Captain Fantastic

January 23, 2017
In the 1970s, Elton John was the “Rocket Man,” flying high over the rock world with one hit after another that brought him international fame. In this adoring and candid set of fan’s notes, music journalist Doyle (Man on the Run) draws on interviews with John and his colleagues, especially his writing partner, Bernie Taupin, to capture the meteoric rise and fall of the man who released at least one album every year of the 1970s. Doyle traces the arc of John’s journey from his childhood days as Reg Dwight, when he hung around the local record store so he could grab the newest albums by the bands he adored as soon as they arrived, to his early days in the Corvettes and Bluesology, his band that eventually backed the great British rocker Long John Baldry. John’s subsequent rise to stardom began with his first album of the 1970s, Elton John. Doyle follows John’s musical evolution chronologically, devoting each chapter to one year in the decade, and offering canny takes on John’s musical output. 1972’s Honky Chateau, for example, “exhibited Elton’s knack for musical genre hopping,” but the following year’s Don’t Shoot Me I’m Only the Piano Player was a “creative muddle,” though a resounding commercial success. Doyle points out that by the end of the decade, John was extraordinarily famous but also not sure “who he was or where he was going.” This energetic book unintentionally makes a convincing case that John reached his peak and made his best music in the ’70s.

February 15, 2017
Veteran rock journalist Doyle (Man on the Run: Paul McCartney in the 1970s, 2014, etc.) continues his foray into the 1970s music scene with a compelling profile of an unlikely rock star.There wasn't much demand for portly and pug-nosed piano players when young Reginald Dwight (b. 1947) first dove headlong into the music industry in Pinner, England, at the close of the 1960s. That, however, didn't deter the quintessential outsider from chasing his dream. In chronicling Elton John's stratospheric rise to fame, replete with platinum records, increasingly outlandish stage shows, and mountains of cash, the author deftly manages to keep his subject in sharp focus. Based on hours of one-on-one interviews with Captain Fantastic himself, this breezy yet comprehensive biography demonstrates what it was like for the talented musician to churn out an impossible string of hit records alongside lyricist Bernie Taupin. "If Elton seemed super-confident, even invincible," writes Doyle, "then he would sometimes make funny, self-deprecating remarks in interviews about his appearance, saying he couldn't possibly compete with the likes of David Bowie or Mick Jagger when it came to their slinky stagewear. 'I haven't got the figure for it, ' he admitted." The author neither sidesteps nor belabors John's clashes with the aforementioned stars, drug use, and struggles with his homosexuality. The result is an intriguing portrait of the artist as a human being. As portrayed here, John comes off as sometimes-distant, moody, and given to spectacular outbursts of rage that usually required expensive gifts to sooth hurt feelings afterward. At various points in his career, John fired his band, made Cher cry, and truly pissed off his good friend Rod Stewart. None of that, however, detracts from Doyle's sympathetic portrayal, which concludes with a discography. A great way to better understand the man behind the garish glasses and platform boots.

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March 15, 2017

Born Reginald Kenneth Dwight in 1947, Elton John grew up to be creative, talented, and shy, with a cheeky sense of humor. Along with songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, he had seven consecutive No. 1 albums in America, and a staggering 14 Top Ten singles from 1970 to 1976. He became "Liberaceized," wearing lavish costumes and living a flamboyant lifestyle. Through interviews with John himself, as well as other major players in his life, including Taupin (who remains a close friend), music journalist Doyle (Man on the Run: Paul McCartney in the 1970s) takes us through the lows and incredible highs of the performer's career, including touring on a private plane called the Starship, befriending movie stars, royalty, and (some) rock stars (including hilarious jibes exchanged with the late David Bowie). Issues of sexuality and "coming out" are deftly navigated, as are John's challenges with cocaine and alcohol. Amazingly, he came through it all with his artistry and love of music intact. VERDICT A perfectly timely look back at the Seventies and Elton John's career as he turns 70 years old.--Lani Smith, Ohone Coll. Lib., Fremont, CA

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