It's some question, ain't it. Luckily over the years Elton, or sometimes the various record bosses, have treated us with the cuts that weren't considered good enough for the final album track listing. Though when you look down the list of b-sides you can't help but think that most would have sat very proudly and without any fear of inferiority on the album that they missed out on.
If you look at the 21 At 33 recording sessions, because of David Geffen's pie fingering we ended up with essentially a whole album of relegated songs. More up to date Peachtree Road left us with half an album of material that luckily saw the light of day and the sound of joy for us. There's been a great many more over the years, too many to go into great detail individually one by one here. But I'm going to look at one of my all time favourites. I focused already on two of my favourite b-sides from some of the other mansions of Elton's many recording houses. The Retreat and So Sad The Renegade being high up on my list.
One can only imagine the dregs of the gutter that Elton and Bernie would have encountered on the road in the early 70's. Every type of chancer and spiv with silvery trails more akin to a slug get together pitching up with one hand longer than the other. One to pick you, the other to land the blade in. If patience wasn't lost quickly, it would have been sorely tested. Bernie took all these usual suspects and packaged them up lyrically to let us float down into 'Sick City'. Wrapped around it though was one of the greatest counter melodies Elton has ever put down on disc to Bernie's life observations.
If you look at the lyrics firstly, we're greeted firstly by the ultimate 70's temptation and cliche. The groupie, who by her given age (what she says and what's true may be one of the same thing...or may not) in some US states would be legal, in others would have you heading for the clink. As the Sick City in question is focused on New York reportedly, anyone thinking of crossing that line should have Attica State by John Lennon humming in their ears. But all that doesn't stop her spelling out in around about way (firstly) where she'd like to go. For her (second) point of arrival she comes straight out with her offer of a 'rubdown' conjuring up a various range of possibilities. No doubt to hear those British accents in a more intimate setting being part of the appeal. And the fact that they're rock stars equally appealing to the cheeky minx. The 'tricks' she had in mind wouldn't have been seen on a Paul Daniels show...not even with Debbie McGee...even after the watershed. The leeches and the 'here tonight, gone later tonight' type fan just looking for a 'handout' are next to appear around the back. We can only speculate on the myriad of tales of woe that were spun, some truthfully, others very dishonestly. All with the same aim, to relieve them 'loaded down dudes'. Or, as is suggested by the 'healing show' line, that Elton could sell them a couple of bottles of Doctor Good. I think they'd have to wait till Cher and her Papa were in town for that particular beverage.
If in 1970 there was some degree of innocence lost and paradise gained, by early '74 it had been extinguished quicker than the stage lights. Though the 'monkeys' would always find some solace at the door, in spite of the various shades of darkness they brought with them.
A great set of lyrics requires what. Elton to do his party piece. Looking at the tone of them, it's a desperate tale of downbeats that ultimately make the main aim of the game, the music, a bit harder with so many hangers on. It's dark undertones, when scratched, or even tasted, leave you sick. Nothing pleasant so far. But what does Elton do? The complete opposite and use a clever musical tool.
Ironic comment. In this case, Elton, musically, puts on a mock musical hall style, nearly vaudeville in some ways (the mock style coming from the 'upright piano' that evoke images of a theatre full of merry revellers ala 'The Good Old Days') just one key device employed. His vocal is tone neutral, if you listen to it he neither strays into comedy or deadly seriousness. A line between Ticking and Solar Prestige territory. But one he carries off with no sense of pathos either. It's a frank delivery. The melody itself is pure singalong, catchy and cheeky. It never undersells the lyrical message or denigrates it any way. So whilst we're rowing along in a cesspool with the lowest forms of life, we're doing it a merrily, merrily way.
The production here is incredible, as is always the case with Gus. Caribou early 1974 has the band in top notch recording form. Davey's bluesy guitar has found it's voice, it snarls in and out throughout with an equally almost offensive (in a good way!) solo. Dee's bassline is tensility embodied in four strings. Nigel's drum sound was reaching the peak of it's 70's incarnation. Listen to the way it's recorded, which by all accounts took ages to set up in the new studio, and it's a masterclass in playing. The ride cymbal sounds like it's right beside you. The tom's are tuned with a heavy tone that gives them great firmness. It's a massive sound. The Tower Of Power brass section has a stylish swagger that hums in the low key and speaks up with great purpose when called for.
