Friday 17th April

Well, I met Elton once.  Before he was famous, though as an avid reader of music mags I had not only heard of him but had just bought his eponymous album (this was actually his second release but I had to really search to find his debut).  There was a tiny record shop just off Oxford Street near what used to be ‘The Hog In The Pound’ pub.  It sold a lot of what might now be termed “Underground” music, recently discovered bands, a lot of heavy and prog rock, and new exciting artists like Elton.  Surprised to hear me describing Elton as exciting?  But back then pre-fame he really was exciting, he was breaking new ground with every record.  Anyway, there I was flicking through the racks, looking for something I might have read about lately.  I was on my lunch break and used to regularly trawl the smaller record shops which in those days peppered the West End, even the original Virgin record shop down near Tottenham Court Road.  I was deep in the racks when I heard this voice asking if anyone had bought his record, then he said his name and I turned round.  It was Elton alright, long hair and flared trousers and dark rimmed glasses.  I said something like “I have” and Elton actually asked me what I thought of it.  I must have said that I liked it, especially the ballad “Your Song.”  Anyway he was quickly out of the shop.  Strangely enough our paths have never crossed since, though I have been in the same theatre with him on a few occasions, but we have never spoken since….hahaha.

And yes I did love the “Elton John” record with it’s rocking and weird songs like ‘First Episode at Hienton’.  I did find his first record “Empty Sky” which was okay and a bit flat except for the two stand-out songs Lady Samantha and Skyline Pigeon.  Then he quickly released “Tumbleweed Connection” – a collection of songs about the Wild West, and fabulous too with almost every songs a winner.  Incidentally on the strength of ‘Love Song’ I got into Lesley Duncan as she was the writer of that one.   “Madman Across the Water” soon followed with those first two brilliant tracks “Tiny Dancer” and “Levon”, he was really motoring now, no fillers just great melodies and a strong band behind him.  His next offering was “Honky Chateau” with the incredible ‘Rocket Man’ on it.  By now Elton was hitting the singles charts, but nothing was guaranteed and still he wasn’t a household name.  All that would change with his next record “Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player”. This had two huge singles on it – the sublime “Daniel” and the ridiculous “Crocodile Rock” which was surely meant as a tongue-in-cheek pastiche.  So now he was famous and was quickly conquering America just as The Beatles had a decade ago.  But I still love those early pre-fame albums best though, there was an innocence about them, an honesty and almost his best songs too.