Elton John News from Crazy Water

...and a safe and Happy New Year!

The favorite stop of Elton while in NY has closed it doors for good!

Tower tumbles

Closing time for the city stores that 'loved music'

BY DAVID HINCKLEY
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Shopper sees if there is any meat left to pick off the bones of Tower Records at Lincoln Center. The chain closes for good tonight.
Ramsey Jones says it was no big secret how Tower Records became a New York institution in its 23 years here.

"This store knew and loved music," said Jones, who has worked in the Greenwich Village Tower for 16 years. "If you came in for something, we didn't just point. We knew what it was."

He remembers the woman who would fly in from California to ask what was new and good; the deejay from Spain who would drop a grand or two on jazz records that Jones recommended.

"He spent so much, we gave him a discount," Jones said. "But that's how it was here. People trusted us."

Whatever the bond, it ends tonight when the chain that opened in California in 1960 and came to New York in 1983 locks all its doors for good and takes a good-sized chunk of an era with it.

Jones, a musician who has played on records by artists including Wu-Tang Clan, looked over the carcass that remained - a jumble of empty racks and a handful of movies and CDs that are quickly running out of time.

A DVD of "Hot Rod Top 10" is marked $3.99. A Lee Greenwood "God Bless the USA" CD is 80% off. A DMX poster is $10. Cassettes are a penny.

Peppy dance hits play in the background over WNEW-FM, which 15 years ago was sending listeners to Tower to buy rock 'n' roll.

Tower Records stores - the Lincoln Center outlet as well as the one at Broadway and E.Fourth St. - were a crossroads and a New York destination.

They weren't stores people wandered into because they were in the neighborhood. They rode subways to get there, and the yellow Tower bag with the bright-red block letters was as distinctive in this world as a baby-blue Tiffany's box on Fifth Ave.

Friday night at 11:30 in Tower Records was like Macy's at noon on a sale day, and it was rarely a crowd that wanted to grab the new Elton John album and bolt. These were folks who worked their way down a rack of records.

"You didn't just get what you heard on the radio here," said Jones. "You could find things the radio never played. People would say they liked something and ask what else I thought they might like. They were adventurous. I see less of that now."

Tower had its detractors, people who saw it bashing down the gates for megastores that have put so many independents and specialty stores out of business.

But artists liked it, especially the kind of emerging and nonmainstream artists who used to play the Bottom Line, a wonderful club a block west of the downtown store.

"Tower would carry their music," said Bottom Line co-owner Allan Pepper. "Tower would take the chance."

The Bottom Line is gone now, too, and Jones thinks the loss of Tower reflects erosion in our broader culture.

"Record companies don't care about music any more," he says. "It's all marketing. 'Get me somebody who looks like this.' It doesn't matter if they have nothing to say. They just have to look right in the video.

"Music means so much more than that. And now we're losing another place where it did."

Elton to host Diana Concert

20 DECEMBER 2006

Music legend Elton John may be doing more than belting out the hits at the Diana Memorial Concert in July next year. According to reports, the singer has been asked by Prince William and Prince Harry to compere the event, introducing the acts and hosting the show.

Speaking at Monday night's premiere of partner David Furnish's film It's A Girl Boy Thing, Elton explained: "They said there could be a role for me doing the MC bit by linking it all together, and asked whether I would mind doing it - which of course I don't! William and Harry are going to be choosing all the acts, but I will help out in any which way."

Sir Elton also revealed that - if the Princes requested it - he would perform the song he wrote for Diana's funeral, Candle In The Wind.

"I am absolutely thrilled to be performing at this great event. Diana was a personal friend and someone I greatly admired for her tireless and enthusiastic work for charity."

At MLB.com there is a "Exclusive World Premiere Video" for Elton's "Tinderbox" which may indicate it will be released as the 2nd single off of "The Captain & The Kid". Here is a screen capture of the page. You may have to hit refresh a few times if it doesn't show up upon initially visiting the site.

According to this NY Post article it is...

ELTON'S BET GOT LENNON THROUGH THE NIGHT

By DAN AQUILANTE
PrintEmailStory Bottom

December 11, 2006 -- ONE of Madison Square Garden's most famous gigs started as a simple bet.

In early 1974, John Lennon agreed to sit in on guitar for his pal Elton John's covers of "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" and Lennon's solo song "One Day at a Time."

In return, Elton John and his band were featured on Lennon's "Whatever Gets You Through the Night," a song in which Lennon had little confidence. In the biography "Lennon," he is quoted as saying, "It would be nice, but it's not a No. 1."

Elton knew better and bet Lennon that if his song made it to the No. 1 Billboard slot, Lennon would have to end his seclusion and join him onstage at his Thanksgiving gig at the Garden.

Lennon lost the bet but won anyway - scoring his first solo No. 1 song since The Beatles' breakup. And then he made good on the wager.

He sat in with Elton and his band for a three-song set on Nov. 28, 1974 - a concert that, tragically, turned out to be Lennon's final public performance before his death six years later at the hands of a deranged assassin.

The concert is honored as one of Madison Square Garden's 50 Greatest Moments on the MSG Network tomorrow night at 9.

At that special Garden party, Lennon was an emotional wreck: harassed by the Nixon administration that wanted to deport him for a past drug charge, estranged from Yoko Ono and waffling as a solo artist.

Elton wanted him to perform "Imagine," but Lennon turned him down, saying, "I don't want to come on like Dean Martin, doing my classic hits."

Instead, Lennon said, "I wanted to have some fun and play some rock 'n' roll." He and Elton settled on "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds," "Whatever Gets You Through the Night" and The Beatles classic "I Saw Her Standing There."

In fact, Lennon did see her standing there. Yoko Ono was in the 11th row watching. Hearing those songs and seeing Lennon in his glory again helped rekindle their relationship.

While Lennon wouldn't return to the Garden, Elton did - many, many times. He holds the record for having played the most sold-out concerts by an individual artist: 59.

And come this March, when he turns 60, Elton is scheduled to celebrate his 60th gig in rock's cathedral.

