since 1988 THE MAG inside this issue: Elton's summer Solo shows reviewed Millennium Ticket prices discussed Elton & David talk about their new film Special offer: 'Elton 2000' candles Announcing: Hercules fan conventions December 1999 Issue No: 49 Fanzine of the Elton John THE MAG Fan Club Issue No. 49 FAN CLUB INFORMATION DECEMBER 1999 Annual membership fee is £14 in the UK/Europe HERCULES Chief Editor and £17/US$30 for the USA and Rest of the World. Tammi Law 49 Horseshoe Crescent, Please note that your renewal date is printed on Peatmoor your address label in European format Swindon SN5 5AX, U.K. day/month/year. Tel. +44 (0)1793 881 264 [email protected] Membership passes are available from your local Editorial Assistants: George Matlock HERCULES department: send a small photo of Barbara Turner yourself when requesting your pass. David Wright Urpu Kallio Please don't send enquiries or fan mail to the Elton (Hercules Nordic) John management, but to HERCULES Coordination. Francoise Linden-Gilles (Hercules Francais) Letters will be passed on if necessary. Design: HERCULES is a quarterly publication released in Turnstyle Design March, June, September and December. In event of Translations: CONTENTS Sabine Asenkirschbaumer circumstances beyond our control, there is no Stefanie Ganter guarantee for punctual shipment. It is published in Mireille Mölbert FEATURES English and German. For subscription details, Summer of Fun please write to your local Elton’s summer solo Printed articles do not necessarily reflect the editors' HERCULES department shows ..............................8 opinions. All information is based on the best of or to HERCULES Coordinaton: Solo Sets... knowledge and belief. Reproductions permitted only HERCULES Coordination UK/US solo sets c/o Stephan Heimbecher compared ....................13 by prior arrangement with HERCULES. Orleansstr. 59 D-81667 München, Tick(et)ing... Member participation is always welcome. We are with Elton into the GERMANY next millennium ........14 thankful for your submissions of any kind: reports, Tel. +49 (0)89 48900369 Fax +49 (0)89 48900370 Pacing 1040 miles articles, photos, drawings, and suggestions. Please [email protected] Hercules follows send them to the Editor, Tammi Law. Please the tour ........................16 HERCULES Fan Adviser understand that we cannot always publish all c/o Mireille Mölbert Heart in the Right Place contributions. All photos will be returned. Zaunweg 11 Interview with Elton D-80805 München, & David Furnish ........17 UK Hotline 0906 888 20 20 (60p per minute) GERMANY The Son of your Father Tel. +49 (0)89 3244146 Hercules chats with EJ’s USA/Canada Hotline 815/293 3843 [email protected] second cousin ............18 Web site http://www.eltonfan.com HERCULES USA/Canada c/o Sharon Kalinoski SPECIAL OFFERS P.O. Box 398 COPYRIGHT: HERCULES La Grange, IL 60525, USA Elton 2000 Candles ......19 [email protected] Deadline for Issue No. 50 is 1 February 2000 REGULARS HERCULES U.K. P.O. Box 315 Between 17 and 20 No. 50 will be released Richmond Elton trivia & gossip ..18 1 March 1999 Surrey TW9 3QX, UK [email protected] Club Information ............2 HERCULES Benelux Convention Reports......20 c/o Arjen Buikstra Letters to the Editor......22 Sav. Lohmannstr. 1 Front cover: NL-3214 XA Zuidland Lyric Quiz ......................20 Tel. +31 (0)1881 451511 Harewood House, Aug '99 News Bullets ....................4 [email protected] (Photo: T Marshall) Assistant: Tim Blezer Small ads ........................26 HERCULES Italy Take Me Down To Back cover: c/o Luca Zerbini The Ocean - Rockford I.L. USA, Sept '99 Via Scheiwiller n.9/A EJ web site reviews ....21 (Photo: S. Kalinoski) I-20139 Milano, ITALY [email protected] Tour Dates ......................27 2 Hercules. The Elton John Fan Club FROM THE EDITOR... One of the more surprising news items about Elton is the revelation that he has recently been running competitively in long-distance races! When lton has certainly proved competing, he keeps his identity that he’s feeling better since quiet, but not surprisingly he has Ehis heart operation in the been recognised by one or two summer. Not only has he people as he makes his way returned to work - but it seems round the course. See page 6 for he’s even busier than ever more details. before! It would appear that the His hugely enjoyable and bitterness between Elton and his Elton live - 1982 successful Solo Tour continued previous manager John Reid with lots more sell-out shows continues. Elton has been quoted throughout USA and Canada, as saying "As far as I’m during October and November. concerned, John Reid doesn’t In between concerts, EJ found exist any more". Not surprising time to fly to other continents to then, that