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[gentle music]
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Downloaded from
YTS.MX
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[upbeat rock music]
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Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.MX
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* I'm still standing
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"Have a chat," said Sir Elton,
"in the South of France."
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Who was I to say no?
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Especially since it's
the only major interview
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he's giving this year.
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The only problem is
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when it comes to talking
about a 50-year career,
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where do you start?
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* I'm still standing
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[upbeat rock music]
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* It's getting late
have you seen my mates *
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* Ma, tell me when
the boys get here *
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Lovely to see you.
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Sir Elton John's in the
house, ladies and gentlemen!
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[crew applauding]
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He's in his house. [chuckles]
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Born in 1947, young Reg
Dwight probably never imagined
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that, turning 72, he'd
be part way through
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an incredible 300-date
farewell world tour.
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* Saturday
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[Graham] Have received
France's highest award,
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the Legion d'Honneur,
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be celebrating "The Lion King"
being a box office smash hit,
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and have released a
biopic of his life
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along with his autobiography.
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It's been wonderful.
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[Graham] Growing up in Pinner,
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young Elton could play
"The Skater's Waltz"
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on the piano, aged just three.
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[jaunty music]
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[upbeat disco music]
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Encouraged by his nan, he
went on to win a scholarship
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at the Royal Academy of Music.
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His first taste of performing
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involved playing piano in pubs.
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A couple of nights,
the fight would start.
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So, I had to go out the window.
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I'm not stupid, folks. [laughs]
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[audience laughing]
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No, no, no!
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[Graham] Which later
led to playing organ
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in the band Bluesology.
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* Come back, baby
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[Graham] But it was meeting
writing partner Bernie Taupin
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that would change
Elton's life forever.
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[audience applauding]
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He's probably more
important than me
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because he has to write the
words before I write the music.
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* Oh, oh, oh
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[Graham] Selling over
300 million albums,
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he's won countless awards
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including five Grammys, five
Brit Awards, oh, and an Oscar.
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I never thought in my life
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I would be holding one of these.
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[Graham] Leading a life even
more colourful and outrageous
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than his many costumes,
Sir Elton is a music legend
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that's written the
manual on being famous
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and has survived
to tell the tale.
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* Love me again
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[audience cheering]
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I'd like to become a legend,
but I don't think I will be
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because they're
very, very special.
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Well, first of all,
Sir Elton John,
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thank you very much for
inviting us to your home.
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-Thank you for coming.
-I know!
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Imagine living here. [laughs]
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It strikes me, this must be
a very strange time for you,
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'cause you are a very much,
what's next, kind of guy.
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And here you are,
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you're doing all this
kind of looking back.
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How odd is it to be doing
all this looking back?
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Yeah, you're right.
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There's the farewell
tour, there's the film,
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and, then, now's the book.
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It's been fine.
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I mean, I very rarely look
back, but I've had to.
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Obviously, with a book,
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you have to go right
back to the beginning
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and it's been quite cathartic.
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I'd suddenly realised
I've led an amazing life
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because I live my life
at such a high speed
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that sometimes you just go
from one thing to the next.
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And, then, when I read
the book in its entirety
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after it was done, I
went, "God Almighty!
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"I could've filled another
300 pages with stuff."
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But it's been very
gratifying to know
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that, at 72, I can do
the book and the film,
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and then move forward again.
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And, I have to say,
the book, it's funny
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and an extraordinary
amount of candour in it.
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Are you, now that
it's all happening,
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how do you feel about
strangers in the street
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knowing all these
things about you?
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I don't mind.
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I did "Tantrums And
Tiaras" many years ago
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and that was fairly
in your face.
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I don't mind that.
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The whole point of doing a
book, and the autobiography,
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is to be as honest
as you possibly can.
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I didn't wanna
sugar-coat anything.
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And, yet, reading
about you as a boy,
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it seemed so unlikely,
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-that shy boy.
-Oh, I wouldn't say
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boo to a goose.
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I was frightened
of my own shadow.
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I was frightened of
treading on eggshells.
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No.
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It all happened when I left
home for the first time
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and I could wear exactly
what I wanted to wear.
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It was suddenly like unleashing
the beast, as it were.
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And I lived my teenage
years in my 20s.
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Yeah.
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My relationship with my
mother hadn't been the best,
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but at least we reconciled
towards the endish.
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And I wanted the
opportunity to say to her
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that I did love her and
that I was appreciative
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for everything she'd done,
and it was a difficult.
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The two or three times
we saw each other
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weren't easy, not for me
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because she didn't change.
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But, for me, it was about
telling her before she died.
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If I hadn't had told her before
she died that I loved her
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and I was grateful for
everything she'd done,
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I would've felt really bad.
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Yeah.
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No, I must say,
just as a person,
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I was so happy that
there'd been some sort of--
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Yeah, there had to be.
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I listened to someone talking
about their relationship
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with her father and I
thought, "You know what?
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00:05:03,867 --> 00:05:05,467
"I have to reach out to my mom."
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Things hadn't been
good but I reached out
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and the olive
branch is necessary.
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You have to forgive people.
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Or you have to try and reconcile
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with someone who was
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very much there for
me at the beginning,
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and who gave me a lot.
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00:05:19,967 --> 00:05:23,067
And, also, she was clearly
a very difficult woman,
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but a woman of kind
of contradictions.
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She could be so funny and
sweet, and then really vile.
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Yeah, it's who she was.
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I mean, I think more so
towards the end of her life
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she got more difficult.
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Why was that?
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I don't know.
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She didn't approve of
the civil partnership.
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She didn't approve of David.
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She didn't approve anyone who
was closer to me than she was.
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[Graham] Was she jealous?
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I don't know, I don't know.
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The thing I was grateful
for both my parents was
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that they separated after
a horrendous marriage
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and they both found
people they love.
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And that makes me happy
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because my mom deserved
to find someone she loved,
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and so did my dad.
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And you did have a very
good time with her.
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You took her on tour.
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There's a story about
her on the Starjet
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she was only interested
in watching one film.
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Yes, "Deep Throat".
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[Graham] [laughs] Why did she
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-want to watch that?
-Well, she'd heard about it,
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and, I said, "I can show
it to you if you want?"
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"Yeah."
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So, they were having lunch and
she was sitting there going,
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-"Bloody hell, look at that."
-[Graham laughs]
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My mom could be so much fun.
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00:06:30,133 --> 00:06:32,700
Yeah, I mean, my whole
family was based on laughter.
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00:06:32,700 --> 00:06:35,867
My uncle, my aunt, my
mom, my grandmother.
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And, in fact, I wasn't
that close to them
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when my mom was still alive but
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now I've had children, my kids
are very close to my cousins
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00:06:45,700 --> 00:06:50,267
and their children because
family is important.
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00:06:50,267 --> 00:06:52,067
A lot of laughter
and a lot of music.
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00:06:52,067 --> 00:06:55,100
But you talk about watching
that scene in "Rocketman"
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where they sing to each
other, which, you know,
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I knew none of these
people and I was sobbing.
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Yeah, I saw that in a very
early stage of the film
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and I wasn't prepared.
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00:07:03,533 --> 00:07:05,067
Each one of those
family members,
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00:07:05,067 --> 00:07:07,833
my grandmother, my
dad, my mom and myself,
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wanted a bit more
love in their lives
189
00:07:10,767 --> 00:07:13,567
and wanted a bit more
peace and harmony.
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* Me I carry too much baggage
191
00:07:19,767 --> 00:07:24,400
* Oh, God, I've seen
so much traffic *
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* But I want love
193
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* Just a different kind
194
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* I want love won't
break me down *
195
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* Won't break me up
won't fence me in *
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00:07:37,800 --> 00:07:41,133
* I want a love that
means something *
197
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* That's a love I want
198
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* I want love
199
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[gentle music]
200
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There's some obvious people
201
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who have influenced
your performing style,
202
00:07:56,333 --> 00:07:59,300
like Little Richard
and Jerry Lee Lewis.
203
00:07:59,300 --> 00:08:01,667
Talk to us about
Winifred Atwell.
204
00:08:01,667 --> 00:08:05,200
Winifred Atwell was incredible,
she was my first idol.
205
00:08:05,200 --> 00:08:07,400
And she was this
beautiful, beautiful.
206
00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:10,200
I think she was
Bajan, I'm not sure.
207
00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:11,533
She was a West Indian lady.
208
00:08:12,800 --> 00:08:15,300
She bought this real
upright honky-tonk piano
209
00:08:15,300 --> 00:08:18,100
for nothing in a junk shop.
210
00:08:18,100 --> 00:08:20,800
And then she would
play something like
ragtime on the piano,
211
00:08:20,800 --> 00:08:23,600
she was a very good
ragtime piano player.
212
00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:26,767
[upbeat piano music]
213
00:08:29,867 --> 00:08:32,967
And she'd had this wonderful
face and she would smile at you
214
00:08:32,967 --> 00:08:34,267
and I loved her to death.
215
00:08:34,267 --> 00:08:37,267
And I got to meet
her in Australia.
216
00:08:37,267 --> 00:08:38,200
Oh, wow!
217
00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:40,067
And we met at an airport.
218
00:08:40,067 --> 00:08:42,600
And she gave me a koala bear,
not a real one, of course.
219
00:08:42,600 --> 00:08:45,200
[Graham laughs]
220
00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:48,667
And it was wonderful to meet her
221
00:08:48,667 --> 00:08:51,433
and tell her how much
that she meant to me.
222
00:08:51,433 --> 00:08:55,667
And she played classical
music, semi-classical music,
223
00:08:55,667 --> 00:08:57,200
but then she played pub songs.
224
00:08:57,200 --> 00:08:58,833
And she used to have
all these records, like,
225
00:08:58,833 --> 00:09:01,567
"Let's Have A Party, Volume
One, Two, Three, Four".
226
00:09:01,567 --> 00:09:04,967
And, of course, when
I played in the pub,
227
00:09:04,967 --> 00:09:07,167
I was very grateful for
that because I used to copy
228
00:09:07,167 --> 00:09:09,367
all those kind of
Al Jolson songs,
229
00:09:09,367 --> 00:09:10,767
"Down at the Old Bull and Bush".
230
00:09:10,767 --> 00:09:12,167
Why was there a
piano in the house?
231
00:09:12,167 --> 00:09:13,633
You weren't rich people,
232
00:09:13,633 --> 00:09:15,700
and a piano seems like a very
kind of high-status thing.
233
00:09:15,700 --> 00:09:17,133
No, it was an upright piano.
234
00:09:17,133 --> 00:09:18,767
My auntie played the piano
235
00:09:18,767 --> 00:09:20,333
and there was always
music in the house.
236
00:09:20,333 --> 00:09:21,900
So, at a very early age,
237
00:09:21,900 --> 00:09:24,067
I tried to copy what
I heard on the radio.
238
00:09:24,067 --> 00:09:26,333
I don't know why it was there.
239
00:09:26,333 --> 00:09:28,733
And I'm glad it was there
because if it hadn't have been,
240
00:09:28,733 --> 00:09:31,067
I wouldn't have turned
out to be who I was.
241
00:09:31,067 --> 00:09:33,767
[gentle upbeat music]
242
00:09:33,767 --> 00:09:36,200
[Graham] Young piano playing
Reg Dwight changed his name
243
00:09:36,200 --> 00:09:39,600
to Elton Hercules John in 1967,
244
00:09:39,600 --> 00:09:43,067
choosing Hercules after the
horse in "Steptoe And Son".
245
00:09:43,067 --> 00:09:44,400
[upbeat rock music]
246
00:09:44,400 --> 00:09:45,933
* Loving you, baby
247
00:09:45,933 --> 00:09:48,533
[Graham] Despite his
1968 debut solo single,
248
00:09:48,533 --> 00:09:51,333
"I've Been Loving You" failing
to set the charts alight.
249
00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:55,433
* Daniel you're a star
250
00:09:55,433 --> 00:09:57,167
[Graham] The early
'70s saw Elton's career
251
00:09:57,167 --> 00:09:59,500
go stellar in just four years.
252
00:09:59,500 --> 00:10:04,500
We now wanna declare this
week Elton John Week!
253
00:10:05,233 --> 00:10:06,733
[audience cheering]
254
00:10:06,733 --> 00:10:08,200
[Graham] He released 12
studio albums that decade
255
00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:11,400
including "Madman Across
the Water", "Honky Chateau",
256
00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:14,333
and "Captain Fantastic and
the Brown Dirt Cowboy",
257
00:10:14,333 --> 00:10:17,233
along with a string
of classic hits.
258
00:10:17,233 --> 00:10:19,667
[gentle upbeat music]
259
00:10:19,667 --> 00:10:24,667
* Hold me closer tiny dancer
260
00:10:25,833 --> 00:10:28,933
* Count the headlights
on the highway *
261
00:10:28,933 --> 00:10:31,967
* I remember when
rock was young *
262
00:10:31,967 --> 00:10:34,633
* Me and Susie had so much fun
263
00:10:34,633 --> 00:10:36,367
* I'm a bitch, I'm a bitch
264
00:10:36,367 --> 00:10:38,033
* Oh, the bitch is back
265
00:10:38,033 --> 00:10:40,900
* Stone-cold sober,
as a matter of fact *
266
00:10:40,900 --> 00:10:43,933
* I can bitch, I can bitch
'cause I'm better than you *
267
00:10:43,933 --> 00:10:47,767
* It's the way that I move
the things that I do, oh *
268
00:10:47,767 --> 00:10:49,933
[Graham] His showmanship,
and unique sense of style
269
00:10:49,933 --> 00:10:53,367
fast became legendary at
huge, sell-out concerts
270
00:10:53,367 --> 00:10:55,933
cementing his place in
rock and roll history.
271
00:10:57,400 --> 00:11:00,167
And all by the age of 25.
272
00:11:00,167 --> 00:11:01,467
* Woo
273
00:11:01,467 --> 00:11:03,400
* And I think it's
gonna be a long *
274
00:11:03,400 --> 00:11:06,167
[Graham] In private, Elton
began a turbulent relationship
275
00:11:06,167 --> 00:11:09,533
with his manager John Reid,
seen here playing guitar,
276
00:11:09,533 --> 00:11:12,600
in this previously lost "Top
of the Pops" performance,
277
00:11:12,600 --> 00:11:14,300
unseen for 47 years.
278
00:11:14,300 --> 00:11:18,267
* I'm a rocket man
279
00:11:18,267 --> 00:11:23,267
* Rocket man burning out
his fuse up here alone *
280
00:11:26,633 --> 00:11:31,633
* And I think it's gonna
be a long, long time *
281
00:11:32,500 --> 00:11:34,067
The rocket man had landed.
282
00:11:34,067 --> 00:11:38,100
All thanks to an ad placed
in NME by Liberty Records.
