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| ELTON JOHN NEWS ARCHIVE: September 2016 |
| Elton John and band performed in London (ON) on September 29, 2016 Friday, September 30 2016 |
Following is the complete set list of the London (ON) show on September 29, 2016.
| Elton John and band performed in Toledo on September 28, 2016 Friday, September 30 2016 |
Following is the complete set list of the Toledo show on September 28, 2016.
| "The Lion King" is being remade by Jon Favreau Thursday, September 29 2016 |
The circle of life, as Elton John once sang, moves us all – now it seems Jon Favreau’s path unwinding has arrived at "The Lion King".
The filmmaker has been confirmed to direct a new "re-imagining" of Disney's classic animation; he cheekily tweeted a hint of his next project with a couple of emojis, swiftly confirmed by an official Disney press release.
Favreau is still basking in the billion-dollar afterglow of his wildly successful live-action/CGI "Jungle Book" remake, and it’s safe to assume he will redeploy the same CGI-heavy performance-capture methods for "The Lion King" (although, without any human characters, there may be no live-action elements at all this time around).
It’s the latest in a long line of modern updates to Disney’s animated back catalogue, following the box-office success of "Maleficent", "Cinderella", and indeed Favreau’s "The Jungle Book" (the latter of which is due a sequel, with Favreau still technically attached to direct).
The original "Lion King", loosely based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, was released in 1994 at the peak of Disney’s 1990s renaissance, and remains the highest-grossing hand-drawn animated film of all time. It became almost as famous for its Grammy- and Oscar-winning Elton John/Tim Rice soundtrack, and spawned a successful Broadway musical which has run for 19 years.
The new film will “include songs from the film”, in keeping with the practice of most of Disney’s recent remakes, but the press release does not mention if any of the songs introduced to the stage show will make it on screen.
There’s no word on an exact release date yet, but since Disney are putting this into “fast track” production, expect a whole new generation of children to be singing Hakuna Matata at full volume near you very soon.
| Elton to perform for Hillary Clinton in final L.A. fundraising swing Thursday, September 29 2016 |
Hillary Clinton is returning to Los Angeles on October 13, 2016 for a round of fundraising including a concert performed by Elton John.
This is expected to be her final visit before the November 8, 2016 election. Tickets for the event are $33,400 per person, and include dinner. The $100,000-per-person tickets include a co-chair reception and premium dinner seating.
Clinton was to attend a series of fundraising events earlier in September 2016, including an event at the home of Seth MacFarlane, but she took time off the campaign trail to recover from pneumonia. Instead, former President Bill Clinton headlined the events.
Proceeds from the fundraiser will go to the Hillary Victory Fund, a joint committee of Clinton’s campaign, the Democratic National Committee and state party committees.
| Elton John and band performed in Allentown on September 27, 2016 Thursday, September 29 2016 |
Following is the complete set list of the Allentown show on September 27, 2016.
| Bernie Taupin opens up about his true (visual) passion Tuesday, September 27 2016 |
Elton’s longtime lyricist is also a veteran visual artist who's bringing three exhibitions to galleries both coasts this fall.
Bernie Taupin has carved an iconic, multi-decade career as a lyricist—primarily as Elton’s longtime collaborator on such songs as "Rocket Man," "Candle in the Wind," and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road"—as well as Broadway and film, earning a Golden Globe Award for Brokeback Mountain’s"A Love That Will Never Grow Old."
But he has also been creating visual art since the early '90s, exhibiting in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Miami, and selling to private collectors. His current solo exhibition, 8, at KM Fine Arts in Los Angeles, features eight large-scale mixed-media works on view through October 28, 2016.
In November 2016, an election-timed exhibit featuring incarnations of the American flag will grace Waterhouse & Dodd’s New York gallery November 3-30, 2016, with another at ArtMiami, November 20-Dec 4,2 2016.
"Songwriting takes very little of my time. I spend a couple of hours or a day, when a project surfaces. But art is a 24-hour passion; it’s a much stronger expression for me," says Taupin. "Both art and music are about striving to find your own voice. Now with these assemblage pieces and use of found material, I want people to be able to dive into and explore them," he adds. "I’ve tried for a long time to disassociate myself from the dreadful 'celebrity artist.’ That drives me nuts. I think I’ve proved my worth just by the people who are showing my art now."
