50 years ago today I was at Wembley to see Elton John ‘and friends’ for the princely sum of £3.50 we got there too late to see opening act Stackridge but they were followed by a rather lithesome Chaka Khan and her band Rufus. Chaka was wearing a full length Indian chiefs head dress and not a lot else. I particularly remember how good the drummer was and how tight his skins sounded.
It was a boiling hot day much like today and the roadies had their hands full spraying the crowd with water. We were sat amongst a group of bikers from Chicago who were bizarrely over for the day … I’m sure there was more to this story.
Next up was Joe Walsh and his band playing a few old James Gang numbers and ending with a storming Rocky Mountain Way.
It’s odd to think that many of the musicians particularly Walsh, Henley and Elton were in the depth of massive cocaine habits at the time.
Then came the Eagles a band I loved at the time. They were still playing all the old stuff like Doolin and Dalton, Train Leaves Here This Morning, Tequila Sunrise and even a six banjo number called Blackberry Blossom. Jackson Brown guested on piano for a couple of numbers including James Dean and Joe Walsh came on for the encore of Best of my Love and Carol. They were great.
Then the Beach Boys who were late replacements for Stevie Wonder. To this day they played the best set I’ve ever seen. California came to London for the day. From Dennis’ snare hit at the start of Wouldn’t It Be nice through to Fun Fun Fun they played all the big hits and they had the whole stadium bouncing. A superb Sail On Sailor, Dennis singing You Are So Beautiful accapela, Wild Honey (a big favourite of mine) an amazing Good Vibrations. Just brilliant.
Brian was at home with his sand box but I did get to see him many years later.
Then came Elton who must have been about 27 at the time? And boy did he get it wrong. He started with a few crowd pleasers like Candle in the Wind and Philly Freedom but then played Captain Fantastic in its entirety it had only been out a couple of days and no one knew it. I only remember Someone Saved My Life. Pinball Wizard as an encore couldn’t save it in front of a by now half empty stadium.
But boy the Beach Boys were just brilliant.
50 years ago today
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Three pounds fifty for that line up?
Ridiculous.
Elton must have been disappointed that his fans did not give his new songs a chance.
But Joe Walsh, the Eagles and The Beach Boys in their pomp was a hard act to follow.
Elton was at the height of his popularity.
About £40 in today’s money which I guess is still a bargain.
According to the Bank of England inflation calculator, even more of a bargain at just £27.24
I didn’t go, as I was more concerned with learning to ride my bike and starting primary school.
And the Eagles bring me out in hives.
That means that 50 years ago I was revising for my A levels, which began 50 years ago tomorrow. And was why I turned down a ticket. The Beach Boys were my favourite band at that time, buoyed into that position by Nick Kent, Holland and the live double album, In Concert. I liked the Eagles too, back then. Elton not so much.
Still wish I’d gone, wondering if it would have altered any my subsequent passage through life and career.
The night before my first Finals paper, I went to see EMF at the Kilburn National. On a multitude of levels, I wish I had not.
My equivalent was “The Cramps”. Despite a disgraceful night and a 4 am bedtime for at 10 am philosophy exam, I managed. Happy daze.
Was there, too and, like @Clive, have always thought The Beach Boys set that day was the best I have ever seen (and I”ve been there for a few goodies – Neil at Hammersmith Odeon in March 76, Van M at the Dominion in March 83 and Bruce at Manchester Apollo in May 81 being particular standouts).
Another abiding memory of that day is how The Beach Boys came back on stage towards the end of EJ;s seat and did a note-perfect recreation of the harmonies they’d contributed to the recorded version of Don’t Let The Sun Go Down on Me as the sun set towards the end of the evening.
Pretty sure a video of EJ’s set that day was included on an anniversary issue of Cape Fantastic a few years back. If that’s the case, would imagine there might be footage of The Beach Boys set, too,. Not sure I could bring myself to watch it if that proved to be the case – some memories are just too perfect to take down from the shelf and hold in your hand lest they get broken.
Interesting how shared memories of events undergo a Rashomon-like divergance
While remember CK’s barely-there (bare being the operative word) Indian headdress, have no recollection of JB joining the Eagles for a few numbers. Big talking point of their set seemed to be JW’s arrival on stage to join the band by being wheeled on stage in, and jumping out of, a flight case. (He’d apparently also performed the same stunt at various US dates but there being no interet back then came as a huge surprise to everyone at Wembley). It was pretty much the end of the line for poor old Bernie Yeadon whose My Man tribute to Gram P was a highlight of On The Border, the only Eagles album I’ve ever really cared for. It was all One of These Nights style blandness for the money grabbing Glen and Don from that point on.
