Certainly! Here’s a revised version in UK English:
Elton John has never been known for his mild-mannered approach to superstardom. Throughout his career, he’s consistently aimed for larger-than-life endeavors, whether crafting mainstream ballads or contributing beautiful music for film soundtracks. While John’s foresight regarding timeless creations might not always be spot-on, one of his most acclaimed songs led to a rift between him and Rod Stewart.
Reflecting on John’s professional choices, he hasn’t always hit the mark. This is the same musician who initially disliked the sound of ‘Don’t Let the Sun Go Down on Me’ and famously doubted Queen’s ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ as a potential single. It begs the question whether there might be a few blind spots behind those colossal lenses he wore on stage.
However, John wasn’t overly concerned, consistently delivering unforgettable hits across his career, despite occasional misjudgments. As he soared to immense success with albums like Goodbye Yellow Brick Road, rock band The Who was embarking on their ambitious project, the film adaptation of Tommy.
Given Tommy’s status as one of the pioneering concept albums, Townshend’s tale of a deaf, dumb, and blind boy was ripe for a cinematic translation. Enlisting rockstars alongside actors like Jack Nicholson, John eventually took the spotlight to perform his rendition of the album’s hit, ‘Pinball Wizard’.
Initially, when Townshend reached out to musicians for the role, Rod Stewart, riding high on albums like Every Picture Tells a Story, was his first thought. Although Stewart saw potential in the opportunity, John dissuaded his friend from taking the part.
Recalling Stewart’s interest in the project, John said, “They wanted me to be the Pinball Wizard’, I said, ‘Don’t touch it with a barge pole’”. However, when Townshend approached John for the same role, the pianist saw it as a refreshing departure from his usual repertoire.
Playing to his strengths, John delivered an impressive glam-infused rendition of the original song, injecting vibrant piano melodies to complement Townshend’s impressive strumming on the recorded version. While John felt the performance went excellently, he acknowledged there might have been some resentment from Stewart.
Following his cameo in the movie, John sensed Stewart’s lingering resentment, stating, “Of course, I did it, and it was an amazing success, the film and the ‘Pinball Wizard’ track, and I don’t think Rod’s quite forgiven me for that”. Despite both John and Stewart maintaining a reasonably cordial relationship over the years, it must sting for Stewart to have missed out on such a significant moment in rock history.