But where Gus really nails the hammer, is by keeping the trademark harmonies right till the end. The high altitude of Colorado making them even more nearer to heaven, both literally and musically. Rather than some outro that doesn't do much but just fade away, their late arrival makes staying to the end a required listen. A final burst of the chorus line with the entire company chipping in. Elton works the comedic piano sound well here, not quite silent film stuff but it would be no stranger to that genre either.
Ultimately this never ended up on Caribou...no, I can't believe it either. But any survey over the years I've seen has always puts this at the top or near the top least ways of the favourite b-sides list. Everything works here even when you think it shouldn't. A look at the underbelly of rock and roll touring with a jaunty almost knees up melody. And some people wonder why this pair are masters of their art...not anybody reading this blog I hope!
Here's a first...a blog post about a blog post. Or to be exact the reaction to it.
When I started this blog last year the purpose of it was to get Elton's music out there. For too long the 'other side' of his career...showbiz, drugs, drink, relationships, shopping, flowers and so the list goes on...seemed to take precedent over the music. For me it starts and ends with what happens on disc and on stage. All those other extra curricular affairs bore me to tears. Too many indeed. Anything that gets Elton's music output to the forefront of peoples consciousness has to be encouraged. As time has gone on the reaction I've got to the blog has been incredible. So thanks to everyone who has popped in for a gawk. One of the mandates here is that a consensus is not required when viewing. Agreement or disagreement is both expected and tolerated. .
I've been reading worldwide online reviews of Elton since the late 90's when they became easier to access. There's been some right pelters flung in his direction during that time, not just one either. Some of the late 90's one's were particularly savage. A backlash to the whole Diana spectacle no doubt. In fact, I myself challenged a well known reviewer as to the validity of his comment. BP Fallon, one time associate member of the Plastic Ono Band, published a quite scathing review in the Sunday Independent of Elton and Billy at Croke Park in 1998. So with keyboard in hand, I became a warrior. The difference being with today's equivalent of said sage of the internet, I put my name to it. The paper published my letter the following week challenging his misinterpretations and ultimately convincing those who were led astray. At least that's what I hoped it did. I'm no stranger over the years to standing up for Elton when unfair commentary has been broadcast. I may tell the story another time of some of my various radio appearances over the years doing just that.
However since the turn of this decade there's been a generally overwhelming, dare I say, total agreement among reviewers about Elton's live prowess. I'm always cautious when there's a common policy of opinion formers, the police department of thought can manifest itself in various forms. The initial reviews of The Diving Board were all copy and paste jobs from Rolling Stone until freedom of expression broke up that group think convention. As late as this month when you saw the reviews of the Kate Bush residency in London they all seem to quote and emit a reportage along the same tried and trusted lines. You kind of wonder do they huddle together after the show and compare notes.
This review appeared earlier in the week for the opening night of the current leg of the tour in Vancouver. Anyone who knows my work on Facebook will be au fait with the fact that I post up the latest concert reviews as soon as they appear. This one, whilst being earthy in it's delivery, still got the message across. Elton and the band put on a damn good show. From beginning to end. And it was the end that got Elton all hot and bothered...so to speak.
We've all got our setlist fetishes, some more bizarre than others. However once we cross the Rubicon of the auditorium all that is left where it belongs. Hanging on some message board to be discussed later. Showtime starts and off we go. Once we come out we can then dissect the bones. I suspect the reviewer, Newt, didn't know the setlist beforehand. Which is a good thing I suppose. But he does know his Elton onions. His pointed remarks in regards the ending of the show with Circle Of Life/Can You Feel the Love Tonight medley was interesting. If you read Elton's comments on night 2 in Vancouver he pointed out why he does both those songs. It's his show and all that. But we pay to go in so I think we can pass fair comment too. It's kind of a score draw in the end, isn't it. I'll let people read what Elton said in relation to the review and make their own minds up.
So it's interesting when a setlist is decided, there's a personal aspect to it and a general desire to please everyone. What do I think though? Circle Of Life with the band in it's MDP version as an ending is epic beyond words. It's thunderous overture leaves a sharp echo in the ear long after you've gone home. However when it's tacked onto Can You Feel The Love Tonight for a solo affair, especially after the rock out segment, it appears on paper to ease off the adrenaline rush a bit too quickly. In June 2013 when I saw him he finished with Circle Of Life solo and it put a calm swathe over everyone. The power of the song is spellbinding and has plenty of muscle to stand on it's own. Can You Feel The Love Tonight isn't one of my favourites though, so it's never going to send me home in a buzz as much as Circle Of Life would do. But that's just me. Am I wrong? Well, no. I think I'm right. Because if I thought I was wrong I'd be disagreeing with myself.
