Elton John "Don't Shoot Me..." box??

[privateuniverse]

to me it is an utter disgrace the way one of the arguably most important back catalogues in Rock & Pop History has been handled by the label.

by the time Blue Moves' 50th Anniversary rolls round in 2026 there should have at the very least been Super Deluxe Editions of all his 70's Classic Albums ("Elton John" to "Blue Moves") standardized in the same configuration as the Madman 50th, with a Book, Bonus tracks, Live tracks, Hi-Res Stereo & Surround and Video content.

i also think they should do DE's or SDE's of his better latter-day albums (2Lo40, The One, MIE, SFTWC..) and how about a Mono "Empty Sky" at last!?

@fredblue ..... Don't Shoot me......I'm only the messenger!

 

[Eclectic]

very true and i know a number of Eltonfans who bought the Madman SDE with absolutely no care for Hi-Res or Surround at all, they wanted the physical package and also the book and previously unreleased content were draws from what they told me.

Yes, I'm in complete agreement with this sentiment, and I have nothing against people who collect box sets. I've collected many things over the years, and continue to do so. All I meant to say is that there are some people who would be happy with a download. To me the, worst problem with streaming is not that there's no physical token, but that the end user rents the music rather than owning it.

 

[Sal1950]

Yes, I'm in complete agreement with this sentiment, and I have nothing against people who collect

Agreed, I used to collect young ladies but the older I got the more expensive they became.

 

[mandrix]

I would like to sit down with Mr. Taupin and Sir Elton and ask them about the songs written/sung about Americana.
I once had a, call him a work acquaintance, who's ancestry was from what he said, a high percentage of American Plains Indians. One of the songs on MMATW was especially significant to him. You could guess which one.

Another EJ song that piques my interest personally: Rotten Peaches. Seems a strange subject for a UK born person to sing about. Perhaps I'm missing something.

 

[mandrix]

....I want to add that my previous post is in no way a criticism! I'm just a curious soul. I find that many of EJ's/Bernie's songs become earworms.

 

[Sal1950]

Perhaps I'm missing something.

??? Mostly the entire Tumbleweed album is about Ole West America

 

[humprof]

I would like to sit down with Mr. Taupin and Sir Elton and ask them about the songs written/sung about Americana.
I once had a, call him a work acquaintance, who's ancestry was from what he said, a high percentage of American Plains Indians. One of the songs on MMATW was especially significant to him. You could guess which one.

Another EJ song that piques my interest personally: Rotten Peaches. Seems a strange subject for a UK born person to sing about. Perhaps I'm missing something.

Yeah--although lots of Brits (and Europeans) have been fascinated by romanticized versions of the American south & west over the years. And music from the British Isles is in the DNA of lots of different strands of American "Roots" music, too, so what goes around, comes around, I guess.

Anyway, there's this:
https://www.tennessean.com/story/en...ie-taupin-elton-john-country-music/494815002/

 

[baward]

Yes Yes... Elderberry Wine & High Flying Bird... Gonna be a Teenage Idol ... great tracks

The trouble is for me anyway, is that the whole shooting match is let down horribly by their worst ever track, ‘Crocodile Rock’. Thankfully, ‘Your Sister Can’t Twist’ from Goodbye Yellow Brick Road redeemed the rock’n’roll thing for them.

 

[atrocity]

Yeah--although lots of Brits (and Europeans) have been fascinated by romanticized versions of the American south & west over the years.

Italian westerns, anyone?

 

[WBP]

I'd welcome this, love this album, lets hope all the Elton albums through to Blue Moves get the deluxe treatment they deserve

 

[mandrix]

??? Mostly the entire Tumbleweed album is about Ole West America

Yes, but a convict in a Georgia prison? I'd like to know where that particular idea came from. Seems to fall outside of the box a little.

 

[mandrix]

Italian westerns, anyone?

I see your Clint Eastwood and raise you one Lee Van Cleef.

