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Fan report by Stephan Heimbecher.

Once in a blue moon my business travel conincides with Elton's tour schedule and that's how my 120th Elton show became my first ever concert experience in Japan. A few hours after leaving the stage as a guest speaker at Sony's HDR Seminar event at Inter BEE in Tokyo, I found myself in the pouring rain in front of Yokohama Arena - about an hour train ride from my hotel in Tokyo.

Earlier that afternoon I had met there with Eriko, a long time Elton fan and good friend of mine, which I hadn't seen since February 2005 in Las Vegas. Our first encounter goes back to June 1992 when she was "blocking" the Elton John section in a record store in Notting Hill, London. We have shared many Elton travel and concert experiences ever since.

Once the doors opened at 6 pm, the rain washed in a permanent flow of concert goers into the huge Yokohama Arena, which I will certainly not remember as the place with the best acoustics. However, the performance of Elton and the band was flawless, as has been documented by WOWOW, Japan's first private satellite broadcasting and pay television station.

No surprises though as far as the set list is concerned, not even a mention of the upcoming new album. However, a few songs into the show Elton did mention that he is "very happy to be in Japan" and that he will be "coming back soon". So it looks like Osaka and Yokohama were just a stopover on the way to New Zealand with more shows in Japan being added for 2016.

With my last Elton show almost exactly one year ago (Munich, 27 Nov 2014) I was a bit disappointed to find the set list to be basically identical. However, there were some fascinating new musical nuances, e.g. the almost never-ending and powerful instrumental finale to "Levon" or the likewise extended intro to "Rocket Man". Another highlight to many fans, especially those in front of the stage, probably was the fact that David helped Elton out on stage when he was signing autographs right before the final encore "Crocodile Rock". But even before his appearance you could tell that David was around, because of Elton's great mood and his many references to love. He also briefly referred to the Paris attacks and "all the violence throughout the world" and said that this can only be responded to with love.

I might not have liked the set list, but let's face it: There aren't that many 68 year old pianists on this planet that can even make a Japanese audience stand during a 2 1/2 hour set of mainly Rock'n'Roll.

Following is the complete set list of the Yokohama show on November 18, 2015:

1. Funeral For A Friend
   
2. Love Lies Bleeding
   
3. Bennie And The Jets
   
4. Candle In The Wind
   
5. All The Girls Love Alice
   
6. Levon
   
7. Tiny Dancer
   
8. Believe
   
9. Daniel
   
10. Philadelphia Freedom
    
11. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road
    
12. Rocket Man
    
13. Hey Ahab
    
14. I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues
    
15. The One (solo)
    
16. Your Song
    
17. Burn Down The Mission
    
18. Sad Songs (Say So Much)
    
19. Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word
    
20. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me
    
21. The Bitch Is Back
    
22. I'm Still Standing
    
23. Your Sister Can't Twist (But She Can Rock 'n Roll)
    
24. Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting
    
    
25. Crocodile Rock

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Bernie Taupin, Elton John's writing partner since 1967, discusses the duo's creative process and their upcoming album, 'Wonderful Crazy Night.'

In about a year and a half Elton John and Bernie Taupin will celebrate a rather stunning achievement: 50 years working together as a songwriting team. "That makes me immensely proud," says Taupin, phoning in from his California home. "The fact is that we're still actually making records. We're still a viable team. I think we're probably the longest-lasting songwriting team in music history. I guess you could also say Jagger/Richards, if they make a new record, that is."

But the Rolling Stones have only made a single record in the past 18 years (and even then, it was questionable how much Mick and Keith actually wrote together), but Bernie and Elton have never slowed down. Their new record, Wonderful Crazy Night, hits stores on February 5th. Rolling Stone spoke with Taupin about the new album, his life as a painter, his rock-solid friendship with Elton John, why he's never heard a Kanye West song, and why he hasn't even thought about retiring.

How did you first hear that this new record was happening?
The idea came up sooner than I expected after [2013's] The Diving Board. I didn't expect Elton to want to go back in so soon. The thing is, it's my tendency to set the tenor for the albums when I'm writing. As you've probably realized from my past work, my tendency is to lean a little toward the more esoteric. I like darker subject matter, but I think that this time Elton felt there was enough pain and suffering in the world without me contributing to it, so he wanted to do something that exuded positive energy.

It was then just a matter of me getting over the fact that he wanted to do it so soon after the last two albums, and it was a matter of me putting on a different hat, though I liked the idea. I like the idea of coming at it from a different angle. We're not the sort of guys who are going to solve the world's problems and write about fracking and corporate greed. I don't particularly have a problem with Starbucks [laughs], so we'll leave that to other people. No names mentioned [laughs].

Tell me how you started.
Once I got the idea of it, it was pretty easy. I knew that, basically, it was gonna be a loud, brash pop record. I don't want to say there wasn't a tremendous amount of thought put into the songs, but I certainly realized that we wanted to blow skirts up. We wanted to write songs that were really hook-driven. As I think I wrote in the liner notes, I'm dealing with a guy that's got more hooks than a tackle box.

The combination of the two of us on this different level was a fun adventure that we haven't really investigated since the loud, brash pop-rock we were doing in the mid-1970s. I think it's a natural curve for us to come back to. We're visited our early roots with the last album, and I think it was natural to return to the poppier sound of our mid-1970s work.

Do you find it harder to write happy songs?
Oh yeah, absolutely. I always lean towards the darker side. I think any songwriter, and my contemporaries would probably agree with me, thinks its far more interesting to investigate the seamier side of things, the underbelly of life, the heartbreak. Heartbreak is more easily mined than the happy side of romance.