283
00:11:39,933 --> 00:11:41,667
There's a lot of
things in the book
284
00:11:41,667 --> 00:11:45,800
where you talk about
the randomness of
life, the what-ifs.
285
00:11:45,800 --> 00:11:47,800
Because it's not like
you met Bernie Taupin,
286
00:11:47,800 --> 00:11:49,467
like you bumped into him, even,
287
00:11:49,467 --> 00:11:50,833
it was even more
random than that.
288
00:11:50,833 --> 00:11:52,400
It was kismet.
289
00:11:52,400 --> 00:11:55,367
I answered an advert in NME
which said Liberty Records,
290
00:11:55,367 --> 00:11:58,533
who were an American record
company starting up in England,
291
00:11:58,533 --> 00:12:00,067
it was on Albemarle Street.
292
00:12:00,067 --> 00:12:01,533
They want singers
and songwriters.
293
00:12:01,533 --> 00:12:05,167
Now, I was in a band,
Bluesology, and I was fed up.
294
00:12:05,167 --> 00:12:07,067
I thought, "I didn't
become a musician to play
295
00:12:07,067 --> 00:12:08,367
"to people eating
fish and chips."
296
00:12:08,367 --> 00:12:09,867
I was fed up with it.
297
00:12:09,867 --> 00:12:11,967
But I went along to this
meeting with Ray Williams,
298
00:12:11,967 --> 00:12:14,367
who was the guy I
met, and I said,
299
00:12:14,367 --> 00:12:17,067
"I can sing and I
can write songs,
300
00:12:17,900 --> 00:12:19,400
"but I can't write lyrics."
301
00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:21,633
And, of course, there were
no cassettes in those days,
302
00:12:21,633 --> 00:12:24,767
it was all reel-to-reel
tapes in piles of envelopes.
303
00:12:24,767 --> 00:12:26,667
And he could've given
me any envelope.
304
00:12:26,667 --> 00:12:29,067
Of all the envelopes,
I get Bernie.
305
00:12:29,067 --> 00:12:31,267
It could have been
some terrible tosser
306
00:12:31,267 --> 00:12:32,500
[Graham laughs]
307
00:12:32,500 --> 00:12:33,833
from Portsmouth
or some wherever.
308
00:12:33,833 --> 00:12:36,567
I got this brilliant
guy from Lincolnshire.
309
00:12:36,567 --> 00:12:38,900
And there's been so
many moments in my life
310
00:12:38,900 --> 00:12:41,533
where that kind of
thing has clicked in.
311
00:12:41,533 --> 00:12:45,133
Meeting David, getting
sober, having children.
312
00:12:45,133 --> 00:12:47,100
It's quite astonishing
how many times
313
00:12:47,100 --> 00:12:48,600
that's happened in my life,
314
00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:51,800
where it's just if I hadn't
have made that decision,
315
00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:54,233
my life wouldn't have
turned out the way it had.
316
00:12:54,233 --> 00:12:55,633
And, I always assumed,
317
00:12:55,633 --> 00:12:57,333
talking to you about the
music writing process
318
00:12:57,333 --> 00:12:58,867
because he does
write all the lyrics,
319
00:12:58,867 --> 00:13:03,733
that somehow you were singing
about things he was feeling,
320
00:13:04,600 --> 00:13:05,900
or he experienced.
321
00:13:05,900 --> 00:13:08,733
But, in fact, he
has written for you.
322
00:13:08,733 --> 00:13:10,367
I mean, "Someone Saved
My Life Tonight",
323
00:13:10,367 --> 00:13:12,400
"All the Nasties", "White
Lady White Powder".
324
00:13:12,400 --> 00:13:14,167
How often does he do
that, focus on your life?
325
00:13:14,167 --> 00:13:16,133
Every now and then, of
course, the whole the
326
00:13:16,133 --> 00:13:18,767
"Captain Fantastic and the
Brown Dirt Cowboy" album,
327
00:13:18,767 --> 00:13:20,300
every song was about us,
328
00:13:20,300 --> 00:13:22,600
and that's why it's one
of my favourite albums.
329
00:13:22,600 --> 00:13:25,933
But he does, yeah, he
writes about me quite a lot.
330
00:13:25,933 --> 00:13:28,067
It's brilliant because I
never know what I'm gonna get.
331
00:13:28,067 --> 00:13:30,600
And I don't want to
know what I'm gonna get
332
00:13:30,600 --> 00:13:32,433
until I get the
lyric in front of me.
333
00:13:32,433 --> 00:13:35,533
And then I put my hand on the
keyboard, then away we go.
334
00:13:35,533 --> 00:13:38,100
That has never changed in over
the 50 years we've written,
335
00:13:38,100 --> 00:13:41,100
and that's what keeps
it so interesting to me.
336
00:13:41,100 --> 00:13:42,333
Let's talk about "Your Song",
337
00:13:42,333 --> 00:13:45,333
which was a song that
changed both your lives.
338
00:13:45,333 --> 00:13:48,400
Did you know the minute
you'd written it,
339
00:13:48,400 --> 00:13:50,200
this is something else?
340
00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:52,067
Yeah, I thought we'd, you know.
341
00:13:52,067 --> 00:13:53,467
We'd written "Skyline Pigeon",
342
00:13:53,467 --> 00:13:55,500
which was a really lovely
song from "Empty Sky".
343
00:13:55,500 --> 00:13:57,067
But this one.
344
00:13:57,067 --> 00:13:59,300
And in the film, it was a
pretty accurate description
345
00:13:59,300 --> 00:14:00,267
of how it was done.
346
00:14:01,567 --> 00:14:05,300
And I called him in, and
went, "Listen to this."
347
00:14:05,300 --> 00:14:09,333
* And you can tell everybody
348
00:14:09,333 --> 00:14:12,700
* This is your song
349
00:14:12,700 --> 00:14:17,700
* It may be quite simple
but now that it's done *
350
00:14:19,933 --> 00:14:23,600
* I hope you don't mind,
I hope you don't mind *
351
00:14:23,600 --> 00:14:28,167
* That I put down in words
352
00:14:28,167 --> 00:14:32,467
* How wonderful life is
353
00:14:32,467 --> 00:14:36,133
* While you're in the world
354
00:14:37,467 --> 00:14:40,367
It's extraordinary, that
gave us the confidence,
355
00:14:40,367 --> 00:14:42,433
and it was it was
definitely a turning point.
356
00:14:42,433 --> 00:14:43,667
We didn't know it
was gonna be a hit,
357
00:14:43,667 --> 00:14:45,467
but we knew that we
were on to something.
358
00:14:45,467 --> 00:14:46,633
And does it bother you, though?
359
00:14:46,633 --> 00:14:47,933
'Cause so many people
cover that song.
360
00:14:47,933 --> 00:14:49,767
Do you like people
covering that song?
361
00:14:49,767 --> 00:14:51,400
I love anybody
covering our songs.
362
00:14:51,400 --> 00:14:54,667
We started off as pretty awful
songwriters for other people.
363
00:14:54,667 --> 00:14:58,400
And, so, when people cover
your songs, it's a compliment.
364
00:14:58,400 --> 00:15:00,800
I can be in an elevator
and hear "Daniel"
365
00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:01,900
and think, "Oh, I wrote that!"
366
00:15:01,900 --> 00:15:03,067
[Graham laughs]
367
00:15:03,067 --> 00:15:04,200
Or "Who is the asshole
that wrote this?
368
00:15:04,200 --> 00:15:05,067
"Me!"
369
00:15:06,133 --> 00:15:07,700
But it's always a compliment.
370
00:15:07,700 --> 00:15:10,300
If you write a song
and someone records it,
371
00:15:10,300 --> 00:15:13,567
no matter how good or bad it
is, I get a thrill out of it.
372
00:15:13,567 --> 00:15:15,733
You did your own share of
covers, Marble Arch Records.
373
00:15:15,733 --> 00:15:17,167
[Elton] Yes.
374
00:15:17,167 --> 00:15:18,900
-Tell us some the unlikely--
-Oh, it was so funny.
375
00:15:18,900 --> 00:15:20,400
Some of the unlikely
songs you sang!
376
00:15:20,400 --> 00:15:22,400
I used to earn a lot of
money playing on sessions.
377
00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:24,600
I played on The Hollies, "He
Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother".
378
00:15:24,600 --> 00:15:27,167
I played on Barron Knights
records, Scaffold records,
379
00:15:27,167 --> 00:15:29,167
Tom Jones records, I sang on.
380
00:15:29,167 --> 00:15:31,067
And then I used to do this
thing on Marble Arch Records
381
00:15:31,067 --> 00:15:34,467
which used to do cheap
versions of all the pop hits.
382
00:15:34,467 --> 00:15:36,767
And we used to do it at
Pye Studios at Marble Arch,
383
00:15:36,767 --> 00:15:39,833
and we used to
have to do covers.
384
00:15:39,833 --> 00:15:41,433
One of the first things
I did was "Back Home",
385
00:15:41,433 --> 00:15:42,700
the England World Cup.
386
00:15:42,700 --> 00:15:44,167
* Back home
387
00:15:44,167 --> 00:15:46,233
You'd start singing and
fall on the floor laughing.
388
00:15:46,233 --> 00:15:48,067
I did "Saved by the
Bell" by the Bee Gees
389
00:15:48,067 --> 00:15:49,867
where I couldn't get the
voice right, so I went.
390
00:15:49,867 --> 00:15:52,833
-* Saved by the bell
-[Graham giggling]
391
00:15:52,833 --> 00:15:54,133
And by the end of this take,
392
00:15:54,133 --> 00:15:57,067
my neck was about
five-inches wider.
393
00:15:57,067 --> 00:15:59,067
And they were some of
the nicest memories
394
00:15:59,067 --> 00:16:00,400
that I treasure, actually.
395
00:16:01,400 --> 00:16:02,733
Something I didn't understand.
396
00:16:02,733 --> 00:16:05,833
I know it's in the film,
but your big success
397
00:16:06,667 --> 00:16:07,967
came in America.
398
00:16:07,967 --> 00:16:10,167
I went to the
Troubadour club in L.A.,
399
00:16:10,167 --> 00:16:12,367
and I played there, I
got an incredible review
400
00:16:12,367 --> 00:16:13,933
in the L.A. Times
from Robert Hilburn,
401
00:16:13,933 --> 00:16:16,767
which kind of spread
around the country.
402
00:16:16,767 --> 00:16:20,067
* Senorita play guitar
403
00:16:20,067 --> 00:16:23,433
* Plays it just for you
404
00:16:23,433 --> 00:16:26,867
* My rosary has broken
405
00:16:26,867 --> 00:16:31,100
* My beads have all
slipped through *
406
00:16:31,100 --> 00:16:33,733
It helped me so much, it
gave me a turbo boost.
407
00:16:33,733 --> 00:16:35,067
-You didn't wanna go.
-I didn't wanna go.
408
00:16:35,067 --> 00:16:36,900
No, I thought it
was too early to go.
409
00:16:36,900 --> 00:16:39,733
I've made many foolish
decisions like that in my life
410
00:16:39,733 --> 00:16:41,700
and I'd thought, "It's
the wrong time to go,"
411
00:16:41,700 --> 00:16:43,067
'cause we were just
getting a reputation
412
00:16:43,067 --> 00:16:44,900
and playing in England,
but I was wrong.
413
00:16:44,900 --> 00:16:47,067
But I love you getting
out of the plane at LAX
414
00:16:47,067 --> 00:16:50,433
and realising that the Americans
were really going for this.
415
00:16:50,433 --> 00:16:52,833
Yeah, but we were met
by London Transport bus,
416
00:16:52,833 --> 00:16:55,900
an old one, a double-decker,
which took about four hours
417
00:16:55,900 --> 00:16:59,900
to get to Sunset Strip and
we'd been flying for 14 hours.
418
00:16:59,900 --> 00:17:01,067
And I thought, "I'm gonna get
419
00:17:01,067 --> 00:17:02,600
"in a lovely Cadillac,"
or something.
420
00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:04,100
No!
421
00:17:04,100 --> 00:17:06,867
It was a great idea, and it
got us a lot of publicity.
422
00:17:06,867 --> 00:17:09,333
But, as soon as we got to
Sunset Strip, it was magical
423
00:17:09,333 --> 00:17:10,767
because it looked
just like it did
424
00:17:10,767 --> 00:17:12,667
on "The Beverly Hillbillies".
425
00:17:12,667 --> 00:17:14,400
-Thank God I went.
-Yeah.
426
00:17:14,400 --> 00:17:19,367
And it seems like this huge
rush in your life where suddenly
427
00:17:19,367 --> 00:17:23,733
you're successful, you're
famous, and then you're in love.
428
00:17:23,733 --> 00:17:27,100
Nothing in my life seems
to have taken a long time
429
00:17:27,100 --> 00:17:28,900
once I started to be successful.
430
00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:32,900
It was like a nuclear
bomb going off.
431
00:17:32,900 --> 00:17:34,133
We did so much work.
432
00:17:34,133 --> 00:17:35,767
We did tours, we did
so many albums a year.
433
00:17:35,767 --> 00:17:37,400
We did radio shows, TV shows.
434
00:17:38,500 --> 00:17:40,433
It was a lot of work,
but we loved it.
435
00:17:40,433 --> 00:17:43,100
And the work was not
a problem for me.
436
00:17:43,100 --> 00:17:46,067
Momentum and adrenaline
gives you so much.
437
00:17:46,067 --> 00:17:50,133
And when you're on the crest
of a wave you go with it.
438
00:17:50,133 --> 00:17:53,433
And because you were very
openly in love with John Reid
439
00:17:53,433 --> 00:17:54,700
and in a relationship
with John Reid,
440
00:17:54,700 --> 00:17:56,600
what was the industry
reaction to that like?
441
00:17:56,600 --> 00:17:58,400
Were they kind of like,
"Uh-oh," or did they think,
442
00:17:58,400 --> 00:18:00,133
"Well, if you keep quiet
about it, it'll be fine"?
443
00:18:00,133 --> 00:18:01,567
Nobody ever wrote about it.
444
00:18:01,567 --> 00:18:02,700
In fact, when I was
interviewed by Cliff Jahr
445
00:18:02,700 --> 00:18:05,067
in Rolling Stone in 1976,
446
00:18:05,067 --> 00:18:07,333
he said, "I'm gonna ask you
a question, but, if you want,
447
00:18:07,333 --> 00:18:08,767
"I'll turn the
tape recorder off."
448
00:18:08,767 --> 00:18:10,600
And I said, "I know what
you're gonna ask me."
449
00:18:10,600 --> 00:18:13,367
And he asked me the
question, I said, "Yes."
450
00:18:13,367 --> 00:18:15,567
I think I chickened out a
bit and said I was bisexual.
451
00:18:15,567 --> 00:18:18,600
But I think everybody in
the industry knew I was gay.
