What an incredible testimony. Well said, Caleb! I was there at Dodger Stadium in 1975 and saw you with Elton...at the top of the world. But none of that is truly lasting. It is all fool's gold, and you clearly have accepted the real deal...Jesus Christ...as your Lord and Savior. Thank you for sharing your story, but more importantly, thank you for sharing your faith!
I think Caleb's guitar work on "Ballad of a Well-known Gun" remains one of my favorites of all time. I'm so glad he turned out to be the gentleman he is (versus the old adage, "you never want to meet your heroes").
Thanks for watching! I agree with every word you said. I’ve met some of my heroes, and it wasn’t a very pleasant experience. This was a blessing from beginning to end. If you’re a big fan of Eltons music, I hope you’ll check out my other videos. I’ve done a few deep dives into his classic era. Cheers!
what a great interview with Caleb. i think blue moves was so underrated . there are so many great songs on the 2 set lp . thank you for making this happen, Jon.
Yes, Blue Moves is an underrated masterpiece. It contains some of Elton's most mature and progressive songs. For years, it was dismissed but had a bit of a resurgence when George Michael praised it.
WowJon, that was a fantastic video. Great editing, , vintage clips and pix. Top tier work man! Thanks so much. I’m m older, but such kindred souls. I can still see EJ at my firs ever concert in ‘74 at 12yo, watching “a cat named Hurcules”.Your best work yet. Fantastic interview!
Great interview with Caleb Quaye. I interviewed him several years ago and really liked him. He's a great interview, great Christian and a great musician.
Caleb is a diamond! I hope, and who knows, that when Elton starts recording his new album supposedly in October that he thinks of Caleb and reunites with him. Even for one song. Would love that! Thank you, Jon!
24:35 when "Ballad of a Well Known Gun" plays = goose-bumps, from head to toe!! I still remember listening to that album in my friend's basement, whose family had the best stereo I'd ever heard. Awesome stuff, and Caleb Quaye touched my life, just as he has yours, John. Wonderful interview!!
Thanks for watching! I had the same reaction when he was talking about the session! That intro has always amazed me because it sounds so random the way the piano and drums come in over the guitar. But it falls together so beautifully. That’s the kind of thing that’s totally gone from modern music. Like Caleb said, the reason this old music sounds so timeless and awesome is because it’s played by real musicians together in the studio. Thanks for the kind words! Have you watched my other Elton videos? I think you’ll really enjoy this one: The Elton John Band 1970-75 - A Celebration of Musical Excellence ruclips.net/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/видео.html
This was a fabulous interview. I never felt that Caleb got his due because everyone loves Davey, and rightfully so. Everyone loved that 1970-75 band and were disappointed when those guys were let go. But Caleb was no slouch, either. Elton brought him in the new band for a reason and he proved his worth over and over again. He's a true gentleman. Thanks for giving this man his respect and may God forever bless him. 👍🏾
I really appreciate you taking the time to comment. I worked so hard on this video and to be honest I never felt like Caleb himself showed much appreciation for it. I deliberately went into it to present him as a complete artist not just as Elton John guitar player. Had so many people say it’s their favorite interview with Caleb. But after Caleb watched it he really didn’t say anything about it. Oh well, I had a great time making it and I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
@@JonBlackstone I really did enjoy it. The takeaway for me in this interview is that while being in the EJ band was a part of his life, it wasn't his ENTIRE life. I don't feel he was unappreciative, he just sees things differently. As fans, I suppose we expect him to react in a certain manner when we bring up these events but everyone has their own viewpoint, and he has his. He did go on to play with other acts (Hall and Oates specifically) but I just felt that while it was important to him then, it's not so much now. And that's alright. One thing I find to be depressing is when classic rock and R&B acts are interviewed and they only talk about how good things used to be and can't see anything beyond that. To them, the past will always be better than things are now. Caleb seems different, unique even. He accepts his place in history without regrets and moved on from it when he felt it was necessary. Once again I thank you for this video so we see the man for the gracious person he is. 😊
53:50 and this interview earns the substance it deserves and has earned it's just true... I have no interest in changing anyone, or converting anyone, or preaching to anyone... but this man's testimony is as authentic as it came out here, is as true as it can be
Wow, what a great comment! It means a lot to me that you took the time to express your feelings about this interview. It makes my work so much more meaningful. Caleb’s story had a big impact on my heart too. 😎
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it! I’ve watched all of Caleb’s interviews, and I went in with questions that I thought other people would be interested in. I’m so glad I hit the mark!
Fantastic interview. Thank you! Remembering purchasing the Blue Moves 8-track several times because my tape player would eat those double albums. GYR as well! I remember Roger played a long solo in the middle of Empty Sky. Probably 75. Great music, great memories.
Wow, thank you for the great comment! What you shared about the eight track tapes and how the machine would eat the tapes that were double albums is too funny! I had totally forgotten about that; but went through the exact same thing! Thanks for the fun memory and for watching!
Yes, me too! It was so cool to learn that that was a spontaneous moment. I had so much fun talking with Caleb. If you’re a fan of Eltons music, please check out my other videos. I’ve done a few deep dives into his classic era that you’ll really enjoy. Cheers!
Really stunning, I must listen to ROTW....BLUE MOVE'S....I'm the biggest ELTON fan at 63 on the planet....and have never heard these 2 albums in their entirety......such a huge fan of the classic group I've never gave it a chance but will tonite...
Thanks for watching out for your comments! You must give those two albums a listen with fresh ears. I like you was shocked by the change in personnel and the change in sound but I’ve come to see that this could have been a whole new beginning for Elton’s next phase in music. Those two records are masterful musical presentations. They may not be the same style and vibe of the original Elton John band; but it could’ve been a very cool progression into a new direction. Regardless, they are definitely part of the Canon of Elton’s great work.
@@JonBlackstone I’ve been sharing your EJ ‘70-‘75 video to my fellow Elton fan friends. I smiled throughout that whole video. Seen Elton for my 38, 39 and 40th shows last November at Dodger Stadium…I was there in ‘75 as well, just 13 years old. Love Caleb’s perspective, all so fascinating 🤩
This is an absolutely stunning interview! Well done! ROTW is one of my all time favorite albums and I still listen to it often. Caleb is a treasure for sure…
This was a fantastic interview. I’ve always felt ROTW is truly a masterpiece. I was five when it was released so I only really knew Island Girl but when I got deeper into his collection I really loved everything about that album. And Mr. Quaye is truly a gentleman and a legend. Really enjoy your channel.
Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know you watched the interview and that you enjoy my episodes! I’m working really hard to put these videos together and it really encourages me to hear from people. Thank you!
always very interesting videos and background information here on this channe...Really well done with the pictures and video clips, great interview...thank you
Thank you so much for the great comments! I really appreciate hearing from people who understand the work that goes into making these videos. This interview was really fun for me and it was a labor of love to fill it out with a lot of visual content. I try to make my videos educational for people who might not know about this time in music history. I really appreciate the positive words!
Hello Jon, when i asked who the Black guy was on Westies , i had no idea what i was asking. Such a RICH bank of history!!! The BLOODY CLICK TRACK oh THE MADNESS!!!!!!!!
Thanks for watching and for the great comment! It’s funny you know what a click track is. I’ve had some people ask me to describe a click track. Sometimes I forget that’s not common terminology to most people. I think I’ll do a short video that explains it. Thanks again!
Wow!!! What insight into the early days of Elton John and the time later when he re-joined then band. I will definitely check out Caleb’s documentary. Another great interview Jon!!! ❤
Thank you so much, Patti! I appreciate the kind words. So glad you enjoyed the interview as much as I did. Caleb is a really cool guy and it was so fun to spend the afternoon with him. I learned a lot of minutia about those early years I didn’t know before. Thanks again!
@@JonBlackstone Just the thought of asking the questions about a session, or how things came about for this song or that. Learning how the songs were recorded and created - it must have been so thrilling to ask Caleb all those questions. Caleb was so giving in the interview. I’ve listened to all those albums as well, pouring over the liner notes, reading list of players, producers, etc - I would have had a million questions to ask him. It is so wonderful to have a like minded person to discuss and who shares the same feelings about the music like all us rabid fans!
I am too! I really meant what I said about that album; I consider it one of the greatest musical albums of the 1970s. It’s always associated with the end of Elton’s great run of records; but to me it’s like the perfect cap to a great career.
@@JonBlackstone and I think it’s the deep tracks that engage you the most - Idol, ….God in Heaven, Boogie Pilgrim, Shoorah etc. keep doing what you’re doing 👍
Thank you for watching! I’m so glad people are enjoying this interview with Caleb. If you’re a fan of Elton’s classic era, please check out my other videos. I do several deep dives into his best albums. Cheers!
Thanks so much for watching, and for the kind words! It sounds like you were reacted to the interview much the way I felt as it was happening. Such a great guy and such a great conversationalist. It was so fun to learn some of the minutia from the early years that I didn’t know before. I hope you subscribe. I’ve got more cool stuff coming soon!
Thank you for watching! It really is a very cool album. It’s so different from his other 70s catalog that it really throws people off. I’ve always seen it as the perfect ending to that long run of incredible albums. Once I got used to the feel and vibe of Blue Moves; I remember thinking this would be a cool direction for Elton to go in; a little more musically progressive. But when he released his next album, “a single man” my heart was broken. And then when “victim of love” came out, I wondered if he had been kidnapped by aliens? 😆
Thank you Jon for asking questions about how sonically these songs came about. Excellent job. Questions I sure have wanted to ask Caleb. Also thank you for letting Caleb share his testimony. I know my life would be a mess or I would have been dead if it wasn’t for Jesus and I hope you find that hope in Jesus as well.
Thank you for watching, and for the kind words! As you can tell, I enjoyed the experience myself. If you’re a fan of Elton’s music, please check out my other episodes. Cheers!