 

[rtbluray]

Well I'm glad I didn't jump in and say something when people had doubts because now we have this wonderful update on SHTV from the OP:

So some news today regarding Elton's "Don't Shoot Me I Am Only The Piano Player". Elton by my source has OK'd a remaster of the album. 360 Reality Audio Creative Possibilities: A Fireside Chat with Producer/Engineer Greg Penny At 08:06 Greg Penny admits he is still working on Elton's stuff which was a video he did about 6 months back as a Chat session about the 360 immersion Audio he has been doing with other artists. What you need to take away from this is that all the surround mixes have been done for years. He is refreshing 3 of them (I Am Sorry I Can't Say Which 3...Right Now) by that I mean 3 of the past surround mixes and he is working on the remaster. I mentioned Elton ok'd the remaster of DSMIAOTPP and what I should have said was he gave his blessing to do it. My understanding is its done or almost done and I was told today that a BluRay has been decided on and they have found other goodies to include. Also packaging has been decided and been given a thumbs up by UMG. So as a timeline is anyone's guess but i would say sooner than later.

I'm gonna guess this will end up being a 3CD/Blu-Ray set like Madman was.

 

[rtbluray]

it looks like we'll have to wait a little big longer for the "Don't Shoot Me..." set because up next is a reissue of "Honky Chateau":
https://us-store.eltonjohn.com/coll...-45820423&mc_cid=49060f79c1&mc_eid=1050bd52ce
Unlike "Madman" there's no box set option and therefore, no Blu-Ray.
Maybe this would be a good one for @PaulatSDE to release as an SDE Blu-Ray.
How about it, Paul? A Blu-Ray with the remastered stereo mix, 2004 5.1 surround mix (from the SACD), and the new Dolby Atmos mix (currently streaming only at the moment)
That would be your biggest seller to date!!

 

[ar surround]

What? No Bluray for Honky Chateau? That does not bode well for future issues / reissues. In the meantime, how about a vinyl bowl of Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/136357...allery-1-1&cns=1&sts=1&organic_search_click=1

 

[key_wiz]

I would like to sit down with Mr. Taupin and Sir Elton and ask them about the songs written/sung about Americana.
I once had a, call him a work acquaintance, who's ancestry was from what he said, a high percentage of American Plains Indians. One of the songs on MMATW was especially significant to him. You could guess which one.

Another EJ song that piques my interest personally: Rotten Peaches. Seems a strange subject for a UK born person to sing about. Perhaps I'm missing something.

Bernie had an obvious fascination with Americana and especially the south that came from watching American movies and TV westerns as a kid.

Sitting with Elton probably wouldn’t tell you much on the subject other than him telling you they were all Bernie’s lyrics.

 

[quicksrt]

I met Elton quite a few times in the lates 80s and early 90s. I recall telling him I liked the deep track "Blues For Baby and Me" - and he told me he hated it. LOLOL!

I went to see him perform at the Hollywood Bowl around 1988. He did a stellar version of "Have Mercy On the Criminal" that night. Best song of the night. Well, maybe "Sorry Seems to Be The Hardest Word" might have actually been the most emotional moment. I've only seen about 3 or 4 shows at the Bowl, as it sucks big time unless you are upfront. It's a slight narrow place with long deep rows. So you can end up far away very easily. Plus there is a noise ordinance that keeps sound levels down to a minimum, so it you go see the Who there (like I did), and you are not close to the front, it simply does not sound loud enough. And for the Who one needs it loud!

The Greek Theater which is a similar type of amphitheater in LA is much nicer, easier parking, louder sound, and in a beautiful area. There is a reason Hot August Night (and all Greek Theater recordings) sounds amazing, and Hollywood Bowl recordings are always shitty sounding.

Anyway, getting off track here. Don't Shoot Me is imo Elton's most consistent album after GBYBR.

 

[barfle]

What? No Bluray for Honky Chateau? That does not bode well for future issues / reissues. In the meantime, how about a vinyl bowl of Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player:

View attachment 88062

Serious warping problem!

 

[fredblue]

What? No Bluray for Honky Chateau? That does not bode well for future issues / reissues. In the meantime, how about a vinyl bowl of Don't Shoot Me I'm Only The Piano Player:

https://www.etsy.com/listing/136357...allery-1-1&cns=1&sts=1&organic_search_click=1
View attachment 88062

"throw some bowl of your own, amigo!
throw some bowl of your own!"

 

[mandrix]

Bernie had an obvious fascination with Americana and especially the south that came from watching American movies and TV westerns as a kid.

Sitting with Elton probably wouldn’t tell you much on the subject other than him telling you they were all Bernie’s lyrics.

Yeah. After meeting more than a few music people over the years, nothing surprises me, really. Songs are written on buses, planes, backrooms, hotel rooms, practice, wherever. I'm ever curious though.