452
00:18:18,600 --> 00:18:20,633
I went to gay clubs.
453
00:18:20,633 --> 00:18:22,700
I was friends with Divine.
454
00:18:22,700 --> 00:18:26,600
John Reid was a legendary
gay guy in London.
455
00:18:28,067 --> 00:18:29,667
When I first moved in with
John, people in London said,
456
00:18:29,667 --> 00:18:32,067
"God, you might as
well put a neon sign
457
00:18:32,067 --> 00:18:33,700
"on the top of
Buckingham Palace."
458
00:18:35,333 --> 00:18:37,700
We were a very famous
gay couple at that time,
459
00:18:37,700 --> 00:18:40,800
and it was a miracle nobody
wrote about it before.
460
00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:43,267
And yet you were open
with your family.
461
00:18:43,267 --> 00:18:46,800
I really like your, well,
you're coming-out story,
462
00:18:46,800 --> 00:18:48,433
and you had to make a choice.
463
00:18:48,433 --> 00:18:50,767
The night you were gonna
come out to your parents,
464
00:18:50,767 --> 00:18:52,067
you had tickets--
465
00:18:52,067 --> 00:18:54,400
To see Liberace, and I
didn't go, John went.
466
00:18:54,400 --> 00:18:55,600
Which would would've
been like coming out,
467
00:18:55,600 --> 00:18:57,300
-surely! [laughs]
-I know, but I didn't.
468
00:18:57,300 --> 00:18:58,800
I just wanted to get
it over and done with,
469
00:18:58,800 --> 00:19:02,500
and I called my mom and
the conversation, had that.
470
00:19:03,800 --> 00:19:05,933
And, then, of course,
Liberace was. [chuckles]
471
00:19:05,933 --> 00:19:07,433
It was the Palladium,
472
00:19:07,433 --> 00:19:08,367
he was doing a concert at
the Palladium, he was going,
473
00:19:08,367 --> 00:19:10,400
"Elton John, I know you're here!
474
00:19:10,400 --> 00:19:11,867
"Stand up, put the lights on.
475
00:19:11,867 --> 00:19:13,633
"Let's see where he is!"
476
00:19:13,633 --> 00:19:15,200
And it's, like, I'm not there.
477
00:19:15,200 --> 00:19:17,133
I was like, "Oh, my," and
John Reid came home and said,
478
00:19:17,133 --> 00:19:19,067
"Oh, you left me in
the shit tonight!"
479
00:19:19,067 --> 00:19:21,167
[Graham laughs]
480
00:19:21,167 --> 00:19:23,900
But it was something I just
wanted to get out of my way.
481
00:19:23,900 --> 00:19:25,833
And as much as I loved Liberace,
and I did love Liberace,
482
00:19:25,833 --> 00:19:28,400
I just thought, "I'm
gonna stay home tonight
483
00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:29,967
"and get this over
and done with."
484
00:19:29,967 --> 00:19:31,633
But you did meet Liberace
later, didn't you?
485
00:19:31,633 --> 00:19:33,700
Oh, I loved Liberace,
he was fantastic.
486
00:19:33,700 --> 00:19:35,633
We did the Royal
Variety Show together.
487
00:19:35,633 --> 00:19:39,700
And I had two fabulous
Lurex tail coat suits made.
488
00:19:39,700 --> 00:19:40,867
I thought, "I'll show him.
489
00:19:40,867 --> 00:19:42,567
"I'll show him."
490
00:19:42,567 --> 00:19:44,533
And, so, I'm sitting
there and he comes in.
491
00:19:44,533 --> 00:19:46,233
And, before he comes in,
492
00:19:46,233 --> 00:19:49,467
there was trunk after trunk
after trunk of clothes.
493
00:19:49,467 --> 00:19:52,567
[upbeat music]
494
00:19:52,567 --> 00:19:53,800
[audience laughing]
495
00:19:53,800 --> 00:19:55,467
Talk about blowing
me out of the water.
496
00:19:56,833 --> 00:20:01,367
And he was so brilliantly funny,
and so sweet, and so nice.
497
00:20:01,367 --> 00:20:02,600
And when he signed
his autograph,
498
00:20:02,600 --> 00:20:04,800
it was in the shape
of a grand piano.
499
00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:07,300
-That's classy. [laughs]
-It's fantastic.
500
00:20:07,300 --> 00:20:08,533
And he played with rings on,
501
00:20:08,533 --> 00:20:10,033
I can never play with
a ring on my finger.
502
00:20:10,033 --> 00:20:12,467
And he and Fats Domino were
two people that always played
503
00:20:12,467 --> 00:20:13,800
with a lot of rings on.
504
00:20:13,800 --> 00:20:15,033
I can't do that.
505
00:20:15,033 --> 00:20:17,367
But he did and I'm just,
"How did he do that?"
506
00:20:17,367 --> 00:20:19,833
And was he a style influence?
507
00:20:19,833 --> 00:20:21,633
Was he one of your
style influences?
508
00:20:22,967 --> 00:20:24,833
Not at the time but, obviously,
people would always say,
509
00:20:24,833 --> 00:20:26,433
"God, look, he's very Liberace."
510
00:20:26,433 --> 00:20:27,767
Listen, I was stuck at a piano.
511
00:20:27,767 --> 00:20:29,400
I wasn't Mick Jagger,
I wasn't Rod Stewart,
512
00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:33,000
I wasn't David Bowie,
I wasn't Marc Bolan.
513
00:20:33,000 --> 00:20:37,133
So, having had the freedom
to do what I wanted,
514
00:20:37,133 --> 00:20:38,667
as far as clothes went,
515
00:20:38,667 --> 00:20:41,167
I had to be a little bit more
spectacular in my costumes,
516
00:20:41,167 --> 00:20:42,333
and I wanted to be.
517
00:20:42,333 --> 00:20:43,933
Not that Bernie wanted me to be,
518
00:20:43,933 --> 00:20:45,833
and a lot of people thought
it took away from the music
519
00:20:45,833 --> 00:20:48,700
'cause the music was very
serious, and it was great music
520
00:20:48,700 --> 00:20:50,933
but I was just having a ball.
521
00:20:50,933 --> 00:20:55,900
And, so, I suppose there can
be a similarity drawn between
522
00:20:57,067 --> 00:20:58,633
his flamboyance
and my flamboyance.
523
00:20:58,633 --> 00:21:00,900
And, of course, the costumes
got more and more outrageous
524
00:21:00,900 --> 00:21:02,167
as time went on.
525
00:21:02,167 --> 00:21:03,400
I graduated to Bob
Mackie in the end.
526
00:21:04,600 --> 00:21:07,133
And then it was full
pedal to the medal.
527
00:21:07,133 --> 00:21:09,800
Tell us about your entrance
at the Hollywood Bowl.
528
00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:12,467
'Cause you really
pushed the boat out.
529
00:21:12,467 --> 00:21:14,067
Well, playing the Hollywood Bowl
530
00:21:14,067 --> 00:21:17,533
was a huge moment in my career,
and we planned this before.
531
00:21:17,533 --> 00:21:19,433
There was gonna be
five grand pianos,
532
00:21:19,433 --> 00:21:20,933
mocked-up grand pianos,
533
00:21:20,933 --> 00:21:23,533
and they would have E, L,
T, O, N when they opened up.
534
00:21:23,533 --> 00:21:24,800
There were doves inside.
535
00:21:26,167 --> 00:21:28,767
And I thought it'd be great
to have Linda Lovelace
536
00:21:28,767 --> 00:21:30,233
introduce me.
537
00:21:30,233 --> 00:21:32,700
-Your mother's friend.
-My mother's friend, yes.
538
00:21:32,700 --> 00:21:35,500
[laughs] "A great
coach," as they say!
539
00:21:35,500 --> 00:21:37,900
[Graham laughing]
540
00:21:37,900 --> 00:21:41,767
And, so, my friend Tony King,
he introduced Linda Lovelace.
541
00:21:41,767 --> 00:21:45,400
And then I came in with this
huge marabou feather outfit
542
00:21:45,400 --> 00:21:47,767
down the stairs,
it was very camp.
543
00:21:47,767 --> 00:21:50,400
[fanfare music]
544
00:22:00,700 --> 00:22:02,867
[audience cheering]
545
00:22:02,867 --> 00:22:04,900
And, then, of course,
the doves, by that time,
546
00:22:04,900 --> 00:22:06,567
had all fallen asleep.
547
00:22:06,567 --> 00:22:07,833
So, I remember John Reid going,
548
00:22:07,833 --> 00:22:09,100
"Oh, my God, the
doves aren't ready!"
549
00:22:09,100 --> 00:22:10,600
[Graham laughing]
550
00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:11,967
And these poor doves were
shoved up into the air,
551
00:22:11,967 --> 00:22:13,933
half asleep, they
woke up mid-air.
552
00:22:15,167 --> 00:22:16,733
But it was a big
point in my career,
553
00:22:16,733 --> 00:22:18,500
and it was the real start
554
00:22:18,500 --> 00:22:20,733
of the flamboyant
shows that I did.
555
00:22:20,733 --> 00:22:22,200
Looking back, are
there any outfits
556
00:22:22,200 --> 00:22:25,767
you regret or any outfits
you particularly love?
557
00:22:25,767 --> 00:22:28,100
I don't regret any
of them, actually.
558
00:22:28,100 --> 00:22:30,133
There was some that
were too over the top.
559
00:22:30,133 --> 00:22:32,300
But I remember an
Australian tour,
560
00:22:32,300 --> 00:22:34,467
when I did the orchestral tour,
561
00:22:34,467 --> 00:22:36,500
and I came out for the
second half of the orchestra,
562
00:22:36,500 --> 00:22:39,433
dressed as Mozart, and the
first half with a punk wig
563
00:22:39,433 --> 00:22:43,200
and, no, it was all
part of the process
564
00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:45,567
of me finding out
who I was, basically!
565
00:22:45,567 --> 00:22:47,067
Things make no sense.
566
00:22:47,067 --> 00:22:49,300
I think it was in Central
Park, the Donald Duck outfit.
567
00:22:49,300 --> 00:22:50,733
You'd never tried it on?
568
00:22:50,733 --> 00:22:52,467
No, I didn't, I didn't
have a run through it.
569
00:22:52,467 --> 00:22:54,100
So, I'm going off-stage
570
00:22:54,100 --> 00:22:57,500
and I'm changing into
Donald Duck for the encore.
571
00:22:57,500 --> 00:22:59,067
And Bob Halley,
who was very funny,
572
00:22:59,067 --> 00:23:00,933
my personal assistant
at the time,
573
00:23:00,933 --> 00:23:02,733
great sense of humour.
574
00:23:02,733 --> 00:23:04,933
I put my arm through
the leg hole,
575
00:23:04,933 --> 00:23:06,967
by which time we were
crying with laughter.
576
00:23:06,967 --> 00:23:08,900
And, then, I finally
got the flippers on
577
00:23:08,900 --> 00:23:11,833
and I sat down at the piano
and the bum was so big
578
00:23:11,833 --> 00:23:14,067
that I couldn't really
sit at the piano properly.
579
00:23:14,067 --> 00:23:15,533
And then I got up from the piano
580
00:23:15,533 --> 00:23:17,667
to walk across the stage
and strut on my flippers.
581
00:23:17,667 --> 00:23:19,067
It was a complete.
582
00:23:19,067 --> 00:23:20,100
You know, it's one
of those things
583
00:23:20,100 --> 00:23:21,567
you have to have a trial run.
584
00:23:21,567 --> 00:23:24,400
I didn't, but it makes
the story even better
585
00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:25,700
because we were
crying backstage.
586
00:23:25,700 --> 00:23:27,767
Someone was going,
"Hurry up, hurry up,
587
00:23:27,767 --> 00:23:28,700
"they'll all go away!"
588
00:23:28,700 --> 00:23:29,967
There was 500,000 people there.
589
00:23:29,967 --> 00:23:31,400
"They'll go away,
they'll go away!"
590
00:23:31,400 --> 00:23:32,700
And the more we
tried to get it on,
591
00:23:32,700 --> 00:23:34,400
the more I couldn't get it on.
592
00:23:34,400 --> 00:23:37,467
And we were crying
with laughter, and
eventually I came out.
593
00:23:37,467 --> 00:23:38,900
It was very, very funny.
594
00:23:40,200 --> 00:23:42,700
I was panicking, but
laughing as well.
595
00:23:42,700 --> 00:23:44,167
Now, in terms of your look,
596
00:23:44,167 --> 00:23:46,333
one of the things that
is addressed in the film,
597
00:23:46,333 --> 00:23:48,900
in a very funny
way, is your hair.
598
00:23:48,900 --> 00:23:50,567
Was that a decision
to kind of go,
599
00:23:50,567 --> 00:23:52,300
"Right, I'm going
to talk about this."
600
00:23:52,300 --> 00:23:53,300
In the film, my mother says
601
00:23:53,300 --> 00:23:54,233
that I'd be bald when I was 20.
602
00:23:54,233 --> 00:23:55,867
Well, I wasn't quite bald by 20
603
00:23:55,867 --> 00:23:57,700
but at more or less
30, it was going.
604
00:23:59,433 --> 00:24:02,067
And I don't like being
bald, I look like Shrek,
605
00:24:02,067 --> 00:24:03,367
and I don't like it.
606
00:24:03,367 --> 00:24:05,867
So, I had hair transplants,
which didn't work.
607
00:24:05,867 --> 00:24:08,433
That was in the
early Louis Pasteur
608
00:24:08,433 --> 00:24:09,967
-version of hair transplants!
-[Graham laughs]
609
00:24:09,967 --> 00:24:11,333
There was a tabloid
story, wasn't there,
610
00:24:11,333 --> 00:24:12,467
that you put it upside down
611
00:24:12,467 --> 00:24:14,067
-or something?
-Yes, yes, oh, my God.
612
00:24:14,067 --> 00:24:16,567
And then that
didn't really work.
613
00:24:16,567 --> 00:24:19,567
But I'm sure the drugs
didn't help them either.
614
00:24:19,567 --> 00:24:22,367
And, so, I decided
to wear the wig.
615
00:24:22,367 --> 00:24:24,400
First wigs I had were
so bad, I remember
616
00:24:25,833 --> 00:24:30,067
the review when I came out for
the Freddie Mercury Concert
617
00:24:30,067 --> 00:24:32,967
at Wembley, said I came out
with a dead squirrel on my head.
618
00:24:32,967 --> 00:24:34,167
But, looking back on it,
619
00:24:34,167 --> 00:24:35,433
it did look like a dead
squirrel, actually.
620
00:24:35,433 --> 00:24:36,867
More like a dead mole.
621
00:24:38,767 --> 00:24:42,067
And it's gotten
better over the years.