Inspired by '60s and '70s American modernist styles when he moved Stateside some 40 years ago, the British-born Taupin began painting before taking a more sculptural and tactile direction. Two years ago, he began working in multi-media assemblage and found material, incorporating items like eight-track tapes, guitar parts, vintage comics, Polaroids, scorched canvases, and broken frames, often adding a dash of edginess and sardonic social commentary.
"This is my first major show of assemblage pieces," he says of his current exhibit. "A few assemblage pieces were previously sneaking into other shows." It’s also the first public showing of his decade-old American Burka, a sculpture of a female mannequin wrapped in coarse cloth and barbed wire. "The hardest part is coming up with idea. Once I have the inspiration, the execution of the pieces is a piece of cake," he says. "I’ll go for a couple of weeks where I’m just dry and have run out of ideas. I don’t sleep very well; my mind is constantly creating.
"I’ll wake up in the middle of the night with an idea, and sketch or write it out. Then just let me loose in the studio," he laughs. "There’s almost a prehistoric drive when I get into the studio, blast loud music, surrounded by all my mediums, and I’ll be in there for hours, creating one piece in one long haul. Unless I don’t have all the pieces. I sometimes spend more time in the hardware store than the studio.
"I love being in my studio, inventing and creating. It’s like being a mad professor."
| Elton to co-host Evening Standard theatre awards Monday, September 26 2016 |
Elton John is to co-host this year's Evening Standard Theatre Awards.
He will break from the European leg of his latest tour to attend the awards on November 13, 2016at London's Old Vic.
He will co-host the event with the Standard's proprietor Evgeny Lebedev.
"I think we produce some of the best theatre in the world here and I feel passionately that we must support it," said Elton. "The London stage has nurtured and given a creative voice for many, many talented individuals and it's such a great honour for me to co-host these illustrious theatre awards at The Old Vic this year."
Sir Elton's music has featured in West End shows Billy Elliot and The Lion King. The shortlist for the awards - first held in 1955 - will be announced at the end of October 2016.
Last year Nicole Kidman and James McAvoy won the top acting prizes, while Imelda Staunton picked up the best musical performance prize for Gypsy.
| Bright Light Bright Light - How I have been influenced by Elton John Monday, September 26 2016 |
Welsh electro-pop musician Bright Light Bright Light aka Rod Thomas, recently became an ambassador for Localgiving.
It has been an exciting and hectic few months for Rod including an appearance on The Graham Norton Show, a support slot for Take That and the release of his third album, Choreography.
During our conversation Rod explained how his friendship with Elton John has influenced his desire to ‘give back’?
Click here to listen to the full interview.
| Elton John and band performed in Wilkes-Barre on September 24, 2016 Monday, September 26 2016 |
Following is the complete set list of the Wilkes-Barre show on September 24, 2016.
| Elton John and band performed in Hershey on September 23, 2016 Saturday, September 24 2016 |
Following is the complete set list of the Hershey show on September 23, 2016.
| "Wonderful Crazy Year" - 3rd Quarter of Results Friday, September 23 2016 |
Now the "Wonderful Crazy Year" fan survey is in it's 33rd week - again time to bring you some results, this time from the third quarter of surveys.
We will publish two lists, the average scores for albums and individual recordings, like last time.
Again, some of the answers had to be deleted because they were made by the same person on the same survey. No more editing has been done. Just like last time, you can get a good direction where the preference of the masses is, but the scores are not absolute.
All surveys will remain open! You can still vote and a full analysis of all survey results will be published in the end! We will gladly acquire more survey answers, so that the final results will be more realistic!
