professional cockney.

You spoke about the record industry creating monsters. Did you ever feel that you were ever in danger of becoming such a monster? I mean, at one time it was said you accounted for two per cent of all world record sales?

I think that figure was exaggerated; I don’t know who came up with that statistic or where they got it from.

Anyway, things like that go in circles. When I came off the road, it was Fleetwood Mac and Peter Frampton who were the big international record sellers; now it’s The Bee Gees. I

Remainder of article needed


Tags: Elton JohnThe TroubadourElvis PresleyBob DylanSex PistolsThe Rolling StonesThe WhoRod StewartAlisonIan DuryJoe BrownFleetwood Mac

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New Musical Express, October 28, 1978


Roy Carr's interview with Elton John mentions Elvis Costello.
A similar piece by Carr ran in Trouser Press, Feb. 1979.

Images

1978-10-28 New Musical Express page 35.jpg
Page scan.

Cover.
1978-10-28 New Musical Express cover.jpg

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