Bernie Taupin is a songwriter responsible for many of the most beloved songs ever recorded. But he actually thinks of himself as a cinematographer, taking what he sees in life and turning those mental snapshots into fantastical stories. Bernie and Marc talk about the origins of his more than 50-years-long partnership with Elton John, his friendship with Alice Cooper, the influence of The Band, and the timelessness of his songs.
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This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
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ass,
all right. Let's do this. How are you what the fuckers, what the fuck buddies, what the fuck? Next, what the fuck touchy and there you go, what the fuck, turkey and that's, I guess, that's the kentucky
but the fuckers some guy tweeted at me. I still
occasionally said I hadn't said and five years. This is a big day. What the fuck tuckey ins.
Bernie top in Bernie, fuckin top in bright he's, the guy
Who wrote almost all the John songs, cheesy songwriting partner about John he's, been writing lyrics the almost,
although the majority of alan johnson lyrics
back to the sixties. That's crazy!
It's almost like interviewing a beetle, so many hits
so many hits.
He's got a new memoir coming out. It's called scatter shot like music,
In and me and it's pretty great
I popped around in it. I didn't read it all the way through a lot of times. I don't.
because I don't want to lead them, but it's kind of
The title and he'll tell you himself.
is this sort of like yours, it's not in a timeline art, but he writes about
Harry know soon about John Lennon, about elton of
where's, but he writes about the sea. He writes about meeting graham green. I mean it just sort of any rights
fuck out of any rights it beautiful
beautifully written thing missing
just a lot of life. He was a cowboy serious.
I didn't know that maybe I should have
I imagine there some deep cut
rabbit, o elton John fans were like perth how'd you,
I know that that Bernie top and was a command
of cowboy
How did I not know that red dirt, cowboy captain, fantastic and the young there you have it but
it was great. It was a fine fun conversation, so listen
I'm doing five shows it helium and saint Louis next week, september, fourteenth or sixteenth thou be
wise guys in las vegas on september, twenty second and twenty third for four shows
bellingham washington, albeit the amount baker theatre for one show on saturday,
toby fourteenth as part of the billingham
it festival and all my october shows in portland, oregon and helium resolved out
the denver show coming up that just went on sale,
Denver november, seventeenth and eighteenth at the comedy work south, which I ve.
been to I'm a comedy works, downtown guy, but
someone's big idea to get me out of the suburbs. Not mine, we'll see,
a goes
I usually do well in denver, but that's going to that should be up. That should be up for you, denver people
or dates forthcoming. The
member eleventh date and
but kirkhi that should be going up on sale, soon be the chemo, but I don't think it's up there yet, but
we'll see not many people, gotta Albuquerque, for somebody is not a great market for some reason, but I grew up there
and I ve been looking at that came up-
peter. Since I was a kid the front of the places, can it beautiful it's like an old
What kind of new mexico style deco structure
and I ve always remember years ago, there was a comedy competition
in new mexico out enough, it was reached on. I don't have colorado is involved, but I remember the winner got to perform at the chemo.
and I was not him.
But anyway I
be playing there and it'll be a homecoming it. It will be something yes
so. I think I told you
eyes about the idea
we told you that I've been watching these don rickles clips and they ve been going around like I'd. I talked to a bill here
you're about and he's been texting me,
goal starve and jonathan winter starve. It was just sort of in the ether
it's always there are new to, but I there was a while there. I was like finding great comfort
in watching Rickles, see the danger feel
but it turns out
this finding out about this at the dawn rickles channel on youtube
has been releasing never before seen specials and today they
They just released don Rickles live in toronto. Now, look, you can have your opinion about down wrinkles in whatever you want by day
I done recalls you can go,
check it out for free on youtube at the don Rickles channel
for me. I always see away to us
that guy, so fridge, guy update the ukrainian fridge guy alex is what
call him as some of you who have been following. You know he came with his son and it was quite a breakdown.
The freezer door hinge broke off
sending
Ball, bearings all over the place,
I didn't have the proper valve downstairs. I was wrong about it
and this has been going on for four months for months with this guy
To the point where, if he says he's gonna come by and fix something I did
take it with a grain assault, so
as you know, at
The last visit because the hinge broke my freezer.
drawer door has been properly
with one of the freezer freezer showers from the inside. That's been going off.
week or so, even though we got the hinge last week, so
it all began again. When are you coming to like me?
like one of the last tax I sent. Look, I get it man I'll get a new free,
fuck. It just come,
the hands, so I dont have this this. You know this problem
door. I can't use the freezer just you know just what-
forget about it. Let's call it a day. Let's admitted
move on
and he's right now I'll come tomorrow, and then that days I had dinner with our day I'll come
tomorrow and mike awry when he's right. Twelve in three that was yesterday
So I'm figure, unlike while that's not gonna, happen soil.
Lunch,
and right when I got out to lunch at twelve o four he's goin music
I mean for around to your house and am I gonna fuck, but make the food to go. What
Oh, we gotta go back right.
back to the house.
and
he was there with his son. Again too, I expected fireworks. I expected
just insanities. Diagnose today is how do we fix it today and they
The freezer, rather chip in ice off. They report
the hinge and then he said you know ye ethos me says,
Ok saw the is holding up a thing,
at two tubes on it with some other.
I'll, be your thing that goes into something else he's like I,
Do you know
this is because somebody I dont know if manual
sure or
starvation. I dont know dates
stated in the back. So I can
I can't I can't get at it now MIKE. What what do you want to do
can you just move the fridge out that? Let me, let me think about it MIKE
kay, don't yell me, I'm, like so
He thinks about like I come back,
Of course I mean why. Why break up this thing? We got go in there.
no reason to break it up. Let's watch,
keep doing this for as long as you want I'm on board, but
somebody put in my head that there's a racket there,
some people run with
where they come to fix a vision and they swore wiki breaking until you keep getting more more parts. But this is not the case.
Skies. A veteran fridge madman repair guy
yeah. This is his.
yeah, leviathan men, this my free
is his fuckin moby dick and he's gonna he's gonna fix it be
Like this. Like he's been going on for months, I'm telling you tat in
yesterday I said:
do you want money like no no money until we fix
then I'm like how much is it cost then as much as a new refrigerator. He goes nope
maybe seventy percent, and that when I am as I always ship well, that's like this kind afraid I can thousand
surviving. He was getting. I pressed him on
Tell me the truth about how much this is all gonna cost, eventually, like oh
Before hundred now my fine aright,
wherein, and I look forward to seeing you again on you
schedule of course, so I'll just
you for a while until I get aggravated and then I'll I'll, tell ya
a by new fridge and then you'll come within the three to four days. After that things
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day before yesterday.
I talk to naomi wolf whoa, I just fucked it up
I just did her biggest nightmare. I just said
per entire new book
DR naomi Klein and the
basis for this whole book. That really turns out to be about late stage,
resume encroach.
Fascism then nature
of,
the the tree
blue narrative of the second reality the what she calls the mirror world of the
wing info
structure. Media infrastructure it by a cover
a lot of stuff.
At the basis of it is her being confused with Nate naomi wolf. That's what struck
the court eventually and got her into the entire portal
this amazing book she wrote, which I read thoroughly and
needed, underlined. I've been wanting to meet naomi klein for
my entire life, it seems like. I never met her air america. I think she was there once or twice I just wasn't around I've just been impressed.
and
blown away by her brain.
and and just her output is spectacular as
Oh, a liberal guy she's full leftist and you know
I read that book. I feel guilty in a little like I'm not do my part, but none
as we got to really kind of have a talk jam here
for about an hour, and it was just a highlight of my life, so that's gonna happen.