Thank you so much! I tried to ask questions that no one else asks. I’m so happy I hit the spot for you. Of course I had a bunch of others that I would’ve liked to of asked, but I would’ve kept him all day 😊. I hope you check out my other Elton episodes as well. Cheers!
Great interesting interview with Caleb. You clearly created a comfortable setting and got him engaged immediately. I love both ROCK OF THE WESTIES and BLUE MOVES. "Street Kids" is one of my favourite EJ "rock" songs ever. BLUE MOVES has more than stood the test of time - my 2nd favourite Elton album. Loved those extended versions of "Empty Sky" and "Hercules" on the 1975 & 76 tours. Caleb also had a significant part in Elton's earliest music days. Really enjoyed this interview! Thanks Jon.
Hey Douglas, thanks for the great comments! Talking with Caleb, and listening to those tracks with him was so fun! He’s such a fascinating guy; and has lead such an interesting life. Talking with him revealed some new layers to Elton’s story that I didn’t know before, I’m really glad you enjoyed the video. Hope to hear again from you soon!
Elton was moving in an interesting direction in 1975 & 76. He was jamming more onstage with his band and was co-writing songs with his band members; On ROCK OF THE WESTIES , Davey was co-writer on 2 tracks while on BLUE MOVES, EJ co-wrote 7 tracks with band members and, as your new video showed, Caleb wrote "Your Starter For..." It would have been very interesting to have seen Elton continue to move in the direction of being a "band" with multiple writers from within the band. Sadly, things ended abruptly after those 1976 MSG concerts in New York when Elton finally "hit the wall." @@JonBlackstone
Thank you for watching and thank you for the kind words! So glad you enjoyed it. I don’t know if you’ve seen my other videos, but I have done some deep dives into Elton’s 1970 catalog. If you’re a fan, you’ll really enjoy it.
@@JonBlackstone I did watch your videos on Elton and the band! 😃 since I "discovered" the one when you tell the story of your meeting Dee Murray and Nigel Olsson! Cheers mate
Caleb even produced the sessions that came out as Regimental Sgt Zippo, I think, as well as playing guitar. His playing on the title track is great. It sounds like he'd been listening to Hendrix!
Awesome interview, what a great guy, Caleb! Never have known anything about him , he is amazing to pull that intro to WELL KNOWN GUN off the top of his head...thanks Jon, love you brother....
I know! That totally blew my mind! When he described how that whole intro came together, it makes so much sense and it’s so incredible. The musicality involved in that kind of playing. It’s the kind of musicality you never here in music anymore. Thank you for watching and thank you for the kind words!
Thanks Jon. Amazing interview as always. I was such a similar fan reading and memorizing all the song information from the album sleeves. Thanks for breathing new life into Son of the Father, Rock of the Westies and Blue Moves. Motivated me to spin all my old vinyl on these tracks. I am a Christian too and it was great to hear from Caleb. Love you heart Jon! Jeff
I know what you meant! Thanks for the kind words! I am just getting started and hearing from other music fans is so encouraging. I don't know if you've watched my testimony; but I think it will bless your heart. In the interview with Caleb I mentioned how my road has been "a little hairy" at times. This is my story: ruclips.net/video/v7eePDFJGxE/видео.html
Caleb is ultimatley one of my all time favourite players, Ever x10. His solos are so interestingly melodic, it engages the listener straight in, calebs control pulls you right into the music.I absolutely love it when he uses the wah wah pedel, man does he know how to wah his bluesy solos. One of my favourite works of caleb isn't an elton one, but its when he played a forceful part on south african musician john kongos 1971 debut album. If you ever get the chance, Just take a careful listen to calebs soloing on the track, try to touch just one. Its subtle but his melody and control over the wah wah is astonishing and quite trippy. Roger pope also plays his kit on the album. As a whole the album is a must, it has that typical 70's production by the same man who produced all the great elton albums gus dugeon and in trident studios along with all the greats of the time. Hello jon, im so sorry im so late to the party, i am totally in all of all the hard work that your doing. We once talked of the amazing caleb and also the phenomenal dee murry. Blue moves from 76 , i have never understood why it never gets the recognision it so much deserves, its staggeringly musical, theres so much musically going on in chord progression changes & directions. Its so wonderful that caleb takes great care of his overal health, hes so intelligent and wonderfully down to earth i am blown away, so gracious. Truely beautiful man. Oh and the elton music that caleb talks through with you sounds incredible, not heard some of that before. So delightfully cool and very, very humourous.😍😎 i'll be back here. Thank you friend.
Jon you are really pushing the envelope with the quality of your podcasts these days. I just finished watching the Stuart Epps interview you did and I had seen the Caleb Rockumentry, both are excellent, but this interview was really fantastic. Playing back the Rock of the Westies and Blue Moves tracks to Caleb and listening to his memories of the recordings was a real thrill, we have often wondered why Elton changed the band in 1975, I have always believed he made an artistically correct decision, Caleb and Roger were very different to the Nigel and Dee era but listening to Blue Moves now it really does sound like Eltons most adult album. Thanks for the time you put into making this podcast great stuff.
I can't thank you enough for your kind (and encouraging) words! I sincerely mean that. These videos are very labor intensive and time consuming; so it's so great to hear from people who are as excited about this stuff as I am! I have always dreamed of sitting with my artists and listening to tracks with them. I've never seen anyone else do that during an interview; most likely because content producers like myself don't make money if we use copyrighted recordings. For me it's more important that I do what I feel other fans want to see. But it also means I have to keep working a regular full time job! If enough people dig these videos I'm considering becoming viewer funded; so I can continue making these kinds of videos. I also prefer actually being with the artist; as opposed to the webcast situation. My dream is to interview artists in person and make each interview like a mini documentary. Anyway, I really appreciate your kind words. I hope to hear from you again!
I played 12 h wedding in Poland I made 1000 zł bought Rock of the Westies for 700 zl. In black market that was my 70% I spent for that album. It was 1978.
Hey Jon, Now you've done it. I'm that nerd fan boy you'll have to deal with from the east coast. I'm hooked. The one and only Caleb Quaye. I had all these albums up to a 'A Single Man', except 'Don't Shoot' and he was a name I knew. Fantastic interview. Worldly, old school, professional musician. They show you things, they don't even know they're showing you. 'No oxygen on Everest'. Proves my point. But, I didn't know about 'Hook Foot'. I now have a direction. Wish me luck. He is seen with a Epiphone 335 style guitar, do you know what it was? Looks thicker than a 335. So cool. I'm still geeking out.
It's great to know I have a fellow "geek" on my side! Thank you for the kind words. So glad to hear you dig the interview. As you can tell I had a fantastic time with Caleb. He's such a humble, cool guy. Have you watched my other Elton videos? If you're as big a fan of the good stuff I know you'll like this one: ruclips.net/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/видео.html
I believe he was playing a 335. You might be able to ask him yourself. If you subscribe to his Instagram page he sometimes answers questions when people ask about guitar stuff. instagram.com/calebquayeofficial?hl=en
Thanks Jon, I thought it might be, that or a Sheraton. Both based on the 335 body style according to Epiphone. I watched his movie today also. I’m going to geeking all week. I’ll check out that other video too. Be well.
Thank you Jon for an awesome interview. I clicked on this thinking Ill give it a minute cause it's late and I want to go to bed. It held my interest to the very end and what a great artist and nice guy Caleb Quaye is. Going to go put on the Rock of the Westies and Blue Moves and listen with a new ear towards his work - brought back wonderful memories.
Thanks so much for watching them for the kind words! I’m so glad the interview captured your attention. It certainly captured mine when I was speaking with Caleb. I’m glad you’re going to go back and check out those albums; they are musical masterpieces! I hope you check out my other episodes as well as I’ve done several deep dives into Elton’s music.
Wow Jon! What a great interview with Caleb! I learned some really cool facts about Elton & the band. You've hit it out of the park again! I can't wait until you interview Elton & Bernie!!!!!
Thanks for the great compliment! If you know anyone who can set that up please let me know! 😂 I believe I could do the definitive interview! I’m hoping to interview Davey. Say a prayer I can make it happen. 😎
How awesome was that, to listen with Caleb to those songs and be able to ask him questions about the recordings. Love his playing on the early EJ records and Westies too. Would love to see you score a sit down with Davey - bet you could spend many hours deep diving with him! Well done brother!
Damn, what an amazing interview. Loved the stories and thanks for bringing some of those out with great questions. I LOVED the fact that you asked about that funky guitar part in Where to now St Peter (one of my fav's.). What an amazing career and life Caleb has had. Now I need to find some of his work while in Chicago. Of yea, and the story about going from 4 track to 16 (?) in just those 5 short years...wow. I forgot what a rockin song Street Kids was (been some time since I listened to Rock of the Westies). I may have to watch this video a second time.
This is one interview I didn't want to see end . Caleb was always like a "mystique" to me given his somewhat short tenure with the E.J. Band *Thanks Jon for sharing a lot of insight into this great musician and even greater man
Wow, that’s a great complement! That’s one of the reasons I wanted to do. The interview is that Caleb was far more involved in Elton‘s career than I even understood. Caleb is really the reason why Elton John ended up with a career. And his guitar work on all of those first 4 albums is just amazing. I’m really glad you enjoyed the interview!
Get what your'e saying, but the albums that began Elton's meteoric rise (Honky Chateu, Don't Shoot Me, Yellowbrick Rd. , Caribou and Capt. Fantastic ) Were the one's that credited (along with their photo) *Nigel, Dee, and Davey as Elton's band. Don't believe Caleb was acknowledged as a "member" until Westies even though he obviously (as you stated) contributed a lot in the earlier years
Amazing! I have so many questions! Truly love that you also grew up with Elton's music and the absolutely incredible musicians he worked with. The back and forth of the Davey-Caleb 2 guitar dynamic...WOW! Definitely putting on ROTW and Blue Moves today. My heart soared when he quoted Mark 8:36 and shared his faith. Haven't seen "Louder Than Rock", definitely doing that today. Love that we share very similar musical interests. Keep them coming Jon!