The video for "Tinderbox" Elton's next UK (and hopefully US) single is now up on YouTube, a great video of archival footage of Elton and Bernie, somewhat reminiscent of the "Free As A Bird" video done for the Beatles;

If the rumors are true and Elton is planning to release a piano & vocal only album to coincide with his 60th birthday celebrations in March 2007, then that makes "The Bridge" even bigger blunder on Universal's part than I originally thought it was.

With all of the fantastic songs on "The Captain & The Kid" Universal chose to release an Elton ballad, no surprise, and the worst track on the album. A good song, just not a great song. They could have gone the uptempo route, they had a few to choose from. They could have chose a power ballad like "Tinderbox" or country tinged track like the title cut, which would have been good promotion for the album too.

But no, we get a typical Elton ballad that happens to be a piano and vocal only track. It does moderately well on the charts barely reaching the Top 20. And it also happens to be the same style music that Elton is rumored to be working for his next album. So when and if a single is released from the next album it will have a very familiar sound. It will also be ignored by radio and listeners as "another Elton ballad." So Universal has killed "The Captain & The Kid" with no promotion and are now working on destroying the next album before its even out. Way to go!

It's been suggested in Elton discussion forums that he needs to leave Universal and start his own label. I agree 100% Universal is doing nothing for him. He couldn't do any worse himself. So how about it Elton?

UPDATE: It appears that Mercury (Universal) has not given up yet, Tinderbox is slated to be the second single in the UK with a released date of 12/12. Is the US next? Hello, Universal!!!! ????

Elton's agent has responded to questions about his profanity laced tirade against Universal that it was just a big joke. Of course it was, we all knew that already, didn't we?
Gary Farrow says;

“I think you’ll find it [the fifteen reported uses of the word ‘fuck’] was tongue-in-cheek about the record company,”

Yeah, right, sure it was.

Joke or not, Universal's marketing and promotion of "The Captain & The Kid" has been atrocious from the beginning with appearances on all of the usual boring suspects (Ellen, Leno and such) to absolutely no creative placement of the album such as in Starbucks where Elton's Christmas album performed so well, to the terrible choice for the lead single. And who knows if they will even bother with a second single since the "The Bridge" has been floundering in the lower half of the Top 20.

Universal could actually try something new and different with the next single release. Why don't they take 3-4 songs from the album and push all of them to radio and say "here ya go, have at it, play whatever you want". At least that way programmers have a choice and perhaps radio listeners will be exposed to more than just one song TC&TK. It's worth a try. That's if Universal even cares anymore.

Elton took out his frustration on Universal Records and the lack of promotion for his new album "The Captain & The Kid" during his two shows at Long Island's Nassau Coliseum;

"This new album has gotten some of the best reviews of my career, and my record company has done absolutely nothing," John complained midway through the show. "They're useless. Here's a message to Universal Records: Please drop me. Just let me go somewhere else."

Another quote;

"Nobody would know (the album has been out since September). My record label isn't doing anything to help. F**k Universal. Please drop me. I'm 58 and I don't care anymore."

And another;

"I'm going to play a song, but I'm sure you haven't heard it because the f**kers haven't promoted it," Elton said to the crowd about his new tune, "Postcards From Richard Nixon."

Merck Mercuriadis has split ties with Elton John. According to a statement issued on behalf of John's management company Twenty-First Artists, Mercuriadis has stepped down by "mutual agreement" from duties tending to the creative side of the veteran singer/songwriter's career.

As a result of the move, creative management services will be handled by Johnny Barbis in the United States, and Clive Banks in the United Kingdom and rest of the world.

Mercuriadis continues as an artist manager within Twenty-First Artists' parent company Sanctuary Group, overseeing artists including Axl Rose and Morrissey.

John turned to Mercuriadis -- formerly CEO of Sanctuary Records -- to manage the creative side of his career after John and his partners sold Twenty-First Artists to the Sanctuary Group for $30.1 million (Billboard, April 16).

John co-founded London-based Twenty-First with Frank Presland and Keith Bradley. Presland was appointed CEO of Sanctuary Group following Andy Taylor's dismissal from the post on May 26.

It appears that Best Buy sales data may not have made it into the Billboard/Soundscan charts for this week...

Billboard SoundScan Released With Incomplete Data?

September 27, 2006

Before you dive into this week's Billboard SoundScan sales numbers, keep in mind that the chart was likely released without information from retail giant Best Buy. Yesterday (9/26), SoundScan alerted all paid subscribers via email that the numbers for the week may be inaccurate and that they will "extrapolate" for the missing sales data. The company also warned clients to be "advised that there may be anomalies in the data for the week ending 9/24/06."

SoundScan did not indicate what retail information was missing, but two record companies indicated to FMQB that data seems to show Best Buy's sales data was not included. SoundScan would not confirm this with either company.

One company explained the missing data to its staff like this: "Soundscan weighted the other retailers in each market to estimate market sales for the week. Don't 'add in' additional sales. There will be aberrations based on some titles that Best Buy may do better with but the totals have been supplemented already. SoundScan will repost everything if Best Buy can get their data in a timely fashion. Since Best Buy ran sales on most of the new titles, debuts could be smaller than actual size."

In a press release, Megaforce Records questioned why it is paying $26,000 a year to receive sales numbers from SoundScan, stating: "Shouldn't it be SoundScan's job to report the actual sales numbers, not a guessing game?" Megaforce is concerned over a debut by Mushroomhead on the SoundScan chart that shows only 12,183 units sold when another sales tracking company had them selling closer to 26,000.

Elton John's new album "The Captain & The Kid" has debuted on the UK chart at #6. See here. The album also debuted at #18 in the US on the Billboard Top 200 Album Chart.

In 2001 "Songs From The West Coast" was definitely a return to form, albeit a somewhat contrived return. Yes the songs were brilliant and the album was met with critical acclaim. Yet to me it always sounded a bit like Elton trying to sound like the old Elton.