You hear that on Monday
me klein her new book his car,
double gangs, a trip into the mirror world.
I don't dunno? If you read
no logo or shocked doctrine or any of the other stuff but death.
Massive thinker, just great
I wish I was so happy a went well now
on another note. I dont know if I'm losing my mind, or this is natural, so ok, here's what happens,
Bad lands- the terence malik film,
starring martin sheen answer
He basic, though, that this is the big terence molecule
I think it was the first one that
established him is sort of her aunt tour and you're a genius,
One you throw! That word is a sort of
early masterpiece about these two he's. He turns out to be a killer. I think it's based on that guy. I think his name's stark weather and she's Jesus teenage girl,
who he kind of kills her dad and dragged her along for the ride. It's it's it's good,
movie, it's a challenging movie emotionally by its it
I think one of the great anti here, I'm movies of the seventies, because, despite the psycho patty
of of Martin sheens character and the name
of their relationship, you still kind of like the guy, it's fucked,
up but anyway. So I tell can't let's go
in it, but it's been a while.
and I said, is about a killer, is a guy who kills people.
Reason out on the road out on the great plains.
and sissies basic martin, jean worn oats.
does work as long as you don't kill animals, I'm fine, I'm! I kill animals, it just people and she's like ok,
I can handle that. I just want to see any animals being killed.
and literally within the first ten to fifteen minutes
Film warren oats, shoots a d,
for no reason.
And kid loudly because she's chicago she does,
believe you I can't.
Leave you. I mean what the fuck
I didn't didn't. I remember remember why white she's, like I'm like I'm, concerned network, we're the theatre she's like
loudly yelling at me, because they killed the dog
And am I couldn't even look at it and even looked at real, it didn't.
Look that real it's it's not! You know it's not real. She's like I know, and there was a
a dead cow earlier? Could he worked it out so.
I could tell she's mad
next to me? Oh my god. Oh my god. I fuck this up. She
mad and then we sat there for a while and eventually I could feel her soften up a bit
and then I realized after button
the twenty minutes. Eileen
And said I
remember this movie at all and she laughed
in about ten minutes, but by and I said to her.
I don't think I've ever seen this movie,
I I don't know
kind of remember the beginning, I guess it's possible. I watched a bit of it.
but it was ass. I watched collateral the other night, the Michael man movie,
pretty sure I saw that when it came out, I don't know when it came out. It's the one with the Jamie fox
and tom cruise were jimmy Fox plays the cab driver. That's been forced in.
Situation of driving around this assassin by tom cruise. But I don't remember the ending at all, but I feel like I saw them
same with dog day afternoon. Like did I,
see that movie
or am I losing my mind- is this
natural thing that some movie stick in your bed
in some, don't did I
he collateral. Did I not
I urge all of badlands sure
be concerned. I don't know,
I certainly remember them now clear
is a pretty good,
Your michael man movie, the conceit of it is
the crazy but
really good movie right, so Bernie top in
This is the guy. Daniel
saturday, night sound right for five doing get rid of the latter.
a big role. Yeah I get back home again.
Yeah man, I bet you're mad at abu- do bad you do, but but the penny and the jets
eva, yellow, brick dirty. Do that one
Lastly, Les bleed in him and illusory in no way that's all Bernie man and AL
Bernie wrote the songs. You only do more, maybe later so.
the memoir, is called scatter shot like music elton and me it comes out next tuesday september, twelve decompress
order it now?
and this is me and bernie talkin talkin talkin.
The text? All my produces more you MIKE
so it's bernie, sir, is yes, sir.
I'm not a sir I'm actually a c b yeah that was just last year, yeah what
difference. Is
sir, the outlines a sir. It's now make sure I get this right
mba as the lowest
be yeah, see ba sir knighthood knighthood here
What the hell you gotta do is get that she got me. I don't know why they gave it to me a man I don't even live. There haven't lived there for most people, I mean you get a better see be, but a knighthood. That's two more up, no, no one more a one more year. Now, Sir sir, is the same as a knighthood. Ok, my today is right here, but I so why does kingsley get that now you
you know what we are really give a shit now, of course you know
It's funny. I never cared about stuff like that they're in actuality it it's it's kind of nice, it's kind of a nice recognition,
No, and I didn't have to do the whole rigmarole of doing anything in england.
I didn't no ceremony while I was there in l, a which was much more fun for me. Yet I doing it at home right of course, so it worked out great because all my friends came and it was
This is a really nice afternoon. You they send somebody out did the hour. Now. I was done by the british council.
Yeah, it was actually ended up being kind of fun. You know in the metals
groovy anyway. You got another case in years and little caveat may not mean something. I know it's like
like its very odd to me that meet got one and Keith didn't
gotta be, I know they keep, would give a shit. I e our case, wouldn't it
Did it anyway now and was apparently upset that make accepted at which I don't see why?
heads again it it. It's all. Just periphery
sure, and since but its sort an interesting, though how in those relationships that have gone on for decades,
between guys, like you know you and out and have yours, remit can keep have theirs, but there's still this kind of like use, suck up biology,
You know me: well, they they just made up of different molecule now. So it's it's kind of a state
it's something that you would expect absolutely make subscribes door. I like saturday's. He likes playing the soda country gentleman.
yeah well
like I took a few years, gardar two hours cooper and for some reason you know,
He told me that you guys were really good friends, and in that moment I couldn't put it together.
Yeah, how that would happen here, because I just size that, because
The time like you know hours I always associated with a certain type of music, but when you really break down his music did the-
I would say, are really the the greatest songs yeah, but I don't think it's about the music with allies. It's it's! The man yeah, you know and
I think everybody everybody to this point today? No,
the dallas is just a
Only around the guy who plays galileo is a good christiania. India, you know, isn't, as he always
puts it himself. You know he is playing a character, sure so yeah and he and I are like two peas in a party that we get on like a house on fire. We always have yeah. You know we were almost like dorm mates. Really oh yeah was a well will meet late, seventy ok
for where he had put out like two records are well now now. Well, we actually, we,
Shelly first met
I met him without and probably in
nineteen seventy seventy one area when he was still still part of the ban right so
and we ended up doing an fm radio show together morning, shariah on where somewhere in the mid west- and we were both on it together and obviously back then you know our.
Perception of him was completely different. Then did thing man.
Skies gonna be a complete. We had a real and he was there with. I think it was it. Neil was the drama.
