Why are we seeing so many music documentaries lately?

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Music documentaries about famous singers and musicians are quickly becoming the norm. This is due to movie directors and actors bringing life and providing nostalgia to those who watched the musicians grow up. It also brings music to a new audience who is interested but might not have been born when the musicians were in their prime.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">It appears that fans can no longer resist a peek into the backroom world that their favourite musicians inhabited.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, Gennaro Castaldo, of the record label trade association the British Phonographic Industry, isn’t surprised.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“A compelling synergy exists between movies and music,” he told </span><em><a href="https://www.theguardian.com/film/2019/jul/21/why-music-documentaries-are-all-over-our-screens-beyonce-bob-dylan"><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Guardian</span></a></em><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“With a slew of highly anticipated music documentaries either out, or due for release soon, fans can get close to the icons they love, from Led Zeppelin and Leonard Cohen to Beyoncé and PJ Harvey, so we can expect another surge in sales and streams.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">He credits the success of Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman to the surge in sales and streams, despite claims that these films are fictionalised and not a realistic account of what the rock stars went through.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The phenomenal success of recent biopics celebrating the work of Queen, Elton John and Abba underline just how fantastic a medium film is for music – culturally but also commercially in terms of the huge global reach it can provide at the cinema and then in the home,” said the BPI’s Castaldo. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Movies provide the perfect emotional context for a piece of music that help to enhance its power and to profoundly resonate with the audience.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“In the process, this can reawaken the public’s love of classic repertoire, or of a particular artist, and encourage the next generation of fans to discover music that is new to them.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">However, film critic Nick James says that a documentary that is strong on sentiment doesn’t always work.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I prefer a documentary to a rock biopic anyday, but I’m wary of nostalgia,” James said. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Marianne &amp; Leonard</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is heartfelt and honest, but it’s still to a degree in thrall to the ‘sexual revolution’ whose utter destructiveness it chronicles. [Leonard] Cohen comes out of it badly, but we probably need to see those feet of clay.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Fans are responding with their wallets, and it’s looking like that’s the way that companies are going to go: fictionalised accounts of their favourite musicians instead of authentic and gritty stories about their imperfect heroes.</span></p>

Music

Elton John and Taron Egerton drop music video for original Rocketman duet

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">If you’re a fan of the new Elton John biopic </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rocketman</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">, you’ll be pleased to know that there’s a new music video for one of the original songs in the film.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sir Elton John announced the new music video on his Twitter account, saying that the film clip for the original song </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> is now on YouTube. </span></p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">Check out the video for '(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again' - my new duet with <a href="https://twitter.com/TaronEgerton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TaronEgerton</a>: <a href="https://t.co/vFXBBVeQ5C">https://t.co/vFXBBVeQ5C</a><br /><br />It's from the hit film <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rocketman?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rocketman</a> - where Taron’s widely-praised performance is currently moving audiences to tears and laughter in cinemas all over the world.<br /><br />Elton xx <a href="https://t.co/HMRYwVhBu7">pic.twitter.com/HMRYwVhBu7</a></p> — Elton John (@eltonofficial) <a href="https://twitter.com/eltonofficial/status/1139276256812228608?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">13 June 2019</a></blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The music video features clips from the original film and is from the closing credits of </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rocketman</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Sir Elton John is played by Taron Egerton, who has received nothing but praise for his role in the film.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The new song was written by Sir Elton John as well as his writing partner of more than 50 years, Bernie Taupin. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The 72-year-old told </span><span style="font-weight: 400;">GMA</span><span style="font-weight: 400;"> that he had a duet with Taron Egerton in mind.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"I wanted to write a song that Taron and I could sing," he said. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"It's really fantastic. I'm so happy. It sounds like an old end of ‘60s, early ‘70s song.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"He sings it brilliantly, and I'm glad we've got something on record together."</span></p> <div class="embed-responsive embed-responsive-16by9"><iframe class="embed-responsive-item" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/0LtusBN3ST0"></iframe></div> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Rocketman</span><span style="font-weight: 400;">'s music producer, Giles Martin, revealed back in February to </span><a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/entertainment/music/113534786/elton-john-and-taron-egerton-release-music-video-for-their-original-rocketman-song"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Stuff</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;"> when promoting the film that Elton thought 29-year-old Egerton sang his songs better than anyone. </span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"Elton said, 'I don't think I have heard anyone sing my songs better than Taron'," Martin revealed.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">"And the great thing about Elton is he wants Taron's interpretations of his songs."</span></p>