622
00:24:42,067 --> 00:24:45,433
And I got teased a
lot, mercilessly in
the paper about it.
623
00:24:45,433 --> 00:24:46,633
I'm very happy with it now.
624
00:24:46,633 --> 00:24:48,700
It looks good, I'm
very happy with it on.
625
00:24:48,700 --> 00:24:51,433
Yes, I am bald, but I
don't like being bald,
626
00:24:51,433 --> 00:24:52,900
and, so, I wear a toupee.
627
00:24:52,900 --> 00:24:56,100
You tell a story about you
thought there was a break-in.
628
00:24:56,100 --> 00:24:57,633
-I think you were in Atlanta.
-Oh, my God.
629
00:24:57,633 --> 00:24:59,533
I was in my
apartment in Atlanta.
630
00:25:00,900 --> 00:25:04,167
And took my hair off
and put it by my bed.
631
00:25:05,533 --> 00:25:08,267
And I fall asleep, and
suddenly I can hear noises.
632
00:25:08,267 --> 00:25:11,100
And I went, "Oh, fuck,
I'm gonna be burgled."
633
00:25:11,100 --> 00:25:16,100
So, I put the light on and I
rushed out into the corridor.
634
00:25:17,233 --> 00:25:18,167
And as I was getting
in the corridor,
635
00:25:18,167 --> 00:25:19,633
"Ah, I haven't got my hair on!"
636
00:25:19,633 --> 00:25:22,267
So, I went back and I put it
on, and there was a water leak.
637
00:25:22,267 --> 00:25:24,367
I mean, there's two maintenance
guys from downstairs.
638
00:25:24,367 --> 00:25:26,833
But, then, when I got back,
and I went to the bathroom
639
00:25:26,833 --> 00:25:29,100
and I looked at myself,
I put it on upside down,
640
00:25:29,100 --> 00:25:31,100
or not upside down,
but back to front.
641
00:25:31,100 --> 00:25:32,400
And I looked like Frankie Howard
642
00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:34,133
on a really, really bad day.
643
00:25:34,133 --> 00:25:36,067
So, God knows what
they must've thought
644
00:25:36,067 --> 00:25:37,867
'cause I was just
wearing underpants
645
00:25:37,867 --> 00:25:40,700
and a back to front wig.
646
00:25:40,700 --> 00:25:42,233
And I thought, "Oh, my God."
647
00:25:43,600 --> 00:25:45,867
So, yes, it's what it is.
648
00:25:47,267 --> 00:25:48,800
[Graham] It's the first
thing you get in a fire.
649
00:25:48,800 --> 00:25:50,067
-Yes.
-Yes.
650
00:25:50,067 --> 00:25:52,067
Dolly Parton does
that don't she?
651
00:25:52,067 --> 00:25:53,733
In every hotel, it's
right by there with her.
652
00:25:53,733 --> 00:25:55,133
I pray to it every night, yeah.
653
00:25:55,133 --> 00:25:58,633
-[Graham laughs]
-Oom, oom!
654
00:25:59,533 --> 00:26:02,733
There are so many famous people
655
00:26:02,733 --> 00:26:04,467
scattered through your story.
656
00:26:04,467 --> 00:26:07,900
Are you nervous about any
of them reading this book?
657
00:26:09,067 --> 00:26:09,933
A bit.
658
00:26:09,933 --> 00:26:12,567
There's not many nasty stories.
659
00:26:12,567 --> 00:26:14,067
I put the records straight.
660
00:26:14,067 --> 00:26:16,667
Tina Turner and I had a falling
out at the VH1 Divas thing.
661
00:26:16,667 --> 00:26:18,367
She went and did
"The Oprah Show"
662
00:26:18,367 --> 00:26:22,500
and kind of bad-mouthed me and
said I was a spoiled child.
663
00:26:22,500 --> 00:26:24,733
And, in fact, I wanted to
put the record straight
664
00:26:24,733 --> 00:26:26,200
on what really happened.
665
00:26:26,200 --> 00:26:28,800
I think, at the end of the
day, we were both culpable of,
666
00:26:28,800 --> 00:26:30,733
you know, I shouldn't
have done what I did
667
00:26:30,733 --> 00:26:32,400
but she drove me to it.
668
00:26:32,400 --> 00:26:34,100
[laughs] So, it was her fault?
669
00:26:36,967 --> 00:26:39,667
Billy Joel, who I love and
toured with three times,
670
00:26:39,667 --> 00:26:40,900
fell asleep at the piano,
671
00:26:42,067 --> 00:26:44,200
at Madison Square Garden
during "Piano Man".
672
00:26:44,200 --> 00:26:45,900
[Graham] I learnt
more about Rod Stewart
673
00:26:45,900 --> 00:26:47,400
in this book than I--
674
00:26:47,400 --> 00:26:50,300
Oh, Rod Stewart and I were
always so much fun together.
675
00:26:50,300 --> 00:26:52,567
We were rivals in the sense
that we were both happening
676
00:26:52,567 --> 00:26:55,200
at the same time, he a
little bit before me.
677
00:26:55,200 --> 00:26:57,200
And we've always had a great
sense of humour with each other.
678
00:26:57,200 --> 00:27:00,067
We've always played practical
jokes on each other,
679
00:27:00,067 --> 00:27:02,100
and we've always
had such a laugh.
680
00:27:02,100 --> 00:27:04,067
I mean, I've had
more laughs with Rod
681
00:27:04,067 --> 00:27:05,367
than anybody else, probably.
682
00:27:05,367 --> 00:27:06,667
I'm not touring with
you dressed like that,
683
00:27:06,667 --> 00:27:07,600
I can assure you.
684
00:27:07,600 --> 00:27:08,867
-Why not?
-With that on?
685
00:27:08,867 --> 00:27:10,067
I'm not going with that hat on.
686
00:27:10,067 --> 00:27:11,100
Why not?
687
00:27:11,100 --> 00:27:12,433
-look at you.
-I'll just stay in my--
688
00:27:12,433 --> 00:27:13,667
Looks like Dusty
Springfield in a nightmare!
689
00:27:13,667 --> 00:27:18,400
-[audience laughing]
-[audience applauding]
690
00:27:18,400 --> 00:27:19,900
But it goes quite far.
691
00:27:19,900 --> 00:27:22,067
The Earls Court blimp.
692
00:27:22,067 --> 00:27:23,600
Well, he had a blimp
because he was playing
693
00:27:23,600 --> 00:27:25,067
Earls Court for
about five nights,
694
00:27:25,067 --> 00:27:26,200
which I wasn't happy about,
695
00:27:26,200 --> 00:27:28,167
the fact that he was
playing for five nights.
696
00:27:28,167 --> 00:27:29,800
And I was staying at
the Inn on the Park,
697
00:27:29,800 --> 00:27:31,433
which is now the Four
Seasons in London.
698
00:27:31,433 --> 00:27:34,400
I could see it
hanging in the sky.
699
00:27:34,400 --> 00:27:36,400
So, I rang up John
Reid and said,
700
00:27:36,400 --> 00:27:39,633
"Rod's got a blimp above Earls
Court, can we get it down?"
701
00:27:39,633 --> 00:27:43,600
And I didn't say anything else
and he mysteriously got it,
702
00:27:43,600 --> 00:27:44,833
I think, shot down.
703
00:27:44,833 --> 00:27:47,233
[Graham laughing]
704
00:27:47,233 --> 00:27:48,400
-Different times!
-The next time I looked.
705
00:27:48,400 --> 00:27:50,100
The next day, it wasn't there.
706
00:27:50,100 --> 00:27:52,500
So, I rang Rod up and
I said, "Oh, dear.
707
00:27:52,500 --> 00:27:54,467
"Can you see your balloon,
your blimp from where you are?"
708
00:27:54,467 --> 00:27:56,700
"Oh, yes, dear, I can,
isn't it fabulous?"
709
00:27:56,700 --> 00:27:58,333
And he looked out the window
and he said, "You bastard."
710
00:27:58,333 --> 00:27:59,800
[Graham laughing]
711
00:27:59,800 --> 00:28:02,067
And, then, the next
year, I played Olympia,
712
00:28:02,067 --> 00:28:04,900
and I had a big banner
right across the road,
713
00:28:05,967 --> 00:28:07,433
where Olympia is.
714
00:28:07,433 --> 00:28:09,133
And, I swear to God, it was
up for about 30 seconds,
715
00:28:09,133 --> 00:28:10,633
and his road crew had it down.
716
00:28:10,633 --> 00:28:11,967
It went up at two
o'clock in the morning,
717
00:28:11,967 --> 00:28:13,733
it was down by two
o'clock and 30 seconds.
718
00:28:13,733 --> 00:28:15,667
[Graham laughing]
719
00:28:15,667 --> 00:28:16,900
Wonderful memories.
720
00:28:18,067 --> 00:28:21,067
He and I have laughed
so much over the years.
721
00:28:21,067 --> 00:28:22,367
He has a great sense of humour.
722
00:28:22,367 --> 00:28:24,300
We've both got the
same sense of humour.
723
00:28:24,300 --> 00:28:27,333
And, now, some people
who aren't still around.
724
00:28:27,333 --> 00:28:29,367
I didn't realise you were
very close to John Lennon.
725
00:28:29,367 --> 00:28:32,933
Yes, I met him when he was
just finishing his crazy phase
726
00:28:32,933 --> 00:28:34,400
and going into his
laughing phase.
727
00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:36,933
I mean, he'd just done
the "Rock 'N' Roll" album,
728
00:28:36,933 --> 00:28:40,067
which was a very hard album for
him to do with Phil Spector.
729
00:28:40,067 --> 00:28:42,067
And I think he had a lot
of issues at that point.
730
00:28:42,067 --> 00:28:43,467
He was with May
Pang at the time,
731
00:28:43,467 --> 00:28:45,567
he'd be broken off with Yoko.
732
00:28:45,567 --> 00:28:47,500
And we more or less
hung out together
733
00:28:47,500 --> 00:28:48,867
for a year and a
half, two years.
734
00:28:48,867 --> 00:28:50,867
And he sang on my records,
735
00:28:50,867 --> 00:28:53,400
I played on his, we did
a lot of drugs together,
736
00:28:53,400 --> 00:28:55,467
but we had so many laughs.
737
00:28:55,467 --> 00:28:57,233
Him and Rod Stewart
are the two people
738
00:28:57,233 --> 00:28:58,833
I've probably laughed
with the most.
739
00:28:58,833 --> 00:28:59,867
And Freddie Mercury.
740
00:28:59,867 --> 00:29:01,600
There's very New York story
741
00:29:01,600 --> 00:29:04,067
about you and him holed
up in a hotel room.
742
00:29:04,067 --> 00:29:07,067
Oh, yeah, we were doing cocaine.
743
00:29:07,067 --> 00:29:08,700
And it was like
1:30 in the morning
744
00:29:08,700 --> 00:29:10,533
and there was a ring
on the doorbell.
745
00:29:10,533 --> 00:29:12,933
And I thought, "Oh, who's this?"
746
00:29:12,933 --> 00:29:15,067
So, it took me about 10
minutes to creep over
747
00:29:15,067 --> 00:29:17,467
to the eye hole ad
look through the door.
748
00:29:17,467 --> 00:29:19,133
It was at the
Sherry-Netherland hotel
749
00:29:19,133 --> 00:29:21,233
and I went to him,
"Andy Warhol!"
750
00:29:21,233 --> 00:29:22,367
And John said.
751
00:29:22,367 --> 00:29:23,600
[Graham laughs]
752
00:29:23,600 --> 00:29:25,167
And, so, we didn't
answer the door.
753
00:29:25,167 --> 00:29:27,433
And I said, "Why didn't you
wanna let Andy in?" he said,
754
00:29:27,433 --> 00:29:29,933
"He's always got a
bloody camera with him."
755
00:29:29,933 --> 00:29:32,533
He said, "Nothing's safe,
nothing's private with Andy."
756
00:29:32,533 --> 00:29:35,700
So, I thought, "God, he
wouldn't let Andy Warhol in."
757
00:29:35,700 --> 00:29:38,400
But that's because we
were high as a kite.
758
00:29:38,400 --> 00:29:41,567
Now, you talk about some
of the duets you've done,
759
00:29:41,567 --> 00:29:42,500
in the book.
760
00:29:42,500 --> 00:29:43,767
Obviously, George Michael,
761
00:29:43,767 --> 00:29:45,267
"Don't Let the Sun
Go Down on Me".
762
00:29:45,267 --> 00:29:48,233
That song you genuinely did
not like, you didn't rate.
763
00:29:48,233 --> 00:29:50,267
When I wrote it for
the "Caribou" album
764
00:29:51,700 --> 00:29:52,900
I didn't like it.
765
00:29:52,900 --> 00:29:55,133
In fact, I told my
producer, Gus Dudgeon,
766
00:29:55,133 --> 00:29:57,067
to send it to
Engelbert Humperdinck.
767
00:29:57,067 --> 00:29:58,200
And if he didn't like it,
768
00:29:58,200 --> 00:30:00,300
then to tell him
to send it to Lulu.
769
00:30:00,300 --> 00:30:02,800
[Graham laughing]
770
00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:04,500
And I remember playing
it to Rod in the car.
771
00:30:04,500 --> 00:30:06,167
I was driving Rod into London.
772
00:30:06,167 --> 00:30:08,400
We were going to
London together, and
I played it to him,
773
00:30:08,400 --> 00:30:10,200
and it takes a long time
to get to the chorus.
774
00:30:10,200 --> 00:30:12,767
He said, "Ballad, is it, dear?"
775
00:30:12,767 --> 00:30:15,633
* Don't let the sun
776
00:30:15,633 --> 00:30:19,133
* Go down on me
777
00:30:19,133 --> 00:30:22,400
* Although I search myself
778
00:30:22,400 --> 00:30:26,700
* It's always someone
else that I see, yeah *
779
00:30:26,700 --> 00:30:31,700
* I'd just allow a
fragment of your life *
780
00:30:32,467 --> 00:30:37,000
* To wander free, baby
781
00:30:38,333 --> 00:30:40,000
* Oh
782
00:30:40,000 --> 00:30:42,967
* Cause losing everything
783
00:30:42,967 --> 00:30:47,167
* Is like the sun
going down on me *
784
00:30:50,667 --> 00:30:52,067
Mr. Elton John!
785
00:30:54,133 --> 00:30:56,033
"Bennie And The Jets" was
another one I didn't see,
786
00:30:56,033 --> 00:30:57,233
and "Sacrifice".
787
00:30:57,233 --> 00:31:00,067
Three songs that I
would never have put out
788
00:31:00,067 --> 00:31:01,467
if I'd have had the choice.
789
00:31:01,467 --> 00:31:03,600
And "Don't Go Breaking My
Heart", obviously, you wrote.
790
00:31:03,600 --> 00:31:05,133
You came up with the
title for that one.