As has been here. I think that was his name, your big tall, gaia, like bout six via now, so that
is kind of a bit daunting data that any drink and then to oh yeah, yeah yeah I mean, and that was only on so gay. He was there, be a can enhance the end, but we
scott on then, but we didn't really hook up till much later in l way, which is frequented the same places and
we can were those of all the normal sort of play, seventies later seventies. You know, like the rainbow. Oh yeah see the idea, the whisky yan. What have you here and now, which is kind of gravitated into the same orbit, really got on and we would just hang out at each other's house like every day all summer, just drink beer watch tv and yet was
play in a play, pool yeah and we
just out. We go out at night, you know, and that was the days of the hollywood vampires ensure you know member,
would come and go and then they eventually, who is in a way that completely our people in our on and off, like
the moon, yeah Ringo, yeah John lennon on occasion, tat make
dull ends,
elsie, oh harry nielsen, you know just all just all the usual crew say men
many of them went on two different pastures and I mean the earth they turn ass. Jews
yeah I think, but you and now ass. I alice you know a rumour allison. I remain great friends,
I saw him a few months ago at his birthday party
and these out on the road, but he's always out on the road we and he doesn't. He is like out- may doesn't have a phone. Oh really,
if I need to get a hold of images text, his wife and
would give him the phone and we'll get back on it with each other, but yeah we ve. We remain
friend. Do you got off now
good lord now that tried to get me into at once and the bit I light was driving the car sure we have on and getting out in the open air. But now gulf is not my thing, I mean,
I'm incur, I'm a complete sports, not yet
Well, you know Zachary now and now I'm sorry
for a long while and baseball Diana you have done
stan. You know I've lived here, so I am seventy seven nineteen seventy year. Well, I basically stadia from the moment I got here because everything
I wanted to achieve in life, was in the? U s so
everything I did before? That was a kind of port
to get here ultimately with interesting. Because, like you know in the book you write very eloquently
This is like a real book. You know they didn't have enhanced
come in and listen to you tell story right. He wrote that he wrote the hell out of it. I appreciate it and it reads in the pros: it's beautiful, but you know, even with whatever
contention. You have with
the english countryside. You write about a sort of half resentful and have beautiful
why don't? I have? No, there was no.
Intention when I was growing up in the british countryside, you you felt, like your father pulled you into this farm life,
I know and I didn't mind I unresented and in fact I loved girl.
up in the english countryside way as a small jaya is just that
interests ultimate
the gravitated towards
U s? History? U s! Music! I think it's interesting because it like in the in the book. It's weird that, like a I don't think you mentioned your brother and the entire chapter and
no! I don't, and I've got two brothers. I know because I thought like oh this guy's, an only child he's out there playing soldier. You know well yeah
You have to remember also my brother and I were skill
weekly miles apart, jerry was able to what they call grammar school. I went to secondary school. He had his own set of friends. He
totally into soccer and get rid. Those thing right, I was come,
Italy, a solitary in
vigil. In fact, even in the
the house that I was born, which was literally
actually in the middle of nowhere yeah I mean there was no other kids around. It was just me and my brother. Even then, we didn't play together. Yeah yeah he'd be kicking a soccer ball around on the law. What's the age difference
It's two years. Oh, but I've got a younger brother who's ten years younger than oh wow, so he wasn't born in the same area same place. He was born
later on and he's
in our? U s?
I'm serious lived here. We are probably
his lycosa noise
wicklow: yeah yeah,
absolutely. I just. We just got back from his daughter's wedding, but he lives in Houston and so he's texas boy. My daughter just started a and m sos for his area, so she's an aggie now but she's on the rodeo team there to the rodeo, tia, yeah, she's, bigtime, barrel racer and really yeah, really good. Very
in an
definitely out cowboy me I mean you know I'd cowboys. For ten years you do yeah
can you read my book the whole, but if we don't want any of I, if I, if I didn't, you haven't, got it out. If I read the whole book, then I'll just lead you and
echoing the book, so you better that the stories come up organically later why what was the cowboy period
well. That was then that
started in the lobby.
something I always wanted to gravitate towards are yet another from when I was a kid, but
in I lived in a for since nineteen seventy. I was in the l area, all the way through to the early ninetys and by
ty might time I just said: ok, you know you got it. You gotta go out there and live in a liberal and green dream
and so I did so. I bought a thirty acre horse ranch up in the standing as valid you'll have it now
no. I I cause. I don't cowboy anymore because I blew my shoulder out but like when you say cowboy like what are you like? What are you doing while I was, I was raising horses and I was going out as a non pro carter. Cutting is no okay,
well work at an event where you work with cattle
cattle, arab and keeping an you ve seen your idea. It's it's pretty complex, you know, so anybody whose interests
finding out about it, just go online and look it up. It's it's! It's like
equestrian ballet amazing what these sources do and you loved I loved it. I mean it's. The biggest outside a sex is the number one rush you could probably have its historic
exciting to me because, like I don't know you and all of these way, everybody in the world grew up with Elton John's music, and I always knew when I was a kid that you know you were the guy that wrote them and they're on a couple of records as a picture you, while all on our first album year, but I think from the first
all the way up to proper blade blue moves in a couple hours after the area. My picture was on the outcomes year gives you know so
I was kind of part of the band yeah. I wait. I was part of the gang, yet there yet pre, good haircut
verily I cut was never my thing. I like one along one that kind
kind of varied, but in in the
Although non of of looks my hair was not my number one attribute right thing, but I bet it was of its time. I get that that band in the seventies, probably why I shaved it all off now and got rid of it. Yeah got it. Oh, don't even worry about it, but I guess the point that I was I was getting to is that you were able to live this unique
you know in the book. No one.
I'd necessarily knows you other, then
the guy, the road, all these amazing songs and
but you know, but the cowboy information I have to assume. That can be pretty new information pro and I don't think so. I think our hard core fan base knows well. You know, because my exhaustive pseudonym is the brown bird cowboy from captain fantastic. You know so there
kind of open the floodgates, and that gave me that character, because
that's how my character of those two sort of cartoon characters out and was the bright.
Flashy a cashier novel yeah, and I was the sort of thing
you know cowboy character, so this have been like in your mind, since you were a kid but then like with tumble. We connection is that, like that, cover with that sort of a reflection of that
Definitely, I was driving the bus on that. You know. You're thing is it's kind of interesting. If you look back on that because the out before that, which was that what we call
black out in the open, John of which was a pretty
should have classically driven album. You know songs like sixty years on there and a lotta. Those king must die. They were very, as I say, had a classical bent to them and then
We did a complete three sixty on you know on the next,
album and did this fall on american around. That was very much
influenced by the band. You know, why does your choice, while once I heard the band, I realise that you know I could write those kind of songs up to that point. I love
kind of music, but I didn't think
it was commercially viable
by doing so storytelling, basically what
That's because that's what I always wanted to do. I know I do I am very uncomfortable with the term song,
I took for myself, I am come uncomfortable slightly, but I hate the word poet. Anyone who refers to me as a poet: it's like you, never refer to yourself as as an anthem material. No, I don't revert, I'm not a
lyricists, but in when in your you
I mean I met dabbled in poetry, but that was poetry right. It wasn't song lyrics, so the band now did you have the opportunity to spend time with those guys? Oh yeah yeah. They were friends of mine, again, sorry to say in the book companies are later on later on. In the book, you'll read how rick Danko and I became very very close. He was so sweet decca. He was so great was the most kinetic person, though I've ever met in my life. He did. He could not sit still or I made a lot of that had to do with drugs. Obviously, in it it
tat all of us, but for him I mean
it. Never it never.
it was a hindrance to him yeah, but he was the most connective kinetic personality imaginable, but he was also in readily talent tumbling I mean he could. He could pick up anything and play and his voice the water, but well that was that
the magic of the band too they had three incredible voices and richard manual brake on all and and then they had a great songwriter in Robbie day they were prob.
my favorite band of all time when he is injured because they changed a lotta guys. I mean you know: Clapton never recovered from the band now. Well, he both him and george Harrison, wanted to join the band, and so
and they had an incredible effect on everybody, but I can't emphasize enough how
they gave me the courage to write the kind of stories
and the songs that I really wanted to write about here, and it happened just like that. You know so after that
classically, leaning, elton John album. Suddenly we had this. You know
be a soaked, the american or album and paper. What's great. Is people accepted that at the time sure- and we followed that on with madmen, which was kind of a combination of both here and my first real vision of america because
tumble wade was written all written before we even came to the surface areas, you're a sort of fantasy percent. My fantasy perception of everything from the amount
can west to the civil war to carry
does that inhabited and then
Mad man was water.
