Elton John; his brand new album: a pure dose of why the world fell in love with him in the first place - Interview

Interview, Nov, 2001 by Ann Powers

AP: The Lion King songs have become children's anthems. When I saw you in concert recently, there were a lot of younger fans there. I mean quite young children.

EJ: A lot of parents are very grateful for The Lion King, though some come up to me and say, "You know, we love The Lion King, but do you realize we've had to watch it 70 times!"

AP: Do you think that kids or teenagers will relate to Songs From the West Coast, or is it only for adults?

EJ: I don't know. A lot of them are going back and listening to Yellow Brick Road and albums like that because of Almost Famous and Moulin Rouge, two films that have used my songs. I get lots of mail now, which I always open and answer, from 18- and 20-year-olds who just bought Madman Across the Water, which is so flattering.

AP: You haven't always gotten your due where rock history is concerned.

EJ: You know, it does get a little hurtful sometimes. I mean, I did do some really great work back in the '70s, and I think sometimes, because of the way I looked, because of how much product I had out, from a critic's standpoint those things worked against me.

AP: Perhaps you're overlooked when people wax nostalgic about the '70s because they tend to focus on classic rock, and your music was more pop. Although you did rock out quite often.

EJ: Well, every album that we made between 1970 and 1976 was different. We had orchestral stuff, we had trio stuff, we had jazzy stuff, every sort of music you can think of. And really great music--Jean-Luc Ponty played his first electric violin on our sessions. The hits were very poppy, like "Crocodile Rock" and "Bennie and the Jets." But if you listen and really dig deep there are lots of really musical moments. And you know, Tumbleweed Connection never even had a single taken from it.

AP: You were making AOR--album-oriented rock. There's not much of that these days.

EJ: Yeah. When FM radio started out in America it was so exciting, because you used to be able to hear everything! You used to be able to hear Captain Beefheart next to Aretha Franklin next to the Grateful Dead next to Joni Mitchell or Ray Charles. It's not like that on the radio today.

AP: If you were 25 and Songs From the West Coast was your first album, would it even get played on the radio today?

EJ: Who knows? The fact that they played David Gray is very encouraging. But, on the other hand, they don't play Ryan Adams.

AP: Radio often ignores artists over 40. But the generation you're part of is still going strong. You guys aren't ready for the farm, right?

EJ: No. Mick Jagger is a person I really admire because he listens to so much and wants to move forward. Plus he still works it onstage. Keith [Richards] doesn't want to move forward, he is just happy keeping the Rolling Stones a basic rock 'n' roll blues band. Mick's one of the few people for whom age doesn't seem to matter. And that lead singer role is something I used to envy so much.

AP: Oh, really?

EJ: Yeah, well now I'm 54 and I'm so glad I'm stuck behind that bloody piano. I'm so relieved I'm not Rod Stewart, David Bowie or Mick Jagger, thank you very much!