I love reading any review of an Elton show. Especially those I'm not at. I want honesty and sincerity. I'll make up my own my then as to what to believe or not. I'll never close off the super highway of information that comes my way. It's funny, you read some forums who welcome news, views, etc. but only along the lines of a predetermined policy. A demonstration of autocracy rather than democracy being demonstrably practiced.
Sometimes though it pays never to be too harsh. Newt I suspect, whilst sticking to his guns, will have those two highlighted sentences as an epitaph casting a long shadow over him long after what he wrote before has been forgotten. You just never know who's reading...do we?!
More than once in a while Elton puts on a performance that because of it's timing, location and eventual legacy makes it even more special than it was at the time. At the time it was very special for me, I consider this one of the all time great Elton live moments. Very short, not even 10 minutes, but more energy, excitement and exuberance packed into two songs than some artists could fit into a whole residency. Let's kick off this one...
I have to thank Sky Sports for pushing this back to my minds front. All week they've been banging on about the NFL kick off this weekend. Which has absolutely no interest to me. I've never understood American Football, people dressed like Stormtroopers trying to take each other out whilst a rugby ball flies around aimlessly in a another direction. I'm more of an association man myself. However, Elton is a big fan of the sport and the New England Patriots is his team. So with that connection it makes sense that he would be added to what was a stellar lineup on the night (Destiny's Child, Lenny Kravitz) to start the new season. But Elton had his own season to start aswell.
It's Autumn now and this time of the year certainly for the last decade and a half I always associate with a new Elton album. Mostly good, one bad. Autumn 2004 (when this clip was filmed) was Peachtree Roads birth time and is definitely in the very good category. The lead single in the US was Answer In The Sky so where better to promote it than a stadium full of folks and a TV audience of viewers. But some extra hands and voices pitched up to make this unique and ultimately quite incredible performance something to cherish.
I remember back in the early 80's watching on RTE2 The Boston Pops TV show with the legendary Arthur Fiedler. Every week an artist of the day would join him and the orchestra for some hits and covers. Whilst Fiedler is no longer with us the legacy of the Boston Pops lives on. For this special event the same orchestra backed Elton and the band with the addition of a wonderfully attired choir. Which sounded as smart as the looked.
The first thing to say about Answer In The Sky is how the wonderful Guy Babylon arrangement was expanded. Listen to those powerful French horns, the flutes and oboes daintily dancing. His original string arrangement flourishes with great vigour throughout the performance; the angular parts being sharp in contrast to the easy flow of the more smoother lines . When Nigel's drums kick in they kick in hard, the heavy foot beat and the heavy thud on the snare echoing around the arena. Just like Elton's vocals, whether it was intentional or otherwise they sounded even more grandiose than usual. Definitely leaked outside I'd suspect. The choirs massed youthful enthusiasm spills out without turning the chorus into something like a Billy Graham get together. It's non denominational and answers everyone and anyone's prayers. Davey's signature slide guitar licks on the middle eight are ethereal and brooding. Elton does a fine job on this one, a new song in front of massed ranks of strangers can be a challenge. But he pulled it off. The sign of a good song also. The song was neither rabble rousing nor triumphalist but an expression of belief and hope. The best live version of this song by far.
Once you've got the new one out of the way you can then give the baying masses something familiar to chew on. As it's a stadium then give them a stadium song. Saturday Night's Alright fits those boots perfectly. A past blast with James Newton Howard's classy original arrangement intro to it puts the synth example into perspective here. One has body, the other is a bit thin on the bone. Working it's way outwards, bassoons and oboes and then glockenspiel develop the song's riff into something broader until the brass and strings rise up and give it full life. The handle is dropped when the rhythm sections boots in, Bob's neat tickle of the bassline summons Elton's vocal. The hand claps of the choir add further encouragement towards the line. The (cleverly) added cheers of the crowds in the mix gives it yet more energetic dynamism. Man made smoke and natures wind combine to add a further ambiance of the dramatic arts. A gale force that band, orchestra and choir do their up most to defend against. Elton at the front line feels the full force of the breeze. All of it. Hair raising in the extreme...this edited version touches down quicker than one would have hoped for, but not before Elton lets out a run on the keyboard for a terrific solo run. The battle riff at the end touches down between the posts with a winning score. Whistle blown, Elton has won again!!