With "The Captain and The Kid" Elton has accomplished something that I did not believe possible. He has produced an album, figuratively and literally, that can proudly stand next to all of Elton's classic 70s albums. Nothing Elton does will ever match those 70s albums, call it the "curse of the classics" as someone recently coined the phrase on the forum. Even if some future album does equal or surpass any of those 70s album the critics and the fans would never admit it. "The Captain and The Kid" comes as close as Elton will ever come to accomplishing that feat.

From the 45 second opening piano intro on "Postcards From Richard Nixon" you immediately sense that this album is different. You get the feeling that Elton is on to something and that he knows it. The track, about Elton and Bernie's arrival in the USA, has a country feel to it similar to the title track from the original album. Next in line is "Just Like Noah's Ark" which also mirrors the original with similar subject matter. It is arguably one of the more enjoyable uptempo tracks that Elton has recorded lately taking some inspiration from the Rolling Stones' "Brown Sugar."

Elton's self-proclaimed love song to New York City is "Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way (NYC)" with its beautiful melody and vocal from Elton along with majestic and soaring background vocals. The line "no matter what might happen, you'll never sink this ship" makes you think of the way New York and New Yorkers came back so strong after 9/11 as well as referring to Elton and Bernie as survivors. "Tinderbox" chronicles Elton's fall from grace with lyrics like "but a wind of change blew across our sales." Easily this track could be the next single.

The gem of the set is "...And The House Fell Down" featuring some of the best funky piano playing from Elton on record in quite some time. The song is the most uptempo Elton has been in a long time and also contains what could be what an Elton hip-hop record may sound like with an Elton-rap on the bridge. This is a track that I did not think Elton still had in him and proves to any doubting Thomas's that the guy still can surprise even fans of 35 years.

The album doesn't disappoint the ballad lovers with one of the most emotional vocals ever from Elton on "Blues Never Fade Away." A song about the loss of friends and loved ones that asks the question "how did we get so lucky?" References to Ryan White and John Lennon only make the track more powerful.

Probably the weakest track on the album was chosen as the lead single. "The Bridge is a song about decisions, life altering ones. This song serves as a bridge to the final three songs that are about Elton and Bernie looking back at their careers and lives. "I Must Have Lost It On The Wind" and "Old '67" could both fit perfectly on Tumbleweed Connection or Honky Chateau.

The final track "The Captain and The Kid" serves as a love letter to the fans by lifting the intro from the original title track and using it in the album closer creating a 30 year old bookend.

Yes Elton has done the impossible, created an album that comes as close as possible to the 70s classics without being one.

Or did he?

Elton's new album "The Captain & The Kid" is officially released today. It is available in several different formats. From EltonJohn.com these formats are;

The album is released in three formats:
* Limited edition vinyl with a gatefold sleeve and full -size booklets
* Enhanced cd album
* CD/DVD
Here is the track listing for each format.

1) Vinyl LP Record

Side 1
1. Postcards From Richard Nixon
2. Just Like Noah's Ark
3. Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way (NYC)
4. Tinderbox
5. ...And The House Fell Down
Side 2
1. Blues Never Fade Away
2. The Bridge
3. I Must Have Lost It On The Wind
4. Old '67
5. The Captain and The Kid

2) CD Album Enhanced

1. Postcards From Richard Nixon
2. Just Like Noah's Ark
3. Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way (NYC)
4. Tinderbox
5. ...And The House Fell Down
6. Blues Never Fade Away
7. The Bridge
8. I Must Have Lost It On The Wind
9. Old '67
10. The Captain and The Kid
11. Weblink to two more tracks, Across the River Thames and Someone Saved My Life Tonight (live) [This is available on UK versions only]

3) CD /DVD

1. Postcards From Richard Nixon
2. Just Like Noah's Ark
3. Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way (NYC)
4. Tinderbox
5. ...And The House Fell Down
6. Blues Never Fade Away
7. The Bridge
8. I Must Have Lost It On The Wind
9. Old '67
10. The Captain and The Kid
DVD: Interview with Elton John and Bernie Taupin

Elton John previews new album at concert

By NEKESA MUMBI MOODY, AP Music Writer
37 minutes ago

NEW YORK - Though he's one of the most successful pop stars in history, Elton John says he's given up on the idea of making hit records now that he's 59.

"Our day in the sun has gone, as far as radio play goes," John told an audience Wednesday night. "And we're OK with that."

He and longtime writing partner, Bernie Taupin, are now focused on making excellent songs, John said, and he previewed their new efforts while celebrating their old favorites at a concert to benefit his charity, The Elton John Foundation.

"OK, now we've come to the scary bit — for us, and maybe for you," he joked before playing the new material.

During the 2 1/2-hour concert, held at Jazz at Lincoln Center's intimate Frederick P. Rose Hall, John explained the inspiration behind the songs on "The Captain and the Kid," a complement to his classic 1975 album, "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy."

"It was really an album about how we struggle with failure," John said. "The next 36 years were about struggling with success."

Among the songs he debuted were "Tinderbox," which referenced the struggles Taupin and John have shared as creative partners, and "Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way (NYC)," a tribute to New York.

He also played many of his biggest hits, including "Tiny Dancer," "Rocket Man," "Bennie and the Jets" and "Believe," about the power of love, which he said spoke to the climate in the world today.

"We live in a funny old world at the moment and this song says everything I want to say about the situation," he said.

John was to perform at the Fashion Rocks concert at Radio City Music Hall on Thursday night, along with Beyonce, Kanye West, Nelly Furtado, the Black Eyed Peas and others.

The event will air Friday on CBS (9 p.m. EDT).

Fashion Rocks ™ presents the World Premiere Performance of Elton John’s new album on the AT&T blue room!!

“If you can’t wait for Elton John’s new album The Captain and the Kid to hit stores on September 19th, then join the club! However, Fashion Rocks is teaming up with the AT&T blue room to present a world premiere Elton John Performance on Sunday, September 10th at 7 pm et ONLY at blueroom.att.com.