Thank you, Jon, for this. I embrace all of these programs you've done on Elton, but this one with Caleb really struck a note with me. I never knew much about him (aside from his musicianship), but to have a chance to "meet" him is wonderful. What a cool cat! Thanks again, sir!
Thank you so much for watching! I love what you wrote; and it’s so great to know that others are discovering what I discovered; that Caleb was such an important part of the story. Thank you so much for the kind words!
Great interview. I really enjoyed the way you both explained the recording process of those great albums. I play the Cajon and Rock Of The Westies and Blue Moves are my favorite albums to play. I love Roger Pope’s work on both, as well as his work on earlier albums. Ditto for Caleb. His solos on Street Kids and One Horse Town are two of my favorites. He also played a great solo on Sails from Empty Sky. You can really hear the Hookfoot groove on that song. Great interview!
Excellent interview, well done. I walk past Denmark Street and Trident Studios every week, will be thinking of Caleb and that guitar intro . Trident is still a Studio of some kind maybe Films ? Wish Elton and Caleb would play somewhere in London, the Dominion would be nice .
Thanks for watching Mike! I wanted to put some photographs of trident studios in the video; but the outside of it is so an impressive looking. There’s really not many photographs of the inside either. If I ever come to London, again, I certainly am going to check it out myself!
Wow, thank you so much for the amazing positive words! Your enthusiasm really made my day! I hope you check out my other episodes as I’ve done several deep dives into the great music that Elton released in the 1970s. Cheers!
Thanks for watching! There are some great clips from that tour on RUclips. Have you watched any of them? If you’re a big Alton fan, you should check out my other videos.
Thank you for watching, and for your kind words. Sitting with him and listening to those tracks as one of the funnest experiences of my life. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for watching! I’ve always felt like those last two albums from Elton’s classic era are underappreciated. They are very different from the previous albums, but incredible in their own right. Cheers!
Thank you for watching! If you haven’t done, so already, please check out my other videos. If you are a fan of great music, you’ll enjoy my deep dives into the great music of the 60s and 70s. Cheers!
One of the most genuine and authentic interviews I have seen in a long time. I had the privilege of seeing Elton, along with Caleb and the boys in the Pontiac Silverdome on the "Louder Than A Concorde..." tour. It was very interesting hearing his behind the scenes pov. Thanks, I am glad I found your channel!
Thank you for watching! I’m so glad you enjoyed the interview. As you can imagine it was a joy for me to spend that time with Caleb and ask him questions. He is a gracious and humble man. If you’re a fan of Elton John, please check out my other videos. I’ve done several deep dives into his music that I think you’ll enjoy. Cheers!
Yes, I have watched, enjoyed and liked at least 3 of them so far. I happened across your Elton John 1970-75 video and you earned my sub with that one! Great stuff! I have been an Elton fan since 1973, and have the collection to "prove it" lol. I look forward to digging deep into all your content. Thanks again!
@@JonBlackstone Thanks. Yeah what a cool man, and a Christian as well. On a side note, I watched an interview with Chester Thompson yesterday on another YT channel. Interview was in February I believe. Chester said Caleb had suffered a heart attack. Do you know anything about that? Thanks.
@@twominutepianoman9868 Thanks for watching! Yes unfortunately it's true about Caleb. He's at home recovering and he's doing better; but he can certainly use prayer.
I'm a casual fan of Elton, so wasn't aware of Caleb's past. Fascinating how two musicians talk about music. Also, Jon, seeing your vid on depression, I can see Caleb's struggles similarly. Glad he found his answer thru Jesus. I'm not a religious person but there is something there I haven't find for me yet, maybe religion? Still looking. Another awesome vid!
So glad you enjoyed the interview! As you can probably tell it was a great conversation. We spoke more about our faith after I wrapped up the interview. We had a lot in common. I’m assuming you sense the joy Caleb and I share as a result of our experiences with Jesus? It’s very common for people to confuse Christianity with religion; but it couldn’t be further from religion. The label “Christianity” has been applied to many movements and situations that it doesn’t actually apply to. In other words, just because people claim to be part of the Christian faith doesn’t mean it’s true. I’ll share a few things about Jesus that completely transformed my understanding of faith. First, Jesus was killed by the religious leaders who believed they were doing God’s work when they had him crucified by the Roman government. That alone speaks volumes. The term “gospel” means “good news”. Jesus’ messages was the good news that God was finally providing us with a way to be reconciled to himself. Jesus was the savior the Israelites had been waiting to arrive. He is the savior of the world. I’ve found that it always comes down to whether or not a person understands their own guilt in breaking the moral law of a holy, righteous God. Jesus was sinless; therefore he was the only acceptable “lamb of God” who could pay the penalty for the sins of mankind. God sending his only son to die for our sins is the ultimate act of love by God for his creation. Because of our rebellion we were seperated from God ; and that broken relationship could only be restored by God. Because of his great love for us he made a way for us to be made holy in his sight. That’s what happens spiritually when we accept Jesus as our savior. Like millions before me, I understood I was guilty of sinning against God (and others). When I heard the good news Jesus preached it resonated in my heart. I talked to God in a hotel room late one night and told God I was sorry for my sins and I accepted the gift of his grace. My life was completely transformed. It has given me a joy that nothing else can compare to; and a deep peace that comes from knowing I am accepted and loved by my father in heaven. Most people don’t know this; but humanity by its very nature is born into a state of rebellion against God. Romans 8:7-9 says “the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God”. Somewhere deep in my heart I knew this was true. When you come to understand the love, grace and mercy of God it will change your heart and mind. It’s what Jesus meant when he said, “I have come to set the captives free”. Once I understood the gift of salvation I was compelled to live my life with Jesus as my Lord and King. Many people live their entire lives trying to earn salvation by “being good people”; but there’s no way we can be good enough. God’s standard is beyond simply being good; it’s perfect righteousness. That’s what Jesus gives us through his sacrifice. I try to live a holy life not because I need to earn God’s favor; it’s because I know I have his favor through Jesus. There’s nothing I can hope for others that’s more important than this good news. If there’s anything I can do to help you please feel free to contact me via my website www.jonblackstone.com God bless!
@@JonBlackstone Jon, thank u for the detailed response. Its alot to take in BUT I well treat it the respect that you put into writing it. I always heard there is a difference between religion and faith but never knew what it is. Thank u again.
WOW This is Caleb's best interview. Thank you so much for doing this so perfectly💙💙💙💙💙💙 I still want to know what Caleb would say, where are the video recordings of live concerts from back then? I can't believe they didn't record them. And if not, what were they thinking? 🤣🤔🤧
Thank you for watching! I wish I had talk to ask him about live recordings. It’s really frustrating that they never made an official recording from that tour. There are some clips on RUclips. Have you seen those?
@@JonBlackstone Yes, I saw those. What shocked me was that even Elton uses excerpts from videos available on RUclips in his documentaries. So I don't know if he even has them
Oh man you’re not kidding! The drumming on that track is just unbelievable. It was a thrill to listen to that song with Caleb because I’ve always marveled over that arrangement. Thanks for watching!
A really terrific and informative interview. My partiality to Nigel and Dee had biased me against the circa 1975/76 band, but re-listening to the cuts startled me with their creativity, including the really tight, clean sound of the production. It was clear that Elton got a boost working with some different players. Keep going with this terrific content Jon!! (Just thinking if you might do a comparison video between tracks from the two bands, but reading the notes it sounds like you already have more to come)
Thanks for watching Warren! Yes to everything that you said! I have so many projects in the works; but so little time to work on them. I’m really hoping to become viewer funded sometime soon. I’d like to be producing these videos full-time; instead of driving an airport shuttle, 😆. Thanks again!
Hi Jon, it’s Paul from Oxford,England! So underrated album Blue moves! One horse town was the song that I bought and tested my first proper amp and speakers! What what is like to work with Crosby and Nash? Keep up the good work Jon ❤️👍🦈 my nickname is Sharky! By the way you are a very lucky man to be able to meet all my heroes 😇👍❤️🦈
Great to hear from you! There are a million questions I wanted to ask; but you have to go with the flow. I love your nickname. I should be able to remember that one! Thanks for the kind words!
That was actually a Christmas album I did with some friends. You might want to check out my music page. My stuff is very influenced by the music I grew up with and love; Elton, Beatles, Bowie, Pink Floyd, Stones etc. jonblackstone.com/music
Thank you for watching! I really appreciate the positive words. These videos are incredibly labor-intensive; so the kind words keep me going! Working on another one right now!
I coined an expression for players like Caleb and Roger..."pocketeers"! ❤👑🦁 I met Caleb at a party back in '75?? I think. He was excited about his new baby daughter who had just been born. Fast forward to 1980...I get a call from Elton as I was watching SNL with him telling me he was going to be in the studio that week and he would love it if I contracted the backing vocals sessions!! It was 21 at 33. Loved working with Elton. Would love to do it again... studio? Live? Phoned in parts? Whatever....❤🙏🏽 Bottom line is Jesus forever. Hey is Caleb still worship team leader at church in the Valley?
I’m so sorry I just now saw your comment! First of all, thank you for sharing your stories. Second of all, Caleb has retired as a worship leader; but he’s still a music Director at the same church. You should try and look them up. Really wonderful guy as you know. Are you still doing anything in Music?