I remember getting this on DVD not long after it was broadcast and put it on the surround sound. To say it blew my mind would be wrong. My ears more like! It's a tremendous energetic performance, the pace is unrelenting and the impact of it was palpable in the stadium. When you gauge a moment right, as Elton frequently does, the resulting performance is deemed a success. Because there's no doubt this lived long in the annals of NFL kick offs. A new song and a classic going down side by side as winners.
As the title suggests this isn't a direct Elton edition. The indirectness though has many links back to base, one of the strongest links in fact.
Whenever there's a meeting of musical minds it's either a melding of both or a meddling in the other sides head. This one definitely melds, hopefully over the next few paragraphs we'll see the the separations and ultimately the unification of these diverse sides.
The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra around this time was quite involved in the hook up of contemporary and classical. The Concerto For Group And Orchestra with Deep Purple (1969) not only being one of the first examples but one of the very best. It was a landmark piece and is one of my all time favourites. It's live setting and the first time run through can never be captured. The RPO backed Elton a few years later, some info on that here. Whatever the reports back from both events as to the RPO's attitude there's no doubting they mustered strong arms and lips for their escapades. But it's the main act that'll gain our attention first.
As you can see from that 1972 date, Davey played his first gig that night with Elton. The first time click between the two was and still is incredibly potent. Many guitarists can be described as multi-instrumentalists. Davey picked up all of his tools from an early age so they became natural forethoughts rather than afterthoughts. As Elton fans we can all be grateful for bringing that to his music. Then, now and in the future. But before all that happened Davey was in the legendary folk/rock group Magna Carta. If you're not familiar with them, then Youtube should be a port to call on. The Seasons album that first featured Davey being a good point to start, the title track...or side as is the case...thankfully turns up on this live disc. But with even greater potency. Rounding out the group is founder and ever present to date Chris Simpson. His helming and leadership cuts through here with his earthy voice and equally organic playing. Glen Stuart on vocals is surreal, full of expressiveness. An unusually high natural range a superb balance on the far end of the vocal spectrum. A three piece vocal harmony setup that only begins to describe what's on offer. From a time when good, nay great musicianship was taken for granted in popular music. And cherished. Only once instruments are picked up can the full story of their talents commence ...
For the first section I'll give a brief reportage of what's in it. The date, June 1971. The place, The Royal Albert Hall, London. A grand venue with no time for grand entrances, the show gets under way with a quick fire Parliament Hill. Sea And Sand is a beautiful relaxing piece that welcomes an exotic visitor in the form of Davey on sitar. It's a fine example of their melodic, lyrical observant outlook on life. The Boatman written by Davey and featuring him on shared lead vocals is a more pared down version than later appeared on his Smiling Face (1973) album. Davey wasn't finished yet with showing off, his next input was spellbinding. Positioning the banjo and taking aim he fired off a relentless stream of licks on The Mason's Apron. The tension built up in the Hall as he captured the audiences attention in a full throttled grip. If it were a proper session they have been tempted to put their pints down for fear of spillages! It's a breathtaking example of virtuosity that Davey (luckily for us) never lost sight of. Chris may have suggested (jokingly!) Bert Weedon being responsible for that out pouring, but as we all know Davey channeled his inner Barney McKenna into an outward musical statement. 7 O' Clock Hymn has some incredible acoustic licks from Davey, thrown in as terrific foils. Chris's bluesy at times vocal really works well here. But Davey was going through the full box of tricks tonight. One act of genius with slight of hand was the revealing sound of electric guitar taking over his acoustic strides. A silky bubbly outro from him being pure magic. Old John Parker brings the 'solo' set to a close, with an intro that leads everyone astray to the songs ultimate direction. I'll not ruin it's surprise! Some neat inputs from Davey on mandolin here, not the last of the night from him on that instrument.
All that gives way to what is the main reason why this disc works. The opening half is an incredible showcase of English folk starting with it's medieval pedigree and working right up to date combined with Davey's Irish folk ideology. It's a heady combo, maybe not unique in concept but very original in delivery. As is Season's. The title track of the 1970 album is essentially one side of the album. Which fits neatly into the prog rock category. But there's no categorisation here. Because once Magna Carta and the RPO meet and greet they indulge in some wonderful chat.
The man holding all this together is Johnny Dankworth. Known the world over for his jazz output, his background was more than that. The story goes he had heard the track and something inside him spoke and said there's an even greater thing to be extracted from it. And pulled it out of the hat he did, magic again no doubt. I'm going to try and encapsulate this wonderful section into something digestible, it's over half an hour long and is quite terrific.