perceived of america when I actually got there and drove out too. You know
middle america area and american west and sore all the places that I'd only dreamt tibet.
out and heard about, and song in fact, share and move is
I wanted to see the real thing you know when I grow up
roy, rogers and jean altering the long range. I didn't get it for me right. You know here. I wanted to say that the stuff that really affected me was the stuff I
about and song the the people like johnny orton
de robins were singing about and then later peck
power and earlier may be john forward a little. But I I couldn't stand John wayne, but I liked the vis
seen her the searchers new. I I'm not a searches fan I've. Now I never understood why nobody thought it was a good movie. It's it's got incredibly huh
He to it, but there's at that turn that movie, where you
John wayne was willing to kill the the girl
that very heavy. You know some of the cat. Some of the peripheral sharing really really bone.
yeah. I guess I am, but I also agree with you about the while bunch,
ok! Well, I don't know that's number one for me, but I am I
much more affected by things like high noon, yeah red river, I thought was pretty girl near
and then the early, the early peck and pa things I ride. The high country was a great man. That's unbelievable move yeah and people don't give that. I mean to me that much
than the searchers by that's good
we're still a stew. He was a studio guy then so he had to work within the confines of riot yeah right, and I liked the the ballad of cable, Hogue, yeah yeah. I mean it's more laconic. A little more laid back yeah, but yeah at peckham power was a master that he really
He really knew what the west was like. On a mean. Even
pat garrett and billy the kid, even even though you know it's, the characters are a little off kilter. You know Chris was fantastic
sure didn't look like billy the kid, but did you see that movie old henry oh yeah, lol, love that movie? How great is that movie was Fabio because, like you know, when TIM's, just on that porch with the
suede angle, right, you don't know it until the end all the way through it. I loved that movie. I hardly anybody, I'm sure. So I talk about all the time. How good for you, I taught graduate. I tell you that I would always push it two thumbs up from me. Good.
It's interesting. So madman was really your interpretation. Your first reflection on the country, yet
exactly I mean I sort of wrote it as a travelogue. You know my first
I first look at the vistas and and characters that inhabited the heartland. Now, let me ask you a question going back to the band in terms of it's influence on your field. You are three primary british artists that we just talked about. I mean
what was it was. It was because it seem like an honest representation of amerika.
because, like all those guys we're gonna deepen blues him, you know ever
the brothers or whatever. But what was it about the band that resonated so
deeply lemme! Guess you can't speak for clapton by mean for yourself. Well, I think it.
I mean I I think I am speaking for probably all of those people that fell into the web, the ban, it was completely different. I mean it was
Shatteringly groundbreaking,
you know I mean up to that point in my
humble opinion. They invented American yeah. You know that they
Add the balls to sing about stuff that was that seem completely timeless yeah and from another era and incorporated all of those things are made from the moment that out big, pink started by those Tom.
listen, tears of rage. You know, without that you gonna go where,
she's coming from here. You know it just like it came out of the ether there. You know it it it wasn't. It wasn't
often role it wasn country, it
wasn't blues eyes, justice, it sea
brand new, but it seems so all label does it all down were represented when they were all represented, but it was an as I said it, sir.
oh, but it seemed brand new. It seems so fresh and they work
fraid. It will
loud. I there it was so subtle, yo and
I can in no, I can't emphasise enough the effect it had on man. It really really was the blue touch paper.
this sort of hearing Marty robin sing EL paso years before you know it was a continuation of mine?
education
into what could be achieved, lyrically and musically, why
It is interesting that in
it is about the booze as well that when you
kid.
and you are listening to what was available to you in there.
Represented america or watching it there
The really wasn't stuff available
that you had a meet a guy,
railways in america and right
turn you onto the leeuwen, learn or other ryan, then ya, out and- and
Fifty preserve kitty wells riper like that, but the thing
is that that guy was so
my my can't
to that kind of music. But a lot of
Has had those kind of people? That's why the people in liverpool here you know, heard so much
should that music, because the milliner mad at you know the merchant seamen coming back from roared coming back from the states. Liverpool was a hot
the hours seafaring hard right so so much music came through that that port and its side, you know you
about when make met keith on
platform a dart fed. You known one of them had a robber johnson array resolve these run or not. You know that he didn't
that Robert Johnson album at his record, still yeah you weren't gonna, find that their than another way he found yet. And so that's, why
all of our my contemporaries and some of those few beforehand. You know they
found their way to that kind of music by the same kismet that I
just happened to be at the house next,
or to an american servicemen. Yet who is helping out, but the british air force
that both these records with them and when I heard that you know coming
the window was like manna from Heaven, you know is what the hell is, that
That's not what I'm hearing on the radio now Jim Reeves is not slim, whitman or roger miller. Right, that's the real deal yeah yeah and that so it must be. It just kind of must have just blown your
and you get I'm I'm getting like a little hairs on my head just talking about it, but but
some our another, you and I we were able to europe
and send form and a lot of ways and and it's a rare thing you created drawn sound as well. Well, I think, I think, because
I met outen though it yours,
nineteen sixty seven because
they release a record low,
their regimental sergeant, Zippo, aware that was the first record than we ever made that never got relighted. I wasn't actually re relieve us just now, as it was never. It was never released in the first place it was to shelve, but it. But it's interesting because, like on that record, like it's like once
empty sky comes out of it seem like you guys were on your way to something totally unique in that
guard more reflects the sounds that were happening. What I
If you're talking back empty sky, you talking about what was really prevalent
The time everything
was it was
in the sea,
ashes of psychic Delia people
drawing
inspiration from science, fantasy and science fiction. Where was king crimson o programme harem? You know
floyd. Everybody was mining, the same material yeah, you know and so
I was trying you know at the time I was trying to emulate that too, because I was reading a lotta the same the same,
material felt like you had to I I yeah I did. I felt I needed. I mean I liked that stuff, but I it
it was almost like. I was grasping for straws because everybody was probably doing it better and I wanted a gravitate onto that
that sort of a more american based music
american, a country, but I would
She could call me in the closet at the time, because I didn't think it would be acceptable.
Jen goes to the band, you know when the ban. I heard that
I started hearing some of the things like johnny cash at folsom prison. Oh my god, and you know you hear all this music and you go. You know what this can you
this can be made. Power
table and commercial, and then you know people people
I did realizing the same thing and wood
being under the same boat. Do but it didn't you
because without it
we'll go back to when you met him, like yeah he's
that guy. Is he
Ellen is a sponge and and
go back to what I say about when sixty seven, where we met one
the things, obviously, that we bonded on beside the fact that we wanted to be songwriters weed
I rarely know how to go about it. You both sent into what was yeah. We answered the ad in the new musical express for liberty record, and did you know anything about didn't even know how to write a song? I didn't know what writing a song meant, so the brill building was out of your yeah. No, no! No! I I wasn't in that caliber. I thought you knew about. I was grasping at straws. I know I wanted
to learn how to do it better? I was incapable of it, I mean I barely understood it was. I was only a few years out of realism.