Hey Jon. Yeah. I'm doing some fun tracks of my own. This is one of the videos with singing on it. There's one more now, and the rest are spoken word that I did music in the background Making tracks is really enjoyable for me. ruclips.net/video/esiXf9v9LSI/видео.htmlsi=7ouM_3OA9Mrxi581
From the opening guitar riff to the bottom of Davey Jones'locker this is One record you failed to mention of the EJB doc. Right. Cuz this is the new lineup. James Newton Howard intact. A monster monster record for those in the know. Street Kids is a timeless epic and Pete Townsend told me he wanted The Who to cover this . Engineer work superb!! I just subscribed and share your geekiness. Blue Moves is Elton's favorite so this oughta say something. The greatest output ever in 5 albums including the Beatles. McCartney told me in Surrey that Elton is his private favorite.
I was at the filming of this doc before the editing and I loved it. I enjoyed being there with my brothers in Christ Jesus and hanging with my fellow God gifted musicians! I just watched the finished project and and Jon once again you have captured the vision and purpose God gave! I only wish that I had listened to the voice of reason in me that kept telling me before the recording to reposition the mic away from Caleb's ear and cheek and under his chin lower to the chest😢😅😊
Thank you Juan! I was happy to have you there; regardless of where the microphone was! 😂 It’s the first time I’ve done an interview so it will be valuable lessons learned. 😎
Jon, a couple of questions for you. 1. Did ROCK OF THE WESTIES initially have a different EJ photo planned for the cover? The WEST OF THE ROCKIES tour program has clean shaven photos Elton wearing sharp clothes and a hat wherever ROCK OF THE WESTIES is being promoted within and no photos of the actual existing cover appear in the tour book. 2. My original CAPTAIN FANTASTIC AND THE BROWN DIRT COWBOY vinyl album had "Elton John Band" and not "Elton John" in large blue font on the bottom right corner. Any idea how many albums were pressed this way? I guess the dismissal of Nigel & Dee brought the change to the cover. 3. According to Gus Dudgeon, there were 4 mixes for every song on CAPTAIN FANTASTIC AND THE BROWN DIRT COWBOY. Elton chose his favourites. Do you know what happened to the other 3 mixes of the songs. If they still exist, a selection would be ideal for the 50th anniversary of the album in 2025, don't you think?
Thanks for watching! I’m afraid I don’t have any answers to your questions. I tend to focus mainly on the music side as opposed to artwork and that kind of thing. Whenever an album is mixed it’s pretty common to make several mixes of each song; and then pick the best of the mixes. I would love to hear some alternate mixes of Captain Fantastic. I hope they do something special for the 50th anniversary.
Caleb may be able to coin the phrase "an artist is the sum total of his influences," to some extent, as I believe the picaso one he referred to is "a picture is the sum of destructions."
First track on Westies should have been Street Kids. First track on side 2, " I feel like a bullet". Blue moves should have been a single album. Side 1: Tonight Cage the Songbird Boogie Pilgrim ( shortened to just over 4 and a half mins). One Horse Town or Shoulder Holster. Side 2: Sorry seems to be the hardest word. Between 17 and 20. Idol. If there's a God in Heaven what's he waiting for. Crazy Water. Caleb did get to play on the first part of BT and EJ greatest "song". Take me to the Pilot/ The king must die. In King is the line "some men are better staying sailors". EJ sings "some men are bettet slaying sailors". The userper had a derogatory nickname for this Naval person (hero), it was of course the Pilot. In Pilot is the line "I'm spent with high treason". This could mean the Userper and King are identical twins i.e. the image on the coins. In The King is the line "tell the ostler his name was the very first they chose". But why would anyone need to be told that? " like a coin in your mint I am dented". "through a glass eye your throne is the one danger zone". "his name was the very first they chose". Conclusion: The babies had been switched.
That’s an interesting lineup for blue moves. However, I think the Segway from tonight into one horse town is one of the greatest ever. I’ve never liked “if there’s a God in heaven“. It always struck me as a sort of simplistic, naïve interpretation of the idea of God. if all the other songs on your list are the same ones I would choose. However, one of the reasons I like blue moves is because of what a great group of musicians they were and the power of the music they played in the studio. They weren’t like the early Elton John band; who I see as more like the Beatles. But the later Elton John band was just a smokin, hot studio band. So I enjoy listening to the instrumentals that they did. And I think “your starter for” is just a brilliant piece of music.
@OnlyKidWithCamera I like the instrumentals but I don't love them. EJ had set himself in the very heights of popular music and to stay there he should have maintained a very high standard. If there's a God is a song. Midnight creeper is a song. Saturday nights alright is a song. Saw BT plugging his book in Philadelphia and he again stated that he had no idea what Take me to the Pilot was about. He seemed sincere .
Look dudes not to be missed whatsoever. "It's Jesus. What's it matter to gain the whole world and lose your soul". Even elton, Dylan and Johnny Cash have come to realize this. You can too. I love ELTON immensely however without Jesus,(yes foundation of the world), there's none of us and no BLUE MOVES!!
I always thought Bite Your Lip Get Up And Dance was an odd choice to end Blue Moves, it didn't fit the rest of the album which was pretty melancholy. The cover of the album easily fits the mood of it. Same way that Ticking doesn't fit with the rest of Caribou. The song should have been released as a B-side or single. There's an alternate mix of the song that's a lot better than the studio cut ( plus it fades out instead of going on and on and on) but the live 1980 Central Park version of that song is absolutely the best out of all of them. I think Idol should have been the last song on Blue Moves. Bernie mentioned in his book that song was not written about anyone in particular I always thought it was about Elvis. Or what he thought Elton would be 10 years down the road which ironically turned out to be true by 1986. Also the live 1986 Australia version of Tonight is way better than the studio cut which sounds pretty thin and sterile by comparison. That's easily one of Elton's most underrated songs. I'm a little bit surprised Caleb remembers much from the Rock of the Westies sessions because apparently everyone in the band and studio crew was completely baked and wasted while recording that one. I can practically smell the weed looking at the group photo on the back cover😄. Taupin said once he didn't remember much about those sessions because he was so out of it high or drunk.
Thanks for watching! It’s become standard to refer to the self titled album as “first album@ because so many non experts still confuse the issue. That’s why I say “Empty Sky and the first album” because in the US Empty Sky wasn’t even considered for release until Elton was on top of the world. For most people the self titled album will always be referred to as the first album; whether accurate or not.
What an incredible testimony. Well said, Caleb! I was there at Dodger Stadium in 1975 and saw you with Elton...at the top of the world. But none of that is truly lasting. It is all fool's gold, and you clearly have accepted the real deal...Jesus Christ...as your Lord and Savior. Thank you for sharing your story, but more importantly, thank you for sharing your faith!
Thank you for watching and for your cool comments! I couldn’t agree more. I love that Caleb uses his amazing career and his talents to glorify Jesus!
Amen to that Jon. @@JonBlackstone
I clicked on this expecting to watch just the first five or ten minutes of this but wound up watching the whole thing. It was very entertaining.
Fabulous interview. Thanks for posting.
Thanks for watching Holly! Cheers
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for watching!
I think Caleb's guitar work on "Ballad of a Well-known Gun" remains one of my favorites of all time. I'm so glad he turned out to be the gentleman he is (versus the old adage, "you never want to meet your heroes").
Thanks for watching! I agree with every word you said. I’ve met some of my heroes, and it wasn’t a very pleasant experience. This was a blessing from beginning to end. If you’re a big fan of Eltons music, I hope you’ll check out my other videos. I’ve done a few deep dives into his classic era. Cheers!
what a great interview with Caleb. i think blue moves was so underrated . there are so many great songs on the 2 set lp . thank you for making this happen, Jon.
Thank you for watching! It mean so much to hear from fellow fans! My hope is to interview Davey soon!
Yes, Blue Moves is an underrated masterpiece. It contains some of Elton's most mature and progressive songs. For years, it was dismissed but had a bit of a resurgence when George Michael praised it.
❤ Caleb is so good 👍💯 very talented
WowJon, that was a fantastic video. Great editing, , vintage clips and pix. Top tier work man! Thanks so much. I’m m older, but such kindred souls. I can still see EJ at my firs ever concert in ‘74 at 12yo, watching “a cat named Hurcules”.Your best work yet. Fantastic interview!
Wow thanks for the great compliment! I really appreciate it! Especially coming from someone who knows music like you do. Thanks for watching!
My favourite EJ album is tumbleweed connection. Thanks for uploading and good to hear caleb talking about the good ole days 😊.
Glad you enjoyed it! It was a pleasure to spend the day with Caleb. Thanks for watching!
Great interview with Caleb Quaye. I interviewed him several years ago and really liked him. He's a great interview, great Christian and a great musician.
I couldn’t agree with you more! The time I spent with him was a blessing. Thanks for watching!
Caleb is a diamond! I hope, and who knows, that when Elton starts recording his new album supposedly in October that he thinks of Caleb and reunites with him. Even for one song. Would love that!
Thank you, Jon!
Thanks for watching! I would love to see Elton do another album with Caleb!
New album recording is done now. Heard it during RR hall of fame.
24:35 when "Ballad of a Well Known Gun" plays = goose-bumps, from head to toe!! I still remember listening to that album in my friend's basement, whose family had the best stereo I'd ever heard. Awesome stuff, and Caleb Quaye touched my life, just as he has yours, John. Wonderful interview!!
Thanks for watching! I had the same reaction when he was talking about the session! That intro has always amazed me because it sounds so random the way the piano and drums come in over the guitar. But it falls together so beautifully. That’s the kind of thing that’s totally gone from modern music. Like Caleb said, the reason this old music sounds so timeless and awesome is because it’s played by real musicians together in the studio. Thanks for the kind words! Have you watched my other Elton videos? I think you’ll really enjoy this one: The Elton John Band 1970-75 - A Celebration of Musical Excellence
ruclips.net/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/видео.html
@@JonBlackstone Yep, watched 'em. Loved 'em. So glad you were able to produce these!!