From Fred Bronson of Billboard;

The most successful artist in the history of the Adult Contemporary chart solidifies his lead position with his first new entry of 2006. Elton John's "The Bridge" (Rocket) debuts at No. 29.

It is his 66th AC chart entry, the highest total of any artist. Barbra Streisand is in second place with 64. Elton is tied with the Carpenters for having the most No. 1 hits, with 15 (he also sang on "That's What Friends Are For," a No. 1 hit credited to "Dionne and Friends"). Elton also leads with the highest number of top 10 hits (38). Neil Diamond is in second place with 36.

The debut of "The Bridge" stretches Elton's AC chart span to 35 years, eight months and one week, dating back to the debut of "Your Song" the week of Dec. 26, 1970.

From Mojo:

"A LIFE LESS ORDINARY - THE CONTINUED COMEBACK OF THE QUEEN MUM OF POP"

by David Buckley

"ELTON JOHN can, so it seems, do anything he likes. A national treasure, at almost 60 he's the nearest the rock world has to a Grade One Listed Building. After 35 years at the top, he simply cannot be touched. He can be amusingly candid about fellow pop stars without fear of censure, he can swear on daytime television with equal impunity, he can tell of his disappointment over Live 8, and he can voice the nation's dissatisfaction with their football team with the authority of an absolute monarch.

Songs From The West Coast, Elton's dramatic return to form in 2001, saw him strip back the clunk and clatter of his '80s and '90s productions to reveal the basic sonic core of the Elton sound - piano, vocal. The strategy was continued through the less impressive Peachtree Road, and finds its natural conclusion on The Captain And The Kid, his 29th studio album of original material (the press release boasts 44, but who's counting?).

Here, Elton is in supremely confident mood, while at the sametime very unprotected indeed. In fact, there seems to be very little production on the record at all. Yet it is this, the album's major flaw, that is likely to be praised in some quarters as its greatest strength. But this isn't, as some might claim, a return to the classic sound of the '70s. Elton's songs have often been written in frantic spells before but, in the '70s, the sweeteners and detail of the production always gave depth to the music. Today, there's a curious demo-like quality to the sound.

This caveat aside, what more than saves the day here is a better-than-good melodic performance from Elton, and an outstanding set of lyrics by Bernie Taupin. The Captain And The Kid has the sort of narrative weight seldom found elsewhere today. The concept - namely that of a sequel to 1975's "Captain Fantastic And The Brown Dirt Cowboy" - was suggested by Elton's current manager, Merck Mercuriadis. "Captain Fantastic" contained a formidable set of Elton melodies married seamlessly to lyrics which saw Taupin critique the emergent music scene of the late '60s, a time when the would-be star and the teenage lyricist broke free of the constraints of hip London with their 'tra-la-las and la-de-das'. The sequel attempts, perhaps over-ambitiously in just 10 songs, to bring the story up to date, from the original's point of closure (roughly around the time of Elton's first album in 1969, "Empty Sky") to the present day, a present in which Taupin has become the Brown Dirt Cowboy, raising and training cutting horses on his estate in California, while Elton is nothing if not Captain Fantastic. If the original album was in part about prophecy, the sequel is a mature, and at times deeply moving, analysis of what went right and what went wrong.

The Captain And The Kid opens jauntily with Elton and Bernie's arrival in America. Postcards From Richard Nixon's honky-tonk piano run is a signature moment, Taupin's lyrics depicting the wide-eyed wonderment of their first
engagement with the American Dream during the crisis of Vietnam and Watergate. The love affair with all things American continues in the soaring ballad Wouldn't Have It Any Other Way (NYC). But it's the fourth track, Tinderbox, which is the real gem: a lyric which details the huge pressures the partnership encountered at the very height of their international fame set to one of Elton's best ever melodies. Tinderbox is proof that, perhaps alone among his contemporaries, Elton still has the ability to write a brilliant four-minute pop song.

Taupin is on top form throughout, smoothly weaving two or three major themes into one song, as the story of success and hedonistic excess gives way to middle age and poignant reflection on the rock business. Blues Never Fade Away is a moving song about AIDS victims while The Bridge, lyrically the pivotal song on the album, seems to comment on the tasks faced by all music stars as they move from youthful iconicity to maturity. There's humour too:
Elton's dog, Arthur, makes a guest appearance on the bluesy rock of Just Like Noah's Ark, while I Must Have Lost It On The Wind looks back wryly on relationships (and plenty of them) which obviously came part and parcel with international fame."

The official release date for "The Captain & The Kid" is September 19 according to EltonJohn.com . They are also offering a preview of the opening track "Postcards From Richard Nixon." The track picks up where the original album left off with Elton and Bernie coming to America and taking it by storm!

Hercules website reports the following;

Elton plans a special show in New York City on September 6, 2006, during which he will debut songs from the forthcoming studio album, "The Captain and the Kid".

Tickets for the concert at Lincoln Center's Rose Theatre are expected to be priced between $500 and $1,000.

Stay tuned for details about advance ticket sales and more details.

Amazon.com lists "The Captain and The Kid" with a release date of September 12. Also they have two imports listed with release dates of 9/14 and 9/19. See here.

Eil.com also lists a vinyl version of the album being released in the UK on September 11.

MusicTap.net says September 12 is the US release date for Elton John's new album "The Captain and The Kid" .

Interscope also plans the release of The Captain and The Kid by Elton John on September 12 as well as a Rock title from TV on the Radio called Return to Cookie Mountain.

Postcards From Richard Nixon
Just Like Noah's Ark
Wouldn't Have You Any Other Way (NYC)
Tinderbox
And The House Fell Down
Blues Never Fade Away
The Bridge
I Must Have Lost It On The Wind
Old '67
The Captain and The Kid

UPDATE:A website called TopHitsOnline.com is listed a September 19th release date for "The Captain and The Kid".

Happy Birthday to Bob Birch who turns 50 today!

