Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album was the best thing he ever did! 4 very "defining" Elton John hits, Candle In The Wind, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Bennie and the Jets, Saturday Nights Alright "for fighting" and gems like Funeral For A Friend and Love Lies Bleeding, if I only owned 1 Elton John album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road would be the one..........
The song to young was the song roger and john from queen play on! For me there where 3 album in the 80 that where his best 1. Jump up 2. reg strikes back and 3. Sleeping with the past
I saw 3 Elton John concerts in the 80s in Toronto. I have always been a fan of his music since 1972. Some of his 80s albums were like Alice Cooper's 'blackout' period. 21 at 33, The Fox, Jump, Ice on Fire, Leather Jackets and Reg Strikes Back. If it were not for those days of big artists selling tickets and tangible recorded products no matter how unattractive they were to FM radio, EJ would have withered-on-the-vine back then.
From most fan reviews, I see the album "Breaking Hearts" is not really rated. I feel alone on this opinion but for me it's a fantastic album. Up there in my top 5 Ej favourites. In a live capacity the songs dont tend to transmit the same level of energy but I happily play the album from track 1 all the way through and I can't say I can do that with very many albums, by any artist.
I think it’s his only 80s studio album with not one weak track! Way better than Too Low For Zero, front to back. Especially love Restless, Burning Buildings, and Sad Songs.
Wow, loved this. I do understand Gus though.. in fact I am probably 100 times worse. I spent 2 and a half years on one song, a cover of Golden Brown, hundreds and hundreds of takes, of trialing different instruments and effects, to get precsiely what I wanted, and you kind of cant help it if you are an extreme perfectionist, you *have* to do what you have to do. Only I did everything myself.. I would never be able to put somebody else through that :D I just couldn't.
I don't remember any of Elton's 80s albums. I only remember the 80s hits, which were never as good as the early-to-mid 70s hits. Nothing could ever touch the greatest album of his entire career, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
Huge Elton fan here; a Top 5er for me; but from the quality of the SONGS on Breakin' Hearts, to then, Ice On Fire and Leather Jackets was a big drop-off. Conversely, The One & Made In England, I dug :) BTW, Roger was an EXCELLENT drummer, Stuart.
Someone else may have mentioned this, but I believe the barnyard animals were recorded for Social Disease. Roy Rogers have the galloping horse at the end. Thanks for posting this.
I wouldn't have guessed it was that particular album that they tried to make his biggest ever. It's not even close to his best 80's album, much less almost anything from that amazing 70's run he had. I haven't listened to it in awhile but I looked at the track listing and "Nikita" is the most memorable track on it. The song that Roger Taylor and John Deacon played on was pretty dull IMHO. Lots of guests and it sounds like they worked hard, but the songs weren't really that great. Maybe they should have considered some of the other ten that were written for it instead. Unless, of course, some of those wound up on the even worse "Leather Jackets". Before I watched this clip I was guessing he might have been talking about "Reg Strikes Back", which is also not that well regarded by EJ fans. I remember it being a significant step up from the previous two releases.
One of the things that stands out about the Stones is that they stopped doing "new" music decades ago. They realized that they had already done everything and it was senseless to try and re-invent themselves yet again. Sad that so many groups/musicians never seem to get there. I saw a documentary on Chicago a while back and they kept trying to do new material throughout the 90's and it was garbage. To me these great bands need to realize when their day of innovation is past and to continue only hurts their brand. Ok, rant over.
Chicago is the perfect example. But with them by 1985 they were over trying to be anything other then a junior high school dance band with slow songs their formula for their longevity. Once Terry Kath died in 1978 they turned into Peter Cetera’s solo career with the members being his background band. They became boring by 1979 and this has continued for 40+ years now. So your so right about bands like Elton’s too by the time 1979 came around with a few good songs in the past 4 decades since the release of his greatest hits volume 2 came out in 1977.
And it just so happens that with all the product Elton has released over the decade has earned him the title of the most successful solo male artist. Musta done something right in the 6 decades he’s been releasing music.
Ice On Fire was one of his most over-produced albums he ever did, with way too many cooks in the kitchen. The writing was bland. I was grossly disappointed when it came out. The awfulness was only exceeded by Leather Jackets the following year.
Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album was the best thing he ever did! 4 very "defining" Elton John hits, Candle In The Wind, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, Bennie and the Jets, Saturday Nights Alright "for fighting" and gems like Funeral For A Friend and Love Lies Bleeding, if I only owned 1 Elton John album Goodbye Yellow Brick Road would be the one..........
I saw EJ on the "Ice on Fire" tour in Denver. Excellent show.
I think the song you’re talking about is Social Disease. I have really enjoyed these interviews with Stuart!
The song to young was the song roger and john from queen play on! For me there where 3 album in the 80 that where his best 1. Jump up 2. reg strikes back and 3. Sleeping with the past
Fave songs by EJ include: Daniel, goodbye yellow brick Road, Philadelphia freedom, Rocket man, your song, etc
my Favs: Blue Moves, Goodby yellow brick Road, Captain Fantastic...
For me "Cry to Heaven" was the real hit.
