Arguably the greatest underdog in the entire Bee Gees catalogue turns 40 this month. Never heard Living Eyes before? Released in October of 1981, it stands as one of the most fascinating major artist flops in popular music history. The reasons it missed are as intriguing as the songs themselves, and these are some of…
Tag: Elton John
How The Bee Gees Got Me My Start In Radio (& Other Cracking Yarns) – Being Interviewed On Newstalk ZB’s ‘Real Life’
Last month I was interviewed on the Newstalk ZB show ‘Real Life With John Cowan’ where I got to indulge in my multiple obsessions with things like cricket, Malaysia and the Bee Gees. Specifically, how a childhood in Malaysia still shapes me as an adult, how cricket was crucial in making me love New Zealand, and how…
When Aretha Franklin Covered A Song By An Unknown Singer/Songwriter Named Elton John
With Aretha Franklin turning 75 on Saturday and Elton John 70, it makes sense to honour them with the song that has unified these two giants of popular music for almost 50 years. The year was 1970 and a little known 23-year old English lad – real name Reginald Kenneth Dwight – had just had…
Elton John’s 69th Birthday – My Top 5 Elton Songs
Elton John celebrated birthday number 69* this Easter so I thought I’d put up a list of my top five Elton songs ever, which considering the depth of that back catalogue could be tough. But then off the top of my head, I realised my absolute favourites have been pretty much set in stone for the…
Elton John’s Tribute To Jonah Lomu
Jonah Lomu I was surprised by how affected I was hearing the news of Jonah Lomu’s death. Sitting on a bus of tourists set to explore the preserved movie set of Hobbiton in New Zealand’s Waikato, I was the only Kiwi on board when it was announced on the PA. In a group of 30…
Did Elton John Really Stay At A 2-Star Guesthouse In Cambodia?
The signed photo that hangs proudly at the Fancy Guesthouse. With news Elton John is about to release his 33rd studio album (entitled Wonderful Crazy Night*), there’s one lingering question that remains tantalizingly unanswered for fans: Did he or did he not stay at a 2-star guesthouse while in Cambodia a few years ago? According…
10 Years On From 2Pac & Elton John’s ‘Ghetto Gospel’ – The Genius Of Eminem
Tupac Shakur It’s 10 years today since 2Pac and Elton John went to #1 on the UK singles charts with the Eminem-produced Ghetto Gospel. Here’s a piece about trying to convince old talkback radio callers why some hip-hop can be just as good as any other genre. Ghetto Gospel was the example I gave: I…
RIP Charlotte Dawson – Elton John’s Blistering Attack Against Trolls, ‘All The Nasties.’
Charlotte Dawson. So sad to hear about New Zealand / Australian broadcaster Charlotte Dawson’s death. Whatever the details turn out to be, she was someone long tormented by online abuse. The things we say to each other online are often so staggeringly horrid – hopefully this makes some people think again before typing. As Elton…
The Other Bee Gees Song About Staying Alive – How The Early 70s Were Their Most Underrated Era
Bee Gees in the early 70s. I had an email from a fellow diehard Bee Gees fan yesterday reminding me about arguably the most overlooked period in the Gibb cannon, the early 70s. Sandwiched between the brothers’ first wave of 1960s Beatle-esque hits (though that is a too simplistic descriptor) and their enormous R&B hits…
Death Of Levon Helm – 3 Stunning Songs
Just as Robin Gibb of the Bee Gees clings on to life, we recently learned that Levon Helm from The Band has lost his battle with cancer at the age of 71. For a group filled with such Americana, Helm was the only member who was actually from the States, with the rest Canadians….
Elton John’s 65th Birthday – His Top 5 Songs
Elton John celebrated birthday number 65 yesterday so I thought I’d put up a list of my top five Elton songs ever, which considering the depth of that back catalogue could be tough. But then off the top of my head, I realised my absolute favourites have been pretty much set in stone for the last…