The orchestral intro cascades, full of characters and moods. It melodically builds up to the main theme, some great brassy shouts herald the rhythm section that has also joined in. It beats alongside unseen opening credits until the pace slows, they retreat and the band emerge. Some exquisite strumming from Davey holds court here, with swift lead from Chris until they both meet up and harmonise. Strong strings and woodwinds positioned for maximum effect.
Glen really shines throughout here. Whether it be called spoken lyric or sung poetry, the end result is the same no matter what it's description. His strong diction on both styles that narrates the story that veers from word heavy to hanging phrases never fails. The pilgrim metaphor of life's journey is given a persona and soul by him.
The orchestral transitions of the seasons are beautiful pieces. This is where the extra time is most welcome. The main body of the piece still has that laid bare feel, the orchestra merely reflects the musical message. Dankworth's love of jazz manifests itself in the form of a bass solo that is swept along by flips and cymbal rolls on the drums occasionally interrupted by broken rhythms. Davey reacquaints us with the electric guitar again, with dreamy strings hovering overhead. Spring has sprung and the step of all on stage is equally full of pep.
The most enjoyable season is summer...Summer in Seasons being equally glorious and sunny. The transition from spoken to sung carefully guided by meaty, heavy strings. Stylish increases in pace are superbly travelled. Uptempo playing and singing by the three singers are cleverly separate but joined cleanly at the same time. Chris and Stuart's wildly differing vocal styles harmonise bang on the money. Nothing is out of step. The percussion section ably supported by the brass section duels with the entire group. No winners in the the duel but interplay being declared winner alright.
But as with all seasons..and years...time runs out. Like a light fading in Winter, the life of the piece is slowly dissipated until it disappears in the night sky. But not before a solo violin and Davey's mandolin lament, reminisce and finally give up the ghost...
...but the ghost has reappeared after being over 40 years in the dark. The light of this incredibly unique venture has been resurrected in it's glory. Recorded with impeccable balance, the opening numbers are an intimate experience that dispels the notion of being in a vast emporium. When the orchestra arrives the roof seems even lower. But the music gains extra strength to hoist it higher than it ever was. MagnaCarta in their solo section conducted a first class entrance audition for anyone not familiar with their work. Johnny Dankworth conducted and arranged it with a sweeping vision of the grand and simple that MagnaCarta had created. To paraphrase the introduction at the start, three brilliant young men were capable of delivering nothing less.
The original plan for this update was to simply look at one of Elton's better collaborations from a a few years back. But during the course of it I got thinking again...a dangerous thing some may say...so it's developed further than what I had anticipated. The conclusions have made me more hopeful about the future. Let's see what the great hope could be...
I dug these two shows out recently as I hadn't heard them in a while. At the time they were great, looking back now...the perspective element that frequently appears here...they seem even better. I'm going to look at both performances from Elton and Ryan in 2002 and then make a case for a new direction for beyond 2014.
We all know Elton has done some great hookups over the years, this one with Ryan Adams being of the highest order. There's no Lady Gaga vacuous rubbish here. Ryan Adams is an artist of the highest quality. Elton fan's have a lot to thank him for. Without the Heartbreaker album, the tremendous third age of Elton's recording career from SFTWC onwards wouldn't have happened. The inspiration it generated in Elton's aspirations to make better albums are clear to hear. If you listen to Heartbreaker the influence is incredible. I'll mention a few of them as I progress. But let's be clear, strong songwriting is the key. I mentioned that on the last post about CATK. Give the actor the great lines and it's ovations of the standing variety all round. Give him the cliche's and he's setting up a fruit stall of the rotten kind. Once Elton had got that part sorted out he was then able move on with the next plan. Recording it in an organic form that wasn't drained of any nutrients. Especially the harder ones.
The concept of CMT Crossroads is to bring the best of country and the best of rock together for a musical summit that confirms the strong links between both houses. Country and rock but not country rock. The meeting of Ryan and Elton promised much and delivered...but not at the first attempt.
