U2 and Eagles top touring acts in 2005, Elton #7

Let's have a standing O for the old guys.

Of the 10 top-grossing concert tours of 2005, eight of the acts are considered, well, veterans.

U2 had the top-grossing tour, according to year-end figures from Billboard magazine. Bono and company's Vertigo tour grossed $260 million and attracted 3 million people to 90 sellout concerts.

1. U2, $260 million.

2. The Eagles, $117 million.

3. Neil Diamond, $71 million.

4. Kenny Chesney, $63 million (with the second-highest attendance draw, 1.1 million)

5. Paul McCartney, $60 million

6. Rod Stewart, $49 million

7. Elton John, $45.5 million, plus $30 million for his Las Vegas show

8. Dave Matthews Band, $45 million

9. Jimmy Buffett, $41 million

10. Green Day, $36.5 million

Because Billboard ranks only completed tours, the list doesn't include the Rolling Stones, an otherwise likely contender for the top spot.

Pollstar, the concert industry's leading trade magazine, will release its 2005 ranking by month's end.

Pam Anderson sequence dropped, NBC feared it too hot

Pamela Anderson was cut from TV screens after her steamy pole dance proved too hot for viewers.

The curvy star was dropped from an Elton John television special after her performance on a giant screen behind Elton singing his hit 'The Bitch is Back' was deemed too provocative for family viewing.

The show, called 'Elton John: The Red Piano' and filmed at the eccentric singer's show at Las Vegas' Caesars Palace, was broadcast by American TV giant NBC without the song.

Critics, who had watched preview copies of the show, had suggested the accompanying on-stage video of the scantily-dressed star could offend audiences.

Meanwhile, sexy Pammy has confessed she won't be inviting her ex husband Tommy Lee to the family's Christmas dinner - because she wouldn't be able to resist having sex with him.

The beautiful blonde - who has two sons with the Motley Crue drummer - says Tommy makes her think of nothing but sex.

The 38-year-old former 'Baywatch' babe said: 'Tommy still makes me think of sex, not mashed yams and turkey.'

Bernie Taupin nominated for Golden Globe

Bernie nominated for a Golden Globe award (isn't everyone...);

and Taupin's collaboration with Gustavo Santaolalla, "A Love That Will Never Grow Old," is from Ang Lee's cowboy romance Brokeback Mountain, with a performance by country legend Emmylou Harris.

NBC's "Red Piano" a ratings flop

It seems the NBC special "Elton John: The Red Piano" was down 17% from what normally airs in the 8-9PM timeslot, sci-fi drama "Surface." Maybe it had something to do with the predictable song selection that NBC bored us all with. Or maybe its just that music specials generally do poorly these days.

Network TV concert specials haven’t done particularly well this
holiday season. Just ask Faith Hill, Kenny Chesney, and now Elton John. His
NBC special “Elton John: The Red Piano” averaged just a 2.5 overnight rating
among viewers 18-49 in the 8 p.m. timeslot last night, down significantly from
“Surface,” which usually airs in that timeslot. “Red Piano” was off 17
percent versus a 3.0 overnight average for the last four original episodes of
“Surface,” and the show had improved in each of those four weeks. The
concert special wasn’t lacking in holiday glitz. NBC used 36 high-definition
cameras to capture John’s Las Vegas stage show. But that wasn’t enough to pique
the interest of viewers, who similarly shunned country stars Faith Hill and
Kenny Chesney last month in separate specials the night before
Thanksgiving

.

"Elton John: The Red Piano" on NBC December 12 -rescheduled

UPDATE: NBC has moved the show to December 12 @ 8PM.
From the AP:

NEW YORK Nov 15, 2005 — Elton John brings his Las Vegas show to television with his first NBC special, "Elton John: The Red Piano," on [Dec. 12. ]

The special will feature John's show from Caesars Palace, incorporating his performance with videos from director David LaChapelle, including two that feature Justin Timberlake as a young Elton John and Pamela Anderson performing a pole dance, NBC announced Monday.

Last December, the rock legend was honored in a star-studded tribute at the Kennedy Center in Washington.

"Hey Hey Johnny, Can't You Come Out To Play...

It was 25 years ago today...

Elton and John Lennon, November 28, 1974.

Elton John partners with Amazon for Katrina charity song

This is from eltonjohn.com;

A message from Elton
6-December-2005

" I am excited to let you know that I have partnered with Amazon.com and will be kicking off a very important effort to help the victims of hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

Please join me in helping the rebuilding process for those who have lost a place to call home during the holidays, and make a donation to my charity of choice, The Red Cross.

As thanks for your support, beginning December 7, 2005, I would like to give you an exclusive never-been-released recording of a song titled Make Me As You Are that Bernie Taupin and I wrote for the new musical Lestat, where Anne Rice's most beloved vampire character is brought to life on stage.

