Elton John

From Philosopedia

Elton John [Sir] (25 March 1947 - )

During the 1970s, John was one of the dominant commercial forces in the rock world, with a string of seven consecutive #1 records on the U.S. album charts, 23 Top 40 singles, 16 Top 10 ones, and six #1 hits. His success had a profound impact on popular music, and contributed to the continued popularity of the piano in rock and roll.

Reginald Kenneth Dwight, his given name, was born in Pinner, England, the son of Squadron Leader Stanley Dwight of the Royal Air Force, and his wife Sheila (née Harris). His parents divorced in 1962 when he was 15.

A child prodigy, he began playing the piano when he was 4. In 1960 with friends, he formed a band called The Corvettes, which evolved into Bluesology.

Elton's musical history has been widely disseminated. But not so well known is how he changed his name:

After failing lead vocalist auditions for both King Crimson and Gentle Giant, Dwight answered an advertisement in the New Musical Express placed by Ray Williams, then the A&R manager for Liberty Records. At their first meeting, Williams gave Dwight a stack of lyrics written by Bernie Taupin, who had answered the same ad. Dwight wrote music for the lyrics, and then mailed it to Taupin, and thus began a partnership that continues to this day. In 1967, what would become the first Elton John/Bernie Taupin song, "Scarecrow", was recorded: when the two first met, six months later, Reginald Dwight had changed his name to Elton John, by deed poll, in homage to Bluesology saxophonist Elton Dean and Long John Baldry.

TORPEDO RELIGION, ROCKET MAN SAYS. In November 2006, John proclaimed that organized religion is negative as it now stands. Newspapers printed such as the following AP article:

• London (AP) - Organized religion fuels anti-gay discrimination and other forms of bias, pop star Elton John said.

• "I think religion has always tried to turn hatred toward gay people," John said in the Observer newspaper's Music Monthly Magazine in an interview published Saturday. "Religion promotes the hatred and spite against gays."

• "But there are so many people I know who are gay and love their religion," said the singer, who exchanged vows in December in a civil union ceremony with Canada's David Furnish. "From my point of view, I would ban religion completely. Organized religion doesn't seem to work. It turns people into really hateful lemmings, and it's not really compassionate."

• John also criticized religious leaders for failing to do anything about conflicts around the world. "Why aren't they having a conclave? Why aren't they coming together?" John said those in his own field have been similarly lax.

"It's like the peace movement in the '60s. Musicians got through to people by getting out there and doing peace concerts, but we don't seem to do them any more," he said. "If John Lennon were alive today, he'd be leading it with a vengeance."

For the EuroPride 2006 programme, the celebrity performers at the star-studded Albert Hall show ere asked: "Gay rights worldwide - what would do the most good?" His response:

• Less religious rhetoric, and more compassion from the church and politicians. {From the stage: "The Pope says true love can only be between a man and a woman. How the fuck would he know?")