Several Spanish websites have reported that the release date for Elton John's new studio album "The Captain and The Kid" will be September 11 making the US release date probably September 12. Tuesdays is new release day in the US and September 12 is a Tuesday. The websites reporting this date are via EltonToolBarBlog;

BangBangRadio.com
Nuevoexcelsior.com.mx
Cronica.com.mx
ElUniversal.com.mx

Old '67

So now we have the following from "The Captain and The Kid"

Postcards For (From) Richard Nixon
Noah's Ark
The Bridge
Old '67
The Captain and The Kid

Hard at work? Me thinks Billboard is a bit behind in the news cycle...

Elton Curating Fashion Rocks, Busy With New CD

July 06, 2006, 10:25 AM ET

Jonathan Cohen, N.Y.
Elton John will curate and perform at the third Fashion Rocks concert, to be held Sept. 7 at New York's Radio City Music Hall. The event will air the following evening on CBS. Proceeds from ticket sales will benefit John's own AIDS foundation.

The artist has selected a host of superstar artists to join him at the show, including Beyonce, Christina Aguilera, Kanye West, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, Nelly Furtado, Jamie Foxx, the Black Eyed Peas, Bon Jovi, Scissor Sisters, Rihanna, the Pussycat Dolls and Daddy Yankee.

The evening's fashion segments will produced by KCD, known for its work with Versace and Calvin Klein.

John is currently hard at work on his next studio album, "The Captain and the Kid," and debuted a song from the project, "The Bridge," last week at his annual White Tie & Tiara Ball in England. Details of the album, due late this year, were first revealed by John to Billboard last September.

The artist will resume his ongoing Red Piano show at Las Vegas' Caesar Palace on Tuesday (July 11). He also appears on "I Don't Feel Like Dancin'," the first single from the upcoming Scissor Sisters album "Ta-Dah," due Sept. 26 via Universal Motown

Click here for pictures from "The Captain and The Kid" recording sessions courtesy of John Mahon.

Marshall, NBC duet to mark Bennett's 80th

Tuesday, June 27, 2006 1:27:11 AM ET

By Nellie Andreeva

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - Tony Bennett will celebrate his 80th birthday in style -- with a star-studded music special on NBC to be directed and executive produced by "Chicago" helmer Rob Marshall.

"Tony Bennett: An American Classic" is based on Bennett's upcoming album featuring duets with some of the music business's biggest names. A number of them -- including Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Diana Krall, k.d. lang, Michael Buble, John Legend, Juanes, trumpeter Chris Botti and violinist Pinchas Zukerman -- will perform with Bennett on the show.
Also set to appear on the hourlong program are Robert De Niro, Billy Crystal and Catherine Zeta-Jones, who was an Oscar winner for her role.

"It's a tribute and celebration to Tony," Bennett's son/manager, Danny Bennett, said of the special, whose genre he describes as a "documusical," a musical journey through his father's life.

Each musical performance will be shot as a short movie about a milestone in the entertainer's career, with sets re-creating such pivotal venues as the Greenwich Village club where Bennett was discovered by Bob Hope in 1949; Carnegie Hall, where he held one of his most successful concerts in 1962; and the Sahara Hotel and Casino, where he performed in the late '70s.

Zeta-Jones, De Niro and Crystal will be setting the stage for the performances with narrative insights into Bennett's life during the time period highlighted by the song.

At the end of the special, Bennett will take the stage alone to sing his signature number, "I Left My Heart in San Francisco."

"American Classic" has begun filming at the historic Los Angeles Theater in downtown Los Angeles. The special is set to air in the fall in conjunction with the September 26 release of Bennett's RPM Records/Columbia Records album "Tony Bennett: Duets/An American Classic," which also includes duets with Bono, Paul McCartney, Barbra Streisand, Sting, Dixie Chicks, Elvis Costello, Billy Joel and Tim McGraw. The first single from the album will be released on Bennett's 80th birthday, August 3.

Referred to as "the greatest singer ever" by Frank Sinatra, Bennett has sold more than 50 million albums worldwide, recorded more than 100 songs and garnered 13 Grammys, including a Lifetime Achievement Award.

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

An article in the latest issue of EEL reveals several song titles from Elton John's upcoming album "The Captain and The Kid" due in September. The article quotes Davey Johnstone with the following information;

"The tracks were done live. I'd say about 50% of the songs were done live, meaning we cut the piano, guitars, bass, drums, live."
"Very organic, meaning it's very piano, bass, drums, guitar based. Kind of like the old days".
"The first song is called 'Postcards for Richard Nixon'. So it's basically from then until now, and he talks about what it was like when they first came over there, and basically what's happened from then on."
"There's even some talk of a vinyl release."
Davey says that he is most proud of a song called 'Noah's Ark.' "Because it is a real rocker, and it seriously rocks. It rocks very hard, and we have a surprise guest on the track actually (Elton's dog-Arthur). We decided to do things like we used to do in the old days."

Several other track titles have emerged, however I do not know the source for these additional titles; UPDATE: (ok, they are also from EEL)

Postcards For Richard Nixon (from EEL)
Noah's Ark (from EEL)
The Bridge (from EEL)
The Captain and The Kid (from EEL)

A few more tidbits on the new album from EEL;

Davey said that the album ended up with 10 songs on it. Apparently there was an 11th song, but "Elton took it off the album because he felt that it was a little bit flippant. It talked about the way he dressed, his sexual preference, the scandals and all that stuff, and he said, you know we've
been down that road, lets get away from that. We don't need to be going there.
"There's another song called 'The Bridge'. "It's gonna be an all-time classic. You hear it one time and you go oh holy sh*t this is what it's all about. It's about what you have to give up and what you have to do to get to where you get to. But it just gives you shivers."
"The song 'The Captain and the Kid' is a great song itself. It's actually the last song on the cd"And he talked a little about the album art.
"There's talk about doing a substantial vinyl release, to do an album cover, it will be intricate, do a little mirror thing back to the original one."