For more information about Amazon.com’s Holiday A-List for Hurricane Relief program, please visit this link, and be sure to check out my exclusive content on Amazon.com beginning December 7, 2005.

Happy Holidays,

Love
Elton"

John Reid Threatens Tell-all Book.

From everyone's favorite, and not always accurate, music news site Contact Music;

SIR ELTON JOHN's ex manager and lover JOHN REID is threatening to cast a shadow over the pop superstar's 21 December (05) wedding to partner DAVID FURNISH, by releasing a tell-all autobiography about his time with the star.

Reid and John ended a tempestuous 28-year relationship in a messy 2000 court case when the rocker attempted to recover $25.2 million (GBP14 million) he claims he was owed by one of Reid's former employees.

The battle lost him $14.4 million (GBP8 million) in legal fees and exposed his extravagant lifestyle to the public, including the staggering $72 million (GBP40 million) John spent in a 20 month period.

More details about their partnership will enter the public domain if Reid carries out his threat and publishes the memoir.

He recently said of the rocker - who will marry Furnish when gay civil partnerships become legal in Britain - "(He is) a modern day potentate - everything revolves around him."

Billy Elliot wins Evening Standard award as best London musical

LONDON (AP) - Billy Elliot, the crowd-pleasing stage adaptation of the hit film about a miner's son who wants to dance, was honoured Monday as best musical at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards.

Rock legend Elton John, who did the score, was at the ceremony to watch the show beat out rivals Mary Poppins and The Big Life.

Elton John To Join With Life Partner in Civil Union

Legendary musician Elton John has announced that he intends to make an honest man of his longtime partner David Furnish next month in a small civil ceremony to seal their union .

On December 21, laws go into effect in the couple's home of the UK that recognize gay partnerships as legal unions and the two have chosen that date to marry in a civil ceremony.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well, thats not good news...

It seems Elton John's new label is being sued for $50,000,000.

In case you didn't know, today's date is

Elton John to duet with Dolly Parton at CMA Awards

Parton, John to Sing at CMA Awards

The Associated Press
November 01. 2005 9:29AM

Dolly Parton and Elton John will sing "Turn the Lights Out When You Leave" at "The 39th Annual CMA Awards," which will air live on CBS from Madison Square Garden on Nov. 15.

"I've always admired Sir Elton's songwriting, musicianship and singing and I'm thrilled to be working with him," Parton said in a statement released Monday by the Country Music Association. "It should be a very passionate performance."

The CMA Awards will be hosted by Brooks & Dunn, who will also perform.

Other confirmed performers include Kenny Chesney, Garth Brooks, Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley and Lee Ann Womack.

Paul Simon and Willie Nelson will perform and then present the CMA song of the year award.

Elton John / John Lennon 1974 MSG Concert named 19th greatest ever

In a survey of musicians, journalists and records execs, Queen's Live Aid performance from 1985 has been ranked as the "worlds greatest rock gig." Elton John's 1974 Madison Square Garden performance with John Lennon comes in at number 19. You will notice one sorta major band is missing.

Here is the entire list;

1. Queen – Live Aid – July 13, 1985
2. Jimi Hendrix – Woodstock – August 18, 1969
3. The Sex Pistols – Manchester Lesser Free Trade Hall – June 4, 1976
4. Bob Dylan – Manchester Free Trade Hall – May 17, 1966 (Dylan goes ‘electric’)
5. David Bowie – Hammersmith Apollo, London – July 3, 1973 (Bowie retires the Ziggy Stardust persona to the surprise of the sold-out crowd and, indeed, the Spiders From Mars, whom he had neglected to tell)
6. Bob Marley – One Love Peace Concert – April 22, 1978
7. Bruce Springsteen – The Roxy – July 7, 1978
8. U2 – Red Rocks – June 5, 1983
9. Rolling Stones – Hyde Park, London – May 7, 1969
10. Radiohead – Glastonbury Festival – June 28, 1997
11. Rock Against Racism – Victoria Park, London – May 7, 1977
12. The Who – Isle of Wight Festival – August 29, 1970
13. Pink Floyd – Earl’s Court, London – June 17, 1981 (‘The Wall’ show, also Pink Floyd’s final UK appearance until this year’s Live8 concert)
14. James Brown – The Apollo, Harlem – October 24, 1962
15. Oasis – Maine Road, Manchester – April 27, 1996 (80,000 people at Britpop’s tenuous height)
16. Beastie Boys – Brixton Academy, London – May 24, 1987 (hip-hop invades the UK)
17. Johnny Cash – San Quentin Prison – August 29, 1969
18. Brian Wilson – Royal Festival Hall – February 20, 2004 (the ‘Smile’ concert)
19. Elton John & John Lennon – Madison Square Garden, New York – November 28, 1974 (John Lennon’s final live performance)
20. Nirvana – Reading Festival – August 30, 1992

Elton John signs on with UMPG

UMPG Signs Elton John

By Chris M. Walsh, N.Y.