For the first performance in New York it's all Elton. Ryan took ill on the day and couldn't perform. A rearranged date two weeks later in Nashville was setup. But the show sans Ryan went on. As is always the case with Elton in adversity, the night is saved. So rather than sending the patrons home he put on masterclass to a mostly unfamiliar audience. For the first segment he did a showcase of hits both contemporary and new and the classic album tracks solo. The opening Your Song was impeccable, his voice was razor sharp clean. When you hear so many versions from today and then hear it from back then it's quite a contrast. Original Sin is incredibly cosy, it's slightly adjusted pace giving an extra depth. I Want Love, one of the all time classic Elton singles, still sounded powerful devoid of it's familiar motifs. SFTWC was out over six month's by this stage but Elton was still feeling the love for it. As were the audience. So far it was a spellbinding set of songwriting masterclass. Part of the deal was that both artists would perform each others songs. One of Elton's choices was Oh My Sweet Carolina, a deliberate choice as we'll see later, and he performed it with Ryan's terrific band. Complete with pedal steel inflections, the proper sound of American music, it's old style balladry bookbound with a classic melody. Luckily for us Elton took the song on the road for the next year or so as part of the solo section of the band tour. He'll Have To Go is played out with out any stereotypical mawkishness that sometimes appear when others take the song on board. The music flows with a shimmering solo. Rocket Man is another highlight, it's tight and determined. Plenty of Martian dust thrown up. By the end of the hour, the hour of Elton had arrived for those in the audience not tuned in. But they were spaced out I believe.
Hammersmith Ballroom, New York 19th March 2002
Your Song
Border Song
Original Sin
Mona Lisa's And Mad Hatters
I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
I Want Love
Tiny Dancer
Oh My Sweet Carolina
He'll Have To Go
LaCienega Just Smiled
Rocket Man
Skip forward two weeks to the Grand Ole Opry, Nashville and Ryan has passed his fitness test. Both artists play off each other like two spinning dice. The second performance is a more windswept affair. It has an unpredictable swagger throughout and though not off the cuff it gives that impression. A quickly dished out cover like Lovesick Blues emphasising that point. Elton favourites like Daniel and Tiny Dancer are spiced up with Ryan's input but don't overtly sting the pallet but leave a nice after taste. My Sweet Carolina is again played, this time in keeping with the album version but roles reversed. On disc Emmy Lou Harris harmonises with Ryan on the chorus, a device and technique that Elton in turn employed to great effect on SFTWC with Rufus Wainwright doing a similar turn on American Triangle. This time however Ryan takes the Emmy Lou position and let's Elton take centre stage. Sensational performance here, this is incredible. Answering Bell with an amazing high note from Elton at that the time has a terrific solo from him. Firecracker is a melodic uptempo number with yet more vocal muscle from Elton, clear succinct lines all the way through. Rocket Man appears again as the finale, more rockier again than the first outing. Ryan's short vocal jabs backed up with equally punchy guitar licks from him. A thunderous end to a successful summit.
Grand Ole Opry, Nashville 2nd April 2002
Answering Bell
Daniel
Firecracker
Tiny Dancer
Oh, My Sweet Carolina
Lovesick Blues
He'll Have To Go
Great Balls Of Fire
Rocket Man
So what did we learn. On the night and soon after we saw the affection Elton had for Ryan. Talk of songwriting together unfortunately never materialised. Nor did any other engagement much between the two. No doubting though the influence lasted long after, ultimately Peachtree Road in particular and CATK channeled Elton's American taste into his own style with stunning albums in both cases. I say American and I stress that. I stress it to differentiate between it and 'Americana'. Similar sounding when you say them, totally alien to each other on disc. Like Martians...and Uranus's (or whatever people from that planet are called).
Ryan is preparing to release another album right at this minute. He's been pretty busy in the intervening time, this album he's producing himself. He's already produced other artists during that time so is no stranger to the job. I was reading recently on some Elton forum's about when, or if, or even dare I say it why, Elton should record again. Let's be positive and say he will. Who should produce and what should it sound like? Assuming Elton wants to keep the American theme going, or at least take the critical elements from it, then one thing should happen. The current producer has no business foisting his own brand of watered down 'Americana' style in my opinion. It's a toned down, too safe of a sound. He walks around in a black and white persona in a colourful music world. More Nicholas Parsons than Gram Parsons. Devoid of grit and gristle. Ryan Adams has that in steel buckets. He has a connection with younger fans, the hip set without the hopping around. That vibrancy of colour to channel Elton's live persona (which is lacking so much on the last album I put electric pads on it once to revive it. It's still flat lining) into the studio that it makes you feel he's sweating in front of the mike when the red light is on. The edginess I keep going on about, SFTWC up until CATK is dripping like a torrent with it. That's what helps them work on so many levels. A bit of acceleration thrown in and we've got a winner. Ryan has the hard edge that tempered with Elton's more honed style shall we say would be a killer combo.