"Wonderful Crazy Year" calendar weeks 28-38
average scores for the albums:
1. Live In Australia 8,29
2. Sleeping With The Past 7,96
3. Made In England 7,92
4. The One 7,69
5. Breaking Hearts 7,18
6. The Lion King 7,03
7. The Big Picture 6,97
8. Ice On Fire 6,95
9. Reg Strikes Back 6,89
10. Duets 6,44
11. Leather Jackets 5,93
average scores for the recordings:
1. The One 9,21
2. Circle Of Life 9,16
3. Sacrifice 8,97
4. Blessed 8,90
5. Believe 8,87
6. Can You Feel The Love Tonight? 8,80
7. Candle In The Wind [Live from Live In Australia] 8,77
8. The Last Song 8,70
9. Healing Hands 8,69
10. Tonight [Live from Live In Australia] 8,65
11. I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That 8,64
12. Sixty Years On [Live from Live In Australia] 8,50
13. Your Song [Live from Live In Australia] 8,48
14. Sad Songs (Say So Much) 8,42
15. Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me [Live from Live In Australia] 8,39
Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me [Live][With George Michael] 8,39
17. Nikita 8,39
18. Have Mercy On The Criminal [Live from Live In Australia] 8,36
Simple Life 8,36
20. Burn Down The Mission [Live from Live In Australia] 8,28
21. The Greatest Discovery [Live from Live In Australia] 8,28
22. Latitude 8,27
23. I Need You To Turn To [Live from Live In Australia] 8,25
24. Madman Across The Water [Live from Live In Australia] 8,24
25. Club At The End Of The Street 8,17
Made In England 8,17
27.Live Like Horses 8,15
28. Take Me To The Pilot [From Here And There Disc 1] 8,11
29. Something About The Way You Look Tonight 8,10
30. The King Must Die [Live from Live In Australia] 8,08
31. Tiny Dancer [Live from Live In Australia] 8,05
32. Please 7,92
33. Amazes Me 7,93
34. Whispers 7,92
35. I'm Still Standing [Live 1984] 7,87
36. Blue Avenue 8,86
37. Belfast 7,85
38. Duets For One 7,84
Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word [Live from Live In Australia] 7,84
Take Me To The Pilot [Live from Live In Australia] 7,84
41. House 7,83
42. The North 7,81
43. I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That [Just Elton And His Piano Mix] 7,80
44. Burning Buildings 7,70
45. A Word In Spanish 7,69
46. Recover Your Soul 7,65
47. Runaway Train 7,63
48. Cold 7,53
Emily 7,53
Sleeping With The Past 7,53
51. In Neon 7,52
Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word [Live 1977] 7,52
53. I Just Can't Wait To Be King 7,51
54. I Never Knew Her Name 7,47
55. Pain 7,46
56. The Man Who Never Died 7,45
57. Cry To Heaven 7,44
58. A Woman's Needs [With Tammy Wynette] 7,40
59. Breaking Hearts (Ain't What It Used To Be) 7,39
60. Did He Shoot Her? 7,31
If The River Can Bend 7,31
Whitewash County 7,31
63. Suit Of Wolves 7,25
True Love [With Kiki Dee] 7,25
65. Long Way From Happiness 7,24
66. Man 7,21
67. On Dark Street 7,19
68. Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters, Pt. 2 7,17
69. Durban Deep 7,16
I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That [Shep Pettibone Mix] 7,16
71. Lies 7,15
72. Circle Of Life [Carmen Twillie] 7,13
Shoot Down The Moon 7,13
74. Who Wears These Shoes? 7,12
75. Restless [Live 1984] 7,06
76. The Big Picture 7,04
77. Restless 7,02
78. Sweat It Out 7,00
79. Hakuna Matata [Ernie Sabella & Nathan Lane] 6,99
80. Understanding Women 6,95
When A Woman Doesn't Want You 6,95
82. Since God Invented Girls 6,94
83. Stone's Throw From Hurtin' 6,92
84. Paris 6,87
85. This Town 6,83
86. Slow Rivers [With Cliff Richard] 6,69
87. Slow Down Georgia (She's Poison) 6,67
Town Of Plenty 6,67
89. Japanese Hands 6,66
Teardrops [With K. D. Lang] 6,66
91. Can You Feel The Love Tonight? [Joseph Williams & Sally Dworsky] 6,63
92. Mona Lisas And Mad Hatters, Pt. 2 [The Renaissance Mix] 6,61
93. The End Will Come 6,56
Wicked Dreams 6,56
95. Passangers 6,53
96. Heartach All Over The World 6,51
97. The Camera Never Lies 6,50
January 6,50
99. Soul Glove 6,48
100. Love Letters [With Bonnie Raitt] 6,45
101. I Just Can't Wait To Be King [Jason Weaver] 6,44
102. Old Friend [With Nik Kershaw] 6,42
103. Rope Around A Fool 6,40
104. If You Were Me [With Chris Rea] 6,39
105. Be Prepared [Jeremy Irons] 6,37
106. King Of Pride Rock 6,36
The Power [With Little Richard] 6,36
108. Fat Boys And Ugly Girls 6,35
109. Under The Stars 6,34
110. Dancing In The End Zone 6,33
111. Hoop Of Fire 6,31
To Die For 6,31
112. Heavy Traffic 6,28
113. Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing [With Marcella Detroit] 6,27
This Land 6,27
Wrap Her Up 6,27
116. Act Of War [With Millie Jackson] 6,25
117. Born To Lose [With Leonard Cohen] 6,23
118. Goodbye Marlon Brando 6,20
119. Poor Cow 6,18
120. Lil' Frigerator 6,15
121. Love's Got A Lot To Answer For 6,10
Satellite 6,10
123. Too Young 6,07
124. Love Is A Cannibal 6,03
125. Gypsy Heart 5,98
126. Leather Jackets 5,92
127. I Fall Apart 5,91
128. Tell Me What The Papers Say 5,91
129. Candy By The Pound 5,83
130. I'm Your Puppet [With Paul Young] 5,75
131. Shakey Ground [With Don Henley] 5,73
132. I Can't Steer My Heart Clear Of You 5,50
133. When I Think About Love (I Think About You) [With P.M. Dawn] 5,45
134. Angeline 5,43
135. Go On And On [With Gladys Knight] 5,39
136. Don't Trust That Woman 5,32
137. Go It Alone 5,31
138. Don't Go Breaking My Heart [Remix][With RuPaul] 5,02
139. Memory Of Love 4,98
| Elton John and band performed in Savannah on September 21, 2016 Thursday, September 22 2016 |
Following is the complete set list of the Savannah show on September 21, 2016.
| "People have enough Elton John" Tuesday, September 20 2016 |
Elton John hints at retiring from music ahead of his 70th birthday in March 2017.
Elton is ready to retire from music and hand record making on to a younger generation, according to his latest interview. He appeared on Good Morning Britain on September 19, 2016 and revealed his records are no longer selling like they used to because "people have enough" of his music in their collections and it's time to pass the candle to a younger generation.
"I love playing," the legend told ITV's Richard Arnold. "My records don't sell any more because people have enough Elton John records in their collection. I love making them but it's someone else's turn now."
Elton headlined the Apple Music Festival at the weekend and revealed he's alongside some great names like Britney Spears, Michael Buble and Calvin Harris who make great music - although he's not inspired by them. "No, but I listen to their records," he replied. "It's a very diverse bill and that is what Apple Festival is about and that is what it should be about. Diversity. It's all about the songs really. That keeps you in the forefront. There are all really good artists and great songwriters, proper artists and not top 10 crap artists," he said.
"When I hear new music - and there is a lot of it around - it keeps me young and on my toes. I know all the great music, it's all in my head but when you hear something new and that is so great, it really does inspire me."
On March 25, 2017 Elton turns 70. Speaking about his forthcoming birthday celebrations, Elton said: "My voice is getting better as I get older. I think I'm singing better than I ever have. I'm going to be in Los Angeles, I'd like to do something for charity on the night."
Speaking about his greatest achievement, the superstar, who also heads up the Elton John AIDs Foundation, said "having children" was his greatest moment.
| Elton John and band performed At Apple Music Festival on September 18, 2016 Monday, September 19 2016 |
Elton delivered "a night of surprises" as the 2016 Apple Music Festival opened with aplomb in London.
Elton lived up to his reputation as a charismatic entertainer with extended arrangements and contemporary reworkings of his greatest hits, mixed with guest appearances and cover versions from emerging talent.
Opening with "The Bitch Is Back", "Philadelphia Freedom" and "I Guess That's Why They Call It The Blues", Elton paused briefly between songs to take in the applause from all around the venue before inviting special guests to the stage to each perform two tracks.
He told the crowd at Camden's Roundhouse: "It's going to be a night of surprises. Tonight we decided I wanted to do a show that Incorporates some of the artists I've found through Apple Music Radio. They don't get played on mainstream radio because mainstream radio mostly plays all crap."
First up was songstress Rosie Lowe, from Exeter in Devon, before LA soulman Gallant was welcomed to the stage. Oklahoma-based folk musician Parker Millsap helped perform "Don't Let The Sun Go Down On Me", a duet previously sung with George Michael, before French singer-songwriter Christine and the Queens produced a fully choreographed rendition of her radio hit "Tilted".
