May 31, 2012
SPECIAL ELTON BOX SET RELEASE
CLASSIC ALBUM SET FOR SUMMER RELEASE
By the Editor/eltonjohn.com
Universal Music will release Elton John: Classic Album Selection (1970-73) on July 16, to follow the July 2 release of the Elton John Vs Pnau single Good Morning To The Night. The box set comprises the great and much-loved albums ELTON JOHN, TUMBLEWEED CONNECTION, MADMAN ACROSS THE WATER, HONKY CHATEAU and DON'T SHOOT ME I'M ONLY THE PIANO PLAYER.
Australian duo Pnau are best known for their side-project Empire Of The Sun; Elton John signed the pair after hearing their record, and now with his blessing, a selection of Elton's old masters will be re-imagined into an album featuring their recreations of his classic songs between 1970 and 1976. Many of these classic songs can be found on this new box set.
It contains five of Elton John's quintessential and most acclaimed albums from 1970-1973; Elton John, Tumbleweed Connection, Madman Across The Water, Honky Chateau and Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player.These albums (now including selected bonus tracks) provided the backbone of Elton's early career and were the source of a series of breakthrough hits which would propel him to become one of the most successful British artists of all time.
Elton John was Elton's second album, released in 1970 and confirming the special relationship between Elton and Bernie Taupin. It was also the first to feature the team of producer Gus Dudgeon and arranger Paul Buckmaster and contained the songs Border Song and Your Song, the latter becoming Elton's first UK hit, reaching No. 7 in the charts. It set the US charts alight, the album eventually hitting No. 4.
Tumbleweed Connection with its American Old West themes in songs such as Country Comfort and Ballad of a Well-Known Gun maintained the momentum in Elton's career and even featured Dusty Springfield on some backing vocals. It included Elton's wonderful rendition of Lesley Duncan's Love Song.
Madman Across The Water followed in quick succession in 1972 and introduced guitarist Davey Johnstone from Magna Carta as another key member of Elton's band, alongside bassist Dee Murray and drummer Nigel Olsson. A wonderfully considered work including the song Tiny Dancer, it is blessed with lush melodramatic arrangements which perfectly complement Elton John and Bernie Taupin's flourishing songwriting partnership. In May of that year, Elton formally changed his name by deed poll from Reginald Kenneth Dwight to Elton Hercules John.
Honky Chateau, 1972, a reference to the French recording studios in Chateau d'Hérouville, was Elton's sixth consecutive album produced by Gus Dudgeon. It returned Elton to the UK charts where the hits Rocket Man (a UK No. 2) and Honky Cat fully established Elton's critical and popular appeal on both sides of the Atlantic. This success came from a combination of his flamboyant showmanship, romantic sensibilities and peerless songwriting craft that was able to embrace a multiplicity of styles .
Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player, released in early 1973, came in the wake of one of Elton's signature hits, Crocodile Rock; also included on the album is the contrasting ballad Daniel"(both Top Five entries). This was soon to be the No. 1 one album in both Britain and America (where it was the first of six consecutive No. 1 albums, in Britain it was the first of four consecutive No. I's). Although his albums continued to be released by DJM in the UK for the next few years, this was the year in which Elton launched Rocket Records at a village railway station in the English countryside. At the same time, in 1973 there was no doubting that Elton John had become a global superstar.
This collection presents Elton's nascent talent at the very start of a truly legendary career, demonstrating an unparalleled song writing prowess now re-imagined by Pnau. The songs on the Elton John Vs Pnau album draw from as many as 42 different early Elton tracks, adding loops, samples and their own material. Elton himself is a huge fan of Pnau's work, which is why he allowed them to create this revolutionary new collection of compositions. Elton's summer tour of Europe will include an appearance in Ibiza on July 2nd to promote the project with Pnau including the single Good Morning to the Night.
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