Having said that, you try and find blueprints. You find people that you respect that have a sort of backbeat that drives the energy. You look at people like Tom Petty and his catalog. I'm not saying all of his songs are of a positive nature, but they have a positive groove to them. I was looking for a sound that was definitely West Coast. One of the possible ideas we had was that West Coast, Jim McGuinn, Rickenbacker, ringing, joyful kind of sound. As you can probably tell from the album, that's nowhere to be seen [laughs]. But it was something that gave us an idea of where to start off.

With me, it's all about titles. I love coming up with titles and I work around those titles or first lines, because if you have a title, you can really build a strong chorus behind it. And the song titles that I came up with on this really kind of screamed for big hooks, and I think that's what this album is. It's an album of big hooks. Once I cracked the egg and got the ball rolling, it came fairly easily.

How do you work? You set aside time each day to write and write, or just do it at moments where you feel inspired?
No. Bear in mind that most of my life is painting. I paint 24/7. People in the art world are constantly saying to me, "What do you enjoy doing most: painting or writing?" And it's really a moot point because we have a record maybe every three or four years, and it takes a couple of months. I probably set aside a month, or two if I have the luxury of time. If you think about it, I'm only writing songs two months out of every three years. Once I get the green light and I know there's a record ahead, I pretty much go in every day and work for four or five hours a day.

Do you write longhand or by computer?
It's almost like a circular motion. I write on a guitar because it gives me a rhythmic sense. It's got nothing to do with how it ultimately turns out with Elton, but I do use a guitar. I play chords and just sort of sing the lines over to myself, so that I feel when he reads them, he can read them in a rhythmic cadence. So what I'll do is have a pad and a pen and a computer and I will just sing to myself on the guitar. I'll come up with something, write it longhand and after I've written maybe a verse or something, I put it onto the word processor because I wanna make sure I can remember it, because I'm scrawling on a pad. So it really goes from guitar to the pad to the computer and back to the guitar again. Again, a circular motion.

Do you send them off to Elton in chunks or do you go one-by-one?
In the past I've faxed him things, but now he's been dragged kicking and screaming into the 20th century. He actually has an iPad and a computer. Either that, or I've met up with him somewhere and we go through them together, which is what we eventually do. I don't want you to think its a cold connection. We do get together and discuss things.

But I"ll email them and let him ingest them for a while and then we'll get together and I'll say, "Well to me, when I wrote this, it had a kind of Byrds-y feel," or I'll give him sort of an idea. For the most part, he just totally rejects those and goes the way he wants to go with them, but at least I gave it a shot [laughs].

Do you go into the studio to watch the recording process?
Oh, yeah, I'm there pretty much 24/7. I mean, I do come in and out because I'm not really a studio rat. I don't like places that don't have windows and you can't see outside. I start to feel a little constricted. And my job is done by that point, but I think that Elton enjoys the fact that I'm there. He likes my presence, though I'm not sure why [laughs]. But yeah, I'm there waving the flag.

It's gotta be gratifying to see your lyrics come to life.
Oh, yeah, that's something that never gets old, believe me. I still get a kick out of it, the same he gets a kick out of seeing a new batch of lyrics, so we're both like kids on Christmas.

I know that "I've Got Two Wings" is about the Reverend Utah Smith, [a musical Louisiana preacher who performed around the South in the 1940s with enormous white wings strapped to his back]. What drew you towards that figure?
I have this terrible tendency in my work to resurrect the neglected [laughs]. It's great ammunition for songs. I mean, a Louisiana guitar-playing evangelist who wears a pair of wings? What's not to love about that?

Is there any sort of theme to the album?
No, none whatsoever. It's just a collection of strong, hook-y pop songs. If it has a theme, it is just one of positive energy.

When you write a song, do you ever try to tap into how Elton is feeling at the moment? He's got such young kids now, and that's obviously making him very happy.
Well, I think we have a mirror image on that because we both have young kids. Mine are a little older than his, but it's interesting. That ties us together because we're such radically different characters, but the one thing that ties us together is the kids. We can both understand the perils, pitfalls and joys of raising kids. He's got two boys and I have two girls that are seven and 10. But you draw so much energy from them, and I drew from that in a couple of songs. They're about the feeling you get from raising kids and the things you want to instill in them.

Is "A Good Heart" one of those?
Yes, definitely. I can't even remember the other one.

I think the problem that so many veteran artists face is they're always competing with their own past.
Oh, you don't have to tell me that!

I'm sure. I mean, when people hear a song like "Tiny Dancer" they're taken right back to the time they first heard it. But when they hear a new song, they simply don't have that emotional connection and often just tune it out.
That's a very, very, very astute analysis of it. I absolutely agree. Yeah, there is a nostalgia about our work that can be very debilitating at times. Depending on your mood, you can run into somebody who will be effusive about your older work and not even mention your new work. You just feel feel like ... well, not so like grabbing them around the throat [laughs]. You kinda want to say, "Well, OK, but how about the last record we made?" And they'll go, "Oh, well, I didn't even know you had one."

That can be extremely frustrating. But it's what we have to live with. The thing is, you can be Billy Joel and just give up making records. But the thing is, if you really have the drive and the passion for music and writing, you're going to do it whether it sells or not, because it's there inside you. If you don't get it out, you're going to explode.

Elton and I are incredibly creative people, and if people like what we do, that's just the icing on the cake, but we're still going to put it out there. I don't know how much longer we'll do it, but we still enjoy it immensely. And to shut down and say, "Well, that's it. I'm not going to write anymore." I'm not sure that's a healthy way of looking at it.