791
00:31:05,133 --> 00:31:06,500
I did, I was in Barbados.
792
00:31:06,500 --> 00:31:08,067
I was on holiday in Barbados.
793
00:31:08,067 --> 00:31:11,667
And Bernie was in
Toronto doing an album.
794
00:31:11,667 --> 00:31:13,300
And I rang him up.
795
00:31:13,300 --> 00:31:14,500
I said, "I've got this."
796
00:31:14,500 --> 00:31:16,200
Played him the melody
over the phone.
797
00:31:16,200 --> 00:31:17,933
And then I said,
"I've got this line,
798
00:31:17,933 --> 00:31:19,067
'Don't go breaking my heart.'"
799
00:31:19,067 --> 00:31:20,300
And that was it.
800
00:31:20,300 --> 00:31:23,500
And then he wrote it,
and then he came down
801
00:31:23,500 --> 00:31:27,067
to join us in
Barbados on holiday.
802
00:31:27,067 --> 00:31:28,267
And I wrote the song there.
803
00:31:28,267 --> 00:31:29,967
And you wrote it for Kiki Dee?
804
00:31:29,967 --> 00:31:31,333
I wrote it for Kiki, yeah.
805
00:31:31,333 --> 00:31:32,733
[upbeat groovy music]
806
00:31:32,733 --> 00:31:35,167
* Woo hoo
807
00:31:35,167 --> 00:31:39,567
* Nobody knows it
808
00:31:39,567 --> 00:31:41,600
* But when I was down
809
00:31:41,600 --> 00:31:43,433
* I was your clown
810
00:31:43,433 --> 00:31:45,200
* And right from the start
811
00:31:45,200 --> 00:31:47,233
* I gave you my heart
812
00:31:47,233 --> 00:31:49,700
* Whoa, oh
813
00:31:49,700 --> 00:31:52,933
* I gave you my heart
814
00:31:52,933 --> 00:31:54,633
And then there was
an alternative,
815
00:31:54,633 --> 00:31:56,933
which I think was called
"I'm Always on the Bonk"?
816
00:31:56,933 --> 00:31:59,267
The B-side was "I'm
Always on the Bonk".
817
00:31:59,267 --> 00:32:01,400
[Elton speaks in
foreign language]
818
00:32:01,400 --> 00:32:03,967
"I don't know where I'm going,
don't know who I'm blowing.
819
00:32:03,967 --> 00:32:05,500
"I'm always on the bonk."
820
00:32:05,500 --> 00:32:08,567
And, of course, that
was a big. [chuckles]
821
00:32:10,067 --> 00:32:12,600
[laughs] It's not too late to
include it in the new show!
822
00:32:13,767 --> 00:32:15,133
I think it could've been
the A-side, actually.
823
00:32:15,133 --> 00:32:16,600
I think "Don't Go
Breaking My Heart"
824
00:32:16,600 --> 00:32:19,733
has fallen by the wayside
for "I'm Always On The Bonk".
825
00:32:19,733 --> 00:32:24,067
And, so, of course, we
got our knuckles slapped
826
00:32:24,067 --> 00:32:26,933
by the record label and we
called it the "Snow Queen"
827
00:32:26,933 --> 00:32:29,700
in the end, but it's really
"I'm Always On The Bonk".
828
00:32:29,700 --> 00:32:31,900
[Graham] Elton's already
extensive song book
829
00:32:31,900 --> 00:32:34,400
expanded even
further in the 1980s.
830
00:32:35,733 --> 00:32:40,100
* Blue eyes
831
00:32:40,100 --> 00:32:45,100
* Baby's got blue eyes
832
00:32:46,767 --> 00:32:51,767
* Oh, Nikita is the other side
833
00:32:52,700 --> 00:32:56,833
* Of any given light in time
834
00:32:56,833 --> 00:33:01,733
* And I guess that's why
they call it the blues *
835
00:33:01,733 --> 00:33:06,733
* Time on my hands could
be time spent with you *
836
00:33:08,067 --> 00:33:11,667
* And I guess that's why
they call it the blues *
837
00:33:11,667 --> 00:33:14,967
[Graham] He also added a
further 11 studio albums
838
00:33:14,967 --> 00:33:16,233
to his back catalogue,
839
00:33:16,233 --> 00:33:19,300
including "Too Low for
Zero", "Ice on Fire",
840
00:33:19,300 --> 00:33:21,933
and the multi-platinum
"Sleeping with the Past".
841
00:33:22,967 --> 00:33:24,800
* Another passenger
842
00:33:24,800 --> 00:33:27,067
[Graham] But it wasn't
just hits he was scoring.
843
00:33:27,067 --> 00:33:28,233
* Wanna to get on
844
00:33:28,233 --> 00:33:30,067
[Graham] Along with
manager, Graham Taylor,
845
00:33:30,067 --> 00:33:32,333
he took his football
club, Watford FC,
846
00:33:32,333 --> 00:33:34,500
from the fourth to
the First Division,
847
00:33:34,500 --> 00:33:37,967
including a place in
the 1984 FA Cup Final.
848
00:33:37,967 --> 00:33:39,200
* Wanna get on
849
00:33:39,200 --> 00:33:40,433
There's only ever been
one club in my heart
850
00:33:40,433 --> 00:33:41,500
and I would never get so
involved with anything
851
00:33:41,500 --> 00:33:43,133
unless it was Watford.
852
00:33:43,133 --> 00:33:45,067
[upbeat music]
853
00:33:45,067 --> 00:33:46,433
[Graham] But the
highs of the '80s
854
00:33:46,433 --> 00:33:47,833
weren't without the lows.
855
00:33:47,833 --> 00:33:49,900
* Turn on those sad songs
856
00:33:49,900 --> 00:33:52,200
[Graham] Elton's career
came under threat
857
00:33:52,200 --> 00:33:54,467
from cysts on his vocal cords.
858
00:33:54,467 --> 00:33:56,633
My whole life was
in such a crisis.
859
00:33:56,633 --> 00:34:00,067
I had no voice, and I was
physically tired and emotional.
860
00:34:00,067 --> 00:34:02,067
* Sad songs say so much
861
00:34:02,067 --> 00:34:04,600
* Ooh, la, la
862
00:34:04,600 --> 00:34:06,967
[Graham] A surprise
wedding hit the headlines
863
00:34:06,967 --> 00:34:09,567
* I wanna kiss the bride, yeah
864
00:34:09,567 --> 00:34:11,767
[Graham] And the divorce courts.
865
00:34:11,767 --> 00:34:13,833
And his drug and
drink addictions
866
00:34:13,833 --> 00:34:16,333
were spiralling out of control.
867
00:34:16,333 --> 00:34:18,467
Is it 29 years you've
been sober now?
868
00:34:18,467 --> 00:34:19,400
It is, yeah.
869
00:34:19,400 --> 00:34:20,633
29 years, congratulations.
870
00:34:20,633 --> 00:34:25,500
And the bad stuff was
about 16 years of you--
871
00:34:27,067 --> 00:34:28,133
-Doing stuff.
-Doing a lot
872
00:34:28,133 --> 00:34:29,600
of coke and other things.
873
00:34:29,600 --> 00:34:32,633
Not all the time but,
yeah, generally 16 years.
874
00:34:32,633 --> 00:34:36,067
And it's funny, you know,
here we are in Nice,
875
00:34:36,067 --> 00:34:39,767
and it's the scene of,
I suppose like a lot of,
876
00:34:39,767 --> 00:34:41,400
I don't know if you would
call them good stories,
877
00:34:41,400 --> 00:34:45,667
good drug-use stories, it's a
story that's been told to you.
878
00:34:45,667 --> 00:34:48,533
The night with
Duran Duran in Nice.
879
00:34:48,533 --> 00:34:50,433
Oh, I was doing the "I'm
Still Standing" video.
880
00:34:50,433 --> 00:34:51,267
Yeah.
881
00:34:52,667 --> 00:34:55,200
And I'd been up since
about 4:30 in the morning.
882
00:34:55,200 --> 00:34:57,533
I shot a lot in Cannes, and
then we came back to Nice
883
00:34:57,533 --> 00:34:59,067
to film at The Negresco
884
00:34:59,067 --> 00:35:02,333
for the last evening shots
and the inside shots.
885
00:35:03,767 --> 00:35:05,067
I'm totally knackered.
886
00:35:05,067 --> 00:35:06,700
And I meet Duran
Duran in the bar,
887
00:35:06,700 --> 00:35:08,433
and I haven't really
met them before.
888
00:35:08,433 --> 00:35:10,667
And they said, "Have
you ever had a martini?"
889
00:35:10,667 --> 00:35:12,667
I said, "No," I
said, "I'm so tired."
890
00:35:12,667 --> 00:35:14,533
Said, "I have a martini."
891
00:35:14,533 --> 00:35:18,400
So, I had one, then another
one, then another one.
892
00:35:18,400 --> 00:35:19,667
Then, I had a line of coke,
893
00:35:19,667 --> 00:35:22,067
and then I don't
remember anything else.
894
00:35:22,067 --> 00:35:23,700
I woke up the next morning.
895
00:35:23,700 --> 00:35:25,100
I went into Bob Halley's room,
896
00:35:25,100 --> 00:35:27,967
and it was just sticks
of furniture left.
897
00:35:27,967 --> 00:35:30,067
And je had this
fabulous cowboy hat
898
00:35:30,067 --> 00:35:31,733
which was flat as a pizza.
899
00:35:31,733 --> 00:35:33,233
[Graham chuckles]
900
00:35:33,233 --> 00:35:37,067
And, apparently, I just
lost it and had John Reid,
901
00:35:37,067 --> 00:35:40,967
who was wearing a clown
outfit and make-up,
902
00:35:40,967 --> 00:35:43,400
and I had a big fight with John.
903
00:35:43,400 --> 00:35:45,900
He left, took my car,
and drove to Calais
904
00:35:45,900 --> 00:35:49,333
in the clown's outfit
with the make-up on.
905
00:35:50,767 --> 00:35:53,200
Got on the ferry, he got to
Dover, and then it broke down.
906
00:35:53,200 --> 00:35:56,533
So, he's standing by the
whatever it is, phoning me up,
907
00:35:56,533 --> 00:35:58,067
"I fucking can't." [mumbling]
908
00:35:58,067 --> 00:36:00,900
[Graham laughing]
909
00:36:00,900 --> 00:36:03,633
And, yes, that was from
the start of my martini,
910
00:36:03,633 --> 00:36:05,867
and that became one of my
favourite drinks, unfortunately.
911
00:36:05,867 --> 00:36:08,133
It was like rocket
fuel for rocket man.
912
00:36:08,133 --> 00:36:11,233
And I used to have
six very quickly.
913
00:36:11,233 --> 00:36:12,900
Six in half an hour.
914
00:36:12,900 --> 00:36:15,100
I mean, I'm a drinker.
915
00:36:15,100 --> 00:36:16,167
That's insane!
916
00:36:16,167 --> 00:36:17,167
It is insane, yes.
917
00:36:17,167 --> 00:36:19,533
Are you just built to withstand
918
00:36:19,533 --> 00:36:21,167
-a lot of alcohol?
-I suppose so, I don't know.
919
00:36:21,167 --> 00:36:24,067
But I enjoyed the
feeling it gave me.
920
00:36:24,067 --> 00:36:26,833
But, of course, I couldn't
then remember what I'd said
921
00:36:26,833 --> 00:36:28,333
the night before.
922
00:36:28,333 --> 00:36:30,100
And that led to a lot of, it's
called a blackout, I think.
923
00:36:30,100 --> 00:36:32,900
But Bernie would ring me up
and say, "Did you not remember
924
00:36:32,900 --> 00:36:34,367
"what you said to
John Reid's mom?"
925
00:36:34,367 --> 00:36:35,533
I said, "No."
926
00:36:36,833 --> 00:36:38,067
I was like, "Oh, there she is
927
00:36:38,067 --> 00:36:39,300
"with the same old
bloody hairdo!"
928
00:36:39,300 --> 00:36:41,500
And it was like,
it was not good.
929
00:36:41,500 --> 00:36:43,733
It was bad behaviour,
terrible behaviour.
930
00:36:44,933 --> 00:36:46,667
-But it didn't stop me.
-No.
931
00:36:46,667 --> 00:36:48,867
No, that's the bad
thing about it.
932
00:36:48,867 --> 00:36:51,333
So, there was that
side of addiction,
933
00:36:51,333 --> 00:36:55,067
but also with money,
your shopping addiction.
934
00:36:55,067 --> 00:36:56,500
Well, that's never gone.
935
00:36:56,500 --> 00:37:00,067
I wasn't gonna say anything,
but, yeah. [laughs]
936
00:37:01,733 --> 00:37:03,400
You know, as a kid,
937
00:37:03,400 --> 00:37:05,867
because my parents
argued all the time,
938
00:37:05,867 --> 00:37:08,433
I used to run to my room
939
00:37:08,433 --> 00:37:10,733
and play with my
toys and my records.
940
00:37:10,733 --> 00:37:13,133
And I kept them in pristine
condition and because,
941
00:37:13,133 --> 00:37:14,633
I know it sounds crazy,
but I found solace
942
00:37:14,633 --> 00:37:16,067
in inanimate objects.
943
00:37:17,200 --> 00:37:18,900
Because they couldn't hurt me.
944
00:37:18,900 --> 00:37:20,833
So, I've always loved
collecting things.
945
00:37:20,833 --> 00:37:22,600
And, as soon as
I made any money,
946
00:37:22,600 --> 00:37:24,233
I started collecting Art
Nouveau, and Art Deco,
947
00:37:24,233 --> 00:37:26,567
and I learnt about art
through collecting.
948
00:37:26,567 --> 00:37:28,200
I'm just inquisitive by nature.
949
00:37:28,200 --> 00:37:30,800
I'm a legitimate kleptomaniac.
950
00:37:33,433 --> 00:37:34,933
I'm looking around.
951
00:37:34,933 --> 00:37:37,167
Do you ever go to a shop and
go, "I'll have one of those"?
952
00:37:37,167 --> 00:37:39,867
Well, yeah, when it comes
down to a painting, yes.
953
00:37:39,867 --> 00:37:40,700
Okay!
954
00:37:40,700 --> 00:37:41,967
But when it comes down
955
00:37:41,967 --> 00:37:43,767
to buying a pair of
socks, probably not.
956
00:37:43,767 --> 00:37:46,567
"I like that and I'll
have one in each colour."
957
00:37:46,567 --> 00:37:47,867
[Graham] The range.
958
00:37:47,867 --> 00:37:49,500
No, I'm not very good at that.
959
00:37:51,200 --> 00:37:53,733
So, I multiple buy.
960
00:37:53,733 --> 00:37:55,300
So, you were going through
this time in your life
961
00:37:55,300 --> 00:37:58,333
where the drugs
are out of control,
962
00:37:58,333 --> 00:38:02,567
and then The Sun decided to
have this vendetta against you.
963
00:38:02,567 --> 00:38:03,900
Yeah.
964
00:38:03,900 --> 00:38:07,100
Do you still to this day
know why that started?
965
00:38:08,300 --> 00:38:10,900
[puffing] The story was
I'd flown by helicopter
966
00:38:10,900 --> 00:38:13,200
to Billy Gaff, Rod
Stewart's manager's house
967
00:38:13,200 --> 00:38:17,400
and given cocaine
to underage boys.
968
00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:19,100
Rent boys, I think.
969
00:38:19,100 --> 00:38:21,067
And I've never been
to Billy Gaff's house.
970
00:38:21,067 --> 00:38:22,333
I've never flown in a helicopter
971
00:38:22,333 --> 00:38:23,433
to Billy Gaff's house.
972
00:38:25,300 --> 00:38:29,233
But they pursued and as
soon as I saw that story
973
00:38:29,233 --> 00:38:30,867
I issued a writ.
974
00:38:30,867 --> 00:38:32,167
And then it became a vendetta
975
00:38:32,167 --> 00:38:33,867
with writs going
backwards and forwards.
976
00:38:33,867 --> 00:38:36,867
And my auntie used to
work in a newspaper shop.
977
00:38:36,867 --> 00:38:37,800
So, she got the brunt of it.
978
00:38:37,800 --> 00:38:39,533
And it was pretty distressing.
979
00:38:39,533 --> 00:38:42,067
And, in the end, Michael
Parkinson rang me up and said,
980
00:38:42,067 --> 00:38:44,633
"Listen, you're not
saying anything.
981
00:38:44,633 --> 00:38:46,667
"It looks as if you're guilty.
982
00:38:46,667 --> 00:38:49,400
"You have to come,
I've got a talk show."
983
00:38:49,400 --> 00:38:51,900
He was my friend and he said,
"Come and talk about it."
984
00:38:51,900 --> 00:38:53,467
Oh, this summer, it's
like a horror story,
985
00:38:53,467 --> 00:38:54,867
hasn't it been, the
last five months?
986
00:38:54,867 --> 00:38:55,700
Unbelievable.
987
00:38:57,633 --> 00:38:59,867
I can't really figure it out.
988
00:38:59,867 --> 00:39:01,433
It has been the
worst five months
989
00:39:01,433 --> 00:39:04,067
I've ever had to endure
but it can only get better.
990
00:39:04,067 --> 00:39:05,800
It can't get any worse.
991
00:39:05,800 --> 00:39:07,500
And then it became
a year and a half.
992
00:39:07,500 --> 00:39:10,967
They followed me around the
world, they had my suite
993
00:39:10,967 --> 00:39:12,467
at the Century
Plaza Hotel bugged,
994
00:39:12,467 --> 00:39:13,800
which was Ronald Reagan's suite.
995
00:39:13,800 --> 00:39:16,367
So, we had to have
the CIA, the FBI.
996
00:39:17,800 --> 00:39:20,067
"Elton's Silent Assassins,"
was one of the headlines.
997
00:39:20,067 --> 00:39:22,767
That I'd taken the voice box
from my German Shepherd dogs
998
00:39:22,767 --> 00:39:25,767
so that no-one can hear them
coming when they were attacked.
999
00:39:25,767 --> 00:39:27,200
And I wouldn't give in.
1000
00:39:27,200 --> 00:39:30,833
I was lucky enough to be
affluent enough to fight them.
1001
00:39:30,833 --> 00:39:32,233
And I will fight,
if I had nothing,
1002
00:39:32,233 --> 00:39:34,067
I would sell my last thing
1003
00:39:34,067 --> 00:39:35,400
because of the
injustice of it all.
1004
00:39:35,400 --> 00:39:38,767
And, eventually,
they buckled down.
1005
00:39:38,767 --> 00:39:42,067
I got the front-page apology,
"Sorry, Elton, we were wrong."
1006
00:39:42,067 --> 00:39:44,133
I got a huge sum of money,
1007
00:39:44,133 --> 00:39:46,133
which was a lot of
money in those days,
1008
00:39:46,133 --> 00:39:48,600
but, if I'd have sued
them, I would've got more
1009
00:39:48,600 --> 00:39:50,633
but I didn't want the
court process to go on.
1010
00:39:50,633 --> 00:39:52,933
I was just happy enough to
get the front-page apology.
1011
00:39:52,933 --> 00:39:56,400
And do you feel safe now
1012
00:39:56,400 --> 00:39:59,200
or do you feel like the press
could turn on you at any time?
1013
00:39:59,200 --> 00:40:00,133
They always turn on you.
1014
00:40:00,133 --> 00:40:02,567
But, you know, it is what it is.
1015
00:40:02,567 --> 00:40:05,200
Sometimes, they love you,
sometimes, they don't like you.
1016
00:40:05,200 --> 00:40:08,167
And we have an okay
relationship with the press.
1017
00:40:08,167 --> 00:40:09,767
But they know that if
they do write anything
1018
00:40:09,767 --> 00:40:11,733
or they do say something
that's untoward
1019
00:40:11,733 --> 00:40:13,100
that they'll get a rap
around the knuckles
1020
00:40:13,100 --> 00:40:14,533
'cause I won't stand for it.
1021
00:40:14,533 --> 00:40:16,100
Just going back, briefly.
1022
00:40:16,100 --> 00:40:21,100
The 16 years of excess,
why did they end?
1023
00:40:22,067 --> 00:40:23,333
-Was there a point?
-Yeah.
1024
00:40:23,333 --> 00:40:26,900
I mean, not only was
I was a drug addict,
1025
00:40:26,900 --> 00:40:28,167
I was an alcoholic.
1026
00:40:28,167 --> 00:40:29,500
I used to sit and
drink a bottle of
1027
00:40:29,500 --> 00:40:31,567
Johnny Walker Black every day.
1028
00:40:31,567 --> 00:40:34,933
I used to smoke reefers, joints.
1029
00:40:34,933 --> 00:40:36,167
And I was bulimic.
1030
00:40:36,167 --> 00:40:37,467
So, I'd go to sleep
for three days.
1031
00:40:37,467 --> 00:40:39,533
I hadn't eaten, then I'd
get up and gorge myself
1032
00:40:39,533 --> 00:40:40,633
and then throw it all up.
1033
00:40:40,633 --> 00:40:42,333
It was a very lonely existence.
1034
00:40:42,333 --> 00:40:44,667
And I just suddenly thought,
1035
00:40:44,667 --> 00:40:47,133
"Am I gonna die or
am I gonna live?
1036
00:40:47,133 --> 00:40:48,300
"What do you wanna do?"
1037
00:40:48,300 --> 00:40:49,567
And at the end of the day,
1038
00:40:49,567 --> 00:40:51,033
when you use drugs for
that amount of time,
1039
00:40:51,033 --> 00:40:52,600
they don't have the same effect.
1040
00:40:53,800 --> 00:40:55,267
You just take them
for the sake of it.
1041
00:40:55,267 --> 00:40:57,800
They're not making you happier,
they're making you worse.
1042
00:40:57,800 --> 00:40:59,600
And I just sat there
one night and said,
1043
00:40:59,600 --> 00:41:01,167
"This is ridiculous.
1044
00:41:01,167 --> 00:41:02,900
I couldn't ask for help.
1045
00:41:02,900 --> 00:41:06,833
People had told me time and
time again that I needed help.
1046
00:41:06,833 --> 00:41:08,200
All my closest friends.
1047
00:41:09,733 --> 00:41:12,867
I screamed and shouted at
them, "How dare you tell me?"
1048
00:41:12,867 --> 00:41:16,167
I wouldn't talk to
them for a year or so.
1049
00:41:16,167 --> 00:41:18,200
And at the end of the
day, I'd had enough.
1050
00:41:18,200 --> 00:41:22,067
And I asked for
help, and I got help.
1051
00:41:22,067 --> 00:41:24,200
And I went to a place in Chicago
1052
00:41:24,200 --> 00:41:25,700
which treated all
three diseases,
1053
00:41:25,700 --> 00:41:28,833
alcoholism, drug
addiction, and bulimia,
1054
00:41:28,833 --> 00:41:30,133
all at the same time.
1055
00:41:30,133 --> 00:41:31,767
Stayed there for six weeks,
1056
00:41:31,767 --> 00:41:35,100
came home to England, had great
aftercare, took a year off,
1057
00:41:35,100 --> 00:41:37,100
did all the things
I was meant to do.
1058
00:41:37,100 --> 00:41:42,100
Spent a long time working as
hard as I did getting sober
1059
00:41:42,100 --> 00:41:44,400
as I did to being an addict.
1060
00:41:45,733 --> 00:41:47,800
And group therapy.
1061
00:41:47,800 --> 00:41:51,300
I mean, just the
idea of Elton John
1062
00:41:51,300 --> 00:41:52,733
walking into group therapy
1063
00:41:52,733 --> 00:41:54,933
in some treatment
centre in Chicago.
1064
00:41:54,933 --> 00:41:57,300
I mean, you must have
caused a sensation?
1065
00:41:57,300 --> 00:42:01,967
Nobody treated me
as Elton John, star.
1066
00:42:01,967 --> 00:42:03,600
Once you start talking
about your life
1067
00:42:03,600 --> 00:42:05,333
and you listen to
other people's stories.
1068
00:42:05,333 --> 00:42:06,967
For example, I always thought
1069
00:42:06,967 --> 00:42:09,100
that I was the only person in
the world that did what I did.
1070
00:42:09,100 --> 00:42:11,067
And then when you hear other
people say, "Oh, I did this,"
1071
00:42:11,067 --> 00:42:13,100
and you think, "Oh, my
God, I'm not the only one."
1072
00:42:13,100 --> 00:42:14,967
'Cause you sit there sometimes
and you blame yourself,
1073
00:42:14,967 --> 00:42:16,933
thinking, "I am really the
worst person in the world
1074
00:42:16,933 --> 00:42:18,433
"because I'm doing this."
1075
00:42:18,433 --> 00:42:20,067
And so many other people
are doing the same thing.
1076
00:42:20,067 --> 00:42:22,367
So, I wasn't intimidated.
1077
00:42:22,367 --> 00:42:25,967
Once I had the knowledge
that I was gonna get well,
1078
00:42:25,967 --> 00:42:27,333
I went for it.
1079
00:42:27,333 --> 00:42:31,133
I went for it because it
was so much better than,
1080
00:42:31,133 --> 00:42:32,933
waking up at 6:30
in the morning,
1081
00:42:32,933 --> 00:42:34,567
getting a dog from the
Battersea Dogs Home,
1082
00:42:34,567 --> 00:42:37,233
taking it for a walk,
going to a meeting at 7:30.
1083
00:42:38,600 --> 00:42:41,200
I was so glad to be alive
instead of shutting the curtains
1084
00:42:42,467 --> 00:42:44,233
and shutting the day out.
1085
00:42:44,233 --> 00:42:46,667
My whole life just
changed round completely.
1086
00:42:46,667 --> 00:42:47,867
It's interesting,
1087
00:42:47,867 --> 00:42:48,900
whenever I've ever
been at an AA meeting,
1088
00:42:48,900 --> 00:42:50,267
people tell their stories
1089
00:42:50,267 --> 00:42:53,833
and it's as if they're
talking about an ex,
1090
00:42:53,833 --> 00:42:55,400
or a toxic relationship.
1091
00:42:55,400 --> 00:42:56,700
And you actually do
that in the book,
1092
00:42:56,700 --> 00:42:57,933
you write a letter to cocaine.
1093
00:42:57,933 --> 00:42:59,767
I was told to write
a lot of things.
1094
00:42:59,767 --> 00:43:01,067
And I thought,
"Where do I start?
1095
00:43:01,067 --> 00:43:01,833
"I can't.
1096
00:43:01,833 --> 00:43:03,367
"Where do I start?"
1097
00:43:03,367 --> 00:43:06,100
"How do I start writing about
all the things I've done?"
1098
00:43:06,100 --> 00:43:08,633
And then I started to
write 'cause I had to.
1099
00:43:08,633 --> 00:43:11,533
And it was just the most
brilliant thing that
1100
00:43:11,533 --> 00:43:13,567
they made me do, because
it was cathartic.
1101
00:43:13,567 --> 00:43:18,400
I was like having an enema with
a pen, and it all came out.
1102
00:43:18,400 --> 00:43:21,867
And then the farewell letter
to the cocaine was my idea.
1103
00:43:21,867 --> 00:43:24,400
I treated it as a love
affair with someone,
1104
00:43:24,400 --> 00:43:26,500
and it's printed in the book.
1105
00:43:27,933 --> 00:43:32,467
And it's one of the few things
I've ever written seriously.
1106
00:43:32,467 --> 00:43:35,067
And I'm very proud of
that letter, because--
1107
00:43:35,067 --> 00:43:36,367
It's very moving.
1108
00:43:36,367 --> 00:43:37,600
-It's a very moving letter.
-It's very moving.
1109
00:43:37,600 --> 00:43:39,100
And I treated the drug
in the third person.
1110
00:43:39,967 --> 00:43:41,733
I treated it as a person.
1111
00:43:41,733 --> 00:43:43,633
And I said, "We can't
ever meet again.
1112
00:43:45,067 --> 00:43:48,600
"I love you very much, but
it's the end of a love affair."
1113
00:43:48,600 --> 00:43:52,533
Now a post-rehab phrase I
haven't heard before this was,
1114
00:43:52,533 --> 00:43:54,067
the hole in the doughnut.
1115
00:43:54,067 --> 00:43:57,500
People leave and they
have a gap in their life.
1116
00:43:57,500 --> 00:43:59,067
The hole in the doughnut,
1117
00:43:59,067 --> 00:44:01,433
it means you have to fill
yourself spiritually.
1118
00:44:01,433 --> 00:44:04,067
I didn't believe in anything
when I went into rehab.
1119
00:44:05,700 --> 00:44:06,900
I didn't believe in God.
1120
00:44:06,900 --> 00:44:08,133
I didn't believe
anything like that.
1121
00:44:08,133 --> 00:44:09,400
I didn't believe
in a higher power.
1122
00:44:09,400 --> 00:44:12,700
I was, spiritually,
completely bankrupt.
1123
00:44:12,700 --> 00:44:16,267
As I got sober, took
me a year or two
1124
00:44:16,267 --> 00:44:18,067
to know what the hole
in the doughnut was.
1125
00:44:18,067 --> 00:44:20,400
It was fulfilling
and giving back.
1126
00:44:20,400 --> 00:44:23,067
Giving back, making
yourself feel fulfilled.