True. Shoot down the moon on same album also excellent
Great interview John with Stuart
I saw 3 Elton John concerts in the 80s in Toronto. I have always been a fan of his music since 1972. Some of his 80s albums were like Alice Cooper's 'blackout' period. 21 at 33, The Fox, Jump, Ice on Fire, Leather Jackets and Reg Strikes Back. If it were not for those days of big artists selling tickets and tangible recorded products no matter how unattractive they were to FM radio, EJ would have withered-on-the-vine back then.
From most fan reviews, I see the album "Breaking Hearts" is not really rated. I feel alone on this opinion but for me it's a fantastic album. Up there in my top 5 Ej favourites. In a live capacity the songs dont tend to transmit the same level of energy but I happily play the album from track 1 all the way through and I can't say I can do that with very many albums, by any artist.
Agreed 💯 for Breakin' Hearts (Ain't What It Used To Be) to Burning Buildings to Did He Shoot Her, etc.! Fab 1984 album :)
I think it’s his only 80s studio album with not one weak track! Way better than Too Low For Zero, front to back. Especially love Restless, Burning Buildings, and Sad Songs.
i always thought “Too Low For Zero” is voted as his best 80s album…
It deserves that title
Sleeping With The Past remains my favorite 80's album & Live In Australia is my second favorite.
Great interview
I didn’t know much about Stuart Epps except from the album credits
Wow, loved this. I do understand Gus though.. in fact I am probably 100 times worse. I spent 2 and a half years on one song, a cover of Golden Brown, hundreds and hundreds of takes, of trialing different instruments and effects, to get precsiely what I wanted, and you kind of cant help it if you are an extreme perfectionist, you *have* to do what you have to do. Only I did everything myself.. I would never be able to put somebody else through that :D I just couldn't.
I don't remember any of Elton's 80s albums. I only remember the 80s hits, which were never as good as the early-to-mid 70s hits. Nothing could ever touch the greatest album of his entire career, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
Huge Elton fan here; a Top 5er for me; but from the quality of the SONGS on Breakin' Hearts, to then, Ice On Fire and Leather Jackets was a big drop-off. Conversely, The One & Made In England, I dug :)
BTW, Roger was an EXCELLENT drummer, Stuart.
Someone else may have mentioned this, but I believe the barnyard animals were recorded for Social Disease. Roy Rogers have the galloping horse at the end. Thanks for posting this.
I prefer Elton's 80's music to his 70's stuff. I know I am in the minority with that but hey I grew up in the 80's.
Me too!!!
Great interview... interesting too!
The "pig" sound effect was on Social Disease (GBYBR)
David O announces his tenure at SF government plaza one
Sour grapes all round, eh? Say goodbye to your career!
I wouldn't have guessed it was that particular album that they tried to make his biggest ever. It's not even close to his best 80's album, much less almost anything from that amazing 70's run he had. I haven't listened to it in awhile but I looked at the track listing and "Nikita" is the most memorable track on it. The song that Roger Taylor and John Deacon played on was pretty dull IMHO. Lots of guests and it sounds like they worked hard, but the songs weren't really that great. Maybe they should have considered some of the other ten that were written for it instead. Unless, of course, some of those wound up on the even worse "Leather Jackets". Before I watched this clip I was guessing he might have been talking about "Reg Strikes Back", which is also not that well regarded by EJ fans. I remember it being a significant step up from the previous two releases.
I believe the song thar had the pig sound was Social Disease.
Super tongue sticks it out… and did I just witness a murder and body disposal in the background on the right… something funny going on here dad
I’m not a massive Elton fan , but these stories are very good !
One of the things that stands out about the Stones is that they stopped doing "new" music decades ago. They realized that they had already done everything and it was senseless to try and re-invent themselves yet again. Sad that so many groups/musicians never seem to get there. I saw a documentary on Chicago a while back and they kept trying to do new material throughout the 90's and it was garbage. To me these great bands need to realize when their day of innovation is past and to continue only hurts their brand. Ok, rant over.
Chicago is the perfect example. But with them by 1985 they were over trying to be anything other then a junior high school dance band with slow songs their formula for their longevity. Once Terry Kath died in 1978 they turned into Peter Cetera’s solo career with the members being his background band. They became boring by 1979 and this has continued for 40+ years now. So your so right about bands like Elton’s too by the time 1979 came around with a few good songs in the past 4 decades since the release of his greatest hits volume 2 came out in 1977.
And it just so happens that with all the product Elton has released over the decade has earned him the title of the most successful solo male artist. Musta done something right in the 6 decades he’s been releasing music.
Blue Moves was his last great album.
Ice On Fire was one of his most over-produced albums he ever did, with way too many cooks in the kitchen. The writing was bland. I was grossly disappointed when it came out. The awfulness was only exceeded by Leather Jackets the following year.
I NEVER WANT TO HEAR ELTONS NAME AGAIN. HE STILL ACTS LIKE A CHILD. IM DONE WITH HIM
Yet you're here .. bye bye
Maybe a different video would be better to watch in that case.
I love his early work, but I do agree. He is the definitive queen diva!
@@peterbustin2683 his 21st century music is actually really good. Not only his early stuff. Also i think made in england is a brilliant album