Elton Says He's Done (1 Viewer)

[Craig S]

On top of losing George Harrison, there's more bad news for fans of that good ole' 60s/70s music. According to the AP, Elton John said at a concert last night that his current album, "Songs From the West Coast", is his last. You can read Link Removed.
For those who grew up in the 70s, Elton pretty much defined pop music. I can still remember where I was when I first heard "Levon" some 30 years ago. I had never heard anything like it, and instantly I became a fan. The best concert I ever saw was his solo show at the Reunion in Dallas in 1979. He walked out with no fanfare (he had pretty much given up on the fancy costumes at this point), sat down at the piano, and proceeded to play the best of his catalog for 2 and a half hours. It was spellbinding.
His 80s & 90s output never reached the highs of his early career, but he never devolved into an oldies act. You could always count on at least a couple of superior tunes on each album, and occasionally he still delivered a superior album in whole. I've been listening to his latest a lot and it sounds like it is joining the list of classic.
No more George Harrison songs, and now it looks like no more Elton tunes as well. Man, I'm feeling pretty bummed tonight. :frowning:

 

[Jon Sheedy]

I wouldn't worry too much about not hearing any music from either of these music legends quite yet, Craig.

There is rumoured to be at least a full album worth of new songs that George Harrison had been working on, which was to be his latest album. Also, he had mentioned a box set of rarities that he hoped to release. Although I have all his CD's, I'll be glad just to get his current catalogue remastered...which is supposedly in the can.

As far as Reggie goes.....I'll believe it when I see it (or in this case when I don't hear it!). Elton has announced this kind of thing before and then returned. I think the news of George's death (with whom Elton was a fried) has hit him pretty hard and he's feeling pretty bummed right now. I doubt Elton John will quit making music while he lives in this world.

Jon

 

[Jeffrey Forner]

Pardon the profanity, but this fucking sucks! I love Elton John, and I had always assumed that he would write and record music until the day he died. Now that my other musical idol, Billy Joel (yes, I have a thing for the Piano Men) I guess that I don't have much to look forward to musically. Maybe a new Don Henley album in 10 years, but that's it.

*sigh*

Now I'm depressed.

Still, maybe this is one of those fake retirement things. Maybe he'll miss the music scene so much that he'll come back eventually. Or maybe he'll just spend his way into debt and need a new record to pull himself out of it. Elton is well-known for his heavy spending habits.

 

[Brian Bunn]

Hmmmmm....I don't know. This comes out of nowhere. Elton seems to be in a bad state of mind concerning the music business these days, but his last album? I have my doubts. Making music is what he does. It is what he has done for 30 years. How can you just give it up when you are (apparently) still in good health and can still put out a good product, as evidence by his very good new album? I remember a similar statement by a certain actor saying he wasn't going to make anymore movies. That he was fed up with the movie business. Well, he has made more movies. It's possible that Elton will not make anymore records. Afterall, people do "retire". But I believe he will. I hope he will.

If Elton has put out his last album, then it is truly sad news. It just reminds us all that we are getting old! As another legend of rock sings in one of his latest songs "Things Have Changed". And more changes are on the way. Darn! Why can't things just stay the same!

The day Mr. Dylan decides he has had enough will be a sad day indeed for me. The day the music dies. Well, atleast a big part of it.

If Elton is indeed calling it quits, he takes a pretty big chunk out of it as well.

 

[Jon Sheedy]

Finally, some official word on George's long rumoured new album! George has left us all a little suprise....
http://www.reuters.com/news_article....StoryID=422036
Jon

 

[Craig S]

Yeah, you guys are right. We've seen musicians renege on "retirements" before (The Who, anyone?). Hopefully that'll be the case here.

Good to hear about the new Harrison tracks! Somehow it makes me feel better that he was writing & recording almost up to the end.

 

[Steve Tull]

'Elton Says He's Done'
Well at least some good news after the sad loss of George Harrison this week.
Elton John hasn't made a decent record since 'Captain Fantastic' when was that ... 1975 ?
His output since then has been total crap !!
Good Riddence to him !

 

[Kevin P]

I was at that concert (I live less than 2 miles from the Verizon Wireless Arena) and was a bit surprised to hear that this would be his last album. But from what I've heard about the record companies these days, I'm not totally surprised.
And 40 albums makes for a pretty impressive career anyway. I wouldn't be surprised if he put out some singles down the road.
BTW, it was a great show!
KJP

 

[andrew markworthy]

Steve, that 'total crap' as you term it, has, aesthetic considerations aside [and incidentally, I strongly disagree that he hasn't produced anything worthwhile since CFATBDC], raised millions for AIDS research through donated royalties - or perhaps this is something we should sneer at?

I'd take EJ's announcement with a few grains of salt. I can recall him announcing his 'retirement' back in the late 70s, that he'd never play Candle in the Wind on stage again, etc, etc.