Elton John joins Tony Bennett on his 80th birthday celebration disc, from Billboard;

As first reported here in February, some of the biggest names in music have joined Tony Bennett for his 80th birthday celebration album, "Duets -- An American Classic." The 18-track project arrives Sept. 26 via RPM/Columbia and boasts guest appearances by Bono, Dixie Chicks, Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, Sting, Stevie Wonder, James Taylor, Barbra Streisand, Elvis Costello and Elton John, among others.

The track list;

"Boulevard of Broken Dreams," with Sting
"Smile," with Barbra Streisand and Pinchas Zukerman
"Put on a Happy Face," with James Taylor
"The Shadow of Your Smile," with Juanes
"Rags to Riches," with Elton John
"The Very Thought of You," with Paul McCartney
"Lullaby of Broadway," with Dixie Chicks
"Cold, Cold Heart," with Tim McGraw
"The Best Is Yet To Come," with Diana Krall
"For Once in My Life," with Stevie Wonder
"Are You Havin' Any Fun?," with Elvis Costello
"Because of You," with k.d. lang and Chris Botti
"Just in Time," with Michael Buble
"Sing You Sinners," with John Legend
"The Good Life," with Billy Joel
"I Wanna Be Around," with Bono
"How Do You Keep the Music Playing," with George Michael
"I Left My Heart in San Francisco" with Bill Charlap

Probably not. This is more likely a partner logo image similar to the "top hat" image used with the original "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy" album back in 1975. Look here and try and make out the image that is in the lower right corner of a ticket to one of Elton's recent concerts in the Uk...

Elton John was inducted into the MoJo Hall Of Fame in recognition for his 4 decades of music.

Mojo triumph for Sir Elton
By This is London
6 June 2006
Music veteran Sir Elton John and newcomer Corinne Bailey Rae were among the winners at the Mojo music awards.

Sir Elton was inducted into the Mojo Hall of Fame for a career which has spanned four decades.

AP reports that Lestat will close on May 28.

"Him and Us" not picked up by any US TV networks.

Well at least Elton did win his libel suit against the Daily Mail.

I think someone needs to explain Elton that this is NOT the way to create hype for his upcoming album "The Captain and The Kid"...

Elton John says photographers "should all be shot"

CANNES, France (Reuters) - British pop star Elton John launched an expletive-laden tirade against the press in Cannes late on Saturday while presenting an award to a young actor during the annual film festival.

At a ceremony held by luxury jeweller Chopard, everything seemed to be going smoothly enough as John presented the Chopard Trophy to young Canadian actor Kevin Zegers, who co-starred in the film "Transamerica" with Felicity Huffman.

"He (Zegers) is only 21 years old, already he showed incredible talent and maturity," said John, wearing dark glasses and accompanied by actress Elizabeth Hurley.

"I sincerely believe he will be a huge star and a great actor for many, many years to come."

Then, as photographers called out during his address, he added: "If you saw 'Transamerica' ... I'm talking ... you f*ckwit, f*cking photographers you should be shot, you should be all shot. Thank you."

After handing the award to a smiling Zegers, he added: "They are a nightmare."

John, who is 59, is no stranger to strong language. Most recently, viewers complained when he swore during the Paul O'Grady Show on British television.

Ticketmaster and the Seattle Times have a 9/22 date listed for "The Captain and The Kid" tour.

Elton John at Key Arena

Elton John and his band will play Sept. 22 at KeyArena as part of his "The Captain and the Kid" tour. Tickets will go on sale at 9 a.m. May 22.

Tickets are $45-$125 and will be sold at the KeyArena box office, by phone at 206-628-0888 and online at www.ticketmaster.com.

There is a limit of eight tickets per person.

Copyright © 2006 The Seattle Times Company

Whether its the fact that vampire Broadway shows have not fared well or that theater critics are just aching to sink their teeth (sorry, couldn't resist) into Elton John and Bernie Taupin or that the show just isnt that good, the reviews are coming in and, well, lets just say they could be better...

NY Times
Washington Post
NY Daily News
NY Post
New York Newsday
USA Today

An interview in the New Jersey Star-Ledger with Bernie Taupin discussing Lestat, a nugget related to The Captain and The Kid appears;

Taupin and John were not only collaborating on "Lestat" the last few years. In the fall, they will release the CD "The Captain and the Kid," a sequel to "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy," from 1975.

"It's very folk-y and country, with just Elton playing the piano," he says. "It's the first album we've made together that I actually listen to at home. I love it."

Sounds good to me, as long as it country and folk-y like Honky Chateau or Tumbleweed Connection or Madman Across The Water and not like Elton's last studio album.

NEW YORK -- Elton John is selling thousands of pieces of his personal wardrobe to raise money for his AIDS charity.

The sale, which runs Tuesday through Saturday, includes 10,000 coats, sweaters, suits and other garments worn by John and his partner, David Furnish.

A temporary shop, Elton's Closet, was set up in the concourse of Rockefeller Center in midtown Manhattan for the sale. Proceeds benefit the Elton John Aids Foundation.
Items include a black Versace suit with John's song titles -- including "Tiny Dancer" and "Rocket Man" -- woven into the fabric and the polka-dot Richard James suit John wore when he performed with Eminem at the 2001 Grammy Awards.

"The clothes have hardly been worn. Some of them haven't been worn," said the 59-year-old singer, dressed in a dark suit, gingham-check shirt and sherbet-stripe tie, at a ribbon-cutting ceremony Monday afternoon. "There's the most extraordinary collection of T-shirts, your baseball caps, your shoes, from flamboyance to classic. And spend some money to help other people who desperately need their lives to be changed and improved, and you'll be doing a really good thing."

This wasn't the first time John had cleaned his closet to raise money for his foundation. Sales have been held in London and in Atlanta, where John and Furnish have a home.

Some pieces had been plucked from the racks to be featured in the windows of the nearby Saks Fifth Avenue department store, one of the fundraiser's sponsors.

Michael Macko, Saks' men's fashion director, also eyed some pieces for himself.