Most partnerships in every sort of creative field usually break down at some point. Resentments creep up and people begin hating each other. How have you guys avoided that?
Well, that's an easy answer. The fact is, you have to see each other for that to happen. We live such separate lives. We are two separate people. I think had we been the same kind of personalities and been in close proximity of each other these past years, I think there probably would have been a more acrimonious kind of thing between the two of us.

We do talk on the phone a lot, but not a tremendous amount, and it's usually about record collecting. Elton has recently reinvested in vinyl because he sold his collection years ago for charity. Now he's trying to reclaim everything. We'll have these long discussions about it. He'll call me up and say, "Do you still have the first Tiny Tim album?" I'll go, "Yeah, I've got both of them." He'll go, "You're kidding! Really?" It's because I never got rid of my vinyl, so I probably have like 15,000 albums and they're all in, like, immaculate condition. I've pretty proud of that because all I play now is vinyl.

I'm always surprised when he talks about his passion for new music. Most artists I talk to his age haven't bought a new record in decades.
Well, yeah. That's a big difference with me. He has his finger on the pulse of everything out there. I mean, let's put it like this: I was just looking at the paper before I called you. I was reading about the CMAs and their Entertainer of the Year is ... Luke Bryan?

Yeah.
Now, I've never even heard of him. That's where I'm at. I mean, Elton is just unbelievable. I'm still listening to Louis Armstrong ...

And he's listening to Kanye West.
Yeah, yeah. I mean, of course, I know who Kanye West is. Have I ever heard one of his songs? I don't think so. I mean, I guess I could have and not known about it.

Isn't it crazy to think that you got teamed up with a random musician 48 years ago by a record executive, and that single event changed both of your lives in such profound ways?
I'm not a nostalgic person by nature. I live very much in the now. Having said that, once in a while it does kind of hit you on the head. You think, "Well, it was definitely kismet that I did this and he did that and we met in the middle." I am eternally grateful for that, but I don't dwell on it. If things are meant to be, they happen. My personal feeling about it is that if something is meant to happen, it's by the grace of God and I'm not gonna argue with it.

He often needs security when he goes out into public. I take it you enjoy your relatively anonymity.
Oh, absolutely! [Laughs] That's one of the things I'm the most thankful for. I mean in the early 1970s, I would get recognized because my picture was on the album covers a lot. My name does still get recognized. I go places and give a credit card or give my name at the airport, and someone will recognize the name and the gushing begins.

But I couldn't live his life. I would rather drill myself in the head with a nail gun than do what he does. And it's what keeps him young. It's what keeps him going. I'm sure he gets very tired at times. It's got to run him down, but he doesn't play to make a living. He plays because he loves to do it. He loves to be in front of that crowd. The more they give him, the more he gives back. That's the drug he's on right now.

It's just so much traveling ...
Oh, I can't imagine. I just can't imagine. I think about the band. They're on tour all year outside of two months when they take off in the fall, and we're talking about all over the globe. He flies private, but even that takes it out of you. But I can't imagine what it does to the band flying on regular airlines. I can't even imagine the packing! How do you balance all that out?

Finally, do you see you guys still doing this in 10 years and even beyond?
I don't see why not. I mean, as long as he wants to make records, I'll be happy to do it. What kind of records they'll be, I have no idea. Whether there will be anyone to listen or most of our fans have passed away ... No, no. As long as they don't pass away, we won't pass away. They'll stick in for the long haul with us. But yeah, I'm here. I'm feeling good. I've got no complaints. I just create in my studio and when he calls, I'll be there, willing and able.

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Just in time for the holiday season, the JEAF is very pleased to announce the return of the popular Sir Elton John Holiday Candle produced by NEST Fragrances.

NEST Fragrances donates a portion of the proceeds from the sale of each Sir Elton John Candle collection to support the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF)’s lifesaving work.

This year, NEST Fragrances is offering 25% off all Sir Elton John Scented Candles by NEST Fragrances and complimentary standard shipping on your entire order with the purchase of at least one Sir Elton John Scented Candle. Just enter the promo code 2015EJ at checkout. This offer is valid through 11:59 p.m. EST on November 20, 2015.

Please join EJAF in anticipating the upcoming holidays and help support the Foundation’s efforts by purchasing Sir Elton John’s Holiday, Fireside, and Woodside Garden candles. Shine a light on our hope for a world without AIDS!

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Elton recently announced a new album — Wonderful Crazy Night, out February 5, 2016 — and now he is sharing the expressive video for that project’s lead single, “Looking Up."

Paired with the song’s upbeat guitar and pounding piano, the visual showcases bursts of color and animated brushstrokes, all birthed in tune with the melody.

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In 1969, Elton released his debut album "Empty Sky," which wasn’t released in the US until 1975. But his self-titled second album quickly took flight stateside thanks to the success of “Your Song” and classics like “Take Me to the Pilot.”

Elton made his American concert debut in the summer of 1970, and in October he released his third album in less than two years, "Tumbleweed Connection." By year’s end, he was back in the States for more shows, one of which would be the setting for his first live LP, "11-17-70."

On November 17, 1970, Elton, along with drummer Nigel Olsson and bassist Dee Murray, gave a performance at A&R Recording Studios in New York City. The show was set up as a promotion for his new LP, and was broadcast live on WABC-FM.

It also served as a document of the first chapter in Elton’s long career. His live band at the time was made up of only three members, even though his records included many more musicians. This show marked the end of the live-trio era, since guitarist Davey Johnstone would soon join the band.