1127
00:44:23,067 --> 00:44:27,633
I started the Elton John AIDS
Foundation in 1992 in Atlanta
1128
00:44:27,633 --> 00:44:29,500
at my table in the kitchen.
1129
00:44:29,500 --> 00:44:33,067
The first year was spent
making sure I didn't relapse
1130
00:44:33,067 --> 00:44:34,533
and doing what I was told.
1131
00:44:34,533 --> 00:44:37,333
The second year was like, "What
do I do with my life now?"
1132
00:44:37,333 --> 00:44:40,067
And, then, it all came to me.
1133
00:44:40,067 --> 00:44:41,767
And that was my
hole in the doughnut
1134
00:44:41,767 --> 00:44:45,200
was to start the Elton
John AIDS Foundation.
1135
00:44:45,200 --> 00:44:47,567
And that's been an
extraordinary success.
1136
00:44:48,800 --> 00:44:51,367
We've given over
$450 million away
1137
00:44:52,600 --> 00:44:54,067
from a very small operation.
1138
00:44:54,067 --> 00:44:56,833
And when we started
the AIDS Foundation,
1139
00:44:56,833 --> 00:44:59,267
there were lots of AIDS
foundations all over the world.
1140
00:44:59,267 --> 00:45:02,600
Now, there's hardly any and
we've all worked together.
1141
00:45:02,600 --> 00:45:07,133
I thought I'd been so
lucky to not get HIV.
1142
00:45:07,133 --> 00:45:11,133
I was so lucky, being a gay
man, not to die of this disease.
1143
00:45:11,133 --> 00:45:13,067
Seeing so many of
my friends die,
1144
00:45:13,067 --> 00:45:16,300
that I wanted to do something
proper and not waste money.
1145
00:45:16,300 --> 00:45:19,067
I'd seen so many people
form foundations,
1146
00:45:19,067 --> 00:45:21,700
put on galas and
not make a penny,
1147
00:45:21,700 --> 00:45:22,867
and I said, "I'm
not doing that."
1148
00:45:22,867 --> 00:45:24,400
Everything will be underwritten.
1149
00:45:24,400 --> 00:45:26,400
All the money we
raise at the event
1150
00:45:26,400 --> 00:45:28,800
will go to the
people who need it.
1151
00:45:28,800 --> 00:45:31,800
And that's been my mantra,
and our mantra ever since.
1152
00:45:31,800 --> 00:45:33,533
And we've stuck to it.
1153
00:45:33,533 --> 00:45:35,567
* Are You Ready
1154
00:45:35,567 --> 00:45:36,800
[Graham] Elton's commitment
1155
00:45:36,800 --> 00:45:38,333
to raising money
for AIDS research
1156
00:45:38,333 --> 00:45:41,567
was rewarded in 1998 with
a knighthood for services
1157
00:45:41,567 --> 00:45:43,167
to charity and to music.
1158
00:45:43,167 --> 00:45:45,067
* For love
1159
00:45:45,067 --> 00:45:46,267
* Yes, I am
1160
00:45:46,267 --> 00:45:47,533
[Graham] The fourth
decade of his career,
1161
00:45:47,533 --> 00:45:51,067
the 1990s, saw no sign
of Elton slowing down.
1162
00:45:51,067 --> 00:45:54,267
The single, "Sacrifice",
saw him score his very first
1163
00:45:54,267 --> 00:45:55,867
solo UK number one.
1164
00:45:56,767 --> 00:46:01,600
* But it's no sacrifice
1165
00:46:01,600 --> 00:46:05,567
* No sacrifice
1166
00:46:05,567 --> 00:46:09,133
* It's no sacrifice at all
1167
00:46:10,833 --> 00:46:14,333
[Graham] But the '90s were
also marred by sadness.
1168
00:46:14,333 --> 00:46:16,400
Just six weeks after the
murder of his friend,
1169
00:46:16,400 --> 00:46:20,600
Gianni Versace, his close
friend Diana Princess of Wales,
1170
00:46:20,600 --> 00:46:22,133
also died.
1171
00:46:22,133 --> 00:46:26,467
* Your candle burned out long
before your legend ever did *
1172
00:46:30,333 --> 00:46:32,133
[Graham] The song,
"Candle in the Wind",
1173
00:46:32,133 --> 00:46:34,767
became the biggest-selling
single of the decade.
1174
00:46:39,667 --> 00:46:43,200
Elton also hit the headlines
with a very public bankruptcy.
1175
00:46:43,200 --> 00:46:45,200
[News Reporter] In 20
months, he managed to blow
1176
00:46:45,200 --> 00:46:50,200
40 million pounds, including
300,000 pounds on flowers.
1177
00:46:51,367 --> 00:46:52,800
[Graham] It would
take a residency
1178
00:46:52,800 --> 00:46:54,767
at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas
to help pay off his debts.
1179
00:46:56,200 --> 00:46:58,467
* She's got electric boots
1180
00:46:58,467 --> 00:47:00,233
* A mohair suit
1181
00:47:00,233 --> 00:47:02,900
* I read it in a magazine
1182
00:47:02,900 --> 00:47:06,400
* Oh, Bennie And The Jets
1183
00:47:08,200 --> 00:47:09,767
-[audience applauding]
-[audience cheering]
1184
00:47:09,767 --> 00:47:12,067
[Graham] Undeterred,
Elton found movies
1185
00:47:12,067 --> 00:47:13,433
and musicals beckoning.
1186
00:47:13,433 --> 00:47:15,467
* In the circle of life
1187
00:47:15,467 --> 00:47:17,567
[Graham] Writing the
scores for the stage
1188
00:47:17,567 --> 00:47:19,600
and screen versions
of "The Lion King".
1189
00:47:19,600 --> 00:47:21,267
The original film
has since taken
1190
00:47:21,267 --> 00:47:24,333
over $960 million worldwide.
1191
00:47:24,333 --> 00:47:28,667
* And can you feel
the love tonight *
1192
00:47:31,067 --> 00:47:33,233
[Graham] And the musical
has been running on Broadway
1193
00:47:33,233 --> 00:47:34,800
for 22 years.
1194
00:47:34,800 --> 00:47:39,800
* To rest
1195
00:47:41,067 --> 00:47:45,533
* It's enough to make
kings and vagabonds *
1196
00:47:47,067 --> 00:47:50,400
* Believe the very best
1197
00:47:52,067 --> 00:47:54,300
[Graham] This success later
led to further musicals
1198
00:47:54,300 --> 00:47:56,300
with "Aida" and "Billy Elliot".
1199
00:47:56,300 --> 00:47:58,300
-[audience applauding]
-[audience cheering]
1200
00:47:58,300 --> 00:48:00,300
* And I can't explain
1201
00:48:00,300 --> 00:48:02,667
[Graham] Elton also finally
found success in love.
1202
00:48:02,667 --> 00:48:05,200
* Something about the way
1203
00:48:05,200 --> 00:48:06,667
[Graham] His life
further changed
1204
00:48:06,667 --> 00:48:07,833
thanks to an introduction
1205
00:48:07,833 --> 00:48:10,167
to Canadian film-maker,
David Furnish.
1206
00:48:10,167 --> 00:48:13,733
* Oh, takes my breath away
1207
00:48:16,133 --> 00:48:18,867
Let's talk about your life now.
1208
00:48:18,867 --> 00:48:21,100
-Happily married to David.
-Yeah.
1209
00:48:21,100 --> 00:48:22,967
And, yet, there are bits,
1210
00:48:22,967 --> 00:48:24,200
at the beginning of
your relationship,
1211
00:48:24,200 --> 00:48:26,867
where I'm thinking,
"That guy should run!"
1212
00:48:26,867 --> 00:48:31,300
Like [laughs] the night you
were going to introduce him
1213
00:48:31,300 --> 00:48:33,267
-to your family.
-Right.
1214
00:48:34,333 --> 00:48:36,267
And you invited
someone else to dinner.
1215
00:48:36,267 --> 00:48:37,767
Well, it was a lunch
1216
00:48:37,767 --> 00:48:40,333
and my mother was gonna meet
David for the first time.
1217
00:48:40,333 --> 00:48:41,500
And it was at Woodside
1218
00:48:41,500 --> 00:48:44,267
and it was like 10
o'clock in the morning.
1219
00:48:44,267 --> 00:48:45,600
My mother was coming
down for lunch.
1220
00:48:45,600 --> 00:48:48,667
And that's a daunting
prospect for anyone,
1221
00:48:48,667 --> 00:48:50,200
especially the person
you're living with
1222
00:48:50,200 --> 00:48:51,767
and you're in love with.
1223
00:48:51,767 --> 00:48:54,367
Then there was a message
on my answer machine
1224
00:48:54,367 --> 00:48:59,367
from a counsellor,
who was counselling
me at the time saying,
1225
00:49:00,867 --> 00:49:03,067
"Well, I'm coming over for
lunch with Michael Jackson."
1226
00:49:03,067 --> 00:49:04,067
So I though, "Ah!"
1227
00:49:04,067 --> 00:49:07,100
So, David was like, "Oh, my God,
1228
00:49:07,100 --> 00:49:08,300
"I've got to meet your mother
1229
00:49:08,300 --> 00:49:09,533
"and Michael Jackson
on the same day?
1230
00:49:09,533 --> 00:49:11,067
"I don't know if I
can cope with that."
1231
00:49:11,067 --> 00:49:14,300
And we had our lunch with
Michael and my mother,
1232
00:49:14,300 --> 00:49:16,533
and the curtains were closed.
1233
00:49:16,533 --> 00:49:18,633
It was very bizarre.
1234
00:49:18,633 --> 00:49:21,900
My mom was saying, "You need
a bloody good meal, you do."
1235
00:49:21,900 --> 00:49:23,633
[both laughing]
1236
00:49:23,633 --> 00:49:25,400
"You need to bloody
eat something."
1237
00:49:26,900 --> 00:49:29,700
And it was a very sad
occasion, in a way.
1238
00:49:29,700 --> 00:49:32,200
He looked terrible.
1239
00:49:32,200 --> 00:49:34,133
I'd known Michael
since he was 13.
1240
00:49:35,767 --> 00:49:38,667
And looking at him as a
physical specimen then
1241
00:49:38,667 --> 00:49:41,200
as to was, he was this
beautiful, little boy.
1242
00:49:41,200 --> 00:49:43,567
But poor David.
1243
00:49:43,567 --> 00:49:45,100
Yeah, it was traumatic for him.
1244
00:49:45,100 --> 00:49:47,100
It was traumatic for me,
1245
00:49:47,100 --> 00:49:48,933
having David meet my
mom and Michael Jackson.
1246
00:49:48,933 --> 00:49:51,067
But, yeah,
1247
00:49:51,067 --> 00:49:53,067
well, in for a penny, in
for a pound, as they say.
1248
00:49:53,067 --> 00:49:54,400
Yeah, it was a distraction.
1249
00:49:54,400 --> 00:49:55,500
-Yeah, yeah, distraction.
-[Graham Laughs]
1250
00:49:55,500 --> 00:49:56,600
Yeah.
1251
00:49:56,600 --> 00:49:57,900
[Graham] And now the family.
1252
00:49:57,900 --> 00:50:00,767
You're now a dad, two,
adorable, little boys.
1253
00:50:00,767 --> 00:50:02,300
[Elton] Yeah.
1254
00:50:02,300 --> 00:50:06,200
You, for a long time, didn't
see children in your future.
1255
00:50:06,200 --> 00:50:07,433
Never in a million years.
1256
00:50:07,433 --> 00:50:08,767
There's a list in the
book of all the reasons
1257
00:50:08,767 --> 00:50:10,533
why you didn't want children.
1258
00:50:10,533 --> 00:50:12,033
I was too selfish.
1259
00:50:15,033 --> 00:50:16,700
Didn't want them to
get in the way of me
1260
00:50:16,700 --> 00:50:18,433
cavorting around the
world and doing something.
1261
00:50:18,433 --> 00:50:23,433
But, when you meet someone like
David, my attitudes changed.
1262
00:50:24,300 --> 00:50:26,167
But it wouldn't have happened
1263
00:50:26,167 --> 00:50:27,633
if we hadn't gone to the Ukraine
1264
00:50:27,633 --> 00:50:29,900
on an AIDS Foundation
visit to an orphanage.
1265
00:50:29,900 --> 00:50:34,833
And we went, and this
little boy called Lev
1266
00:50:34,833 --> 00:50:36,100
gravitated towards me.
1267
00:50:36,100 --> 00:50:38,533
I held him in my arms
for an hour and a half
1268
00:50:38,533 --> 00:50:40,800
and he had a brother
called Artemis.
1269
00:50:42,200 --> 00:50:44,700
And we did a press
conference at the end.
1270
00:50:44,700 --> 00:50:46,333
And one of the questions was,
1271
00:50:46,333 --> 00:50:49,033
"You seem very fond of this
kid, he seems very fond of you.
1272
00:50:49,033 --> 00:50:50,933
"Would you ever think
of adopting children?"
1273
00:50:50,933 --> 00:50:53,733
And I went, "You know what?
1274
00:50:53,733 --> 00:50:56,467
"This little boy is so great,
I'd love to adopt him."
1275
00:50:56,467 --> 00:50:58,333
And, of course, within
two nanoseconds,
1276
00:50:58,333 --> 00:51:00,200
it was on the front
page of every newspaper,
1277
00:51:00,200 --> 00:51:01,800
on every website.
1278
00:51:01,800 --> 00:51:05,933
And we tried to adopt
him and his brother.
1279
00:51:05,933 --> 00:51:07,467
But, unfortunately, the rules
1280
00:51:07,467 --> 00:51:09,200
in the Ukraine
were very archaic.
1281
00:51:10,367 --> 00:51:12,967
Gay people were not
allowed to adopt kids.
1282
00:51:12,967 --> 00:51:14,233
I was too old.
1283
00:51:14,233 --> 00:51:17,467
And, also, the press, in
their lovely, nice way.
1284
00:51:18,900 --> 00:51:23,367
You know, his mother was in
prison, his dad was in prison.
1285
00:51:24,833 --> 00:51:26,467
They brought his mother to
the orphanage to see him,
1286
00:51:26,467 --> 00:51:27,967
which meant that
the clock went back.
1287
00:51:27,967 --> 00:51:30,800
Whenever a relative like your
mother or father comes back.
1288
00:51:32,433 --> 00:51:34,933
When you get to a year,
you're up for adoption.
1289
00:51:34,933 --> 00:51:36,500
So, the clock went back to zero,
1290
00:51:36,500 --> 00:51:38,067
thanks to the English press.
1291
00:51:38,067 --> 00:51:39,933
[Graham] But there
is a nice follow-up,
1292
00:51:39,933 --> 00:51:41,867
-you've seen them since.