"In my hands, right now, I've got two short-sleeve Prada shirts, an orange -- the color of highlighter -- cashmere blazer and Y-3 track pants," Macko told The Associated Press. "Surprisingly there's something for everybody. Either everybody wants to have a piece of Elton's closet for the historical perspective -- there probably isn't a more famous wardrobe in our lifetime -- or because having a fluorescent jacket that used to be owned by Elton John makes a great story."

Pieces up for grabs also include a forest green-and-magenta Jean Paul Gaultier jacket with yellow stars, eight Versace Asian-printed silk robes and a Brioni mink-lined coat with the $8,795 price tag still attached.

There are his-and-his Gucci couture blazers, one features gold on a white background and the other silver on black; a feather chalk-stripe suit; and a silver Versace trench coat.

The items are mostly bargains, including $150 for a Gucci shirt in a swirly pattern and $30 for Nike and Adidas sneakers.

A few of the special stage pieces are expected to be sold for thousands of dollars.

"There's a lot of off-the-rack Abercrombe T-shirts, and there's custom designer costumes," Macko said. "He (John) also knows how to pick out important and special pieces. He knows his designers, and you can see he has selected the most important pieces from the collections. And he's from the give-it-to-me-in-any-color ilk."

According to Elton's official website "The Captain and The Kid" which was originally advertised to be released March 2007 to coincide with Elton's 60th birthday is now scheduled for a September 2006 release.

The recording sessions for The Captain and the Kidare now complete and the album is set for release in September 2006. (And what a beautiful album it is!)

...and many more!

Elton John locks in more 'Red Piano' shows
March 21, 2006 11:00 AM
by Rob Evans
liveDaily Editor
Elton John has firmed up his schedule through October for "The Red Piano," his two-year-old Las Vegas production.
About two-dozen new shows have been announced for July and October. As previously reported, John's next stint of Vegas dates is set to get underway March 28. Tickets for all confirmed shows are on sale now.

"The Red Piano"--a production created by John with photographer David LaChapelle to spotlight the songs of John and longtime writing partner Bernie Taupin--made its debut at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in 2004. John's initial agreement with Caesars called for 75 shows over three years, but the production proved to be a hot seller, prompting the resort to book John for more than the initially planned 25 shows per year.

Last year, the singer/pianist signed a new agreement that calls for an additional 150 shows through 2008, according to Caesars.

The Colosseum is a 4,100-seat theater originally designed to host Celine Dion's production, "... A New Day." "The Red Piano," plays on select nights when Dion is off.

A development that somehow escaped me over the last couple of weeks...

Former Sex and the City star Kim Cattrall has been added to the cast of ABC's
Elton John-produced pilot Him & Us, while Lev Spiro will direct -- and Annie
Potts is set to star -- in the Fox comedy pilot Julie Reno: Bounty Hunter,
reports Variety.

Cattrall will play Freddy Lazarus, manager to the rock
star at the center of the pilot. The role had originally been designed for a man
but was rethought when Cattrall became available. Touchstone TV is behind the
show.

As for Julie Reno: Bounty Hunter, Potts (Designing Women) is set
to play the mother of the lead character (played by Erin Daniels). The show
comes from 20th Century Fox TV.

In other pilot casting news, Lizzy
Caplan (Related) has been added to the CBS comedy The Class, from Warner Bros.
TV. Caplan is in second position for the pilot, in the event that Related
doesn't return for a second season.

Camille Guaty (Prison Break) will
play Franny in ABC's untitled hostage drama from Hank Steinberg. Warner Bros. TV
is behind the pilot.

Scott Cohen (Kissing Jessica Stein) is set as
Shane, husband to Gina Gershon's character, in the NBC comedy pilot Lipstick
Jungle, from NBC Universal TV Studio.

Luke Goss (Blade II) has signed on
as a cast member on the Fox drama pilot 13 Graves, from 20th Century Fox TV.

Noah Gray-Cabey (My Wife And Kids) will play the son of Ali Larter's
character on NBC's drama pilot Heroes, from NBC Universal TV Studio.

Sir Elton works on ‘Captain’ sequel in Atlanta
By RICHARD L. ELDREDGE
Wednesday, March 8, 2006, 01:27 AM

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

HOLLYWOOD — Perhaps sensing our Aretha Franklin-esque aversion to air travel, Elton John generously gave Buzz a scoop Sunday night during his 14th annual Elton John AIDS Foundation benefit Oscar party at the Pacific Design Center. The singer-songwriter confided that in addition to readying “Lestat” for Broadway and performing his “Red Piano” tour dates in Las Vegas, he’s been spending time in his adopted U.S. hometown recording.

“I’ve been in Atlanta recording for the past three weeks,” John said. “It’s going brilliantly. We’re halfway through.”

The pop star has been working with Atlanta engineer Matt Still, who also assisted John in producing his 2004 studio disc “Peachtree Road” in Atlanta.

The upcoming album is “The Captain and the Kid,” a long-awaited sequel to Sir Elton and lyricist Bernie Taupin’s classic 1975 recording “Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy.” Presumably, the new album would pick up the storytelling threads of the first album’s song cycle 30 years later.

John told Buzz the new album is due in stores in September.

Grammy Award-winning artist John Legend will perform with Elton John at his
14th annual Oscars after-party next month at the Pacific Design Center in West
Hollywood.
The March 5 soiree co-hosted by John and partner David Furnish
will benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

"I have been a huge fan of
John's since I first heard his album `Get Lifted," Elton John said. "I am so
thrilled that he won three Grammys last week and even more thrilled that he will
be playing at our Oscar party." Legend, who hit the music scene in 2004 with the
release of "Get Lifted," was named "Best New Artist" at last week's Grammy
Awards ceremony at Staples Center.

He was nominated for a total of eight
Grammys and took home three.

This is the first time I have heard of the lead character being gay, although its not surprising. I just haven't read this anywhere else, or I just haven't noticed.