Even though he was signed to the DJM label in the UK, Elton was on UNI Records in the US at the time. But he wasn’t so sure the company was doing everything it could to push him. “UNI is f—ed up, so I’ve been told, but … they really worked for us in the States till it got to be too much, and I told them to f— off,” he said in a 1970 interview. “When you say f— off in the States, they listen. But hey, they’re introducing you to Quincy Jones as the new British superstar, and it takes three days for it to sink in — That was Quincy Jones.”

Elton was never shy about acknowledging his debt to American artists. “My roots are … listening to records. All the time,” he said. “I live, eat, sleep, breathe music. Neil Young, the Band, the Springfield, the Dead, the Airplane. I feel more American than British.” So as he started to make inroads in the U.S., he gave one of his most definitive early performances on 11-17-70. In addition to original material like “Take Me to the Pilot,” “Burn Down the Mission” and “Sixty Years On,” Elton and the band take on songs by the Rolling Stones (“Honky Tonk Women”) and a medley that includes nods to both Elvis Presley and the Beatles. The original performance featured a 13-song set, but when the LP was released the following April, only six of the songs were included. (Later CD versions would add some of the material, but the entire concert has never been officially released.)

"11-17-70" just missed the Top 10, but it helped cement Elton’s reputation as one of the new decade’s greatest performers. More significantly, the album captured the Elton John Band at its earliest stages, before massive success would change everything.

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It began simply as an opportunity to see something that had once belonged to their hero.

But when two Elton fans went to look at a car which the singer had once owned and which was up for auction, they could not resist the spending impulse for which the star himself is renowned. Donna Fairweather, of Drayton, and Jan Rust, from Hellesdon, had gone along to the classic car auction having read in the EDP that Elton’s Mercedes Benz S600L was up for sale.

As devoted followers of the singer, the 55-year-olds had no intention of bidding, but just wanted to have a look at the vehicle. But the pair – who have seen the singer more than a dozen times between them – left the sale £9,000 lighter, having been unable to resist the temptation of getting involved in the bidding. They outbid a handful of other interested parties to get their hands on the ultimate collector’s item.

Miss Rust said: “We never dreamt we would actually buy it. We simply went along to have look.” Mrs Fairweather added: “As soon as they brought the car out we knew we just had to have it. Something like this is a one-off.”

The vehicle, which comes fully equipped with heated seats, television screens and a refrigerator, has been attracting attention from friends, family and neighbours alike. Miss Rust said: “Everybody wants to look at it and ride in it; it’s created a great deal of fascination.”

The car’s new co-owners now intend to share their lavish purchase with others, making plans for the vehicle to be used for functions such as weddings and civil partnerships in the future. Mrs Fairweather said: “Something like this doesn’t come along every day. How often do you see something that once belonged to somebody so famous in this region? Elton is such a talented musician and it’s amazing that I now get to sit in a seat he has sat in. Sadly, I’ve never been lucky enough to meet him in person.”

The sale, on October 3, took place at the East Anglian Motor Auctions, in Wymondham.

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Elton John has led tributes to those affected by the deadly attacks in Paris by affirming “only love” can drive out hate.

The musician quoted an emotional speech from Martin Luther King after an all-star music marathon being broadcast from the foot of the Eiffel Tower was suspended in the wake of the deadly attacks. He was due to perform alongside Bon Jovi and Duran Duran on the line-up for 24 Hours of Reality and Live Earth in aid of climate change.

Taking to his Instagram page, Elton wrote: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

Former US Vice President Al Gore pulled the plug on the benefit five hours into the streaming show on November 13, 2015 evening when the coordinated series of terrorist attacks tore the city apart, killing more than 150 people. U2 have also cancelled their concert scheduled for this evening as a result of the ongoing state of emergency across France.

Speaking from Paris the band said: “We watched in disbelief and shock at the unfolding events in Paris and our hearts go out to all the victims and their families across the city tonight. We are devastated at the loss of life at the Eagles of Death Metal concert and our thoughts and prayers are with the band and their fans. And we hope and pray that all of our fans in Paris are safe.”

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A Paris webcast of an all-star marathon event about climate change was suspended after the deadly attacks in that city on November 13, 2015.

"Out of solidarity with the French people and the City of Paris, we have decided to suspend our broadcast of 24 Hours of Reality and Live Earth," read a statement on the concert's website Friday night. "Our thoughts are with all who have been affected and the entire nation of France. We send our condolences to the families of those who have been killed or injured." More than 135 people have been killed in a series of shootings and explosions across the city.

Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore was due to host the 24-hour live webcast from the foot of the Eiffel Tower to drum up attention for this month's international climate summit in Paris. Besides Gore, who helped negotiate the 1997 climate treaty that failed to control global warming, the broadcast was to feature musical performances by Elton John, Duran Duran and others. Other concerts were to be broadcast from locations around the globe, from Rio de Janeiro to Miami, Sydney and Cape Town.

Gore's aim is to raise awareness about global warming a few weeks before world leaders gather for the COP 21 Paris climate summit opening November 30, 2015. French President Francois Hollande and former U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan are among other officials scheduled to take part in the event.

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Elton has congratulated Ukraine on passing a landmark LGBT anti-discrimination law.

The law, which has been on the agenda for some time in Ukraine, updates the country’s Labour Code, to protect against discrimination. It specifically says workplace discrimination on the basis of “race, colour, political, religious and other beliefs, sex gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnic, social and foreign origin, age, health, disability or suspected presence of HIV/AIDS, family and property status, family responsibilities, place of residence, or participation in a strike.”

