Oh, I agree with you. And although I think he did their best work from 1970-76, I'm still a fan of a lot of later stuff. I think that "Sacrifice" is a gorgeous, gorgeous song, and I had a period of time where I would listen to "The One" on repeat loop ad nausaeum. I also love "Nikita", so maybe I'm not all hating on the eighties stuff as much as I thought. And those are just a few examples. I will admit to being completely tired of "Candle in the Wind," which makes me sad because it used to be one of my favourite songs. Contrarily, I've never gotten tired of "Someone Saved My Life Tonight", mostly because it's a chapter in a story. I'm all about concept albums.
Also, Bernie was doing his own thing off to the side during the eighties. Some was good, some wasn't. I like Last Stand in Open Country a lot. Not so much Tribe, because it sounds like a lot of the eighties-ish stuff that Elton was doing. So, yeah, a lot of the mediocrity of the songs can be blamed on sai Taupin as well. They were pretty bad off healthwise back then, IIRC, each with their own addictions and such. So, as I do, I forgive them. The music they're making now is some of the best in years.
I've only within the past few years fully realised that Bernie is a musician as well as a poet, and I wonder why he wasn't part of the (various incarnations of) the band. It's odd, I think.
I don't know that I will ever be able to say how this album compares to the original CF. I was 15 at that time and, being 15, thought that Elton and Bernie wrote everything just for me. And furthermore, the tracks were different from anything I had ever heard before.
Woah, we're the same age! I was fourteen, just a little younger. The world had crushes on Jan-Michael Vincent and the Bay City Rollers. Me, I was all about
Bernie Taupin:
and Paul McCartney: and such.
I don't think I knew anyone, in 1975, who knew who Bernie was, and it bothered me then and it still does. Captain Fantastic brought Bernie some recognition, at least (although he's always said he didn't want Elton's level of fame). Then, of course, Two Rooms didn't hurt, either. I don't know if it's a better album (CF, that is) than its sequel. My gut says it is, but my gut is directly connected to my heart in this case, so I don't know if I'm qualified to judge. *shrugs*
no subject
Also, Bernie was doing his own thing off to the side during the eighties. Some was good, some wasn't. I like Last Stand in Open Country a lot. Not so much Tribe, because it sounds like a lot of the eighties-ish stuff that Elton was doing. So, yeah, a lot of the mediocrity of the songs can be blamed on sai Taupin as well. They were pretty bad off healthwise back then, IIRC, each with their own addictions and such. So, as I do, I forgive them. The music they're making now is some of the best in years.
I've only within the past few years fully realised that Bernie is a musician as well as a poet, and I wonder why he wasn't part of the (various incarnations of) the band. It's odd, I think.
I don't know that I will ever be able to say how this album compares to the original CF. I was 15 at that time and, being 15, thought that Elton and Bernie wrote everything just for me. And furthermore, the tracks were different from anything I had ever heard before.
Woah, we're the same age! I was fourteen, just a little younger. The world had crushes on Jan-Michael Vincent and the Bay City Rollers. Me, I was all about
Bernie Taupin:
and Paul McCartney:
I don't think I knew anyone, in 1975, who knew who Bernie was, and it bothered me then and it still does. Captain Fantastic brought Bernie some recognition, at least (although he's always said he didn't want Elton's level of fame). Then, of course, Two Rooms didn't hurt, either. I don't know if it's a better album (CF, that is) than its sequel. My gut says it is, but my gut is directly connected to my heart in this case, so I don't know if I'm qualified to judge. *shrugs*