‘Buffy‘ star channeling Elton John in ABC comedy
01 February, 2006
By Nellie Andreeva
LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - British actor Anthony Stewart Head , formerly of WB series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," has landed the lead in "Him & Us," ABC‘s comedy pilot inspired by the life of Elton John .
The project revolves around an over-the-hill gay rock star and his relationship with his long-time manager and the rest of his colorful entourage.
Head, who played Rupert Giles on "Buffy," also co-starred in the HBO film "And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself."
Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

UPDATE:
The press release has be pulled back and corrected. Here is the new release with the corrections explained at the top. Interesting.

please read "... ABC's comedy pilot executive produced by Elton John" instead of "... ABC's comedy pilot inspired by the life of Elton John."

and In paragraph 2, please read, "The project revolves around a fictitious, popular rock star..." instead of "The project revolves around an over-the-hill gay rock star..."

Also makes headline conform to corrected information.

A corrected repetition follows.
'Buffy' star starring in ABC's Elton John comedy
By Nellie Andreeva

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - British actor Anthony Stewart Head, formerly of WB series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer," has landed the lead in "Him & Us," ABC's comedy pilot executive produced by Elton John.

The project revolves around a fictitious, popular rock star and his relationship with his long-time manager and the rest of his colorful entourage.

Head, who played Rupert Giles on "Buffy," also co-starred in the HBO film "And Starring Pancho Villa as Himself."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter

The previews and opening night for Lestat have been pushed back two weeks.

Choreographer Jonathan Butterell, who worked on such shows as The Light in the Piazza and the recent revival of Fiddler on the Roof, has been brought in as a creative consultant "to provide an objective overview as it undergoes revisions," the producers, Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures, said Thursday in a statement

UPDATE: A good article on the changes being made appeared today in the NY Post (free registration required).

John is taking the brutal notices — including one that called his score "bland" — in stride and with a sense of humor.

"I can take it," he says. "I've been called worse things than bland, believe me.

"I did read one review that said I've obviously been watching 'The Phantom of the Opera,' 'Les Miserables' and 'Jekyll and Hyde.'

"Well, thank you very much. I nearly killed myself. Where is the Golden Gate Bridge?"

John concedes the critics had a point when they complained that the show, especially the first act, is weighed down by too much plot.

Spanning centuries, "Lestat" tells the story of a lonely vampire searching for companionship and love.

"Right now, we've got too much information. The first act is a history lesson," John says. "A lot of it isn't necessary. We've done a lot of pruning, and I think I'm going to have to write another song or two."

UK music group Sanctuary has unveiled a £110m rescue deal after revealing a fivefold increase in annual losses. Sanctuary said it would raise the cash through a shares issue after revealing losses had surged to £142.6m from £26.7m a year earlier.

It blamed the loss on an "awful" year in which it was hit by record release delays and a string of profit warnings.

Many of the losses stemmed from Urban Records, a firm it bought from singer Beyonce Knowles' father, it added.

This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.

The Good:
Lestat - Visually Rich - Beyond Chron San Francisco's Alternative Online Daily
Back Stage - Review: "Lestat"

The Bad:
Lestat Bites - InsideBayArea.com
Toothless - San Jose Mecury News
The vampire Lestat has settled in San Francisco. And he's singing in a new musical. Quick! Someone fetch the garlic and a wooden stake! - San Francisco Chronicle
The Stage - A vampire musical without bite
East Bay Express - Emo Vampire Chateau

Difficult to sink teeth into unconvincing 'Lestat' - Contra Costa Times
Bloody awful - ‘Lestat’ stage adaptation proves anemic - San Francisco Examiner

The Indifferent:
Lestat - Dennis Harvey of Variety

So the reviews for Lestat have been less than enthusiastic, putting it mildly. Thats not to say that the perceived problems with the play cannot be fixed before it move to Broadway. But the reviewers have not been kind to just about any aspect of the play.

That being said when a critic makes a comment like this one you have to question if said critic has been living under a rock for the past 30 years;

Lyricist Bernie Taupin, who has collaborated with John on many other
ventures, shares responsibility for this woeful lack of musical vitality.

You don't say? Many other ventures? You mean that little venture called Elton John's career? What an absolutely stupid comment. He makes it sound as though Bernie Taupin and Elton John are familiar with each others work and when they have the time they team up to write a few songs together, now and then. HELLO? These two are arguably one of the greatest writing teams in music history. Geez!

In a turn of events the word "marriage" is being removed from register office signs and replaced with "ceremony" in order not to offend gay couples who are entering into a civil partnership. Excuse me if I find this ironic and humorous.

OFF THEIR WEDS
Word 'marriage' removed so gays aren't offended
By Rod Chaytor
THE word "marriage" is being taken off register office
signs - in case it offends gay couples entering into a civil partnership.

Councils are following guidelines which also suggest altering couples'
stationery from "Your Wedding" to "Your Ceremony".

Wolverhampton
Register Office's two marriage rooms have been renamed ceremony rooms while the
Crown Marriage Suite in Stourbridge is now the Crown Suite after recommendations
from the Local Authorities Coordinators of Regulatory Services.

Pastor Paul Chamberlain from nearby Kingswinford blasted: "Political correctness is
rearing its ugly head."

But Lacors said: "Any decisions by individual authorities may be taken as an attempt to reflect the needs of all members of the public that might use these rooms."

Elton John and David Furnish became one of the first couples to have a civil partnership last month.

Lestat Opens in San Francisco Jan. 8 Prior to Spring Bow on
Broadway

By Kenneth Jones08 Jan 2006

Lestat, the new musical that reunites the legendary pop songwriting
team of Elton John and Bernie Taupin, collaborating together on a legit musical for the first time, opens in its pre-Broadway tryout Jan. 8, following previews from Dec. 17, 2005.
Before critics viewed the lush, shadowy, romantic world
of the title vampire character (drawn from the novels of Anne Rice and played by Hugh Panaro) at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco, the cast and creative team have been refining the show. Jack Noseworthy, who created the role of Armand for a handful of performances, was replaced by Drew Sarich in previews. The run at the Curran continues to Jan. 29.

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