This was a fabulous interview. I never felt that Caleb got his due because everyone loves Davey, and rightfully so. Everyone loved that 1970-75 band and were disappointed when those guys were let go. But Caleb was no slouch, either. Elton brought him in the new band for a reason and he proved his worth over and over again. He's a true gentleman. Thanks for giving this man his respect and may God forever bless him. 👍🏾
I really appreciate you taking the time to comment. I worked so hard on this video and to be honest I never felt like Caleb himself showed much appreciation for it. I deliberately went into it to present him as a complete artist not just as Elton John guitar player. Had so many people say it’s their favorite interview with Caleb. But after Caleb watched it he really didn’t say anything about it. Oh well, I had a great time making it and I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
@@JonBlackstone I really did enjoy it. The takeaway for me in this interview is that while being in the EJ band was a part of his life, it wasn't his ENTIRE life. I don't feel he was unappreciative, he just sees things differently. As fans, I suppose we expect him to react in a certain manner when we bring up these events but everyone has their own viewpoint, and he has his. He did go on to play with other acts (Hall and Oates specifically) but I just felt that while it was important to him then, it's not so much now. And that's alright. One thing I find to be depressing is when classic rock and R&B acts are interviewed and they only talk about how good things used to be and can't see anything beyond that. To them, the past will always be better than things are now. Caleb seems different, unique even. He accepts his place in history without regrets and moved on from it when he felt it was necessary. Once again I thank you for this video so we see the man for the gracious person he is. 😊
Blue Moves my favorite album by Elton Very beautiful songs Someone’s final song one of the most beautiful song ever written
53:50 and this interview earns the substance it deserves and has earned
it's just true...
I have no interest in changing anyone, or converting anyone, or preaching to anyone...
but this man's testimony is as authentic as it came out here, is as true as it can be
Wow, what a great comment! It means a lot to me that you took the time to express your feelings about this interview. It makes my work so much more meaningful. Caleb’s story had a big impact on my heart too. 😎
Powerful testimony. Amazing. Thank God for the work of you two men.
The first EJ album I got was ROTW. Street Kids is a great car driving song . Some of my friends listening to it cant believe it`s Elton
Yeah! I absolutely love that track! It has such a great groove that rocks! That’s why I chose to listen with Caleb. Thanks for watching!
The Best Interview! So Much incredible information!
Thank you! So glad you enjoyed it! I’ve watched all of Caleb’s interviews, and I went in with questions that I thought other people would be interested in. I’m so glad I hit the mark!
Fantastic interview. Thank you! Remembering purchasing the Blue Moves 8-track several times because my tape player would eat those double albums. GYR as well!
I remember Roger played a long solo in the middle of Empty Sky. Probably 75. Great music, great memories.
Mine too, I bought GBYBR twice on 8 track, both went bad after repeated listens, I finally smartend up and bought the vinyl.
Wow, thank you for the great comment! What you shared about the eight track tapes and how the machine would eat the tapes that were double albums is too funny! I had totally forgotten about that; but went through the exact same thing! Thanks for the fun memory and for watching!
I've always loved that guitar intro to Ballad of a Well-Known Gun and how it connected that groove and vocal. Great to learn of its origin.
Yes, me too! It was so cool to learn that that was a spontaneous moment. I had so much fun talking with Caleb. If you’re a fan of Eltons music, please check out my other videos. I’ve done a few deep dives into his classic era that you’ll really enjoy. Cheers!
@@JonBlackstone I'm Eltonologist. I played piano-bar versions of his songs up and down Italy in the 80s. Love the channel.
Really stunning, I must listen to ROTW....BLUE MOVE'S....I'm the biggest ELTON fan at 63 on the planet....and have never heard these 2 albums in their entirety......such a huge fan of the classic group I've never gave it a chance but will tonite...
Thanks for watching out for your comments! You must give those two albums a listen with fresh ears. I like you was shocked by the change in personnel and the change in sound but I’ve come to see that this could have been a whole new beginning for Elton’s next phase in music. Those two records are masterful musical presentations. They may not be the same style and vibe of the original Elton John band; but it could’ve been a very cool progression into a new direction. Regardless, they are definitely part of the Canon of Elton’s great work.
Jon,
I love your passion…I’m right there with you.
Thank you for watching Cindy! I’m always happy to respond to the first comment on a new video! Thanks for the kind words!
@@JonBlackstone I’ve been sharing your EJ ‘70-‘75 video to my fellow Elton fan friends. I smiled throughout that whole video. Seen Elton for my 38, 39 and 40th shows last November at Dodger Stadium…I was there in ‘75 as well, just 13 years old. Love Caleb’s perspective, all so fascinating 🤩
This is an absolutely stunning interview! Well done! ROTW is one of my all time favorite albums and I still listen to it often. Caleb is a treasure for sure…
I couldn’t agree more. Thank you so much for watching and for taking the time to comment. Cheers!
This guy plays GREAT! Never knew he played with Elton
He's a wonderful guy to boot! Thanks for watching!
This was a fantastic interview. I’ve always felt ROTW is truly a masterpiece. I was five when it was released so I only really knew Island Girl but when I got deeper into his collection I really loved everything about that album. And Mr. Quaye is truly a gentleman and a legend. Really enjoy your channel.
Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know you watched the interview and that you enjoy my episodes! I’m working really hard to put these videos together and it really encourages me to hear from people. Thank you!
always very interesting videos and background information here on this channe...Really well done with the pictures and video clips, great interview...thank you
Thank you so much for the great comments! I really appreciate hearing from people who understand the work that goes into making these videos. This interview was really fun for me and it was a labor of love to fill it out with a lot of visual content. I try to make my videos educational for people who might not know about this time in music history. I really appreciate the positive words!
Hello Jon,
when i asked who the Black guy was on Westies , i had no idea what i was asking.
Such a RICH bank of history!!!
The BLOODY CLICK TRACK oh THE MADNESS!!!!!!!!
Thanks for watching and for the great comment! It’s funny you know what a click track is. I’ve had some people ask me to describe a click track. Sometimes I forget that’s not common terminology to most people. I think I’ll do a short video that explains it. Thanks again!
Good interview.
Thank you for watching!
Great interview❤
Thank you for the kind words and thank you for watching!
Beautiful interview. Lovely man Caleb mate. Awesome my friend.
Thank you Brian! So glad you enjoyed it. It was a great opportunity!
So much respect for Caleb, what total , awesome, great , gentleman.....
Thanks for watching!
Wow!!! What insight into the early days of Elton John and the time later when he re-joined then band.
I will definitely check out Caleb’s documentary.
Another great interview Jon!!! ❤
Thank you so much, Patti! I appreciate the kind words. So glad you enjoyed the interview as much as I did. Caleb is a really cool guy and it was so fun to spend the afternoon with him. I learned a lot of minutia about those early years I didn’t know before. Thanks again!
@@JonBlackstone Just the thought of asking the questions about a session, or how things came about for this song or that. Learning how the songs were recorded and created - it must have been so thrilling to ask Caleb all those questions. Caleb was so giving in the interview. I’ve listened to all those albums as well, pouring over the liner notes, reading list of players, producers, etc - I would have had a million questions to ask him.
It is so wonderful to have a like minded person to discuss and who shares the same feelings about the music like all us rabid fans!
Totally Awesome !!!
Glad you enjoyed the show! I hope you check out my other episodes as I’ve done several deep dives into Elton’s music. I hope to hear from you again!
Great interview john
Thank you; so glad you enjoyed it! I have another episode I’m editing and should be done by this weekend. Thanks again!
Awesome interview
Thanks so much for watching! Cheers!
So interesting, brilliant! Big fan of Blue Moves. 👍
I am too! I really meant what I said about that album; I consider it one of the greatest musical albums of the 1970s. It’s always associated with the end of Elton’s great run of records; but to me it’s like the perfect cap to a great career.
@@JonBlackstone and I think it’s the deep tracks that engage you the most - Idol, ….God in Heaven, Boogie Pilgrim, Shoorah etc. keep doing what you’re doing 👍
Great interview. Thanks.
Thank you for watching! I’m so glad people are enjoying this interview with Caleb. If you’re a fan of Elton’s classic era, please check out my other videos. I do several deep dives into his best albums. Cheers!
Excellent conversation. Thanks for unearthing new information even after all these years! Motivational too.
Thanks so much for watching, and for the kind words! It sounds like you were reacted to the interview much the way I felt as it was happening. Such a great guy and such a great conversationalist. It was so fun to learn some of the minutia from the early years that I didn’t know before. I hope you subscribe. I’ve got more cool stuff coming soon!
Wow what a testimony Caleb
Thanks for watching! I found it very moving myself.
Great interview. Blue Moves is a fantastic album. One of my favorites.
Thank you for watching! It really is a very cool album. It’s so different from his other 70s catalog that it really throws people off. I’ve always seen it as the perfect ending to that long run of incredible albums. Once I got used to the feel and vibe of Blue Moves; I remember thinking this would be a cool direction for Elton to go in; a little more musically progressive. But when he released his next album, “a single man” my heart was broken. And then when “victim of love” came out, I wondered if he had been kidnapped by aliens? 😆
@@JonBlackstone That's exactly what I thought too...
Thank you Jon for asking questions about how sonically these songs came about. Excellent job. Questions I sure have wanted to ask Caleb. Also thank you for letting Caleb share his testimony. I know my life would be a mess or I would have been dead if it wasn’t for Jesus and I hope you find that hope in Jesus as well.
I do!
Excellent! All of it. Thank you.
Thank you for watching, and for the kind words! As you can tell, I enjoyed the experience myself. If you’re a fan of Elton’s music, please check out my other episodes. Cheers!
Really enjoyed this, thank you 🎶🎸😊
Thank you for watching, and for the kind words! Blessings to you!
Fantastic interview, all the right questions! Thanks
Thank you so much! I tried to ask questions that no one else asks. I’m so happy I hit the spot for you. Of course I had a bunch of others that I would’ve liked to of asked, but I would’ve kept him all day 😊. I hope you check out my other Elton episodes as well. Cheers!
