: Peter Kearns
: Elton John: 1969 - 1979 Every Album, Every Song
: Sonicbond Publishing
: 9781789524246
: 1
: CHF 8.30
:
: Musik
: English
: 128
: DRM
: PC/MAC/eReader/Tablet
: ePUB

In 1970, Elton John, formerly Reginald Kenneth Dwight, stepped from the obscurity of suburban Pinner, Middlesex, England, into a pop culture reeling from post-Beatles fallout, to become one of the biggest-selling recording artists in the world. To date he has sold over 300 million records from a discography of 30 studio albums, four live albums, over 100 singles, and a multitude of compilations, soundtracks and collaborations. He is the recipient of six Grammys and ten Ivor Novello awards, was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, appointed a CBE in 1995 and knighted in 1998. In 2018, he embarked on his swansong world tour, Farewell Yellow Brick Road.
Elton John 1969 to 1979 covers the period from Elton's earliest 1960s releases to his final 1970s album, Victim of Love. It is a critical overview of every track on the thirteen studio albums released in an era when Elton was at his most successful and that many fans consider to be the musical high-point of his career. Also included are the two live albums 17-11-70 and Here and There, and the trove of album-worthy B-sides that augmented the discography along the way.
Peter Kearns is an independent recording artist and producer. He has performed as keyboardist, recorded or co-written with artists such as New Zealand's Shona Laing, the UK's Judie Tzuke, and New Yorker John Tabacco, as half of the duo Tabacco& Kearns. His 2007 debut album No Such Thing As Time featured King Crimson's Tony Levin. As a writer, he's contributed to Witchdoctor.co.nz, New Zealand's technology and music website, plus New Zealand Musician magazine and the Elton John fan club publication, East End Lights. He lives in Amberley, New Zealand.
Chapter3

Elton John (1970)


Personnel:

Elton John: vocals, piano, harpsichord

Frank Clark: acoustic bass

Madeline Bell, Tony Burrows, Roger Cook, Lesley Duncan, Kay Garner, Tony Hazzard: backing vocals

Les Hurdle, Dave Richmond, Alan Weighill: bass

Paul Buckmaster: solo cello

Barbara Moore: choir lead

Terry Cox, Barry Morgan: drums

Frank Clark, Colin Green, Roland Harker, Clive Hicks, Alan Parker, Caleb Quaye: guitars

Skaila Kanga: Harp

Brian Dee: organ

Dennis Lopez, Tex Navarra: percussion

Diana Lewis: synthesizer

Recorded: Jan. 1970 at Trident Studios, London

Producer: Gus Dudgeon

Engineer: Robin Geoffrey

Cable Arranger: Paul Buckmaster

Release date: 10 April 1970 (UK), 22 July 1970 (US)

Chart placings: UK: 5, US: 4, CAN: 4, AUS: 4

Fresh from working with David Bowie, orchestral arranger Paul Buckmaster was hired to work on theElton John album. Scoring had commenced when Beatles producer George Martin was invited to produce the record. Conflicting stories exist as to why this never eventuated. One says that Martin simply declined and the other that he agreed to on the condition that he also arrange the album. Elton turned this down preferring to remain with Buckmaster as arranger. His work on theElton John album ultimately encapsulated not only orchestral arrangement but also parts for guitar, bass and drums, ‘No Shoestrings On Louise’ being an example of this.

Through Buckmaster came producer Gus Dudgeon. Elton later described the recording process as being ‘Like an army manoeuvre with Gus as Sgt. Major.’ The project was certainly a step-up fromEmpty Sky, with recording taking place at London’s Trident Studios and an army of session players enlisted to highlight selected tracks. ‘Your Song’ alone had three guitarists, not to mention half the tracks including an orchestra, which Elton played with live. Taking into account a picturesque and exotic development in Bernie’s lyrics, the combined audio effect of all as a development fromEmpty Sky to here, was analogous to the visual advancement from Super 8 to Cinemascope.

‘Your Song’ (Elton John, Bernie Taupin)

Released as a single A-side, 7 January 1971 (UK), b/w ‘Into the Old Man’s Shoes’. UK: 7. AUS: 11. NZ: 18.

Released as a single B-side, 26 October 1970 (US), b/w ‘Take Me to the Pilot’. US: 8 CAN: