Scattershot: Life, Music, Elton, and Me

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Product Details
Price
$21.99  $20.45
Publisher
Hachette Books
Publish Date
Pages
416
Dimensions
5.4 X 8.1 X 1.2 inches | 0.9 pounds
Language
English
Type
Paperback
EAN/UPC
9780306828683

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About the Author
Bernie Taupin is an English lyricist who has worked in partnership with legendary singer, composer, pianist, and worldwide icon Elton John since 1967 and has written the lyrics for most of John's famous hits, including "Rocket Man," "Candle in the Wind," "Crocodile Rock", "Your Song," "I'm Still Standing," and countless others. One of the most successful and long-running musical collaborations in music history, John and Taupin received the Johnny Mercer Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a lifetime achievement Grammy, an Academy Award, and many more. In 2022, Taupin was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to music, and in 2023, he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He lives in Southern California.
Reviews
"I simply wouldn't write songs without Bernie Taupin. I've read every word he's ever written and there could never be enough of them to satiate my need for Bernie's way of seeing the world. Scattershot, though, is a lifting of the veil, as beautifully written as it is honest and rugged. Reading this book brought me face to face with who he truly is: an empathic genius who speaks to the everyman."--Brandi Carlile
"This is the most glorious of books. I am besotted by the life I never knew he had."--Elton John
"Orgasmic. Every page of Scattershot is a delight, a joy, a name-dropper fan's delight. Divine. I couldn't put it down."--Pete Townshend
"In Bernie Taupin's miraculous memoir Scattershot you'll meet legends, cowboys, geniuses, unforgettable faces in the night, shady purveyors of outrageous fortune, warriors of the heart, and most of all, Taupin himself. Hilarious and so emotionally true, Scattershot is like a letter from a cherished friend. You'll want to keep it close, so you can read it again and again."--Cameron Crowe
"Touching. Charming. Humble. Witty. And exquisitely written. Taupin's words need no musical accompaniment. They sing with a poet's voice."--Gary Oldman
"Eloquent and inspiring, Scattershot is a freewheeling memoir that is as warm and evocative as Bernie Taupin's most memorable lyrics. A born storyteller, Taupin gives us the life of an artist whose outlook was shaped by a rare but fascinating blend of lifelong innocence and endless intellectual curiosity."--Robert Hilburn, author of Johnny Cash: The Life
"Written in a highly entertaining, articulate style with a wickedly acidic sense of humor, this book sets a new standard for rock biographies."--Library Journal
"Fans of the two artists [Elton John and Bernie Taupin]... should check this out. For the less-initiated, Taupin has a lot to say, and it shouldn't be missed."--Booklist
"[Taupin] describes meeting [Elton John] and their famous longtime collaboration and friendship. He revisits their early years, through John's megastardom, with plenty of wild times along the way."--AARP
A NEW YORK TIMES Bestseller

Best Classic Bands, "Best Music Books of 2023"

Town & Country, "Must-Read Books of Fall 2023"

AudioFile, EarPhones Award Winner

Cleveland.com, "The Season's Top Music Books"
"A collection of amusing anecdotes assembled by a charming raconteur."--Washington Post
"A fascinating read."--Associated Press
"A memoir that doesn't skimp on wild rockstar revelations or touching tales of friendship and self-discovery... a thoroughly entertaining and enlightening read."--Daily Beast
"...[A] legendary writer... Taupin tells the story of how he and John developed the sound that would make them superstars and honestly chronicles life in the spotlight--for better and worse--giving readers a singular look behind the curtain of both incredible artistry and global superstardom."--Town & Country
"Illuminating and entertaining."--PopMatters
"Fascinating... a wild array of colorful anecdotes and drunken adventures... [with] plenty of tasty revelations along the way."--Vulture
"A great read."--New York Journal of Books

"The book is gold for any longtime fan, new admirer or classic rock aficionado. There is such a plethora of engaging stories here... SCATTERSHOT stands high amongst the very best rock-and-roll memoirs.

--BookReporter