Somebody like Ryan Adams gets airplay. Not so much on pop stations, but on the more musically aware stations. Over here there's a station I sometimes tune in to, TXFM (formally Phantom FM). That's where I first heard his new song, Gimme Something Good. It has a caustic sound. An Eagle's influence is evident, plenty of harmonies with some stunning organ. A properly recorded sound that lets the substance dominate and the style find it's own place. Strong songwriting wins every time. 'But these radio stations won't play Elton though, will they? He's old hat!' I hear the critics chime in. But hold on trolls, get this one in under your furry heads. A few songs later they played the new song from Leonard Cohen, he who is 80 years of age of course. Produced by Patrick Leonard if you please. A small world and shrinking.
The point I'm making is with a younger, yet experienced producer who knows his Elton onions, one last stab at getting a proper finale to the recording career can be achieved. This time last year we were waiting for the new album to be released. If you listen closely you can still hear the sudden intake of breath when it dropped. Some stopped breathing permanently I believe, electric pads no use again. I was asked by some folks to do something here evaluating it twelve month's on. I've absolutely no wish to go back to it, it's in the past thankfully. I'm looking forward to the future and the great hope that one day we'll hear a proper Elton album again. With strong, adventurous songwriting. And with the band of course, that's a deal breaker as far as I'm concerned. If the band aren't on any future recordings then Elton will further alienate certain sections of the fanbase by parking them yet again. If that concept escaped some people grasps twelve month's ago, the message has been delivered. You can't go round praising the band on one hand then not caring whether they play on the albums or not. They're musicians, not photo opportunities. It's either all in or not at all in my book.
A promise can to deliver. If Elton wants to stand like justice herself and balance the scales of commercial and critical success, then this route, if carefully navigated, will deliver a unanimous verdict.
I hadn't intended to do this blog piece at this time, I have something else lined up for later in the week on a vaguely similar theme but the iron is hot and I'm hitting it hard! A discussion topic raised on Facebook about it kind of got me thinking and typing...the thing is this album is in my top 10. There isn't one element of it that can be faulted. It's an album that can never date, the subject matter is pure #throwbackeveryday. But what's even starker on that front is how the contemporary element of the album, namely some of those playing on it, have tragically become part of the same time we've lost. I'm not going to a review of it...I think it's great and it can't be faulted. I said it at the time when it came out, it sounded like the end. Which for me it was. They say a three legged chair is the most stable known to man. All the ticks appear beside the right three boxes on this one, from songwriting, production and musicianship. So stability is guaranteed.
I don't think anyone, not even Elton or Bernie, would rank CATK in the same class bracket as CF. To achieve that high water mark again is impossible, but that's not to say they didn't come close to reaching it. If CF is a 10, then CATK is a 9.5. From all the judges on the board. Trying to reclaim or recast the past is like rewriting history. But the truth about history when laid out honestly and concisely has no greater impact of delivery.
I think the key to the album's success as a concept is the way Bernie sets up the narrative and develops it throughout. It's not often that we hear Elton singing about himself in the same context as Bernie. Certainly not on a whole album. Look at the various stopping points on the album; arrival, ascendancy, supremacy, descent, phoenix like resurgence and ultimately consolidation of their careers. Mixed with personal highs and lows for both characters. That lyrical tale is a once only deal, you'll not get that on any other Elton album. Or with such degree of honesty and insight on any other artists similar attempt. Once you have that solid base to build on, the rest was going sweep neatly up behind it with ease. If you watch the bonus DVD that came with the de-luxe version, when bonus material was exactly that, then you get to hear a further incredible insight into each and every song on the disc. So we're getting double dose of the colourful back story. The lyrical connections run throughout, this example is a fine explanation of their interconnectivity with earlier works.
Musically the album is a delight. The melodies are incredibly original for such a late edition to the catalogue. Excepting of course the deliberate use of the CF riff to cleverly bookend the entire story. Which is instead of being cliched sounds fresh as a daisy. The lack of the uptempo input might at times be lamented, but if you include Across The River Thames as part of the package then the balance is restored. Elton's vocals are plain, simple with very little of the over stressing that can sometimes be present in later recordings. Recorded with care and clarity.
Finally, to present all of this the band is fine form. Incredibly fine form. Co producer Matt Still along with Elton strikes a fine balance. If you actually listen to it it's an incredibly stripped back affair, though it never sounds as if anything has been left out. Plenty happening but not all argiug to be heard. In other words when something appears it's there for a reason, the harmonica on I Must Have Lost In On The Wind sounds like it's being carried along by the said breeze. The edge that Davey brings is present and correct, standing with equal uprightness alongside his traditional roots input. The Bridge with the trademark Guy synth vocals blending seamlessly with the organic vocals harmonies of the band is both melancholic (for reasons that became more apparent later) and sensual.
