They opened for a kindred spirit who would become Elton’s great friend and fellow breakthrough artist, Marc Bolan, with his band T.Rex, as part of the Pop Proms event, introduced by BBC Radio 1 tastemaker John Peel. In the month of his self-titled album’s release, which took place on April 10, 1970, the new line-up of the Elton John Band, a trio featuring Dee Murray on bass and Nigel Olsson on drums, made their debut with the first show in a residency at London’s Roundhouse. You have to take some stock in creating a song, but you have to keep the whole outlook in a light vein or it becomes incredibly mechanical and loses all feeling.” “If you’re in it for the money, a bad song or a failure to make any cash will leave you considering suicide or moping around in utter despair. “Too many of the writers and bands take this whole thing too seriously,” Elton told Record Mirror as the album was being released that spring. Release and critical reception: ‘a truly great album’
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But the singer-songwriter’s determination not to become too obsessed with his own professional fate showed in his cheery persona with the UK media.
The pensive, shadowy ambience of some of what they made together was offset by the ebullience of “Take Me To The Pilot” and the romanticism of “I Need You To Turn To” – and, of course, of the opening “Your Song,” which would soon transform Elton’s entire career. And we knew then that we had to get him to produce my second album.” When Gus heard the demos of “Your Song” and “The King Must Die,” he was sold. Elton later remembered: “We had heard ‘Space Oddity,’ which for me was one of the best records of all time, and we learned that it was produced by Gus Dudgeon. It was Buckmaster’s work with Dudgeon, who produced “Space Oddity,” that prompted the orchestrator to urge him to work with John. Martin and John would, of course, work together decades later, when the producer oversaw the record-breaking remake of “Candle In The Wind,” recorded after Princess Diana’s death in 1997. But Martin, understandably, also wanted to arrange it, whereupon Elton’s management decided not to pursue the idea. With Buckmaster on board, early discussions about who should produce the record turned to the great George Martin. But his decoration of such eloquent accomplishments on Elton John’s self-titled album as “First Episode At Hienton,” “Sixty Years On,” and “The Greatest Discovery” stand among his best work.
He had helped to create the sonic sculpture of David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” breakthrough of the previous summer, and now turned his hand to illustrating some of these new John-Taupin creations with dark, majestic orchestrations.īuckmaster went on to a long working relationship with Elton and put his stamp on albums by countless other luminaries including the Rolling Stones, Carly Simon, Harry Nilsson and many later artists, before his death in 2017. The other key ally was Paul Buckmaster, a contemporary of Elton’s and a brilliant arranger who gave the album’s sound even greater depth and drama. Quaye was a member of Hookfoot, who had backed Elton on radio sessions and at gigs such as a 1969 show at London’s Royal College Of Art. It also featured other such contributors as guitarists Caleb Quaye and Clive Hicks, and trusty comrades on backing vocals, including Lesley Duncan, Roger Cook and Madeline Bell. Recorded at Trident Studios in London, it began his collaboration with producer Gus Dudgeon, but still with a co-ordination role for Steve Brown, who had overseen Empty Sky. The simple, eponymous title of Elton John’s new album was a fresh statement of intent.
Recording sessions: a fresh statement of intent It still failed to chart, but better days were coming. The track received considerable airplay in Britain and even an endorsement from one of Elton’s pop heroines, Dusty Springfield. As Elton marked that birthday, his self-titled second album was heralded by the single release of “Border Song.” The gospel-tinged ode featuring the Barbara Moore Choir displayed both Elton’s increasing confidence and the Americana-soaked imagination of his writing partner of three years, Bernie Taupin.