Music

Rocketman: Inside Elton John and Taron Egerton’s special friendship

Music

“Don’t be soft”: Inside Elton John’s complicated relationship with his father

<p>Elton John’s relationship with this father Stanley Dwight can be defined in three words, according to his new biopic <em>Rocketman</em>: “Don’t be soft.”</p> <p>The quote comes from a heartbreaking scene in the film, where a young Elton asks for a hug from his father.</p> <p>"When are you going to hug me?" asks a young Elton. "Don't be soft," replies his unforgiving father.</p> <p>The film continues to show the strained relationship between the pair as cold and unloving, with Elton’s father Stanley Dwight doubting his talents, questioning whether or not he is capable of receiving a scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music, and shaming him for practicing his scales on the piano.</p> <p>Elton has written about his complicated relationship with his father in <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/elton-john-billy-elliots-dad-does-what-mine-never-could-dhrk8639bqt" target="_blank"><em>The Sunday Times</em></a>, explaining that he was “a tough and unemotional man”.</p> <p>“Hard. In the RAF. He was dismissive, disappointed and finally absent. I just wanted him to acknowledge what I’d done. But he never did,” Elton wrote for the publication.</p> <p>Elton initially thought that his father didn’t understand children, but quickly realised that wasn’t the case.</p> <p>“He left us, remarried and had another family, and by all accounts was a great dad to them. It wasn’t children. It was me,” he wrote.</p> <p>However, Elton’s half-brother Geoff Dwight said that the allegations within the film are just not true.</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en-gb"> <p dir="ltr">Elton John accused of lying about his 'neglectful' father in movie <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rocketman?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rocketman</a> <a href="https://t.co/mB5HxBmOBl">https://t.co/mB5HxBmOBl</a> <a href="https://t.co/2QyNDEAgVB">pic.twitter.com/2QyNDEAgVB</a></p> — Mirror Celeb (@MirrorCeleb) <a href="https://twitter.com/MirrorCeleb/status/1135105093903278080?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">2 June 2019</a></blockquote> <p>“That's not the Dad I remember,” said Geoff, one of Stanley's four younger sons by his second marriage to <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-7094579/Elton-Johns-father-proud-brother-reveals-accuses-singer-betrayal-new-film.html" target="_blank"><em>The Daily Mail</em></a>. </p> <p>“Dad had a big heart and he loved us all equally. He was incredibly proud of Elton and everything that he achieved.”</p> <p>Geoff has lived a quiet life, but due to the popularity of the film, has felt the urge to speak out against the allegations of his late father.</p> <p>“This coldness, it's a million miles away from what Dad was like,” he said.</p> <p>“He was a product of a time when men didn't go around hugging each other and showing their feelings every minute of every day, but he had plenty of love in him for all of us.”</p> <p>Geoff then goes on to refute the opening scene of<span> </span><em>Rocketman</em>, where Stanley comes home from a lengthy posting overseas and demands dinner instead of reuniting with his son.</p> <p>“I just cannot believe that,” exclaimed Geoff.</p> <p>“Dad was the one who registered Elton's birth. He was there when Elton was born and he did not stop caring.”</p> <p>Geoff also dismissed the claim that Stanley was unsupportive of Elton’s musical talents.</p> <p>“Dad encouraged all of us to be musical. He was in a swing band himself, so I see no reason why he'd have thwarted Elton.</p> <p>“I was hopeless on the piano, so Dad left a guitar and a trumpet out for me with a few teach-yourself books. That doesn't sound like a man who discourages his kids.”</p> <p><em>Rocketman</em><span> </span>is in cinemas now.</p>