Elton, who has visited Ukraine multiple times and spoken on LGBT issues there, posted to his Instagram page with a message of support for the country. He wrote: “AMAZING NEWS!!! Back in September, I flew to the Ukraine to speak to business leaders and President Poroshenko about improving rights for LGBT people. One of the things I asked was to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace,” he wrote. “Yesterday the Ukrainian Parliament passed a law supporting this!!”

The LGBT protections were only added to the bill on a sixth vote, after Parliamentary Speaker Volodymyr Hroysman had already said that the Parliament “stand[s] for family values and will never support gay marriage.” It is widely believed that the move to outlaw LGBT discrimination is due to Ukraine wishing to join The Schengen zone, which aims to bolster free trade across Europe and allows visa free access to the EU for Ukrainian citizens.

However, the European Union has made it clearthat one of the prerequisites for Ukraine joining The Schengen Zone is an anti-LGBT discrimination law. Ukraine has a history of rejecting LGBT people. A group of LGBT activists were attacked after holding a meeting after a planned pride march had been banned.

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Elton John and Bon Jovi will headline a 24-hour performance this month aimed at urging environmental action ahead of key climate change talks in Paris, organizers said on November 9, 2015.

The event, spearheaded by former US vice president Al Gore and known as "24 Hours of Reality and Live Earth," will feature artists, scientists and politicians and will air online November 13 and 14, 2015.

"Each hour, the broadcast will be punctuated by thought-provoking, knockout appearances from an all-star lineup," organizers said in a statement. "The broadcast is aimed at urging world leaders to push for the strongest possible climate agreement at the upcoming UN conference in Paris, and at urging people to take action in their own communities and homes."

Back in May 2015, Live Earth -- a set of global concerts backed by Gore -- announced a delay to planned shows on each inhabited continent. Live Earth was initially intended to consist of concerts on June 18, 2015 in Australia, Brazil, China, South Africa and the United States, as well as Paris.

The November 13-14, 2015 broadcast is a partnership between the Climate Reality Project and Live Earth, designed to "include an unprecedented artistic lineup and distribution platform to maximize its global reach," organizers said. Among those scheduled to appear are French President Francois Hollande, Mexican President Felipe Calderon, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo, California Governor Jerry Brown, actors Ryan Reynolds, Jared Leto and Ed Begley Jr., and former UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

The first Climate Reality broadcast aired in 2011.
Gore won the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts on climate change. A slideshow presented by Gore about the dangers of climate change was the basis of the popular 2006 documentary "An Inconvenient Truth," which won two Academy Awards.

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Elton praised Pope Francis for trying to make the Catholic Church “more humble and more human” but urged the Vatican to reinstate gay priest Krzysztof Charamsa, who had held a post for more than a decade before being sacked for revealing his homosexuality.

During an inspiring speech and Q+A session, Elton revealed further details of his plans for a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, the importance of love in bringing about an end to LGBTQ+ discrimination internationally and the recent move by the Elton John Aids Foundation to give $5m to organisations to combat AIDS in Africa.

Declaring himself a “big fan” of Pope Francis for making the Catholic Church “more humble and more human,” he criticised the previous Pope, Benedict XVI, for being more concerned with his extravagant dress sense than ending discrimination. He continued by asking Francis to “Let your love wash over your priests and all people”, later condemning the Vatican itself as “a hive of backstabbing and intrigue”.

Elton also revealed his plans for his upcoming meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying that a dialogue needs to be opened before any progress can be made, intending to bring with him some of the Russian activists who had been fighting for LGTBQ rights. Upon being asked what would constitute a success, he acknowledged that it was unlikely that anything would change as a result of the talks and that he is “not stupid” in what he expects of Putin’s reaction. He also stressed the importance of music and sport in bringing people together regardless of their identities, saying that “if the Russian people can cheer me on a stage, then they can cheer their own gay sons and daughters”.

The evening finished with Union President Charlie Vaughan presenting Elton with an Honorary Membership of the Union and he left to a standing ovation from the audience in the chamber.

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Vladimir Putin spoke to Elton John by telephone on September 24, 2015, asked him not to take offense at the telephone pranksters and said he is ready to meet with him to discuss any topic, presidential press secretary Dmitry Peskov said.

"After a meeting [on agricultural development, in the Rostov region] the president has just spoken by telephone with Elton John. He did actually," Peskov told reporters in the Rostov Region. The president asked the singer not to take offense at the telephone pranksters who had earlier called John posing as the Russian president, the spokesman said. They are "unoffending guys," "harmless people, although this, of course, does not justify their prank," he said.

"Putin said that as far as he knows John is a popular performer and reassured him that if in future their business schedules coincide, he will be ready to meet with him and discuss any issue of interest to the singer," the presidential press secretary said.

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Four years after the $245.7M hit "Rango," Johnny Depp is heading back to Paramount Animation for "Sherlock Gnomes," a sequel to the Elton John-run Rocket Pictures feature toon hit "Gnomeo And Juliet" ($194M global B.O.). MGM is co-producing and Depp will star as the title character.

Returning stars James McAvoy as Gnomeo and Emily Blunt as Juliet are joining Depp in a script penned by Ben Zazove (Rex Libris, Captain Planet). In "Sherlock Gnomes," a string of garden gnome disappearances occur in London, when Gnomeo and Juliet look to legendary detective Sherlock Gnomes to solve the case. Feature toon is directed by Kung Fu Panda director John Stevenson and the pic will be released on January 12, 2018, which is the MLK holiday weekend.