Using that the purse
that sang a song on iraqi didn't just make it up right. You know, I thought when I was a little kid I thought not
look under Nathan, see those names or I rented or even the name. I just
but whoever was singing, the song simply meant it was theirs and they made it out. I thought that too I it it took until I get less than ten years ago. I was talking to nick lowe, and you know I believed, like he was writing from some sort of first person point of view right when he wrote the beast in me, but it was kind of a monumental thing for me to realize that no songwriters make things up, yeah yeah! Well, that that's that's the beauty,
of it. For me, that is the thing
I have always aspired to do, is to invent to tell
stories till
from life, but also lend from fiction create your own fiction mix it all,
together the ads. That's what's funny medicine! That's why you know I think of
myself as a cinematograph, I'm continually poaching,
from lie, feeling also tell me about seven: sixty seven you meet out, and yet so we bonded on music, all kinds of music. The thing is about us is that we have all
he's been appreciative of ever
sean repulsive, which is why I think our cannon in general has included all kinds of music. You know influences
jeanne I'm a complete jazz her. It's all. I really listen. Who are you guys up every
yeah ellington
ganz ray and charlie parkersburg data, the yeah and in its not lost on me that the year I started was the year the John cold drain died.
So you know sixty seven. I didn't he left us here. You see a lot of those guys
I didn't say enough? Quite a few shallows manhole le first couple years I was in l a
ago there all the time. That's it you think. That's! So that's really your thing. That's like it takes a certain mind to lock into the budget
thousand back. Then I mean I came to jazz a little later when I first started without and like elton didn't, listen. The country music and I didn't listen- do a lot of soul an hour and b, which he was totally into right. So
blended, all that you know he'd say of your this and I'd say: have you heard that yeah and we would you know, buy records and we didn't have much money, but I hear a little bit more than me cause he was getting more money cause he sang on the demos you know back, then we were just jobbing songwriters, trying to make a living, and so we had very little money. So what we had
We didn't give to his mom, you know, as a throw in
for some rent, yeah and you know we'd spend on records and what we do would we'd go to this place called music lan in soho and barrack street, and we spend
all our time in there and they. What
they would do. Is they would get the american imports in every we're of
means that weren't gonna come
in england for another, probably month or two year, so we would gravitate
to that so we'd get all this stuff like electric lady land or the first
comin out album before it came out in the u k, it seemed to me that in the late sixties, in
in london. It was crazy, with music
in terms of everyone trying like fleetwood. Mac was around peter green, was around pride and and were you there when hendrix came over. No, I I was on the set of the cusp of
he went out as I came in canada literally, but
yeah I mean it, it was a veritable minefield of music.
obviously so much
blues yeah you now I will
later on in the book in my health, french
with willie dixon, which was
one of the biggest. You know
boys, songwriter, radishes admire really friendships. When I lines you meet him
eighty three years, old ye
I spent a good
deal a time with him and his family in the last few years of his life. In fact, I was I was response,
both forgetting him inducted and songwriters hall of fame, because I was absent,
totally incensed. When I found out that he wasn't in there and he wrote all the good hello. You know when you think about some of the people I put in there. You know somebody wrote a.
Le songs in the eighties right, I was- I was absolutely just-
and through the roof, and what was your relationship with him,
which is friends I mean I made. I made my fortieth birthday party
somebody said to me. What would you
to have it your birthday party- and I said willie dixon just as a job here and they got in touch with his people and he turned up and wages
hit it off and I hit it off with his family and weed
got on like a house on fire. I saw him in the eye. I loved loved him, dear guy, so I'm perform and in fact I
put together a benefit after he died for the blues foundation
but anyway, what I'm. So? What have we
started at so much of the music that he wrote. As I said in when I
to demand to the hall of fame. I said that
bans in the in the six
is in england blues bands in the sixties. Would we
basically have had a settlers without really dicks. We have Coronel yeah and
because of all the blues tours that came to the uk and europe
they bought all that music and we respected far more in the u k than they were at home yeah. They were treated like king yeah when they were treated like shit here yeah it took you guys to introduce us to the book exactly exactly, and so what we did
It is we took it back to the states yanza week at rebounded back here, yeah an but yeah. I mean if it wasn't for those guys, I mean they would. There would be
the ice bans in england and also wouldn't have to a wounded and taken the jug. They d, like I'm, appear green freak.
and unlike the way he play guitar tomorrow is a magnificent details. Unbelievable and heavy add some make taylor unanimity or to a major oil as one of the greatest guitar
where's command tat. England, do you know him? No, I
I haven't never met him is that I just assume everyone knows each
I know most people here thereof, there are significant.
And the characters that for some reason I never really ran into so in sixty seven, when you and elton start doing the stuff in you're putting together, you know, I guess the songs that ended up on the regimental sergeant
about what
What was the, how much
the beatles hanging over you,
while the interesting connection with us in the beat, I mean, I think the beatles affected
a even if it
subliminally I'd better now, but the end
stay in connection with us in the beatles was we were signed to dig james publishing did james published the beatles, so the beetle
would come to dig james, is studio to cut demos, yet on especially poor mcgowan. There were a lot of stuff there
and so on
there. Was that connection, but I mean the beatles affected everybody body, if there's a good story about, went out before out and
making record's. You know you
play on other people's records over a am I here and we'd go over to an m. I our first encounter with a beetle,
any sort out
doing a novelty record with an english ban? Call the baron nights you know who used to do they send up said the bg. Then all these love in content,
ray ban and
former gonna just walked into the studio one day ass. He was working in the
studio doing the white album, oh god, yeah
we are looking at each other.
Well mccartney, you know, ok, cool act, cool and the thing is they spammed, the barron knights had supported the beatles, so they knew him and they're all going. What you're doing Paul Paul goes. I just wrote a song want to hear it and he sat down.
I played hedge of on now
so old and I resign ok well
not gonna, forget about one hour. I was
you're not unlike the band when I watch that using the Peter jack
in documentary, but I think that they had that.
that the ban had- which was this alchemy, that you can't even explain how these guys just magically pull stuff out of the earth
right? Now? I think people try to over think it do. You know people just indulge themselves to points of hausa insanity. Well, just trying to figure every single right
millisecond. Yet the beetle resistance yeah, it's ok! You know what they wrote some of the best part
to give all toddy, if not the best part of all time enjoy
as it is yet try to
bigger! You know, go go into this,
do they own and take the tracks down and see what such and such
It is so natural there did. You watch me I did. I did. I know there's a little long. I mean that along but didn't you find there is a human humanity to it that, but you I mean they were around when you were coming up but like for me. I'm like, oh, my god, you really get a sense of their personalities
yeah. No, no doubt I mean it was wonderful. As I said, I could have done with a little less. They work work. Sure portions, where it seep till it
to boredom I thought, but then you'd get something
I'd come macartney playing get in there.
Biogas europe, asia hearing it and yet writing it. Basically, here in front of john on the bay laying cords, so things like that or phenomenal and get it was one
therefore, but as I say, you know, I'm not one of those are not a beetle surgeon, new ones too sure understand area millisecond of their careers. So when you in and out and started working together, I mean was it initially back and forth? Collector
Were you you aware you coming up with verses alternating well that most of the first writing that we did was. It is moms apartment in in the north of
northward hale gene in suburb of london.
