We look back at one of showbiz royalty’s longest-running feuds as legend Rod Stewart prepares to open the Glastonbury Pyramid Stage…
Sir Elton John and Rod Stewart have kept up one of the longest running fallouts in showbusiness.
Despite having been friends for more than 50 years, the veteran rockers have remained tense as a result of a complex relationship that has turned from childish jokes to full-fledged assassinations.
In a seemingly never-ending battle of words, the catty pair have been handbags since the dawn of their lives.
We look back at one of showbiz royalty’s most outrageous conflicts as Rod prepares to perform on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage in a follow-on to Elton John’s footsteps.
Elton and Rod changed from chart rivals to friends after starting their musical careers in the swinging sixties and amusing fans with a string of escalating pranks.
Rod Rodney once described Elton as a “fierce enemy” in the music industry, but claimed that their public outbursts only started at a “playful” level before things actually started to go wrong.
In the 1970s, Elton ordered that billboards with his own face be displayed on the opposite side of the street with the message “but Brunettes make more money” when Rod started his Blondes ‘ave More Fun Tour.”
In another incident, Rod hired a sniper to shoot down blimps Rod hired to play music from the sky in another incident.
Like a married couple, we had the worst row. Rod previously admitted, “It went on forever.
In his 2019 autobiography Me, Elton dedicated a whole chapter to his dislike of Rod and makes some incredible digs at him along the way.
Rod slated him during a TV interview, thereby bringing their disdain for one another to a boil in the soul of Elton’s voice.
The singer claimed that Elton’s epic 300-date Farewell Yellow Brick Road retirement tour was “dishonest” and “stunk of selling tickets.” ‘
Rodd added that because music is not very “rock and roll,” he would never have thought to announce his retirement from the industry. ‘
In his no holds barred autobiography, Elton exacted his revenge after the public dig, which left him reeling for months.
Putting pen to paper, he scathed: “I certainly didn’t feel like I needed a lecture on the feral spirit of rock and roll from someone who’d spent most of the last decade crooning his way through the Great American Songbook and Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.”
And he continued on…
The hitmaker blasted the accuser, “He was accusing me of being dishonest about one of my biggest decisions of my life.”
Additionally, I thought he was f****** up when he complained to me about promoting a tour while he was sat on a TV show to promote his own tour. “
Rod apologised when the book was released. of various kinds.
She doesn’t like me at the moment, according to Ellington. I suddenly became disorderly. He told reporters that he was correct but out of line.
Roddy blamed TV producers for shoddy drinking before the show for Rod’s loose tongue.
“I knocked them all back with four big shots of neat vodka, and I’m a butch man.”
I thought 300 dates in three years might be a little pricey to me. Look, I am aware of his origin.
He recently gave birth to two kids, but I’m making travel plans for them. He’ll miss it, in my opinion. The next performance is on my radar. ”
Rodney, the Rocketman singer, vehemently declined to invite Elton’s young sons to play football on his personal pitch, pleading for peace.
Elton began to feel a little thaw when he claimed he wanted to end the row with his former pal in time for Christmas in November 2020.
Rod received a “big hug” and a card, but he later admitted, “In the end, I just sent an email to his assistant.”
It stated that although we’ve known each other for a while, the relationship is still under the bridge, and that I initially wanted to be p****d. Who is concerned? Good luck with your newest album. “
When Rod retorted that he would now only speak to Elton in interviews, any chance of a face-to-face conversation vanished quickly.
He will say something in our morning papers and I will publish it later that evening. We fight our battles in that manner, he said.
In an effort to resolve the situation, Elliot attempted to speak with Rod personally, but Rod’s manager informed him that he was receiving “constant vocal rest” between his performances and unable to speak.
Elton rebuffed it, “Until I realized his complete vocal rest didn’t prevent him from airing more chat shows and radio programs where he was called “money grabbing” and “slagging off [my film] Rocketman,” incensed him.
“He was happy enough chatting away on Loose Women, he just didn’t want to speak to me.
He said, “I haven’t heard from him in a while. It just seems so strange and depressing, not the least of which is because it prevents me from highlighting how much better my tour is selling. ”
In another glimmer of hope of the two pals reuniting, just before New Year 2021, Rod was asked what he would say to Elton as he appeared on a US chat show.
Rod responded, “Love you, baby.” “Good luck, and I’m so incredibly irritated that you have a Number One album. “
Source: Mirror
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