ANOTHER UPDATE TO THE BELOW DEVELOPING STORY....
Elton John not only became very emotional when trying to record the title track to his new album with Brandi Carlile, Who Believes in Angels?, but is anger also reared its ugly head during the sessions.
He tells The Guardian, “I was very grumpy, I was tired, I didn’t feel well and I was extremely nervous. And that nervousness caused quite a few sparks to fly."
Brandi says those sparks included smashing his iPad and headphones.
"There were really amazing, classic Elton John outbursts. My lyrics got torn up and thrown on the ground – he goes: ‘F*** off, Brandi.’ He would yell: ‘Predictable! Cliche!’”
She goes onto say that while she didn't tell him he crossed the line, she adds that "there were definitely points that I felt that...
“Elton doesn’t want to be put on a pedestal. He doesn’t like listening to stories of my childhood love for him. There was so much riding on my perception of Elton versus who Elton really is.”
But the longer the sessions went on, Elton says he became more patient.
“It wasn’t me being anxious about other people, it was me being anxious about me. Once we got through the first three songs, we knew we had something. And I was much more relaxed … but I was a bit of a nightmare.”
Who Believes in Angels? will be released on April 4th.
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ALSO.........
Elton John collapsed into tears when he realized he was singing about his death, collaborator Brandi Carlile revealed.
"The glasses came off; his whole body crumpled over the piano," she recalled. "He wept. I put my arms around him and held him.” She added that, since John is “a bit butch, a stoic, a man’s man,” he didn’t want to discuss his feelings.
Read More: Elton John Wept as He Realized He Was Singing About His Death
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Update to below story....
Elton John has announced the details of his new album, a collaboration with Brandi Carlile.
Titled Who Believes in Angels?, it was recorded in 20 days in October 2023 and will be released on April 4th.
Elton says, "This record was one of the toughest I’ve ever made, but it was also one of the greatest musical experiences of my life. It has given me a place where I know I can move forward. Who Believes In Angels? feels like going into another era and I’m pushing the door open to come into the future. I have everything I’ve done behind me and it’s been brilliant, amazing. But this is the new start for me. As far as I’m concerned, this is the start of my career mark two.”
And Brandi adds, “I’m still reeling from the fact that I got to do it. I think all ships rise with Elton John’s standards for songwriting, and it was an incredibly challenging and inspiring environment to work in, everybody throwing in ideas, everybody listening to everybody else’s ideas. It felt like a family. The world is a wild place to live in right now. It’s hard to find peace and triumph. It’s a radical act to seek out joyful and euphoric happenings. And that is what this album represents to me.”
Elton's longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin and Brandi both wrote the lyrics with Andrew Watt producing. Their backing musicians were drummer Chad Smith of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, bassist Pino Palladino, who has played with The Who, David Gilmour and many others, and former Chili Peppers and current Pearl Jam touring guitarist Josh Klinghoffer.
In making this announcement, Elton and Brandi have also released the title track along with a lyric video, as well as a second video on the making of the album, which marks the first time Elton has allowed cameras to film his writing and recording sessions.
Static cameras positioned around the studio captured thousands of hours of raw footage, and ultimately documented the entire creative process - breakdowns, breakthroughs, tears, torn up lyric sheets and all. The candid footage offers fans an unprecedented, searingly honest insight into the emotionally turbulent creative process for Elton, Brandi and the rest of the team.
Elton and Brandi will perform songs from the album as well as telling stories on March 26th at the London Palladium.
This is Elton's first album since The Lockdown Sessions in 2021.
Who Believes In Angels? track list:
- "The Rose of Laura Nyro"
- "Little Richard’s Bible"
- "Swing for the Fences"
- "Never Too Late" - previously released
- "You Without Me"
- "Who Believes in Angels?"
- "The River Man"
- "A Little Light"
- "Someone To Belong To"
- "When This Old World Is Done With Me"
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Elton John has released a new song, "Who Believes in Angels?".
It's another collaboration with his longtime lyricist Bernie Taupin, along with Brandi Carlile, following the title track to his latest documentary, Never Too Late.
In 2023, Pete Townshend said Elton recorded an album with Brandi, adding that "it’s one of the best things they’ve ever done.”
And Elton, in letters written to some of his biggest fans, says, "I wanted to play better, sing better, write better, and challenge myself creatively. It was one of the most difficult creative processes I’ve ever been through, but couldn’t be prouder of the outcome. I wanted to make this record with Brandi because I knew what she was capable of, and I wanted to sing and play with her because I knew it would be special.”
The album, which is said to contain 10 songs, was produced by Andrew Watt, who produced "Never Too Late," as well as being one of the producers on his last album, 2021's The Lockdown Sessions.