You know we had a bed room at the back, and yet there was a piano and
front room
so was. It was kind of like our little bridge. Building I'd be right and stuff in the bedroom, and I take it.
the living room and say here just wrote that what do you think of this
go away to second listen. I just wrote this too that last thing that you wrote- and you know he'd play me
and I go that's cool you know- will go down to dig James dude
tomorrow lay these down. We idea moselle them
how we wrote all of those very
very early song, where they demos to record for Elinor for anybody well
and was out, and at that point you know so there was no well right. I was no thought of him actually being
forming. I ought to write that came a few
Months later,
these were mainly a cross between songs that we were being somewhat forster.
for middle of they rode artists who at that
those days you know depended.
songwriters people like that were currently popular
but like lulu and scylla, black cliff richard,
How could angled ready on putting the ionia? Did they record any your song? None of them?
because they were terrible. They won't good because we want good at writing that kind of song there and then
some at lay and I in our guy came to work at dick james, who was so that I think bought in to modernize the establishment a little, and he can. I looked at our stuff and said, put right in this crap. You know this is good,
what you've been writing on the side here, and he
in point at a song with written call, skyline pigeon, which was basically one of them.
songs. We wrote that we went, I think, we're onto something here. This is actually quite a good song and that literally got covered three times. I think,
in the first couple a month year so and we ultimately recorded on that for the first official release, which was empty. I,
and so
sky, really kind of put start pushing us in the in the right direction
A guy called stay brown who actually
did up producing debs empty sky, so
when you write what is because jumping on the buggy easy,
do not have a necessarily have a discipline around around
sovereignty just comes to you. I I sometimes
wonder. I complete
undisciplined in certain areas the very disciplined in other areas, maya, but that area
I'm disciplined in. Ah more,
Now you know it's like. I keep a tidy house. I keep my clothes straight, you
I am slightly undisciplined in my work ethic gonna, because I'm all over the place- and I got so much- I want to do and say that I dont know
oh some time when to do it and and when not to do it, and should I do this today or should
do this today, should I go in my studio and work on my art. I
as far as writing songs, I only ever right songs
now a in in and in the last couple of decades, when we
gonna make a record. Ok now
more call me and say feel
king erected in maybe a couple of months. You know want to start thinking about some ideas. That's when I ll start writing, I'm not I'm not the
textbook songwriter gets up, goes into the you know, office in
so kind of diane Warren thing here, which is great. You know that professional songwriter
think of myself. In those terms, I've never thought of myself. In those terms, as I say this
oh bid at the beginning in the book, where I question what a song
darius and I dont think of myself as that and I dont know
think of myself ass. I suppose I am a lyricist, but again some.
asked me what I do. I say: I'm a storyteller
was interesting. The book about like ie, you know
you're. Very well, read I believe.
Yeah and that you know there is a sort of this interesting young,
counter with graham green right right, who you always were arguably one, the greatest novice of of
ever my estimation, probably the gray, and I'm I'm sold.
And anyway, just even with the back story of owning that cairo yoga will lead in that year, the the
the actual meeting will you
disorder framed in a way that was,
Ok, that's what I got well. It was
It was again kismet and you know an axe, a beautiful accident, the uno assist because
I'd agreed to meet somebody at the savoy here and just happen, you know I thought came
gotta go to this avoid bards. We are that I've never been to and his legendary here and boom areas. Man in eighth night is abide
my dream in our next still here in the band now now there's another one of the great great moment life we advocate, and especially the fact that he was not this
if I may to eat. I wouldn't say
took a shine, but I think he he saw that there was a true
glimmer of interests there and knowledge, yeah yeah, yeah, it's
moment when you meet a euro in there. Now, oh yeah, I'm dismissive, whereas I don't think I can honestly say that probably the great greatest accidental
eating. I've ever had any. I too good one. So it's not, unlike you too, to just
Have a phrase. Come to your head,
set it aside and building
alt later, oh yeah, no, absolutely and especially
firstly, in the early days when I was really doing a lot of travelling
you know my my pockets in my tracks.
bag were littered with men, scrawled
stuff I'd. Scrolled on men use yeah gains a vomit bag
from playing anything, I could get our hotel stationary. Yeah I mean I used ever whole box of it and then, when it got to be too
I'm to sort of way
gonna now more work on songs for an album I'd, get all these pieces out and they have sort of
first near they'd, have tycho song titles I am. I was like
finding interesting song titles.
I you know, because, when I used to flip through albums in a record store, the the things used to appeal to me would be albums that had interesting
on titles yeah. You know, there's something that was gonna mundane may be pushed aside, but that that was
definitely one of the components that I I worked with.
This entails, were taken from lines in the songs
well eat. Well, yeah I mean the the title of a song is usually used it here in the us anyway, so you gotta pick which one was going to happen, yeah yeah so, but I would I would,
I didn't I mean I certainly didn't. Do the bowery trick of chess writing stuff out, throwing it near and then putting it together like a jigsaw puzzle. Oh you know with what, without the latter rose, they nike air, while he did that, wasn't my the way.
To work you know, but
yeah I mean I just collected and an ultimately a peace things together. I just size, it was so cause. I there was a
which sounded I just watch. I just hosted a screening of dog they afternoon. Oh yeah, nemorin area is the opening thing and that was loom was like with that's a song we want here. It's
funny I mean everybody says that it doesn't really fit in
The movie, but now you can't
watch the movie without hearing it yeah, you understand it totally near. You know there is something about seeing those new york streets in the seventies, but this is a song that is basically a cow
true sonya about the country out about
urban K right
for some reason it fits
I think that's happens a lot of times with people songs. You know you don't think. That's I guess. That's it!
fun over putting music and
as you know, I think, if I'd
anything else in my life, I would have liked to have done. That is a job that would have been found.
It feels like some of the song even some of the albums unfold like movies, and we also know that you can. I don't know you think about it, but it seems like
for some reason goodbye, bye outbreak road
as a move, o absolutely yeah. I mean it's definitely the most sinner Matt
go out and because they are for the most part or story driven. I made you think about it.
this, I think, is only like one. What
would call romantic
I'd, love song. If you want here on the out, everything else is pure filth and about you know huge human flotsam.
an unsavory characters and weird robot
bans, and you know it gets a car- is kind of like a comic book, a graphic novel. If you were me, though, that moment were, I guess it's just incomes.
after a funeral for a friend
You know and then goes into love lies bleeding right. It's like that's like one of the greatest moments in music. Well, I'd like to think so yeah I mean it's certainly a good it kicks off.
Really well, we know and again
It's I give you wanna see madman across the water is, as I said earlier is, is like
american travelogue. Here you know it's a prime for the american west and so then we get into, but then there's a couple record records before goodbye overgrowth, where you deal with these characters, yeah
Why do you think is don't shoot me in Hong kong shadow year day day
I played middle ground. I think there was a bit of everything gone where you always gunning for hits. Was that part of not me,
I did. I had no idea about hits. I think
I'll, tell you what we'll never set out to write hits we set out to write albums, but when I was a kid I remember hockey cat was a big hit
Well, I know that the the one thing I do know is that honky chateau was our first number one album in the state, yeah yeah and then honky chateau, I believe, had I think rocket man was near there, but
you know elton is the guy who knows every every fact
about about valley hours where they he knows.
replaces played. You know what the outcome
ass, it is waning
I eat it. You know, and he knows the same about our music, you know and how it fed on the billboard charts. I mean
a billboard devout t he. You know he just still
all it in a way follows
records. The art is on it. I
No, I got it all wrong. There's a big hit that there will never forget about that was that was later on. The answer me yeah, that was, that was a big and Daniel Daniel was a big it, to wit,
that's on come from,
Neil was based on a story in time magazine that I read on a plane about tat, offensive and guys coming
from vietnam and it's fun
how the ones the ones that came back to
if you want the urban jungle, the
urban cities, yeah we're sort of
ripped on by the people,
baby killers. Yeah right, you know, which was unfortunate.
but the guys that went home,
the mid west were treated like heroes right and
The idea of it was that it supposed to
At present, the guys that went back
to the mid west and couldn't handle that kind of
adoration and it's a fictionalized story about one of them just saying
to get out of here, and it's about his brothers farewell to just say the area, so it was.