Great interesting interview with Caleb. You clearly created a comfortable setting and got him engaged immediately. I love both ROCK OF THE WESTIES and BLUE MOVES. "Street Kids" is one of my favourite EJ "rock" songs ever. BLUE MOVES has more than stood the test of time - my 2nd favourite Elton album. Loved those extended versions of "Empty Sky" and "Hercules" on the 1975 & 76 tours. Caleb also had a significant part in Elton's earliest music days. Really enjoyed this interview! Thanks Jon.
Hey Douglas, thanks for the great comments! Talking with Caleb, and listening to those tracks with him was so fun! He’s such a fascinating guy; and has lead such an interesting life. Talking with him revealed some new layers to Elton’s story that I didn’t know before, I’m really glad you enjoyed the video. Hope to hear again from you soon!
Elton was moving in an interesting direction in 1975 & 76. He was jamming more onstage with his band and was co-writing songs with his band members; On ROCK OF THE WESTIES , Davey was co-writer on 2 tracks while on BLUE MOVES, EJ co-wrote 7 tracks with band members and, as your new video showed, Caleb wrote "Your Starter For..." It would have been very interesting to have seen Elton continue to move in the direction of being a "band" with multiple writers from within the band. Sadly, things ended abruptly after those 1976 MSG concerts in New York when Elton finally "hit the wall." @@JonBlackstone
Excellent interview, Jon! Caleb has such a fascinating story to tell.
Thank you for watching, and for taking the time for the kind words. Cheers!
Brilliant interview! Thank you very much.
Thank you for watching and thank you for the kind words! So glad you enjoyed it. I don’t know if you’ve seen my other videos, but I have done some deep dives into Elton’s 1970 catalog. If you’re a fan, you’ll really enjoy it.
@@JonBlackstone I did watch your videos on Elton and the band! 😃 since I "discovered" the one when you tell the story of your meeting Dee Murray and Nigel Olsson! Cheers mate
Thanks for the great interview.
Thank you for watching! I appreciate you taking the time to let me know. I hope you’ll check out my other Elton John episodes too!
I liked rock of the westies good album in my humble opinion ❤
Caleb even produced the sessions that came out as Regimental Sgt Zippo, I think, as well as playing guitar. His playing on the title track is great. It sounds like he'd been listening to Hendrix!
Agreed! He was one of the great British guitarists. Thanks for watching!
Jon, awesome interview, thanks!
Thank you so much for watching in letting me know you enjoyed it!
Awesome interview, what a great guy, Caleb! Never have known anything about him , he is amazing to pull that intro to WELL KNOWN GUN off the top of his head...thanks Jon, love you brother....
I know! That totally blew my mind! When he described how that whole intro came together, it makes so much sense and it’s so incredible. The musicality involved in that kind of playing. It’s the kind of musicality you never here in music anymore. Thank you for watching and thank you for the kind words!
Thanks Jon. Amazing interview as always. I was such a similar fan reading and memorizing all the song information from the album sleeves. Thanks for breathing new life into Son of the Father, Rock of the Westies and Blue Moves. Motivated me to spin all my old vinyl on these tracks. I am a Christian too and it was great to hear from Caleb. Love you heart Jon! Jeff
Sorry Ballad of WKG. 😂
I know what you meant! Thanks for the kind words! I am just getting started and hearing from other music fans is so encouraging. I don't know if you've watched my testimony; but I think it will bless your heart. In the interview with Caleb I mentioned how my road has been "a little hairy" at times. This is my story: ruclips.net/video/v7eePDFJGxE/видео.html
Thank you Jon For that interview I watched you movie about Elton John’s band and it gave a nice answer why he let go Dee and Nigel.
Thank you for the great comments! I really appreciate the encouragement. Hope to hear from you again soon!
Caleb is ultimatley one of my all time favourite players, Ever x10. His solos are so interestingly melodic, it engages the listener straight in, calebs control pulls you right into the music.I absolutely love it when he uses the wah wah pedel, man does he know how to wah his bluesy solos.
One of my favourite works of caleb isn't an elton one, but its when he played a forceful part on south african musician john kongos 1971 debut album. If you ever get the chance, Just take a careful listen to calebs soloing on the track, try to touch just one. Its subtle but his melody and control over the wah wah is astonishing and quite trippy. Roger pope also plays his kit on the album. As a whole the album is a must, it has that typical 70's production by the same man who produced all the great elton albums gus dugeon and in trident studios along with all the greats of the time. Hello jon, im so sorry im so late to the party, i am totally in all of all the hard work that your doing. We once talked of the amazing caleb and also the phenomenal dee murry. Blue moves from 76 , i have never understood why it never gets the recognision it so much deserves, its staggeringly musical, theres so much musically going on in chord progression changes & directions.
Its so wonderful that caleb takes great care of his overal health, hes so intelligent and wonderfully down to earth i am blown away, so gracious. Truely beautiful man. Oh and the elton music that caleb talks through with you sounds incredible, not heard some of that before. So delightfully cool and very, very humourous.😍😎 i'll be back here. Thank you friend.
Jon you are really pushing the envelope with the quality of your podcasts these days. I just finished watching the Stuart Epps interview you did and I had seen the Caleb Rockumentry, both are excellent, but this interview was really fantastic. Playing back the Rock of the Westies and Blue Moves tracks to Caleb and listening to his memories of the recordings was a real thrill, we have often wondered why Elton changed the band in 1975, I have always believed he made an artistically correct decision, Caleb and Roger were very different to the Nigel and Dee era but listening to Blue Moves now it really does sound like Eltons most adult album. Thanks for the time you put into making this podcast great stuff.
I can't thank you enough for your kind (and encouraging) words! I sincerely mean that. These videos are very labor intensive and time consuming; so it's so great to hear from people who are as excited about this stuff as I am! I have always dreamed of sitting with my artists and listening to tracks with them. I've never seen anyone else do that during an interview; most likely because content producers like myself don't make money if we use copyrighted recordings. For me it's more important that I do what I feel other fans want to see. But it also means I have to keep working a regular full time job! If enough people dig these videos I'm considering becoming viewer funded; so I can continue making these kinds of videos. I also prefer actually being with the artist; as opposed to the webcast situation. My dream is to interview artists in person and make each interview like a mini documentary. Anyway, I really appreciate your kind words. I hope to hear from you again!
I played 12 h wedding in Poland I made 1000 zł bought Rock of the Westies for 700 zl. In black market that was my 70% I spent for that album. It was 1978.
Great interview, Jon. My favorite Elton John era. I love Caleb. Real talent.
I couldn’t agree more. Thanks for watching!
Hey Jon,
Now you've done it.
I'm that nerd fan boy you'll have to deal with from the east coast.
I'm hooked.
The one and only Caleb Quaye.
I had all these albums up to a 'A Single Man', except 'Don't Shoot'
and he was a name I knew.
Fantastic interview.
Worldly, old school, professional musician.
They show you things, they don't even know they're showing you.
'No oxygen on Everest'.
Proves my point.
But, I didn't know about 'Hook Foot'.
I now have a direction.
Wish me luck.
He is seen with a Epiphone 335 style guitar, do you know what it was? Looks thicker than a 335.
So cool.
I'm still geeking out.
It's great to know I have a fellow "geek" on my side! Thank you for the kind words. So glad to hear you dig the interview. As you can tell I had a fantastic time with Caleb. He's such a humble, cool guy. Have you watched my other Elton videos? If you're as big a fan of the good stuff I know you'll like this one: ruclips.net/video/03EY5Vq-XNk/видео.html
I believe he was playing a 335. You might be able to ask him yourself. If you subscribe to his Instagram page he sometimes answers questions when people ask about guitar stuff. instagram.com/calebquayeofficial?hl=en
Thanks Jon,
I thought it might be, that or a Sheraton.
Both based on the 335 body style according to Epiphone.
I watched his movie today also.
I’m going to geeking all week.
I’ll check out that other video too.
Be well.
Thank you Jon for an awesome interview. I clicked on this thinking Ill give it a minute cause it's late and I want to go to bed. It held my interest to the very end and what a great artist and nice guy Caleb Quaye is. Going to go put on the Rock of the Westies and Blue Moves and listen with a new ear towards his work - brought back wonderful memories.
Thanks so much for watching them for the kind words! I’m so glad the interview captured your attention. It certainly captured mine when I was speaking with Caleb. I’m glad you’re going to go back and check out those albums; they are musical masterpieces! I hope you check out my other episodes as well as I’ve done several deep dives into Elton’s music.
Wow Jon! What a great interview with Caleb! I learned some really cool facts about Elton & the band. You've hit it out of the park again! I can't wait until you interview Elton & Bernie!!!!!
Thanks for the great compliment! If you know anyone who can set that up please let me know! 😂 I believe I could do the definitive interview! I’m hoping to interview Davey. Say a prayer I can make it happen. 😎
How awesome was that, to listen with Caleb to those songs and be able to ask him questions about the recordings. Love his playing on the early EJ records and Westies too. Would love to see you score a sit down with Davey - bet you could spend many hours deep diving with him! Well done brother!
Thank you for watching! I’m hoping to interview Davey. I let him know but haven’t heard back from him. 😎🎶❤️
Fantastic interview. Thank you Jon. And thank you Caleb!
Thank you for watching; and thank you for the kind words, David!
Damn, what an amazing interview. Loved the stories and thanks for bringing some of those out with great questions. I LOVED the fact that you asked about that funky guitar part in Where to now St Peter (one of my fav's.). What an amazing career and life Caleb has had. Now I need to find some of his work while in Chicago. Of yea, and the story about going from 4 track to 16 (?) in just those 5 short years...wow. I forgot what a rockin song Street Kids was (been some time since I listened to Rock of the Westies). I may have to watch this video a second time.
