Quick Takes: Elton John, Roger Waters, Def Leppard’s Phil Collen
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Set for publication on November 1st is Elton John At 75 via Motorbooks. According to the announcement, “Journalist Gillian Gaar examines Elton John through the lens of 75 career accomplishments and life events. Key studio albums are featured, of course, as are a curated selection of his earworm singles.”
Also commemorated are key performances at L.A.’s Troubadour, and the historic Soviet Union, and Dodger Stadium concerts; collaborations with George Michael, Billy Joel, and Kate Bush; film and TV roles, including Tommy and The Muppet Show; his work with The Elton John AIDS Foundation; notable awards and honors, including knighthood; as well as his 50-plus-year collaboration with longtime co-writer Bernie Taupin. (Press release)
Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters shed light on the pre-show directive he flashes to fans. Waters, who’s in the midst of his “This Is Not A Warming” tour, posts the advisory every night, which reads, quote, “If you’re one of those ‘I love Pink Floyd, but I can’t stand Roger’s politics’ people, you might do well to f*** off to the bar right now. Thank you, and please enjoy the show.”
Waters explained to CNN, “It’s a really good way to start the show. Apart from anything else, it sets a few things straight. It also encourages a lot of the people who’ve come to the show because they have listened to everything I’ve written since, y’know, 1965 or wherever I started writing songs (laughs). . . So, they do know what my politics are and they do understand where my heart is and they understand, sort of, why I’m there. . . Maybe it also gives a message to people who don’t want to be there, in which case, them f***ing off to the bar is probably not a bad idea.” (Loudwire)
Def Leppard guitarist Phil Collen said he hasn’t seen the next big thing to pop up in rock. During an interview with Listen Next!, the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer was asked who he feels Def Leppard can pass the baton to upon retiring. Collen admitted, “I don’t know. I’m still waiting, actually. You hear a lot of stuff out there, but it’s few and far between. There’s a problem, I think, and I think it’s the TikTok and YouTube crowd. When bands or artists would write before, it would be because they wanted to an artist and wanted to express themselves and write songs and share them and go, ‘Wow. Check this out’ — as opposed to, ‘Wow. Look at me. Please love me.'”
He went on to say, “I don’t wanna sound like an old dude, but that’s what I noticed. And I’m still waiting for someone like Prince or (Led) Zeppelin or something that has a bit more something to it. There’s very little stuff. . . When Nirvana came out, I was, like, ‘Woah, this is amazing.’ The Sex Pistols, amazing. But I’m just waiting, still waiting.” (MetalWani)