Based on that, but you can take it many many different horace. I think that's what an that's. That's the beauty of songs. You know how. However, you want to interpret it is I'm on total
down with I'm happy with what I think that's the magic go
music and general right yeah. What I you know, I said
a million times, songs alike, abstract out. If you don't understand what the song is about, then come
with your own interpretation, dont, look to me I'll, probably make something up. What's up
Just how moves you right, I mean you know, because there's that repetition of things in certain songs will grow with you emotionally as you grow, while everybody gravitates to a song differently, because it it it might pin
I didn't emotional soft
bought in their life. You know whether it's their wedding, whether it's their first child
that they were going through an emotional upheaval, a break up at the time and this song with something that comforted them, which is
she's! Wonderful, I mean, I think, that's terrific, so that person is probably
to associate that song with themselves and that
upheaval in their life and that's that's a wonderful fact. I mean it's it's,
the way it should be the end. I don't wanna be selfish with the song. The area you know lay take them and run with them one,
I've written them once they are recorded. They belong to the world yet, and I find that life, even if it's not tethered to an event or an experience that
the emotions of the thinking of the song
He doesn't have to be tethered anything that, like a one that still has a lasting effect, where I like to think that I like to think that
songs timeless they re occur over the decades. They crop up again
you know, and they keep doing it and have done it just recently and volume reason why,
do. I mean outright rocky mount now now
a dual leave her out of here. You know where he's a mash up of different sites,
yeah bringing it to come
lately new granting out contemporary grew
I think so that that in it
offers pretty amazing its interest.
Two because of him and the nature, the lyrics, but also there's something about
elton being so, frightened
enter. You know as a personality and as a piano player that lends itself
to a certain time, was so like he is unto itself. Even if the production is,
time. It still
Melvin Johnson. What I'd like to think that people find some
again, the song that is in a remains
contemporary the deck area, because
They really have. You no stood the test
the time and they still sound great. You know the production on the untasted, which is proof,
Probably why you know we haven't had a ton of cover.
Versions of our songs. I mean we ve had plenty of cover versions, but probably not
as many as you might imagine, because people always say well, they opened
version, is the ultimate. You know, I'm not gonna, try and top that yeah yeah. That's the one militia going in a completely different direction with it. You know, but, and we ve had great people cover our songs. Everybody from sinatra to re, chart right in fact,
the last track, but Rachel's ever cotton is life which one of us on a really with one sorry seems to bid at his word,
and did you did you were- have contact were re about it. Now
but out and dead, because out and sang honor with so often in fact, Elton's got outtakes of it with
decisions between him and re talking about the song and talking about other things as well
yeah so that's pretty much a treasure because he died very very soon after that?
and you
in terms of.
Your managing success
you feel that for you,
who it was.
here too, not be frightened centre,
because you were in the seventies like like a bull. To my nature. I would never have wanted it. I live in a fish bow, you know,
such a individualised that I have to be
The walk down the street. On my own, I mean, if you look at our own, is probably I would say in the top ten most recognising the opposite of that yeah I mean it totally. The most recognise the earth and in the world I mean some people like that, can can walk down there,
rage and be recognised, but its elton john,
and walked down the street on his own. I mean I just can't vienna, I couldn't
do that. I mean you know he is he a structured is live where it works. Well for him,
and I ve structured my life where it works. Well. For me, I like to be able to do things
I myself, I dont have a staff, you know I,
managed by my wife. You know I ever
a temporary assistance
time. Not all the time I've got. One at the moment is simply because organizing stuff for the book you know, but now
have to be avoided. I dont want somebody driving me around, but also their like. You know, as you went through whatever ura
a party days.
Weren't into you know the brit depressed and get on you need in after you throw
Well, I don't think they got on a lot on a lot of us in those days. Beer social media didn't exist her. You know social media, the way it exists now you can't do anything, but the stones took ahead. Yet
they were very high profile and they probably did things that
were in the past.
Like I, you know what I'm talking about is yonder out of zero out of the public eye and the colonel. You could do anything to do now.
You can't do anything anywhere. You can't say anything, you know it's just it. It's it's a completely different playing
well now than it used to sounds like a good time in the bahamas. Oh I had a great time I loved it. There I mean it was kind of my second home. I kind of out stayed my welcome, ultimately yeah but which I did and a lot of places. I guess at a certain point in my life, but I certainly made the most of it while I was at it. Never never
no no animals are human beings were hurt. Our good in the end
of the five of my indulgence, and you got to hang out with oliver reed yeah here and an survived where there was ever a line that you got scared of not surviving.
Now now now I think
carriers thing I ever did- was to attempt to free base in the DRC
days, and I had the good sense to go
This isn't a rabbit. How I'm going down the I know. I know where this ends and I walked out of it and escaped what could have been
my demise and was demise of others.
We are going for either you like your heart about to explode or you doubt it, but right exactly and the fact that you know five minutes later you needed again yeah, it's not a not a. I knew right away that that was not going to work
well. How are you in l, nice as good great just talked to him the other day, yeah he's okay, you're, always good. He had actually at a fall the other day and had to spend a night and his is actually in the south of france right now we're on vacation and we're on vacation, as he does at this
I'm in the air always but
he's gotta, especially well deserved vacation after
the end of the two year.
as the last one is it man done no more
he's done before, though, has any no not like how people say that nets that's fabric,
Shouting in everybody says that at some point, but let me lemming poseur
a question dear, if
If he were to go back on the road, don't you think he would beaches, pilloried and crucified?
absolutely no! This is it down.
gonna tour anymore, no more well tours,
If he ever did anything a gain, it might be a residency and do or like a deep cuts,
I nonetheless, you know which we ve talked about
but it would be at home on home ground, as you have here too,
He's got a home here that his main residences in england, but I've got a place in the south of france and he has a place in atlanta are also
now where their time so I can. I know you are about this in the book, and people have talked about it before and made insinuations where there was a
a sort of relationship tension
We need to know I'm away. He was happily says that we have now
ever had an argument, the oven, even in the time that we step away from each other in the I don't know what
where's the midday tizzy face again after the blue moves album. So ever that was here, and that was just, I think,
was a geographical separation? You know it became more price pressures,
and and also you have to understand at that particular point in time. We
broken every record there was to break. We had three outcomes to go into number one, the straight out of the box, which it
the happened, video and billboard history. Three in a row went straight and a number which ones were those captain. Antibiotic was the first rob.
The way it is next in blue movie, I as an
Then you know he'd played two days
just stadium. We play the biggest stated
in the states
in our we'd had
number one singles in a row and say what
you do after that. You ve got to cairo, have stepped back and go. Ok, we have to react,
that's the whole ball game here you know you're not gonna, keep strike in, and you know you're going to strike out at some
not keep hit NOME runs
and am I think, just it? It just happened by ozma
this naturally rat. Whatever way you want to say here- and you know, we took a break from each other for a while and he did and now with somebody else.