Music

"I was a virgin until I was 23": Elton John gets candidly honest about sex, drugs and rock 'n' roll

<p>Legendary music star Elton John has gotten very candid and honest about his journey in the new film <em>Rocketman</em>, which is a biopic about his life and path to stardom.</p> <p>The new film stars Taron Egerton as Elton and <em>Bodyguard<span> </span></em>and<em><span> </span>Game of Thrones s</em>t<em>ar</em> Richard Madden as his manager and lover, John Reid.</p> <p>In a new interview, Elton has revealed that he was a virgin until he was 23 – and this is played out in the film. </p> <p>“If I am telling my story, it has to be honest,” the now 72-year-old singer told the <a rel="noopener" href="https://www.mirror.co.uk/3am/celebrity-news/elton-john-reveals-didnt-joyous-16180367" target="_blank"><em>Mirror</em></a>.</p> <p>“I was a virgin until then. I was desperate to be loved and desperate to have a tactile relationship.</p> <p>“When they tear their clothes off in the movie, that was how it happened. It was in San Francisco.”</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx7FGRcD_4j/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bx7FGRcD_4j/" target="_blank">Many people have been asking me how I felt after watching the musical fantasy film #Rocketman. Check out the article in today’s Observer Magazine to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth. Here’s the link: https://www.theguardian.com/global/2019/may/26/elton-john-in-my-own-words-exclusive-my-life-and-making-rocketman?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other @rocketmanmovie @obsmagazine</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/eltonjohn/" target="_blank"> Elton John</a> (@eltonjohn) on May 26, 2019 at 3:54am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Elton has also said that he wanted the film to celebrate gay lovemaking.</p> <p>“I’m so glad it’s in there because I am a gay man and I didn’t want to airbrush it under the carpet,” he said.</p> <p>“This is who I am and I was so joyous. When he is lying in my arms and I’m sitting back with a smile, I’m thinking, ‘Ah, I’m normal, I’ve had sex.’</p> <p>“When I grew up, my father told me if I masturbated, I’d go blind. At 13 years of age, I started to have glasses and I went, ‘Oh my God! This is coming true!’” he laughed.</p> <p>Elton added: “I’m proud<span> </span><em>Rocketman</em><span> </span>is the first major studio film with a gay love sex scene in it. If I’d left it out, I’d have felt I was cheating people.</p> <p>“If they don’t like it, I understand, but it’s part of who I am. That night was a very, very important part.”</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BxxgK0Nj3cK/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BxxgK0Nj3cK/" target="_blank">Happy Birthday, Bernie! 🎂 Your friendship changed my life and this month, the world can see it told in the #Rocketman 🚀 movie. Have an amazing day, I love you @bernietaupinofficial. 🚀 @rocketmanmovie</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/eltonjohn/" target="_blank"> Elton John</a> (@eltonjohn) on May 22, 2019 at 10:38am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>Elton believes that he was saved by his partner of 25 years, David Furnish, 56, as well as their two children, Zachary, 8, and Elijah, 6.</p> <p>“There are still parts of being a performer which will lead to the dark side. But it doesn’t last long because I have David and I’ve my children. When my children are around, I never feel dark. I would never have thought I would be in a relationship for 25 years. I couldn’t last with any relationship because drugs came into it.”</p> <p>The film is set in the late 1960s and early 1970s and begins with Elton in rehab. The storyline is told in flashbacks and the singer-songwriter has been sober for almost 29 years.</p> <p>Elton explained: “Even though I was in a terrible state and I was doing a lot of drugs, I still kept working, I still kept making records and still kept touring and the music kept me alive. If I had stopped, I wouldn’t be here. It’s ­difficult to watch because I thought, ‘God, I don’t want to go back there.’”</p> <p><em>Rocketman</em> is in cinemas from this Thursday.</p>

Music