Punters reached for their mobiles as the lights dimmed for a rousing singalong of "Your Song", one of the best-known titles in Elton's extensive repertoire, while evergreen favourites "Rocket Man" and "Tiny Dancer" also featured.
Elton wore a black and red sparkly Beefeater-style ensemble as he romped his way through a hit-packed set lasting nearly two hours, supported by a full band including long-time collaborators Davey Johnstone and Ray Cooper. He was joined again by his guest performers for encore "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting".
However, scores of punters were left queueing outside the north London venue as the show began, with staff confirming they were suffering "teething problems". The venue, which holds around 1,570 people, will also play host to acts including pop star Britney Spears, former Take That singer Robbie Williams, and DJ Calvin Harris during the festival's run. The full line-up - marking the event's 10th anniversary, having previously been known as the iTunes Festival - also features Alicia Keys, Bastille, Chance the Rapper, Michael Buble, OneRepublic and Monday's headliners The 1975.
The Roundhouse was filled with fans who applied for free tickets, while all 10 shows are being made available live on the internet to Apple Music members.
Following is the complete set list of the Apple Music Festival show on September 18, 2016:
| Back to the roots for Elton and Nigel Saturday, September 17 2016 |
Elton kicks off the Apple Music Festival on September 18, 2016 – in the same venue in which he first performed live with Nigel Olsson an incredible 46 years ago.
Nigel, who cut his musical teeth in and around Sunderland in the 60s, has been a stalwart of Elton’s band for decades and memories will come flooding back when he takes to the stage of London’s Roundhouse. It was back in 1970 that he first performed live with Elton – and the venue was the Roundhouse and as support to The Who.
Today Nigel, who returns to the North East in December 2016 with Elton for a show at the Metro Radio Arena in Newcatle, lifts the lid on working with the larger than life singer songwriter. “We have moodies now and again but it doesn’t affect us as we’ve been through it before,” softy spoken Nigel, now 67, tells Chronicle Live backstage before a gig.
“He’ll get over it, he’ll be fine tomorrow. It’s amazing, really. It’s family. We all have our good days and bad days, OK days. Fantastic, wonderful days. As long as we make people smile and we do something to give back what they give to us, our job is done. It’s an amazing life and I wouldn’t want it any other way.”
Elton and his band are at the Metro Radio Arena on December 3, 2016 as part of their Wonderful Crazy Night Tour series of shows. They have already performed a series of summer shows, and are the first headline act at the Apple Music Festival 2016, which also sees the likes of the 1975, Bastille, Robbie Williams, Britney Spears and Calivin Harris putting on shows, which you can watch if you are subscribed to Apple Music.
Elton has hinted December’s Newcastle concert could be his last in the city. “You never know. Maybe, maybe not. I don’t think it’s any time soon. That would be a question for him! I’ll ask him,” laughs Nigel. “It’s been a life of just total blessed moments, and I’m still very blessed to be around and to see it evolved to what it is now,” says Nigel, whose family are of Swedish origin but who settled in Sunderland when he was a teenager.
“We still pack arenas, we pack outdoors and festivals. It’s unreal that we are still on top of the whole thing. To be part of this musical history, basically. The key is we feed off the audience. They give it to us and we give it back. It’s a joyful life to have and we’ll keep going for as long as we can do it.”
It was back in 1970 when Elton and Nigel first played the Roundhouse –their first live gig together. “We were supporting The Who,” he recalls. “I got to play Keith Moon’s drums. That was it for me – I’d made it finally.”
| EJAF's 15th Annual An Enduring Vision Benefit Thursday, September 15 2016 |
On November 2, 2016, the Elton John AIDS Foundation (EJAF) will host its 15th annual An Enduring Vision gala at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City.
This year’s honorees are United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and philanthropists Frank Giustra and Steve Tisch. Emmy award-winning producer and popular talk show host Andy Cohen will serve as emcee for the event.
This year’s honorees have a long history of supporting EJAF and the global fight to end HIV/AIDS. EJAF is also delighted to announce American Airlines, BVLGARI, Robert K. Kraft, The Lauder Foundation – Leonard & Judy Lauder Fund, Fiore Group, Sands Bethlehem, and Steve Tisch as the presenting sponsors for this year’s gala.
