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Elton on Keyboards

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Below is a really nice article by Elton John in yesterday’s Guardian

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  5. Very interesting article. I’d have liked to see a mention of the late Rick Wright and his essential contribution to some gazillion-selling albums.

      • Although later on he wasn’t such a prolific songwriter, I wonder if the Floyd would have had so much success without Rick. His playing had a lovely soulful sound – I’m not enough of a muso to know whether that was down to his chord choices or his actual feel – and his contribution always sounded just right.

        Although Rick was missing from his article, well done on Elton for bringing attention to some names that are probably lesser known to the general public. I know he had his temperamental moments back in the day, but he seems like a really decent sort, and it’s always nice to hear a real star praising other people they admire.

        For anybody who hasn’t read it, his autobiography from a few years ago is a great read. He’s self-deprecating, not too big to admit some real mistakes, and very funny – his story about finding “intruders” in his mansion is hilarious. And he has *really* lived life.

        • Rick Wright was crucial, though Misery Guts was at one time a good songwriter. He then started believing in his own genius too much, whereas David Gilmour’s diffidence is perfect for the most English of bands.

  6. It was a great little article, but I’m not sure I totally agree that keyboard players lost out to guitarists. It just so happens that guitars were more fashionable in the 60s into the 70s. He sort of dismisses Steve Winwood as an outlier, but there was Keith Emerson and no end of proggy bands who had well known keyboard botherers, as well as Macca of course, Billy Preston, Stevie Wonder, Leon Russell, Booker T, Al Kooper.

    What was really interesting was his description of trying, and failing, to get to grips with the Hammond organ!

    • You make the AW mistake of conflating popularity among the likes of us with general popularity. This is a Guardian article, not a Mojo article.
      Amongst “civilians” and casual music fans, the guitarists win hands down throughout the ’60s and ’70s and quite a bit of the ’80s too.

      Keith Emerson is indeed an exception among your little list, known solely for playing keyboards. Ditto Booker T, sadly if he’s recalled at all.
      Paul McCartney primarily remains known to Joe Public as a singer/bassist, Stevie Wonder is renowned as a singer/harmonica player to general pop fans who only know of his hit singles. Billy Preston, Leon Russell and Al Kooper are all in pop’s “Who’s he?” division to yer average punter.

      • Ok, point taken, but I was trying to say that it wasn’t quite so cut and dried perhaps. Even if people couldn’t name some of those, they would certainly have enjoyed their records and playing. Civilians probably couldn’t name more than, say, 3 guitarists from the late 60s/ early 70s, which was the era Elton was addressing.

        Just trying to redress the balance a little!

  10. If I was at Mojo or Uncut, I’d be thinking about adapting that article/commissioning a similar one for a cover story with an attendant CD, which would compliment the recent Pysch and Yardbirds’ ones perfectly.

    Mind, I’d knock Rising Sun and Crazy Diamond on the head and get a more obscure Georgie track. Ideally it would include a couple (all four?) of the Bluesology tracks. Too much to ask?
    To my knowledge, they’ve never been available on CD, and it’s the only Elton stuff I want!

  11. Since Rick Wright isn’t mentioned, I’m wondering how that Floyd track got there. Might he have been misheard and was talking about Gary Wright instead (Spooky Tooth etc.?)

    Edit: doh. It’s Rod Argent covering it. Couldn’t they find a better track?

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