Universal Music Publishing Group has signed an exclusive agreement with Elton John and his songwriting collaborator Bernie Taupin, that will put the entire Elton John catalog under one publishing roof.

The two new long-term, exclusive, worldwide agreements are to administer John's and Taupin's post-1974 publishing interests. Each songwriter controls his own interest in the songs they've written, and separate arrangements were entered into with each. UMPG already owns the copyrights in the John/Taupin catalog written up to 1974.

Through the new arrangement with Elton John, the company will administer all his songs written between 1974 and 1992 (as well as new works), with immediate effect, and his songs written between 1993 and 2004 commencing in 2006. More than 250 copyrights are covered by the arrangement.

Through the new arrangement with Bernie Taupin, the company will administer all of his songs written between 1974 and the present, as well as new works written with or recorded by Elton John.

Both deals were previously administered by Warner Chappell.

Elton's TV comedy gets green light from ABC

Elton John's proposed comedy about an aging rocker and his manager has gotten the green light from ABC, the usually unreliable Contact Music reports.

Pop superstar SIR ELTON JOHN is close to realising his Hollywood career - America's ABC network has agreed to broadcast a pilot episode of his TV show.

The ROCKET MAN star is following in the footsteps of his long-term love, producer DAVID FURNISH, by executive producing HIM AND US.

The project stars an ageing rocker, his manager and his group of hangers-on.

SEX AND THE CITY executive producer CINDY CHUPACK is currently writing the script, writes trade paper Hollywood Reporter.

An article from Zap2It.com that has a little more information, some of it being wrong;

LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) After kicking around the various developmental corridors of ABC for the past year, a comedy pilot backed by Elton John has finally received the green light.
The pilot, based loosely on John's life and those of some of his peers, will follow the life of a graying rock star, his manager and other assorted hangers-on. Its title, "Him and Us," is also the name of a song on John's most recent album, "Peachtree Road."

Cindy Chupack, a veteran of "Sex and the City" and "Everybody Loves Raymond," is writing the pilot, which will likely be a single-camera comedy, the showbiz trade papers report. She'll also executive produce with John; the singer's manager, Bob Halley; "Desperate Housewives" exec producer Michael Edelstein; and Bruce Roberts.

John is also expected to write original songs for the series with long-time collaborator Bernie Taupin.

"Him and Us" first went into development about a year ago, but it passed through last spring's pilot season without a formal pilot order. With a script now written, ABC and sister studio Touchstone TV decided to forge ahead.

"Elton John's Christmas Party" set to drop November 10.

Universal Music and Starbucks Hear Music are set to release

"Elton John's Christmas Party"

which features 21 tracks chosen by Elton. The set also includes a duet between Elton and Joss Stone on a new John/Taupin track titled "Calling It Christmas" which is also rumored to be released as a single. Starbucks and Universal will donate $2 for every CD purchased to the EJAF.

Here is the complete track listing for for Elton John’s Christmas Party:
1. Step Into Christmas-Elton John
2. Feliz Navidad- El Vez
3. Frosty the Snowman-The Ronettes
4. Santa Claus Is Coming to Town-Bruce Springsteen
5. The Man with All the Toys-The Beach Boys
6. A Change at Christmas (Say It Isn’t So)-The Flaming Lips
7. It Doesn’t Often Snow at Christmas-Pet Shop Boys
8. Spotlight on Christmas-Rufus Wainwright
9. Jingle Bell Rock-The Ventures
10. Run Rudolph Run-Chuck Berry
11. Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer-The Crystals
12. Playa’s Ball-Outkast
13. Merry Christmas Baby-Otis Redding
14. Christmas Island-Jimmy Buffett
15. St. Patrick’s Day-John Mayer
16. Please Come Home for Christmas-The Eagles
17. Christmas Must Be Tonight-The Band
18. 2000 Miles-The Pretenders
19. December Will Be Magic Again-Kate Bush
20. New Year’s Day-U2
21. Calling It Christmas-Elton John and Joss Stone

Yet another benefit...

Elton John will perform at a benefit gala for the tenth anniversary of the New York Restoration Project and founder Bette Midler's sixtieth birthday in New York City on October 31st. Sting will also be honored at the event for his environmental work. The NYRP, which reclaims and restores city gardens and open spaces, is also conducting an online auction, through November 8th, with chances to record with Faith Hill in her studio and go backstage at a Dave Matthews Band concert.

A proposal? or an admission?

“I’ve always wanted to marry Elton John.”
Singer Barry Manilow at the Society of Singers’ annual Ella Awards (Reuters, Oct. 10)

Elton looking a little retro at the Ella Awards...