PHOTOGRAPHY BY GETTY IMAGES.
Elton
John
LIFE STORIES
As Elton John tours
Australia at 70, we
track his colourful
history. From tantrums
and tiaras to finding
himself in fatherhood,
the extravagant musical
genius has discovered
contentment in later lifeI
’ve hopefully got two or three
years left where I can have a
good time,” declares the flam-
boyant man in the colourful
glasses, crossing one flared-
trouser leg to reveal his platform
boots. It’s February 1976, and Elton
John is considering when to end his ca-
reer. “But, for god’s sake, I don’t want to
be doing this when I’m 36 or 37, because
I think it’s really pathetic. There’s much
more to be doing in life than just going
’round the stages of the world singing
‘Rocket Man’.” Little does he know that,
40 years on, he will still be at it.
Back then, the British artist – for-
merly known as Reginald Dwight – was
29 years old and on top of the world. His
records sold millions of copies, and he
was regularly mobbed on sell-out inter-
national tours. He had 11 studio albums
under his leopard-print belt and, with
songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, had
already released many of the greatest
hits of his career: “Rocket Man”, “Your
Song”, “Tiny Dancer”, “Crocodile Rock”.
The creative duo met in London at
the offices of Liberty Records during
1967, the same year Reggie started go-
ing by the name of Elton Hercules John.