The producing team behind "Sherock Gnomes" includes Elton John, David Furnish (Gnomeo & Juliet), Steve Hamilton-Shaw (Gnomeo & Juliet), and Carolyn Soper, who was the Disney production executive on such titles as Tangled and Princess And The Frog. Depp, receiving rave reviews as Boston gangster Whitey Bulger in Warner Bros.’ Black Mass, is repped by UTA.

"Gnomeo And Juliet" is an example of one of those animated films that was a little engine that could. The film was a passion project of Elton’s for 11 years and was greenlit by former studio chief Dick Cook under the Disney-owned Miramax. The film wasn’t included in the Miramax sale to Filmyard Holdings, and Disney sat on it but wouldn’t release it under its animation banner since the film was made by Toronto-based Starz Animation. They finally released the film under their Touchstone label to solid B.O. results.

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Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Nivember 5, 2015, Elton urged Northern Ireland politicians to “enter the 21st Century” over same‐sex marriage and that if there was a public vote it would “sail in”.

Patrick Corrigan, Northern Ireland Programme Director of Amnesty International, said:

“Sir Elton John’s support for marriage equality in Northern Ireland is very welcome. Sir Elton has a proud track record of standing up for gay rights around the world. It’s great that he’s speaking out for the rights of LGBTI people in Northern Ireland, which is now the only part of the UK or Ireland that ban same-sex marriage.

“He’s 100% correct when he says that most people in Northern Ireland back same-sex marriage and that if there was a public vote it would ‘sail in’. Local politicians who continue to block equality must wake up and realise the damage they’re causing to gay people in Northern Ireland, as well as to our international reputation.”

Amnesty, in partnership with LGBTI groups and trade unions in Northern Ireland, is spearheading a campaign for marriage equality in the region, the only part of the UK or Ireland without provision for same-sex marriage. In June 2015 marriage equality demonstration organised by the groups attracted an estimated 20,000 onto the streets of Belfast. A recent Ipsos MORI opinion poll showed that 68% of people in Northern Ireland now support same-sex marriage, but politicians have failed to back a change in the law.

This week the Northern Ireland Assembly voted in favour of the introduction of same‐sex marriage for the first time, but the Democratic Unionist Party blocked the motion using a 'petition of concern', originally designed to protect minority rights. Thousands of constituents wrote to their Assembly members urging a Yes vote as part of the Amnesty campaign in the run-up to the debate.

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Sadly Elton has pulled out of TFI Friday on November 6, 2015 due to illness.

He will be replaced by Coldplay.

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Elton is working to use his global fame and charitable foundations to help overturn homophobic laws around the world, telling CNBC that he could petition the Queen to force Commonwealth countries to revoke anti-gay legislation and that he was looking forward to meeting President Vladimir Putin after Russian leader extended the "olive branch" to him.

On November 5, 2015 Elton and David will unveil a new partnership with the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), with the Elton John AIDS Foundation and PEPFAR each contributing $5 million to a fund to increase access to medication for people with HIV and AIDS in countries that are prejudiced toward the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community.

The fund's early focus will be on sub-Saharan Africa. There are 34 countries in Africa where it's illegal to be homosexual, with some threatening the death penalty. "We're seeing an alarming growth in infections amongst these communities [where] we find that LGBT people are stigmatized where they live," Elton told CNBC's Tania Bryer. "It stigmatizes the disease and the conditions where they live and so they don't come out and have HIV tests. They feel nervous about going on the medication, about being labelled or branded as someone with HIV, so we really have to go in and attack the root of the problem and that is the stigmatization and the lack of safe access to treatment and advice and counselling. Otherwise, we won't stop the disease in its tracks."

Elton said the fund would "have to tread very softly" in its initial approach, with talks with local communities, doctors and social services, as well as the authorities "You don't go in there and say, 'you've got to do this, you've got to do that,' because that's the wrong way to do it," he told CNBC. "But I think that the clout that we have as an organization and that PEPFAR do, I think we can change a few minds and that is the whole purpose of this, is to change people's minds and to say listen, this is not just a humanitarian, this is a health issue you're going to have and an economic one at that."

Africa has been the target of international criticism for its treatment of LGBT people. Nigeria's former president, Goodluck Jonathan, imposed 10-year prison sentences on anyone who demonstrated a "same sex amorous relationship," according to Human Rights Watch. In Uganda, before its Anti­Homosexuality Act was struck down last year, a landlord who didn't evict a gay or lesbian tenant could have been convicted for maintaining a "brothel."

In spite of some African governments scaling back their anti-gay laws, violence against gay, lesbian and transgender people in sub-Saharan Africa shows no sign of abating: In February 2015, according to Human Rights Watch, dozens of Kenyan gay men and transgender women were forced to flee their homes as a result of violence following the arrest of two men for "unnatural offences". In 2013 and 2014, at least five South Africans, three of them lesbians, were murdered in what appeared to be targeted violence related to their sexual orientation, according to Amnesty International.

David said that, if necessary, Britain could use its influence in Commonwealth countries to "push a little bit harder" on LGBT rights. Elton added: "These laws come from ... the Commonwealth. These laws can be changed very easily by the Queen saying, 'change the law.' I haven't approached her about that yet."

When pressed on whether Elton would approach Queen Elizabeth on the matter, the performer said: "If the worst comes to the worst, one has to, yeah. These are old laws from the British Commonwealth, I mean these can be changed. And so the Queen could do that with one wave of her hand."