For ticket information, please contact Andreas Schwarz at the Elton John AIDS Foundation, +1.212.219.0670 or andreas.schwarz@ejaf.org.
| Teenager accused of terror plot to bomb Elton concert Wednesday, September 14 2016 |
A student has appeared in court accused of planning to carry out an Islamic State-inspired nail bomb attack in Britain.
Haroon Ali-Syed, 19, allegedly researched targets including an Elton John concert in Hyde Park on September 11, 2016, Buckingham Palace, Oxford Street and military bases in London.
Mr Syed allegedly planned to blow up a crowded area in central London using a bomb with a remote timer. The alleged plot was foiled after he got in touch with an undercover police officer online, who arranged a meeting at a shopping centre in Slough in which Mr Syed allegedly handed over £150.
| Elton John and band performed in London on September 11, 2016 Monday, September 12 2016 |
Following is the complete set list of the London Hyde Park show on September 11, 2016.
| Elton John: ‘God bless Turkey’ Sunday, September 11 2016 |
Elton praised his Turkish audience during a performance in the southern part of the country.
He also took the opportunity to criticize those who canceled their shows due to tension in Turkey. “I would like to dedicate this to you all and Turkey. And to say people who cancel their shows here and didn’t come: You don’t know what you are missing,” he said during his September 9, 2016 concert in the Mediterranean resort city of Antalya.
“I am so glad I am here,” he added. “We have had the best time, we cannot thank you enough. God bless Turkey.” Various shows have been canceled across Turkey this year due to Daesh and PKK attacks as well as the recent coup attempt.
Elton played on the sidelines of the Antalya Expo 2016, one of the world’s largest horticultural shows. He performed for fans for about an hour-and-a-half and received a storm of applause at the end of his performance.
Elton previously sent a letter to the Expo organizers in which he condemned the July 15, 2016 coup attempt in Turkey that left 240 martyred and 2,200 others injured. He had pledged to carry on with the concert regardless.
| A is for Aids: Elton launches literacy alphabet campaign Thursday, September 8 2016 |
Elton has launched a campaign to promote reading and writing called the Alphabet of Illiteracy - with "A is for Aids".
Some of the world's biggest stars including Julianne Moore, Emma Watson, Usain Bolt, James Franco and Taylor Schilling, will each share a letter from the alphabet to promote International Literacy Day. Aids campaigner Elton tweeted "literacy helps stop its spread" as he highlighted how those who cannot read or write are five times less likely to understand how HIV is contracted.
The campaign is to mark the 50th International Literacy Day on September 8, 2016, raising awareness of the 758 million people worldwide who lack basic skills in reading and writing. In the Alphabet of Illiteracy, B is for bloodshed and C is for child brides, as better education for girls leads to fewer child marriages.
The stars of film, music, politics and the arts will each adopt a letter to show how illiteracy is linked to almost every major global problem, including infant mortality, malnutrition, gender inequality and unemployment. Project Literacy aims to ensure that by 2030, no child will be born at risk of poor literacy.
In the UK, 5.2 million adults are functionally illiterate, while one in five British children leaves primary school unable to read and write proficiently. Model Lily Cole, who gave a speech at the House of Commons in February 2016 about the illiteracy crisis, said: "If we want to tackle many of the global challenges our world faces, we need to begin by properly addressing education and literacy."
| Elton in X-rated rant about fashion at GQ awards Wednesday, September 7 2016 |
Elton launched into a rant about fashion and quipped about migrants when he presented a gong at the GQ Men of the Year Awards.
He was on stage to present a fashion trophy to Alessandro Michele, the Italian designer who was appointed creative director of Gucci in January 2015. Elton made a joke about the glitzy awards taking place in Tate Modern's cavernous Turbine Hall instead of the Royal Opera House of previous years, comparing the venue to Calais.
"What a lovely intimate setting this is," he said. "Next year, Calais. I can see it... Migrant of the Year." He told the A-list audience: "When Tom Ford left Gucci if all went very pear-shaped, a bit like myself. You could go in there and fire a cannon through Gucci because the clothes were so f**king awful."
Elton complained that "it became another staid old label" and but added that Michele had injected "energy... colour" and "passion back into Gucci". "Now you have to fight your way into Gucci", he said. Praising the quality of the designer label, he added: "Fashion needs it because it's as dull as f**king dishwater at the moment."