If you look at the sight of Bob standing with his friends and colleagues with no instruments just choral-ling and Guy playing some beautiful watery electric piano on any of the live tv appearances from around the time of it's release then some incredible emotions come into play. The album itself is nostalgic by it's very concept. Those performances of The Bridge have taken that nostalgic level up to something extraordinary. Coupled with Blues Never Fade Away, they were lamenting a past on disc in the present but very soon that present would turn into the past. Quite incredible.
The final part of this short series finds us in early 80's territory. And what a number we have to round things up. Where did the time go...
WHERE HAVE ALL THE GOOD TIMES GONE
Jump Up! (1982)
The first attempt at this song is truly excellent. Of the all songs we've looked at so far it's probably the best initial effort. Taupin's nostalgic lyric cues a lot of things of the song. James Newton Howard's arrangement evokes the soulful style of the 60's & 70's ('remember all those good old Four Tops songs'), it's left, right, left, right military style again taking lyrical inspiration ('as time goes marching to a different beat'). Jeff Porcaro's heavy drum beat keeps that hard line in check, the bridge, as is usually the case with Elton's musical prowess, hits home. The desperation of the lyric is off set by the rise up, levelling out on a higher plain. Acoustic piano appears on the outro, harping back to that earlier notion. A contrast to the intro with electric piano. The production, thanks to Chris Thomas, catches the songs mood and encourages a greater exploration of it's sentiment. The whole thing has been perfectly matched. Once dispatched to the outside world, it would hatch into something quite different.
The 1982 tour was Elton's most rockiest. Look back on my tour retrospective to get a better flavour of that time. No matter what the song was, no matter where it's root lay it was given the rock treatment. This song being one such case. Whatever the reasons were during the sessions for Too Low Zero in September 1982 it was decided to record another version of it. If it were possible to top what was already a terrific piece, this could claim that crown.
WHERE HAVE ALL THE GOOD TIMES GONE
B-side of All Quiet On The Western Front (1982)
As soon as proceedings commence, we know we're in for a ride. A fast one. Elton's acoustic piano has a much more rapid arrival, it's in before you know it. And brighter too. His vocal is much deeper than the first go with an added degree of urgency. Dee's bass has been pushed further up for a number of reasons. Primarily to replace the orchestral arrangement with one slay of his hands. It's incredibly vocal and chatty throughout. With plenty of purposeful things to say for itself. Nigel's drumming is incredibly brutal at times. The slap rhythms that transfer us into the first chorus and then back out of it are determined as they are effective. Davey's layered guitars are like stinging tendrils. His collage of sounds take up that absent orchestral space in tandem with Dee, his solo on the outro boils up and melts all before it. The three backing vocals combine with short interjections but are ultimately very necessary harmonies. This version rocks, it's tight uncompromising attitude leaves the pulse at a much faster rate (in three digits I suspect) than when we started.
Chris Thomas, often criticised in some quarters for 'filling the spaces', came very close to capturing a live stage performance in the studio. Listen to any version up that point on the tour and what you hear on disc is merely a version recorded in front of a few people. That's the only difference. The energy Elton and the band had on stage was channelled onto disc seamlessly. Like Gus earlier on Grey Seal, he showed his talent is more than one trick by taking the same song and reworking it but not reducing it's appeal. Stripped back with the remaining players acting out multiple roles.
What have we learned overall from these examples? I'll try and sum up...
The original Skyline Pigeon, whilst charming in it's own right, needed to be redone in order to bring it's full personality out. Grey Seal with it's funky feel and clever arrangement was a bit too slow placed which was rightly rectified. Shine On Through was over developed that in turn helped it to get lost under all that cladding. Once the crucial bits were retained and proper editing introduced it became a quality result second time around. Where Have All The Good Times is the most difficult here to separate. The original is terrific, if it had stopped there then nobody would have complained. The only way to have topped it would be to get Nigel, Dee and Davey in to butter it up. The aftermath of what they did to it is clear to hear. It matches it, no doubt there. For me the revised version gets the nod, merely because some things never seem to last...and they've gone away. Why these and not others were chosen to be revisited is an interesting thought. There's talk on the street...and other places...that Elton may be going to redo some of the older classics for the forthcoming biopic. I suspect if they do go down that road it'll be like the Blondie situation I mentioned in the first part. These four examples were merely chosen at random and threw up intriguing and varying end results. Their unique quirkiness will never be replicated.
