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In beginning of July on a balmy summer’s evening in London’s fashionable Portobello Road Elton John held a playback for his new album ‘The Union’. Recorded with Elton’s long time musical idol and world renowned pianist and songwriter Leon Russell ‘The Union’ sees the duo (and a glittering array of guests) get back to the nitty gritty of what they love about rock ‘n’roll.
Attended by the world’s media this was a unique playback; an EPK by world famous director Cameron Crowe was shown (with exclusive studio footage) before the 16 tracks were exclusively played to an expectant audience at the regal surroundings of The Electric Cinema, a venue that has weathered the storm and is still magnificent. Perhaps as a testament to how passionately Elton feels about ‘The Union’, and the man he recorded it with, he is in attendance for a rare live interview and shocks many by holding an impromptu and jovial Q&A session with those gathered.
Elton talks in effusive terms about Leon Russell and it’s clear he has a very special place in his heart for the bearded legend. He enlightens many of the younger media by explaining that Leon Russell probably played on every one of their favourite Phil Spector, Stax and Beach Boys records, as well as writing breathtaking songs like ’Masquerade’ and ’Song for You’. “He is just so great to work with. I call him The Master and he calls me The Guvnor. There were so many great keyboardists around back then but Leon was the one I loved the most. He still looks like a cross between God and Moses! For me he is someone who should not be forgotten about”.
Elton admits that, this time, he did all the chasing. Whilst on safari in Africa he called Leon and asked him if he would be interested in trying a collaboration. Leon, with his usual nonchalance, agreed and so began nearly two years of working, not just with each other, but an extended family of some of the best musicians, songwriters and producers in the world. The mighty Neil Young, Brian Wilson, Jim Keltner, Booker T and Tata Vega all make contributions and this is born through respect, not just for Elton, but for Leon Russell also. “All great musicians that are still around adore Leon. People like Grace Jones, Paul McCartney and Stevie Nicks turned up at the studio to see him while we were recording. I remember Grace Jones sitting on his lap for half an hour - he loves the ladies. There was someone coming back to life and it was great to have him there”.
‘The Union’ was recorded completely live, no over dubs or layered effects, and the man given the job of combining all of these mercurial musical spirits was another legend: T Bone Burnett. An Oscar and Grammy award winning producer , who won the 2010 Grammy for producing Raising Sand with Robert Plant and Alison Krause, T Bone, in Elton’s words was “quite simply the only producer in the world that could have made this album.
This album is a massive departure for Elton from his more commercially recognisable style, an album about his musical influences and heroes, and the occasional nod to his youth. Tracks like ’Hey Ahab’ and ’Hearts Have Turned To Stone’ are a beautiful collision of rock’n’roll honky tonk and gospel whilst the soulful ballad ‘The Best Part of The Day’ is a nod to his teenage interest in all things Memphis and Motown; “I had to go back to go forward and make the tracks feel live. I dont want to make pop singles anymore. I love writing for Scissor Sisters and being on a Tupac record but for me its all about making good records that are right for me and my age.”
Elton“I thought if I'm gonna make a record, my template was ‘Modern Times‘ by Bob Dylan. Modern but old at the same time, which is something that Neil Young has been telling me for so long. Records like the Rolling Stones ‘Exile on Main Street’ is rough around the edges because of the way it was recorded. It was live and loose.”
Attended by the world’s media this was a unique playback; an EPK by world famous director Cameron Crowe was shown (with exclusive studio footage) before the 16 tracks were exclusively played to an expectant audience at the regal surroundings of The Electric Cinema, a venue that has weathered the storm and is still magnificent. Perhaps as a testament to how passionately Elton feels about ‘The Union’, and the man he recorded it with, he is in attendance for a rare live interview and shocks many by holding an impromptu and jovial Q&A session with those gathered.
Elton talks in effusive terms about Leon Russell and it’s clear he has a very special place in his heart for the bearded legend. He enlightens many of the younger media by explaining that Leon Russell probably played on every one of their favourite Phil Spector, Stax and Beach Boys records, as well as writing breathtaking songs like ’Masquerade’ and ’Song for You’. “He is just so great to work with. I call him The Master and he calls me The Guvnor. There were so many great keyboardists around back then but Leon was the one I loved the most. He still looks like a cross between God and Moses! For me he is someone who should not be forgotten about”.
Elton admits that, this time, he did all the chasing. Whilst on safari in Africa he called Leon and asked him if he would be interested in trying a collaboration. Leon, with his usual nonchalance, agreed and so began nearly two years of working, not just with each other, but an extended family of some of the best musicians, songwriters and producers in the world. The mighty Neil Young, Brian Wilson, Jim Keltner, Booker T and Tata Vega all make contributions and this is born through respect, not just for Elton, but for Leon Russell also. “All great musicians that are still around adore Leon. People like Grace Jones, Paul McCartney and Stevie Nicks turned up at the studio to see him while we were recording. I remember Grace Jones sitting on his lap for half an hour - he loves the ladies. There was someone coming back to life and it was great to have him there”.
‘The Union’ was recorded completely live, no over dubs or layered effects, and the man given the job of combining all of these mercurial musical spirits was another legend: T Bone Burnett. An Oscar and Grammy award winning producer , who won the 2010 Grammy for producing Raising Sand with Robert Plant and Alison Krause, T Bone, in Elton’s words was “quite simply the only producer in the world that could have made this album.
This album is a massive departure for Elton from his more commercially recognisable style, an album about his musical influences and heroes, and the occasional nod to his youth. Tracks like ’Hey Ahab’ and ’Hearts Have Turned To Stone’ are a beautiful collision of rock’n’roll honky tonk and gospel whilst the soulful ballad ‘The Best Part of The Day’ is a nod to his teenage interest in all things Memphis and Motown; “I had to go back to go forward and make the tracks feel live. I dont want to make pop singles anymore. I love writing for Scissor Sisters and being on a Tupac record but for me its all about making good records that are right for me and my age.”
Elton“I thought if I'm gonna make a record, my template was ‘Modern Times‘ by Bob Dylan. Modern but old at the same time, which is something that Neil Young has been telling me for so long. Records like the Rolling Stones ‘Exile on Main Street’ is rough around the edges because of the way it was recorded. It was live and loose.”
It is well documented that Leon Russell, despite having serious respect from real music fans, dropped from our radar for many years. A cruel combination of bad luck, ill health and, by his own admition, bad decisions has seen him in a wilderness, something that Elton, and his team, are keen to see not happen again. “I want to do shows with him and make records with him; I want his life to improve a little. I’m gonna do a show at the Beacon theatre with him and then a show with T Bone Burnett and next year I'm gonna take Leon on tour with me.”
The Union by Elton John and Leon Russell is released on Mercury Records on October 25th, 2010
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