And I will I did and now with Alice cooper and worked with a couple of other people. Do you jeffrey a starship song here? I did which one we build
sadly a year where single of all time
too many magazines, which I wear a badge of honor.
as the song is lasted, wait longer
Some of the magazine depict
Everybody knows the song and everybody knows the sorry. You know it's been good.
I families I say in the book. I too think that I ask myself the question if I hadn't written it
I like it and I go now, but I did so. I stand if I says you're yeah so
and then we would, by the same baby steps we just got back together
eventually and took up like it
it never happened. You know, yeah,
why mean any keep? You know? There's still a lotta hits after that.
They keep another layer and
You know, the thing is because he's retired from the road doesn't mean is retired from the studio. The eyes not gonna sit still believe me, so we ve got
and you know to go back in the studio at some point
and do you know
often written in stone yet but said he.
Plan, with some of the same guys from
old days I gotta
bang, well, yeah that the two it with a mere absolutely yet davy nigel by both you know here and the ban not show
they're gonna do now. I don't talk to them about that. I plan on seeing davy soon so yeah I'll see what
up to bed? I'm sure they'll find plenty of work and they are the best. There is so much should mere shortage of jobs. Other
is there anything that two questions and there just coming to me-
now I get you out of the entire catalogue, which one do you.
Go back to your mind, the most as being the a great example of what you do
I don't know I mean the several I mean it's.
these two ways of answering that people always say what they owe it all to me,
some time always say: what's the best song you ve ever reality out here and that's hard is, I think, duke ellington said the one
I'm gonna do to monitor in you know so, but is
is albums. I think it goes in stages. Here I mean I obviously
love tumble wade. I love madman near I think, occur
I recently re listen to it simply because they, you know, did the fifty evanna
I saw of it. Neither listened to the pressing air and other dang. This is.
Really a good out really stance and it s a guy. I lie. I actually think I like it better than tumbleweed here.
I dont know why. But I have a soft spot for tom beware, but then I love captain friend, I'm a yellow,
the crowd. Obviously I know is a bench point here and sonically that album is just phenomenal. Any of your hear, a good pressing of a year. Gus dudgeon, is probably one of the most underrated producers of all time. Here. I think, if anything odd, we had the best sounding albums of the seventies
especially in there. A few other people are made great sounding records here, but then
the later albums. I I love, I love songs from the west cozier. I think that's a really really fine record
there's an hour we may call made in england, which is a good sounding record here, got great songs on it
and of the later ones. Recently I love the outcome. We did with Leon,
The good record yea right right can, I wouldn't have known that that day they had this love for each other,
toward with lay on the early days. Leon was the troubadour in nineteen, seven rye, air and
said to me in the studio he said, I am told,
nobody dares, but once when I saw out and that the true produced
Nineteen seventy attend to death,
go down and said. Well, my career is over whether she had compliment, but I love that out my I loved an army. They call the diving board, which was fairly reason. I thought that
very adele grow
about monarch part? I think it was a return to simplicity.
but it was very
terrain and very grown up
you're the best way of putting it do you feel, like you, ve done everything you set out to do in terms of up to this point music
we now lyric, where I know. What's the dream.
My I'd, I'd love to make one more great great record here
contemporary, but also inhabited by water,
eggs to make a great elton john record and what is the out and John sound at the out and john piano? The Bernie turbans
or returning but put into a sort of contemporary
and when I say contemporary, I dont mean machine driven here I mean just that it sound
fresh new, but it sounds like
if I think, of bringing any this new generation of jazz guys, I dont
that would work.
with us. I dont think that would be out.
The thing you know he drives the bus when we're in the studio yeah. I leave those decisions up to him, but
Who knows you know what it's it's always, it's always an adventure and as long as it as long as it,
Adventure then I'm in
to be, I am in for the exploration it seems like like we were talking earlier about. I just remembered something that was going to pick up, and I didn't that you know you. You talk about song lyrics as being similar to abstract, art and and you your work is abstract.
Well, I started in the abstract,
yonder of but multi media is more multi media. Now I call him wolves sculptures, you know, because there they sort of,
John ply board and built on c two blocks and their deconstruct
did instruments and burnt alive.
And soon elements found elements and they're pretty
interesting and they're pretty original as nobody out the trouble
When I was doing abstract work was
you end up feeling like your
employing from your hero.
The same as music art out emulating you heroes, side film.
It could out emulating their heroes and probably still do any artist. Any artist does that, but you gotta find your own voice in the end and that's what
with me or not. I felt that my staff looked too much like HANS hofmann, mere franz kline. We were just painting or I was painting back then now paint isn't even while it it isn't.
The occasional. If I throw some onto a pc, you know there's missouri
text work in her term. It's pretty interesting, do it in a impulsively. Do I just like I kind of got derailed by
eating the book because ike
once I realized what I
doing by writing these prose
pcs, and I suddenly realize oh wait a second. I think what I'm doing is writing a book here. So I took it seriously knuckle down and then got it got this deal through my agent in new york and
got a very good deal on the book
so I just put knows too
stone and literally spent, probably
four or five hours a day for about two years working on the bow, wow, that's
like the most disappointing you ve been about writing yeah.
They go, I argue with that
when he chose armenia beat you really shows that it there
something about that shows that you were sort of like tat
it seriously, and in you you know, yet I could tell you had my gram green in mind and certain way in terms of the old europe descriptions and in just how you re it out. It's not like. I like I like
did this in the nat and yeah exactly well. As I make very clear at the beginning, the book I never intended it to be a to z, yeah, you know I always wanted it to be nonlinear. I mean
opening of the book is, is pretty you know
as is yeah. I know it's got about my childhood got about meeting out, but then by
sickly. Once of an eye,
get out a london and get to the states which hence the tea,
the book scatter shot it's a bit like I loaded up the ship
gonna, be out in the shells
the trigger and wherever
the sheer pellets, fell as you have my narrative. You know
and onto so its geographic
Let's all over the road or two
yeah yeah, I absolutely out of that sort of in line with the way I rowing. I wrote
but I felt like writing when I got to the word press.
sir, in front of me. What do I want to write about today? You know at the store,
graham greene, would come up. You know- and I go I'm going to write about that today, so because that's one of those stories, it's not just like a meeting thing, it's sort of like he had a lifelong.
and a residence yet again a result
there are definitely the end by day?
When I realized tat, I was the funny thing is that I never really looked at mike contract for the book. You know because it says your contract
if so many words and so many pages at an aim
that I just wrote till I was down there and it ended up being over eight hundred page aware so
you can understand the diner yet a good additives ago. Well,
that's a great thing yeah and if you trust your editor and you, you gotta make something yeah, but it was tough to make some of the decisions. But I I'm very, very happy where the the piece
fell I mean I think we came up with a very, very condense version of those eight hundred page
yeah. I think people are going to love it
help. So I sure- and what about do you ever like? I mean it's interesting how your how kind of liking
Your culturally american and a lot of ways jody miss england. Now there you go
thanks for talking thanks. I appreciate it
right, what a light, scatter shy,
Music elton in me comes out next week, but you can pre order it now, where ever you give books hang out for a second oaks. People have done for
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weak. On the show author and activist naomi klein, I told you she was coming she's on Monday and Hannah. I'm binder from hacks is on thursday and before we
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guys on practising my slide. I listen do a little r l burnside my time
things a little lupi, but I now some of it
dull Jimmy
in the
Transcript generated on 2023-09-09.