Happy Birthday! Bernie turns 56 today!

Elton tirade, yes another one...

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.

"The Captain and The Kid" tour dates??

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

Lestat opens

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

"It's folk-y and country..."

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.

"Elton's Closet" in New York

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."

"The Captain and The Kid" due in September, ej.com says.

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!)

Happy 59th Birthday Elton!!!

...and many more!

Elton Locks In More Red Piano Date

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.

Kim Cattrall cast in Elton John`s pilot "Him & Us"

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.

"The Captain and The Kid" due in September? Elton says so...

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.

John Legend to perform with Elton John

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.

"Him and Us" lead actor chosen

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

Lestat preview and opening pushed back 2 weeks

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."

Sanctuary outlines rescue plans for itself.

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.

Crocodile Rockin'

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Lestat reviews - it ain't pretty ! UPDATED

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

Say what?

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!

Political Correctness invades "gay marriage"

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

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.