Elton told CNBC's he was making plans to travel to Russia to meet Putin for anti-homophobia talks, after the Russian president extended an "olive branch" to the rock star, offering to meet him if their schedules coincided. "I feel very honored that he wants to see me and he's put the olive branch out and it's essential that I do go over there and just put my foot in the water and see what we can do (to) change the situation for LGBT people in Russia," Elton said, adding that the Russian leader was "very genial."

"Even though the Russians say it's great ... it's not great at all. But you know, as I said, I want to try and knock the wall down a little bit, so I will be trying to go and see him."

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David and Elton talked about their two kids, Zachary and Elijah, mentioning that the children had never seen their "Rocket man" father perform live before last weekend.

Elton spoke to Confidenti@l at his foundation's annual gala, but forgot the answer to the most important question made famous by Joan Rivers — who are you wearing? The singer couldn't remember which designer he had on, so hubby David looked inside his jacket to reveal it was Chez Alex of Hollywood.

The duo talked about their kids, Zachary, 4, and Elijah, 2, and said neither of them play bad cop when it comes to disciplining the boys. "We're both fun dad," they said simultaneously, with Elton adding, "We're strict but not that strict. Zachary's at school and Elijah's at preschool," Elton said, hinting that his musical genius may be influencing his older boy.

"Zachary's having piano lessons, but he asked to have them. I didn't say anything. No, he just knows what middle C is right now. He's not (famed classical pianist) Arthur Rubinstein, believe me."

David revealed the kids saw Elton perform live for the first time last weekend. "They'd never seen him on stage do any type of concert before, so they saw the first three numbers of his show in Vegas," he said. "They were kind of overwhelmed in the sweetest way, like, 'Wow, I didn't know Daddy could do that.' So it was really nice."

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Spain's 2015 Christmas 'caganers' have been unveiled, a ceramic decoration that pays cheeky homage to some of the world's most famous faces - and bottoms.

A host of politicians, celebrities and famous characters have been immortalized in a centuries old tradition from northeastern Spain. The caganers or 'crappers' are a popular nativity scene decoration in Catalonia, where a defecating figure perched behind Mary and Joseph is said to symbolize fertilization, as well as bringing luck and prosperity for the year ahead.

The traditional figure is that of a young peasant from Catalonia, sporting a red barretina cap and a pipe. But this year's new crop of crappers stray far from tradition and include some of Spain's newest political stars, such as the radical new mayors of Barcelona and Madrid, Ada Colau and Manuela Carmena. Also immortalized in ceramic is British Prime Minister David Cameron and classic literary character Sherlock Holmes, as well as Princess Leia, Elton John and U2's Bono.

Last year's hit crapper was US President Barack Obama. Other top-sellers include the Queen of England and Russian President Vladimir Putin. If you want to get your hands on a crapper for your own crib they are available online for between €12 and €16, as well as at many Christmas markets throughout Spain.

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On November 2, 2015, the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) hosted its 14th annual An Enduring Vision benefit at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.

American Airlines, Robert K. Kraft, The Lauder Foundation- Leonard & Judy Lauder Fund, Mylan, Pablo and Nathalie Salame, Sands Bethlehem, and Wells Fargo served as the Presenting Sponsors of the benefit, and the star-studded evening raised over $3.3 million for the Foundation.

“I cannot begin to express how incredibly grateful I am to all of the amazing donors and friends who support and attend An Enduring Vision year after year,” said Elton. “Their generosity helps to make our lifesaving work possible and brings us closer to achieving our vision of a world without AIDS.”

EJAF was thrilled to have CNN anchor Anderson Cooper back as the host for an eighth time and to welcome Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation, as guest speaker who offered eloquent remarks about the Foundation’s achievements and the role of philanthropy in ending the AIDS epidemic. KC and the Sunshine Band brought guests to their feet with a rollicking performance of disco classics. And to round out the evening’s program, EJAF Founder Elton John and Chairman David Furnish presented Enduring Vision awards to Michele Burns, Robert J. Coury, and Tracey Emin.

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Elton and South Korean entertainment mogul Park Jin-young are trying to meet in South Korea to discuss Park's coconut water venture, whose shares Elton owns, the South Korean businessman's agency said November 4, 2015.

Elton will visit South Korea later this month for a concert hosted by Hyundai Card in the central expat community of Itaewon in Seoul on November 27, 2015. He is one of the major stockholders of Jing Holdings Ltd., which was started by Park in April 2015. The Hong Kong-based enterprise markets a coconut water beverage called Jax Coco.

The two are trying to schedule a meeting over that business during Elton's visit, but no date has been fixed yet, a JYP Entertainment official said, adding Elton has been an active participant in that venture.

Park has also thought of arranging a VIP private concert with Elton, but the likelihood of it happening this month appears low considering Elton's busy schedule, the official said. All 500 seats for John's concert in Seoul have been sold out.

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Elton John settled in at the piano for a performance of “Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters.” It’s a song about New York and, he said, “Ingrid loved this city.”

Ingrid Sischy passed away in July 2015, and on November 1, 2015, 300 friends flocked to MoMA’s Agnes Gund Garden Lobby to remember her. The turnout dazzled. On stage, in addition to Elton: Karl Lagerfeld, Graydon Carter, Laurie Anderson, Jeff Koons, Bruce Weber and Baz Luhrmann, who read a letter from Nicole Kidman. Antony sang a mesmerizing “You Are My Sister,” while K.D. Lang awed with her stunning rendition of “Hallelujah.”