Thanks for watching!
This is one interview I didn't want to see end . Caleb was always like a "mystique" to me given his somewhat short tenure with the E.J. Band *Thanks Jon for sharing a lot of insight into this great musician and even greater man
Wow, that’s a great complement! That’s one of the reasons I wanted to do. The interview is that Caleb was far more involved in Elton‘s career than I even understood. Caleb is really the reason why Elton John ended up with a career. And his guitar work on all of those first 4 albums is just amazing. I’m really glad you enjoyed the interview!
Empty sky, Elton John, Tumbleweed, Madman, Friends, Rock of the Westies, Blue Moves and Regimental Sgt Zippo plus some singles. 😁
Get what your'e saying, but the albums that began Elton's meteoric rise (Honky Chateu, Don't Shoot Me, Yellowbrick Rd. , Caribou and Capt. Fantastic ) Were the one's that credited (along with their photo) *Nigel, Dee, and Davey as Elton's band. Don't believe Caleb was acknowledged as a "member" until Westies even though he obviously (as you stated) contributed a lot in the earlier years
Amazing! I have so many questions! Truly love that you also grew up with Elton's music and the absolutely incredible musicians he worked with. The back and forth of the Davey-Caleb 2 guitar dynamic...WOW! Definitely putting on ROTW and Blue Moves today. My heart soared when he quoted Mark 8:36 and shared his faith. Haven't seen "Louder Than Rock", definitely doing that today. Love that we share very similar musical interests. Keep them coming Jon!
Also, I appreciate more the that I got to see those amazing musicians like Caleb, Roger, Davey and James Newton Howard live on the ROTW tour!
Thanks Brad! You’re going to love Caleb’s documentary. It’s very profound.
Thank you, Jon, for this. I embrace all of these programs you've done on Elton, but this one with Caleb really struck a note with me. I never knew much about him (aside from his musicianship), but to have a chance to "meet" him is wonderful. What a cool cat! Thanks again, sir!
Thank you so much for watching! I love what you wrote; and it’s so great to know that others are discovering what I discovered; that Caleb was such an important part of the story. Thank you so much for the kind words!
Great interview. I really enjoyed the way you both explained the recording process of those great albums. I play the Cajon and Rock Of The Westies and Blue Moves are my favorite albums to play. I love Roger Pope’s work on both, as well as his work on earlier albums. Ditto for Caleb. His solos on Street Kids and One Horse Town are two of my favorites. He also played a great solo on Sails from Empty Sky. You can really hear the Hookfoot groove on that song. Great interview!
Thanks for watching! I agree with every word. I really appreciate your kind words and hope to hear from you again!
I always LOVED "woman of distinction" single from Caleb 1968...and use to play It on my psychedelic pop dj sets
Thanks for watching!
Excellent interview, well done. I walk past Denmark Street and Trident Studios every week, will be thinking of Caleb and that guitar intro . Trident is still a Studio of some kind maybe Films ? Wish Elton and Caleb would play somewhere in London, the Dominion would be nice .
Thanks for watching Mike! I wanted to put some photographs of trident studios in the video; but the outside of it is so an impressive looking. There’s really not many photographs of the inside either. If I ever come to London, again, I certainly am going to check it out myself!
this was freakin amAzing!!! ❤🎉❤
Wow, thank you so much for the amazing positive words! Your enthusiasm really made my day! I hope you check out my other episodes as I’ve done several deep dives into the great music that Elton released in the 1970s. Cheers!
Cool Jon - the first time I saw Elton was on the same tour you did (the 1976 Louder Than Concorde tour, Capital Centre in Landover, MD).
Thanks for watching! There are some great clips from that tour on RUclips. Have you watched any of them? If you’re a big Alton fan, you should check out my other videos.
Amazing interview! Loved the part you are listening to music with Caleb and how he talks about his movie, which is amazing by the way.
Thank you for watching, and for your kind words. Sitting with him and listening to those tracks as one of the funnest experiences of my life. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Great video Jon, I wasn't at all familiar with Caleb or his work with Elton. I am glad I learned something about him.
Thanks for watching! I’ve always felt like those last two albums from Elton’s classic era are underappreciated. They are very different from the previous albums, but incredible in their own right. Cheers!
Fantastic! Thank you!
Thank you for watching! If you haven’t done, so already, please check out my other videos. If you are a fan of great music, you’ll enjoy my deep dives into the great music of the 60s and 70s. Cheers!
What a musician... he, Roger and Kenny top class, they put Elton's sound on steroids :D
Thanks for watching!
wonderful stuff 🎉
One of the most genuine and authentic interviews I have seen in a long time. I had the privilege of seeing Elton, along with Caleb and the boys in the Pontiac Silverdome on the "Louder Than A Concorde..." tour. It was very interesting hearing his behind the scenes pov. Thanks, I am glad I found your channel!
Thank you for watching! I’m so glad you enjoyed the interview. As you can imagine it was a joy for me to spend that time with Caleb and ask him questions. He is a gracious and humble man. If you’re a fan of Elton John, please check out my other videos. I’ve done several deep dives into his music that I think you’ll enjoy. Cheers!
Yes, I have watched, enjoyed and liked at least 3 of them so far. I happened across your Elton John 1970-75 video and you earned my sub with that one! Great stuff! I have been an Elton fan since 1973, and have the collection to "prove it" lol. I look forward to digging deep into all your content. Thanks again!
I saw Caleb play in 76!
Thanks for watching!
great interview
Thank you for watching! I have some other videos about Elton’s music. I hope you’ll check them out. Cheers!
cool! thank you. will subscribe to your channel@@JonBlackstone
will do@@JonBlackstone
This was really really good. Well done.
Thank you very much for watching!
@@JonBlackstone Thanks. Yeah what a cool man, and a Christian as well. On a side note, I watched an interview with Chester Thompson yesterday on another YT channel. Interview was in February I believe. Chester said Caleb had suffered a heart attack. Do you know anything about that? Thanks.
@@twominutepianoman9868 Thanks for watching! Yes unfortunately it's true about Caleb. He's at home recovering and he's doing better; but he can certainly use prayer.
Great Interview Jon
Thank you Cheryl! I really appreciate you taking the time to send some encouragement. Thank you!
I have been listening to your interviews. you're getting good at it. Wish you the best and continue success.@@JonBlackstone
I'm a casual fan of Elton, so wasn't aware of Caleb's past. Fascinating how two musicians talk about music. Also, Jon, seeing your vid on depression, I can see Caleb's struggles similarly. Glad he found his answer thru Jesus. I'm not a religious person but there is something there I haven't find for me yet, maybe religion? Still looking. Another awesome vid!
So glad you enjoyed the interview! As you can probably tell it was a great conversation. We spoke more about our faith after I wrapped up the interview. We had a lot in common. I’m assuming you sense the joy Caleb and I share as a result of our experiences with Jesus? It’s very common for people to confuse Christianity with religion; but it couldn’t be further from religion. The label “Christianity” has been applied to many movements and situations that it doesn’t actually apply to. In other words, just because people claim to be part of the Christian faith doesn’t mean it’s true. I’ll share a few things about Jesus that completely transformed my understanding of faith. First, Jesus was killed by the religious leaders who believed they were doing God’s work when they had him crucified by the Roman government. That alone speaks volumes. The term “gospel” means “good news”. Jesus’ messages was the good news that God was finally providing us with a way to be reconciled to himself. Jesus was the savior the Israelites had been waiting to arrive. He is the savior of the world. I’ve found that it always comes down to whether or not a person understands their own guilt in breaking the moral law of a holy, righteous God. Jesus was sinless; therefore he was the only acceptable “lamb of God” who could pay the penalty for the sins of mankind. God sending his only son to die for our sins is the ultimate act of love by God for his creation. Because of our rebellion we were seperated from God ; and that broken relationship could only be restored by God. Because of his great love for us he made a way for us to be made holy in his sight. That’s what happens spiritually when we accept Jesus as our savior. Like millions before me, I understood I was guilty of sinning against God (and others). When I heard the good news Jesus preached it resonated in my heart. I talked to God in a hotel room late one night and told God I was sorry for my sins and I accepted the gift of his grace. My life was completely transformed. It has given me a joy that nothing else can compare to; and a deep peace that comes from knowing I am accepted and loved by my father in heaven. Most people don’t know this; but humanity by its very nature is born into a state of rebellion against God. Romans 8:7-9 says “the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God”. Somewhere deep in my heart I knew this was true. When you come to understand the love, grace and mercy of God it will change your heart and mind. It’s what Jesus meant when he said, “I have come to set the captives free”. Once I understood the gift of salvation I was compelled to live my life with Jesus as my Lord and King. Many people live their entire lives trying to earn salvation by “being good people”; but there’s no way we can be good enough. God’s standard is beyond simply being good; it’s perfect righteousness. That’s what Jesus gives us through his sacrifice. I try to live a holy life not because I need to earn God’s favor; it’s because I know I have his favor through Jesus. There’s nothing I can hope for others that’s more important than this good news. If there’s anything I can do to help you please feel free to contact me via my website www.jonblackstone.com God bless!
@@JonBlackstone Jon, thank u for the detailed response. Its alot to take in BUT I well treat it the respect that you put into writing it. I always heard there is a difference between religion and faith but never knew what it is. Thank u again.
WOW This is Caleb's best interview. Thank you so much for doing this so perfectly💙💙💙💙💙💙 I still want to know what Caleb would say, where are the video recordings of live concerts from back then? I can't believe they didn't record them. And if not, what were they thinking? 🤣🤔🤧
Thank you for watching! I wish I had talk to ask him about live recordings. It’s really frustrating that they never made an official recording from that tour. There are some clips on RUclips. Have you seen those?
@@JonBlackstone Yes, I saw those. What shocked me was that even Elton uses excerpts from videos available on RUclips in his documentaries. So I don't know if he even has them
Roger Pope on One Horse Town…. crazy good!!!