re-arranging the letters appear at various special events of “Elton John (Reginald Dwight)” and charity performances. See gives us “Tangled long with John our News section for details. Reid”! The Solo Tour continues next You have probably noticed year with more European dates lots of extra insert sheets with in the summer. See the Tour this issue of The Mag. We had Dates section on page 27 for full so much to tell you about, and listings known at time of going to various items for you to order, press. And the good news is - that we felt it best to include Hercules have again been able to separate Order Forms rather than ask you to rip out pages of your secure seats to offer to club fanzine! members in the PREMIUM Our regular "Just for Fun" lyric sections of some of the German quiz to test your Elton-knowledge Elton live - 1984 concerts in June 2000, ensuring has a festive feel for this that real fans get the best seats! Christmas issue. Give it a go. Everyone was sent an Infoletter at Congratulations to long-time the beginning of November Hercules member and huge Elton offering the tickets through the fan John Michie, who became a fanclub. We make no profit on father in November to baby the tickets. More details later in Chloe. this issue. All that remains is to wish One of the other events you all a Merry Christmas and which Elton attended during Happy New Year. And how many time-out from his hectic concert of us will be listening to at least schedule, was the World Premier one Elton song on New Year’s of Rocket Pictures first film, Eve, billed as the "biggest party Women Talking Dirty. On the in a 1000 years"?! Most of us, I day of the premier, EJ and his expect! Have a good time...... partner David talk about the pressures of putting the film together, and how Elton reacted during the final few moments before his operation, on page 17. Elton live - 1985 Quarterly Fanzine. Issue 49. December 1999 3 NEWS BULLETS... Full details of the following news items have appeared on our Hotline and Web-site CANADIAN TANTRUM say, nothing illegal was found on And towards the end of the baord EJ’s private jet. Elton was first leg of the current US/Canada Elton nearly cancelled the reported to have said it was Solo Tour, Elton played his 48th concert in the Canadian city of 'shoddy treatment' which leaves a and 49th (sold out) shows at New Winnipeg on November 15, 1999 negative tone in the mind of a York's Madison Square Garden, after an apparent wrangle with performer," Donnelly added. "The Oct. 15 & 16. These near 3 hours customs officials. Newspapers Stones and Guns N' Roses get shows were full of energy and said Canada Customs cleared through with more courtesy. It emotion: Elton played a great Elton in approx. 10 minutes but was Elton's first concert ever in version of "Philadelphia took two hours to process his the Prairie city, and he promised Freedom", an extended intro to five-person entourage! This led to return to Winnipeg after "Take Me To The Pilot", and Elton to threaten cancellation of receiving a warm reception from seemed almost unstoppable his show and forcing the city's the crowd.” during "Rocket Man" and the solo openly gay mayor, Glen Murray, part in "Burn Down The Mission". to step in and calm the waters. NEW ALBUM NEWS? EJ included John Lennon tribute "Empty Garden" as well as a At the time of going to press, beautiful version of "Harmony". Hercules have had no official news about a new EJ album. At ELTON SECOND BIGGEST one time, there was a rumour that Elton would be in the studio SELLER OF THE DECADE at the end of 1999, with an album due for release in the The Spice Girls' debut Spice Spring. He then announced all was the biggest-selling album of the extra US Solo shows which the decade, creaming an kept him busy during October estimated taking of £20 million. and November. However, as Elton took second place with The reported earlier in the year, Elton Lion King (at £14 million sales) and Tim Rice have completed 10 and Oasis are at number four with songs for the DreamWorks What's The Story? (Morning animated movie El Dorado, Glory), earning £12 million, EJ stepping down from his Private Jet which is expected to be released beating their idols the Beatles, in Winnipeg, Nov 15. in March 2000. whose Anthology Vol 1 rests in seventh place with £8million. "He was very upset, but when PHONE JAMMER! Elton gains more than one entry. Sir Elton discovered we were both The list of what the nation's gay and I did lots of AIDS work, it Elton will kick off his solo pop stars are worth was compiled helped,'' Murray was quoted as tour in the year 2000 with two by Cliff Dane, the industry's saying in the tabloid Winnipeg concerts in Honolulu, Hawaii on financial expert, in Rock Accounts Sun.