Elton John plans to marry his longtime boyfriend David Furnish, saying he has "never been so happy".

"We haven't set a date and it surely won't be a big public ceremony but I would like to place my life in his hands with a wedding vow," the 57-year-old told German weekly celebrity magazine Gala. "I have never been so happy."

Elton, who did not reveal in which country he planned to tie the knot, said he had lived for years "like a wild animal" with a lifestyle marked by drugs, alcohol, depression and suicide attempts. "Today I am happy that person no longer exists."

He called the 40-year-old Canadian-born Furnish "the most important person in my life". "I cannot imagine a life without him." Elton said he had grown fed up with fame and would like to lead a quieter life, but he said it was unlikely he would shy away from the spotlight for long.

Elton was married to studio technician Renate Blauel from 1984 to 1988. He has been linked to Furnish since 1993 in what London's Observer has called "the most conspicuous gay couple in the world." Elton is to accept Germany's "Bambi" media award in Berlin in November 2004 for his charity work to fight AIDS. His foundation has raised nearly 40 million euros (50 million dollars) for research into the disease.

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