Oh man you’re not kidding! The drumming on that track is just unbelievable. It was a thrill to listen to that song with Caleb because I’ve always marveled over that arrangement. Thanks for watching!
A really terrific and informative interview. My partiality to Nigel and Dee had biased me against the circa 1975/76 band, but re-listening to the cuts startled me with their creativity, including the really tight, clean sound of the production. It was clear that Elton got a boost working with some different players. Keep going with this terrific content Jon!! (Just thinking if you might do a comparison video between tracks from the two bands, but reading the notes it sounds like you already have more to come)
Thanks for watching Warren! Yes to everything that you said! I have so many projects in the works; but so little time to work on them. I’m really hoping to become viewer funded sometime soon. I’d like to be producing these videos full-time; instead of driving an airport shuttle, 😆. Thanks again!
Hi Jon, it’s Paul from Oxford,England! So underrated album Blue moves! One horse town was the song that I bought and tested my first proper amp and speakers! What what is like to work with Crosby and Nash? Keep up the good work Jon ❤️👍🦈 my nickname is Sharky! By the way you are a very lucky man to be able to meet all my heroes 😇👍❤️🦈
Great to hear from you! There are a million questions I wanted to ask; but you have to go with the flow. I love your nickname. I should be able to remember that one! Thanks for the kind words!
checked out your site. you kinda have a Lennon courtry vibe , especially on Jingle Bells
That was actually a Christmas album I did with some friends. You might want to check out my music page. My stuff is very influenced by the music I grew up with and love; Elton, Beatles, Bowie, Pink Floyd, Stones etc. jonblackstone.com/music
Wonderful interview thanks Jon, keep it up
Thank you for watching! I really appreciate the positive words. These videos are incredibly labor-intensive; so the kind words keep me going! Working on another one right now!
I coined an expression for players like Caleb and Roger..."pocketeers"! ❤👑🦁 I met Caleb at a party back in '75?? I think. He was excited about his new baby daughter who had just been born. Fast forward to 1980...I get a call from Elton as I was watching SNL with him telling me he was going to be in the studio that week and he would love it if I contracted the backing vocals sessions!! It was 21 at 33. Loved working with Elton. Would love to do it again... studio? Live? Phoned in parts? Whatever....❤🙏🏽 Bottom line is Jesus forever. Hey is Caleb still worship team leader at church in the Valley?
I’m so sorry I just now saw your comment! First of all, thank you for sharing your stories. Second of all, Caleb has retired as a worship leader; but he’s still a music Director at the same church. You should try and look them up. Really wonderful guy as you know. Are you still doing anything in Music?
Hey Jon. Yeah. I'm doing some fun tracks of my own. This is one of the videos with singing on it. There's one more now, and the rest are spoken word that I did music in the background Making tracks is really enjoyable for me.
ruclips.net/video/esiXf9v9LSI/видео.htmlsi=7ouM_3OA9Mrxi581
From the opening guitar riff to the bottom of Davey Jones'locker this is One record you failed to mention of the EJB doc. Right. Cuz this is the new lineup. James Newton Howard intact. A monster monster record for those in the know. Street Kids is a timeless epic and Pete Townsend told me he wanted The Who to cover this . Engineer work superb!! I just subscribed and share your geekiness. Blue Moves is Elton's favorite so this oughta say something. The greatest output ever in 5 albums including the Beatles. McCartney told me in Surrey that Elton is his private favorite.
I was at the filming of this doc before the editing and I loved it. I enjoyed being there with my brothers in Christ Jesus and hanging with my fellow God gifted musicians! I just watched the finished project and and Jon once again you have captured the vision and purpose God gave! I only wish that I had listened to the voice of reason in me that kept telling me before the recording to reposition the mic away from Caleb's ear and cheek and under his chin lower to the chest😢😅😊
Thank you Juan! I was happy to have you there; regardless of where the microphone was! 😂 It’s the first time I’ve done an interview so it will be valuable lessons learned. 😎
Jon, a couple of questions for you. 1. Did ROCK OF THE WESTIES initially have a different EJ photo planned for the cover? The WEST OF THE ROCKIES tour program has clean shaven photos Elton wearing sharp clothes and a hat wherever ROCK OF THE WESTIES is being promoted within and no photos of the actual existing cover appear in the tour book. 2. My original CAPTAIN FANTASTIC AND THE BROWN DIRT COWBOY vinyl album had "Elton John Band" and not "Elton John" in large blue font on the bottom right corner. Any idea how many albums were pressed this way? I guess the dismissal of Nigel & Dee brought the change to the cover. 3. According to Gus Dudgeon, there were 4 mixes for every song on CAPTAIN FANTASTIC AND THE BROWN DIRT COWBOY. Elton chose his favourites. Do you know what happened to the other 3 mixes of the songs. If they still exist, a selection would be ideal for the 50th anniversary of the album in 2025, don't you think?
Thanks for watching! I’m afraid I don’t have any answers to your questions. I tend to focus mainly on the music side as opposed to artwork and that kind of thing. Whenever an album is mixed it’s pretty common to make several mixes of each song; and then pick the best of the mixes. I would love to hear some alternate mixes of Captain Fantastic. I hope they do something special for the 50th anniversary.
Wise and truthful words from the son of God.
Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life."
Amen brother. Thanks for watching.
he did an album with billy nicholls called love songs its super good too
Thanks for watching!
No discussion about Elton’s real 1st album, Regimental Sgt Zippo (Nov 67) produced and guitar added by Caleb ???
Caleb may be able to coin the phrase "an artist is the sum total of his influences," to some extent, as I believe the picaso one he referred to is "a picture is the sum of destructions."
I was very pleased to hear that Caleb’s anchor is Jesus Christ..
Me too. After the interview we talked for an hour about our shared faith. What an amazing story.
First track on Westies should have been Street Kids.
First track on side 2, " I feel like a bullet".
Blue moves should have been a single album.
Side 1:
Tonight
Cage the Songbird
Boogie Pilgrim ( shortened to just over 4 and a half mins).
One Horse Town or Shoulder Holster.
Side 2:
Sorry seems to be the hardest word.
Between 17 and 20.
Idol.
If there's a God in Heaven what's he waiting for.
Crazy Water.
Caleb did get to play on the first part of BT and EJ greatest "song".
Take me to the Pilot/ The king must die.
In King is the line "some men are better staying sailors".
EJ sings "some men are bettet slaying sailors".
The userper had a derogatory nickname for this Naval person (hero), it was of course the Pilot.
In Pilot is the line "I'm spent with high treason". This could mean the Userper and King are identical twins i.e. the image on the coins.
In The King is the line
"tell the ostler his name was the very first they chose".
But why would anyone need to be told that?
" like a coin in your mint I am dented".
"through a glass eye your throne is the one danger zone".
"his name was the very first they chose".
Conclusion:
The babies had been switched.
"Some men are better slaying sailors"
The naval hero was probably on old Admiral.
It only took me 43 years, 2 weeks and 5 seconds to figure it out.
The line "tell the ostler" is sung with a lot of emotion (pain), that is a big pointer that the first born was supplanted by his younger twin.
That’s an interesting lineup for blue moves. However, I think the Segway from tonight into one horse town is one of the greatest ever. I’ve never liked “if there’s a God in heaven“. It always struck me as a sort of simplistic, naïve interpretation of the idea of God. if all the other songs on your list are the same ones I would choose. However, one of the reasons I like blue moves is because of what a great group of musicians they were and the power of the music they played in the studio. They weren’t like the early Elton John band; who I see as more like the Beatles. But the later Elton John band was just a smokin, hot studio band. So I enjoy listening to the instrumentals that they did. And I think “your starter for” is just a brilliant piece of music.
@OnlyKidWithCamera I like the instrumentals but I don't love them. EJ had set himself in the very heights of popular music and to stay there he should have maintained a very high standard.
If there's a God is a song.
Midnight creeper is a song.
Saturday nights alright is a song.
Saw BT plugging his book in Philadelphia and he again stated that he had no idea what Take me to the Pilot was about. He seemed sincere .
Look dudes not to be missed whatsoever. "It's Jesus. What's it matter to gain the whole world and lose your soul". Even elton, Dylan and Johnny Cash have come to realize this. You can too. I love ELTON immensely however without Jesus,(yes foundation of the world), there's none of us and no BLUE MOVES!!
I always thought Bite Your Lip Get Up And Dance was an odd choice to end Blue Moves, it didn't fit the rest of the album which was pretty melancholy. The cover of the album easily fits the mood of it. Same way that Ticking doesn't fit with the rest of Caribou. The song should have been released as a B-side or single. There's an alternate mix of the song that's a lot better than the studio cut ( plus it fades out instead of going on and on and on) but the live 1980 Central Park version of that song is absolutely the best out of all of them.
I think Idol should have been the last song on Blue Moves. Bernie mentioned in his book that song was not written about anyone in particular I always thought it was about Elvis. Or what he thought Elton would be 10 years down the road which ironically turned out to be true by 1986.
Also the live 1986 Australia version of Tonight is way better than the studio cut which sounds pretty thin and sterile by comparison. That's easily one of Elton's most underrated songs.
I'm a little bit surprised Caleb remembers much from the Rock of the Westies sessions because apparently everyone in the band and studio crew was completely baked and wasted while recording that one. I can practically smell the weed looking at the group photo on the back cover😄. Taupin said once he didn't remember much about those sessions because he was so out of it high or drunk.
Why does he keep calling the self titled album the first album?
Thanks for watching! It’s become standard to refer to the self titled album as “first album@ because so many non experts still confuse the issue. That’s why I say “Empty Sky and the first album” because in the US Empty Sky wasn’t even considered for release until Elton was on top of the world. For most people the self titled album will always be referred to as the first album; whether accurate or not.