-But the thing is,
1293
00:51:41,867 --> 00:51:43,500
we couldn't adopt him,
and we got him out
1294
00:51:43,500 --> 00:51:45,867
and we got him to his
grandmother, both of them.
1295
00:51:47,267 --> 00:51:51,100
And it's a happy ending,
because I saw them last year.
1296
00:51:51,100 --> 00:51:53,267
I saw them in the Ukraine
and it was wonderful.
1297
00:51:53,267 --> 00:51:54,500
And they're both
doing beautifully.
1298
00:51:54,500 --> 00:51:56,067
They remind me of our children.
1299
00:51:56,067 --> 00:51:58,733
But when we got them out
the orphanage, David said,
1300
00:51:58,733 --> 00:52:01,133
"Well, what do you wanna
do about children?"
1301
00:52:01,133 --> 00:52:02,767
I said, "You know what?
1302
00:52:02,767 --> 00:52:04,300
"I always said no to children."
1303
00:52:04,300 --> 00:52:06,667
I said, "But this
is my higher power,
1304
00:52:06,667 --> 00:52:09,967
"or God, telling me something
that this is nonsense.
1305
00:52:09,967 --> 00:52:12,667
"This boy gave me so much
joy in an hour and a half."
1306
00:52:12,667 --> 00:52:16,500
I said, "I can be a dad,
I'd like to be a dad."
1307
00:52:16,500 --> 00:52:19,233
So, we went the surrogacy route,
1308
00:52:19,233 --> 00:52:20,767
everything fell in place for us.
1309
00:52:20,767 --> 00:52:22,067
We got the best people.
1310
00:52:22,067 --> 00:52:23,300
The dominoes fell straight away.
1311
00:52:23,300 --> 00:52:26,533
We had Zachary, and
then we had Elijah.
1312
00:52:26,533 --> 00:52:30,067
And that was the greatest
decision that I ever made,
1313
00:52:30,067 --> 00:52:33,800
apart from meeting
David and getting sober,
1314
00:52:33,800 --> 00:52:35,967
was to have kids,
1315
00:52:35,967 --> 00:52:40,067
because, now, I've never felt
so much love for anything.
1316
00:52:40,067 --> 00:52:43,333
And they give us
so much love back.
1317
00:52:43,333 --> 00:52:45,400
And then, it's the
reason, hopefully,
1318
00:52:45,400 --> 00:52:47,600
that I can spend the
latter part of my life
1319
00:52:47,600 --> 00:52:50,567
being around them and not
gallivanting on the road.
1320
00:52:50,567 --> 00:52:52,633
Originally, I was
gonna die on stage.
1321
00:52:52,633 --> 00:52:54,833
Now I don't want to, I
wanna be with my kids.
1322
00:52:54,833 --> 00:52:56,333
And, actually, how are you?
1323
00:52:56,333 --> 00:53:00,600
Because you were iller than
I think any of us knew.
1324
00:53:00,600 --> 00:53:02,400
You had cancer, which
I don't think we knew.
1325
00:53:02,400 --> 00:53:04,167
-Nobody knows that.
-Yeah.
1326
00:53:04,167 --> 00:53:05,933
I had prostate cancer.
1327
00:53:06,967 --> 00:53:08,367
With horrible complications.
1328
00:53:08,367 --> 00:53:10,767
Yeah, and I got rid
of the complications.
1329
00:53:10,767 --> 00:53:13,400
Actually, it was so funny,
because I was on stage in Vegas,
1330
00:53:13,400 --> 00:53:14,900
and, about two weeks
after the operation,
1331
00:53:14,900 --> 00:53:16,133
I was in a lot of pain
1332
00:53:16,133 --> 00:53:19,667
because I had fluid
build-up under my colon.
1333
00:53:19,667 --> 00:53:22,067
It was excruciatingly painful.
1334
00:53:22,067 --> 00:53:24,400
And, so, I was literally
in tears backstage.
1335
00:53:24,400 --> 00:53:27,067
And I thought, "If I go
back to the hotel suite,
1336
00:53:27,067 --> 00:53:28,333
"I'm gonna just think about it.
1337
00:53:28,333 --> 00:53:30,067
"I might as well go
on and do the show."
1338
00:53:30,067 --> 00:53:32,467
So, I did the show, and I'm
walking across the stage,
1339
00:53:32,467 --> 00:53:34,367
and, of course,
you're wearing nappies
1340
00:53:34,367 --> 00:53:36,267
because it was very shortly
after the operation.
1341
00:53:36,267 --> 00:53:38,167
And I'm waving to the
crowd and they're cheering
1342
00:53:38,167 --> 00:53:39,600
and they're waving
back, and I thought
1343
00:53:39,600 --> 00:53:41,367
"If only they knew, at
this very particular minute
1344
00:53:41,367 --> 00:53:43,067
"that I am pissing myself,
1345
00:53:44,200 --> 00:53:45,833
"they wouldn't be
so enthusiastic."
1346
00:53:45,833 --> 00:53:47,067
[Graham laughs]
1347
00:53:47,067 --> 00:53:50,933
And then I got rid of that pain.
1348
00:53:50,933 --> 00:53:54,367
I had a procedure
which got rid of it.
1349
00:53:54,367 --> 00:53:57,433
And, then, I went to
South America and I
played in Santiago,
1350
00:53:57,433 --> 00:54:00,367
and I came home, my last
show in South America,
1351
00:54:00,367 --> 00:54:03,433
and I got to London
and I was very ill,
1352
00:54:03,433 --> 00:54:06,200
and I was rushed into
hospital, into intensive care.
1353
00:54:06,200 --> 00:54:08,667
I picked up an awful
bug from somewhere
1354
00:54:09,967 --> 00:54:13,100
and I was about 24
hours from snuffing it,
1355
00:54:13,100 --> 00:54:16,200
and we didn't tell people
that was going on at the time.
1356
00:54:16,200 --> 00:54:19,100
So, I had an annus
horribilis, as they say,
1357
00:54:19,100 --> 00:54:21,700
at the beginning of that
year for half the year.
1358
00:54:21,700 --> 00:54:23,467
I literally had to
learn how to walk again.
1359
00:54:23,467 --> 00:54:25,900
I was extremely sick.
1360
00:54:25,900 --> 00:54:28,367
And all I wanted to do as I
was lying in my hospital bed,
1361
00:54:28,367 --> 00:54:29,767
"Please, don't let me die.
1362
00:54:29,767 --> 00:54:31,667
"I wanna see my
children grow up."
1363
00:54:31,667 --> 00:54:33,200
And, luckily, I survived it.
1364
00:54:33,200 --> 00:54:35,367
I still did 90 shows
that year, by the way.
1365
00:54:36,667 --> 00:54:39,267
And now I'm fine,
I'm really good.
1366
00:54:39,267 --> 00:54:40,567
But there's very
few bits of me left.
1367
00:54:40,567 --> 00:54:42,533
There's no hair,
there's a pacemaker,
1368
00:54:42,533 --> 00:54:45,667
there's no tonsils,
there's no prostate,
1369
00:54:45,667 --> 00:54:47,100
there's no appendix.
1370
00:54:47,100 --> 00:54:48,333
I've had kidney stones.
1371
00:54:48,333 --> 00:54:49,533
I'm like the Bionic Woman.
1372
00:54:49,533 --> 00:54:51,633
-It's so slimming. [laughs]
-I know.
1373
00:54:51,633 --> 00:54:53,600
I'm like Lindsay
Wagner or Steve Austin,
1374
00:54:53,600 --> 00:54:55,400
whichever one you wanna call it.
1375
00:54:55,400 --> 00:54:58,067
You know, we're so
gender fluid now.
1376
00:54:58,067 --> 00:55:00,367
Why just settle on Steve Austin?
1377
00:55:00,367 --> 00:55:02,333
But now things like
that are life-changing
1378
00:55:02,333 --> 00:55:03,900
and having children
is life-changing.
1379
00:55:03,900 --> 00:55:05,633
So, you're changing your life.
1380
00:55:07,100 --> 00:55:10,067
You're in the middle of the
tour, sort of 2/3 of the way
1381
00:55:10,067 --> 00:55:12,267
-through the big farewell.
-I'm 1/3 of the way through.
1382
00:55:12,267 --> 00:55:13,200
-Only 1/3?
-Yeah.
1383
00:55:13,200 --> 00:55:14,933
I've got two years to do.
1384
00:55:14,933 --> 00:55:16,533
-Wow.
-Yeah.
1385
00:55:16,533 --> 00:55:17,833
Yeah, 'cause I went
to book in London
1386
00:55:17,833 --> 00:55:20,100
-and I realised it was 2020.
-2020, yeah.
1387
00:55:20,100 --> 00:55:22,967
-It's not this Christmas.
-No, not this year.
1388
00:55:22,967 --> 00:55:24,500
-No, no.
-Whoa, back off!
1389
00:55:24,500 --> 00:55:26,400
-Back off.
-[Graham laughs]
1390
00:55:26,400 --> 00:55:28,200
So, when that finishes,
1391
00:55:28,200 --> 00:55:30,767
what is life going
to look like for you?
1392
00:55:30,767 --> 00:55:32,133
Oh, I don't know.
1393
00:55:32,133 --> 00:55:35,200
I don't wanna go
anywhere for a long time.
1394
00:55:35,200 --> 00:55:36,900
I don't know, who can say?
1395
00:55:36,900 --> 00:55:39,067
You know, it takes an awful
long time to chill out
1396
00:55:39,067 --> 00:55:40,500
after you've done something.
1397
00:55:40,500 --> 00:55:42,667
You must know that, when
you've finished your series.
1398
00:55:42,667 --> 00:55:44,367
It's hard to wind down
1399
00:55:44,367 --> 00:55:47,367
because you've got so
much adrenaline going.
1400
00:55:47,367 --> 00:55:49,933
I have a couple of
musicals written.
1401
00:55:49,933 --> 00:55:51,600
I would like to make a record,
1402
00:55:51,600 --> 00:55:53,200
but I'd like to take
a whole year off
1403
00:55:53,200 --> 00:55:55,167
and just spend it
with my family.
1404
00:55:55,167 --> 00:55:56,633
And one of the
things that's coming
1405
00:55:56,633 --> 00:55:57,800
is "The Devil Wears Prada".
1406
00:55:57,800 --> 00:55:58,967
Is that really happening?
1407
00:55:58,967 --> 00:55:59,900
Oh, yeah, it's written.
1408
00:55:59,900 --> 00:56:00,967
All done?
1409
00:56:00,967 --> 00:56:02,467
No, well, it's written
1410
00:56:02,467 --> 00:56:04,500
and probably other
things to write for it,
1411
00:56:04,500 --> 00:56:05,700
because when you
write for a musical,
1412
00:56:05,700 --> 00:56:06,833
some things don't make it.
1413
00:56:06,833 --> 00:56:08,333
When I wrote for "Billy Elliot",
1414
00:56:08,333 --> 00:56:10,233
two of the best songs in
the musical didn't make it
1415
00:56:10,233 --> 00:56:12,400
'cause the plot changes,
1416
00:56:12,400 --> 00:56:14,967
and it's too long, and you
have to make sacrifices.
1417
00:56:14,967 --> 00:56:16,300
And I don't mind that.
1418
00:56:16,300 --> 00:56:17,500
I'm very, very happy with it.
1419
00:56:17,500 --> 00:56:19,333
It's some of the best
things I've done.
1420
00:56:21,067 --> 00:56:23,233
And David is in pretty
much control of that,
1421
00:56:23,233 --> 00:56:24,433
but that's very exciting.
1422
00:56:24,433 --> 00:56:26,433
Hopefully, it will
go to Broadway
1423
00:56:27,600 --> 00:56:29,067
maybe next year
or the year after.
1424
00:56:29,067 --> 00:56:30,700
But I'm very excited about it.
1425
00:56:30,700 --> 00:56:33,267
And what's gonna happen
to you, the performer?
1426
00:56:33,267 --> 00:56:34,500
I don't know, Graham.
1427
00:56:34,500 --> 00:56:35,733
'Cause that doesn't go away.
1428
00:56:35,733 --> 00:56:38,633
No, I would like to do,
eventually, as I said,
1429
00:56:38,633 --> 00:56:40,333
I would like to do a residency,
1430
00:56:40,333 --> 00:56:42,400
like Kate Bush did
at Hammersmith Odeon,
1431
00:56:42,400 --> 00:56:43,867
-which was wonderful.
-Amazing.
1432
00:56:43,867 --> 00:56:45,067
When I do that kind of thing
1433
00:56:45,067 --> 00:56:46,767
I will not be
doing all the hits,
1434
00:56:46,767 --> 00:56:48,500
and I will tell
people beforehand.
1435
00:56:48,500 --> 00:56:52,467
There is so much stuff that I
haven't done onstage before,
1436
00:56:52,467 --> 00:56:54,567
or enough, that I want to do.
1437
00:56:54,567 --> 00:56:57,100
I will have had enough of
playing "Crocodile Rock",
1438
00:56:57,100 --> 00:56:58,600
and enough of doing
"Bennie And The Jets",
1439
00:56:58,600 --> 00:56:59,867
and stuff like that.
1440
00:56:59,867 --> 00:57:03,400
I would like to give my
other repertoire a go,
1441
00:57:03,400 --> 00:57:05,967
and still do some of
the well-known songs,
1442
00:57:05,967 --> 00:57:08,133
but the ones that I'm
not so fed up with.
1443
00:57:08,133 --> 00:57:09,567
A residency appeals to me.
1444
00:57:09,567 --> 00:57:11,467
I don't know if I
can go back to Vegas,
1445
00:57:11,467 --> 00:57:13,533
because it means being
away from the children.
1446
00:57:13,533 --> 00:57:15,100
-Yeah.
-But if I'm in England
1447
00:57:15,100 --> 00:57:17,933
or in Paris, I'm nearer home.
1448
00:57:17,933 --> 00:57:19,100
-You're there.
-Yeah.
1449
00:57:19,100 --> 00:57:20,300
Yeah.
1450
00:57:20,300 --> 00:57:22,067
Well, long may you continue.
1451
00:57:22,067 --> 00:57:24,167
Sir Elton John, thank you so
much for sharing your time
1452
00:57:24,167 --> 00:57:25,633
-and your life.
-Thank you.
1453
00:57:25,633 --> 00:57:30,200
* I'm still standing
better than I ever did *
1454
00:57:30,200 --> 00:57:35,200
* Looking like a true survivor,
feeling like a little kid *
1455
00:57:36,400 --> 00:57:41,067
* I'm still standing
after all this time *
1456
00:57:41,067 --> 00:57:46,067
* Picking up the pieces of my
life without you on my mind *
1457
00:57:47,200 --> 00:57:51,233
* I'm still standing,
yeah, yeah, yeah *
1458
00:57:52,400 --> 00:57:56,200
* I'm still standing,
yeah, yeah, yeah *
106482
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