Elton John (Official Thread)

[LG]

Re: Elton John

Been on a hot streak lately picking up albums on my never ending list. This is one that Mr. Shadow recommended a long time ago, but I now have a good quality copy in the house, a Japanese remastered version no less...

This would be an excellent album to play for anyone who doesn't think Elton ever Rocked...captures him just before his massive breakthrough and on his way to becoming a superstar.

Take Me To The Pilot.





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[Cosmic Harmony]

Re: Elton John

I've never once doubted Elton's ability to rock, especially not in the 70's. He rocks harder with piano than a lot of guitarists do with even the thickest of distortion.

 

[LG]

Re: Elton John

^^You are right about that Cosmic, but there are probably many fans that came late to the party and only know his stuff from the 90's up to now, and nothing he recorded during that interval comes close to the early years.

 

[Craig in Indy]

Re: Elton John

I think I may have mentioned the 11-17-70 album, hmmm...maybe back on page 5 or so.

Seriously, though, I gave a copy of it to my 20-something nephew several years ago. He's every bit as much of a music snob as his father is (and as I am) and was convinced Elton John had never rocked in his life. He was impressed.

 

[LG]

Re: Elton John

It's possible Craig, now that I think about it Shadow sent the links to an MP3 version he found...

I think any casual fan would be impressed with this live album, I remember seeing it many times but never giving it a second thought.

Thanks for the recommend...

 

[Cosmic Harmony]

Re: Elton John

I might be mistaken but I'm pretty sure Elton called the performance from "11-17-70" the best live gig he ever played.

 

[Craig in Indy]

Re: Elton John

When I first got it, it was only the second John album I'd heard. This was my first exposure to "Burn Down the Mission," and when I later heard the studio version on Tumbleweed Connection, the latter seemed kind of tame. I still love it, though, along with the rest of that album, but 11-17-70 definitely has a vibrant kind of charge that none of the studio albums ever replicated.

 

[Travelin' Man]

Re: Elton John

Honky Chateau was the first album that I ever bought. Honky Cat and Rocket Man were the big ones off of that album (honorable mention to Mona Lisa and Mad Hatters). I can also recall being 9 yrs old and listening to the radio every morning as I got ready for school, waiting for Benny and the Jets to come on. Steve Miller's "The Joker" and Deep Purple's "Smoke on the Water" were a couple of other songs that I waited for with great anticipation in those days. Why mention those songs? Just setting the scene/mood.

LG, referring back to your first post (just over a year ago), I bought the Rock of the Westies album. The Bitch is Back is one of Reg's (I've called him that since his Reg Strikes Back album) funnest numbers. And while I've enjoyed a few of his songs since that time, my fervor, Like LG's began to dwindle...........though my love of his older music remained well in tact.

I've been lucky enough to have seen him in concert twice. Once with Billy Joel (GREAT FRICKIN' SHOW!!!) and once with just his piano. It was his (I call it) "Oh My God I'm Broke and Need Lots-O-Money" tour. He did that tour solo so that he didn't have to pay for his band. Needy or not, the music was superb. Good stuff no matter how you slice it.

 

[LG]

Re: Elton John

I have picked up a copy of Rock of the Westies a few weeks ago TM, so I'll play it a couple of times before offering my thoughts about it.

But there is no doubt, Elton's early career from the late 60's to the early 80's was by far his creative peak.

 

[Prime]

Re: Elton John

Billy Joel and Elton John - Piano Man