Elton

PUBLISHERS WEEKLY JUL 9, 2007

Elton John, once known for his over-the-top attire and wild glasses, has sold over 250 million records and garnered more than 50 Top 40 Hits. In this comprehensive portrait, music journalist Buckley plumbs the highs, lows and multiple rebounds Elton has weathered during his astounding 40-year career. Buckley (Strange Fascination: David Bowie The Definitive Story) compiled numerous interviews from friends and business associates, interlacing their comments with extensive research. He utilized books, articles, radio and television broadcasts, the Internet and podcasts to uncover the complex family and professional life of Reginald Dwight aka Elton John. The book's strong point, recounting the smallest details of Elton's life and music, could turn to tedium for the less than avid fan. Buckley admits he once dismissed Elton's music as belonging to the softer side of the music business. So researching the story of the musically precocious six-year-old (born in 1947), who announced he was going to be a concert pianist when he grew up, was a revelation: "Elton John has been a blues singer, a singer-songwriter, a glam rock icon, a drug addict, a married man, a moaner and whiner, a tireless fundraiser and humanitarian, a married man (again), a controversialist, and, ultimately, a living legend." With the extensive bibliography, discography and photos, this entertaining biography will definitely appeal to devoted Elton John fans and aficionados of music history and popular culture.