Among the guests, a litany of the elite of art and fashion: Ralph Lauren, Ricky Lauren, Miuccia Prada, Anna Wintour, Brice Marden, Francesco Clemente, Chuck Close, Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, Valentino, Francisco Costa, Donna Karan, Michael Kors, Ross Bleckner, Julian Schnabel, Leonard Lauder, François Pinault, Salma Hayek, Donatella Versace, Diane von Furstenberg, Barry Diller, Ron Perlman, Agnes Gund, Narciso Rodriguez, Jack McCollough, Lazaro Hernandez, Riccardo Tisci and Jason Wu.

For all their celebrity, these were people who gathered wanting to celebrate the life of a beloved friend, but for whom true celebration remains elusive. Ingrid died too young; despite a lengthy illness, her passing shocked. Her friends miss her deeply. Those who spoke took their best shots at celebration, focusing on Ingrid’s humor, wit, journalistic brilliance, her profound knowledge of everything, her conversational charm.

Before he sang, Elton described Ingrid’s special place in his life. He recalled his devastation after the death of Gianni Versace, whom he said was like a brother. “I had never had a relationship with anyone like that, ever in my life. And then Ingrid became my sister.…I had never known such an inspirational, funny, irreplaceable soul. The void in my life, I haven’t really come to terms with yet.”

After the program, as guests milled about the reception sharing their own Ingrid stories, Elton stood alone in a quiet corner. He wept.

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Elton says changes in the U.S. over the past year have positively affected the LGBT community, including the Supreme Court's decision on marriage equality.

But he says "there's more history to be made" in the fight against HIV/AIDS. Elton made his remarks at "An Enduring Vision: A Benefit for the Elton John AIDS Foundation," on November 2, 2015 in New York.

He also broke down the numbers, stating that 1.2 million people in the United States are living with HIV/AIDS. To rousing applause, Elton told the crowd that each of them is "an individual that deserves dignity." The evening's festivities was hosted by Anderson Cooper.

Before the event, Elton and David walked the red carpet and spoke candidly about the foundation, new issues in fighting the disease, and his upcoming album. But the philanthropic rocker was less forthcoming on his upcoming Broadway musical.

"We have a new musical in the works," Elton said but was quickly hushed before going on about the secret project. "I can't tell you any more than that," he said as he broke into laughter because the project is still under wraps. The jovial laughing continued as David responded, "Good answer."

As for the new record, Elton says he can't wait to promote it. "It's like a throwback to the 70s, but sounding even punchier. It's a rock 'n' roll record — up-tempo, joyous. I'm thrilled," he said. "T-Bone Burnettand I produced (it), my band play on it. It's called, 'Wonderful Crazy Night," he said.

As for the foundation, both Elton and David said they're happy with all that it has accomplished, but still feel there's more work to be done to combat the stigma of AIDS among some people and to educate young people who no longer see it as a health threat. "I'm proud of what we've done, but the journey is not complete. I won't be proud until the journey is complete," Elton said.

David, who is the foundation's chairman, shared the advancements the organization has made since it began in 2001. "We've come so far with treatment that actual treatment is prevention. You can reduce the load virus so low now in someone's body that the risk of passing it on to someone else is practically zero," David said. But he also stressed that awareness of the disease leaves much to be desired. "What hasn't changed is the mindset associated with knowing your status and testing and then living a positive happy life if you are HIV-positive and staying on the medications," he said.

Elton said some people have become cavalier about the disease. "It bothers me a lot because people should know by now with the amount of information out there, and the amount of medication available that you shouldn't be — in this day and age — you shouldn't get infected." He said that attitude is "less of a problem in sub-Saharan Africa than it is sometimes in educated countries. People think, 'You know what, it's a livable disease.'"

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Elton is lending his star power to the luxury British brand's Christmas 2015 campaign.

Romeo Beckham, David and Victoria Beckham's 13-year-old son, leads an all-British cast of actors, musicians and models in the quintessentially British festive ad campaign. The line-up features Michelle Dockery, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, Naomi Campbell, Sir Elton John, James Corden, Julie Walters, Naomi Campbell, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, James Bay, George Ezra and Toby Huntington-Whiteley.

This year, Burberry's Festive Campaign is a tribute to and a celebration of the British smash hit film and musical, Billy Elliot, and includes a three-minute film and stills campaign. The film celebrates the 15th anniversary of Billy Elliot with an all British cast and begins with original footage from the 2000 film, as well as the original soundtrack - ‘Cosmic Dancer’ by T Rex - by permission of Working Title.

It then sees every single Burberry cast member recreate the iconic opening jumping sequence - all clad in the brand's festive fashion offering, of course. Rather fittingly, campaign star Elton John wrote the music for Billy Elliot the Musical and award-winning British actress, Julie Walters, played the role of Mrs Wilkinson – Billy Elliot’s ballet teacher – in the original film, a role for which she won the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actress in 2001.

The new ad will premiere on November 3, 2015 at the brand’s global flagship store, 121 Regent Street in London, during an event hosted by Burberry Chief Creative and Chief Executive Officer, Christopher Bailey, and Elton John. The campaign will then be shared from 7pm across Burberry platforms including Burberry.com, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Sina Weibo until the end of the year.



World-renowned photographer, Mario Testino, also shot a separate stills campaign featuring Romeo Beckham, Naomi Campbell, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and James Bay that will run across print and digital titles. The original production of Billy Elliot established a legacy of charitable support for the local community of Easington, County Durham where the film is set.

Inspired by this, Burberry is making a donation of £500,000 to be split between two charities, Place2Be and the County Durham Community Foundation, that have projects focusing on reducing barriers to education, training and employment in the local area. This donation is made in recognition of each artists' participation in the campaign.

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