Sure I read somewhere at the time that BW was onstage with. the BBs that day – albeit in very poor shape and only capable of noodling at the keyboard. Can find no evidence either way on Google so who knows.
Also have no recollection of TBBs being a replacement for Stevie W as all the pre-sale ads and posters featured their name and they were the act I really wanted to see.
Amazing that £40 or whatever £3.50 back then would be in read terms today would barely cover the cost of a T-shirt in 2025.
As for @retropath2. Didn’t let the fact I was doing my own A-Levels stop me you swotty lightweight.
Dunno about film but there’s a recording of the BB set but for the reasons you stated I’ve always avoided it
We were sat near the front somewhat bizarrely surrounded by members of the Chosen Few the black outlaw motorcycle gang from Chicago … quite an eye opener for a bunch of white kids from Woking.
@jaygee : my predictions were knife edge as it was, so no chances being take, to rule out my having, after all, seek work in a record shop…..
@retropath2
Apologies, R, was just too good to resist.
Having read the last part of your post about how your life might of worked out, I’d also like to apologize in advance for all the rubbish that will be strewn down your garden path when I come to empty your bins on Tuesday
Arf!! Still jealous I didn’t go.
Here’s my programme, signed (but not until 2008) by Johnny Walker.
One thing I’d forgotten is that one of the three guitarists in Elton’s band was:
Having lost my program years and years ago, had no recollection of Jeff Baxter playing with EJ that day
Interesting that the also bills JW over The Eagles yet he went on before them
And then came back to play on their encore (Best of My Love and Carol) … the first time he played live with them?
I used to think that, too, but I later read that he’d done the flight case thing at a few US gigs.
Wonder what became of Bernie Leadon? Last I heard he was making happy-clappy Christian records
They announced he was joining the band there.
I was there, at least until a few songs into Elton’s dreary set.
Great day though. I really went to see the Eagles, but it was also the day I learned how good the Beach Boys could be.
I am sure Mike Love was still pretty annoying
It was in his pre-cap and eye-assaulting Hawaiian shirt era so nowhere near as irritating as he would later become
He even looked quite good then, the untamed beard, bald with a mullet trailing down look.
1) I’m a huge fan of Elton John’s music during the initial 1969-76 period. What an incredible number of songs he and Bernie wrote in such a short space of time. And so many of them were good – to – great.
Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy is my joint favourite Elton album (along with Tumbleweed Connection). But I’m not surprised that it flopped at Wembley at that 1975 gig. Captain Fantastic is the story of Elton and Bernie’s struggle as Denmark Street songwriters in the late sixties. Most of the songs are downbeat, muted, minor key affairs (“We all Fall in Love Sometimes”, “Writing”, “Curtains”). There’s also a song about Elton’s suicide attempt. It’s beautiful material, but entirely unsuitable for a big stadium gig on a hot day when everyone wants to drink big beers have a party…
2) I’ve been trying to like the Beach Boys for about 50 years now, but somehow I’ve never quite managed it.
Elton was my school pals dads tea boy when he worked at Mills Music in Soho. None of us believed this at school but it was true.
Wasn’t there. I was at school. Probably wouldn’t have gone anyway as it was likely to be way too crowded for my tastes. But I did buy Captain Fantastic and loved it. I reckon it’s one of his finest albums. I liked the Eagles too having bought the One of These Nights single and wondering whether I should gamble my pocket money on the album. Had heard Stackridge on Alan Freeman and was intrigued. Always thought I ‘should’ like the Beach Boys. But, despite their clear genius at times, I never have.
50 years ago last Saturday I was probably either at home smoking spliffs with my long-haired pals or out somewhere else smoking spliffs with fellow longhairs. No doubt we’d have been anticipating the next weekend’s trek to Knebworth to see Pink Floyd, Captain Beefheart and sundry others.
Can I be in your long-haired gang mister?
Aren’t you that bounder that smoked all of my stash while I was passed out at Avebury in ’74?
On the same day further across London the first Cricket World Cup Final was being held at Lords. I was glued to the TV for most of the day watching the Clive Lloyd hit a ton and the Windies win.