He added: "It gives me great pleasure to introduce someone who's actually got some talent in fashion, Alessandro Michele."
| Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park to showcase station's "diverse output" Wednesday, September 7 2016 |
The one-day festival, set to take place on September 11, 2016, features Porter, Rimes, Madness, Andreya Triana and Travis with a headline set from Elton John.
Radio 2 controller Jeff Smith has told Music Week that the Live In Hyde Park line-up represents the diverse range of genres supported by the station. “That is the key point of what we do with a festival in a day, because the idea of that kind of concept is to represent what we do across the station with our music,” said Smith. “Whether it be what Jamie [Cullum] does in his jazz programme via Gregory Porter or LeAnn [Rimes] in terms of country music, or what Mark Radcliffe does in his roots and folk show.”
The one-day festival, set to take place on Sunday, September 11, 2016, features Porter, Rimes, Madness, Andreya Triana and Travis with a headline set from Elton John. The event will be broadcast live on Radio 2 and via BBC Red Button, BBC iPlayer and the Radio 2 website.
“We’re also representing the big stars that we play across our output, he added. “We actually play new music by these artists. You’ll hear new Elton John and Madness records alongside the classics which you won’t get on other radio stations.”
This year’s event sold out within a week, according to Smith, which he said is ”comparable to last year”, in terms of ticket sales when Rod Stewart and Bryan Adams were on the bill, but added that the 2014 event featuring Jeff Lynne’s ELO sold out within three hours. “That was a really unique year and I don’t think we, or even I, because I’ve been a fan of ELO, realised that it would move quite as fast.
In this world nowadays with live events it’s tough to get to that audience that quickly, but we did it within a week this year.”
| Elton John net worth Saturday, September 3 2016 |
The Elton John net worth is $475 million according to Celebrity Net Worth.
Elton John is one of the most famous and successful English piano players, singers and songwriters in the history of pop music. He is one of the best-selling musical artists to ever live, with over 300 million albums sold over his lifetime.
Born Reginald Kenneth Dwight, Elton John started playing the piano when he was three and started taking lessons at the age of seven. By the time he was 15, Elton John was playing piano at a local pub and he started a band with his friends called Bluesology. That band actually reached some success, opening for major American acts touring the U.K.
By 1967, he had changed his name to Elton John and started to build his net worth. He teamed with writer Bernie Taupin and the two began a long-standing partnership writing music. When Elton John finally released his first solo album in 1970, his second single ended up as one of his most successful songs and his first major hit, “Your Song.”
Elton John’s net worth comes thanks mostly to his 33 studio albums, which include 57 top 40 singles, second only to Elvis Presley. Elton John is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Songwriters Hall of Fame and is on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. He has won Grammys, Tonys and Oscars over his career as well.
The top Elton John songs are “Your Song,” “Tiny Dancer,” “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road,” “Candle in the Wind,” “Can You Feel the Love Tonight,” “Crocodile Rock,” “Bennie and the Jets,” “Daniel,” “Rocket Man” and “Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me.” These all add to the Elton John net worth.
| Bryan Adams: ‘Elton John inspires me to do more for charity’ Saturday, September 3 2016 |
Bryan Adams has been inspired by Elton John to do as much as he can for charity.
He took the advice that charity begins at home, and started his philanthropic ventures in his native Canada by joining local environmental organisations. However Elton’s use of his fame to raise money for the fight against AIDS has encouraged Bryan to think bigger in terms of his giving and promotion of good causes.
“I’m motivated because having a voice means you can instigate change for good,” he told Britain’s Hello! magazine. “Elton John is an inspiration in that regard, his foundation raises millions and it’s humbling to see the progress they have made in terms of fighting AIDS.”
Despite being an international star, who in 2013 released a photography book showing wounded British soldiers, Bryan says he still likes to help out locally with projects in London, England where he currently lives. “My most recent focus has been close to home, with helping local schools with their music programmes and more recently developing the neglected outdoor spaces for students at an urban school near where I live,” he shared.
While he may be focused on school facilities right now, Bryan is still committed to wider political causes, adding, “I lend my name to things that have to do with human rights and I stick up for injustices committed against others.”
Not content with merely helping with local schools and engaging in the global fight for human rights, Bryan also wants to help save the planet.
“My dream would be to see a massive environmental change in the world: more harnessing of sunlight, less dependency on fossil fuels and nuclear energy,” he stated.
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