Sean Callaghan
Bio
Neurodivergent, Writer, Drummer, Singer, Percussionist, Star Wars and Disney Devotee.
Stories (87/0)
Peachtree Road
In January 2004, Elton John assembled his band at Tree Studios and Silent Sound in Atlanta Georgia to record his twenty-seventh album, By this point the Elton John Band had solidified, with longtime associates Davey Johnstone on guitars and vocals, and Nigel Olsson on drums and vocals, joined by Bob Birch on bass and vocals, John Mahon on percussion and vocals and Guy Babylon on keyboards. By this time, the latter 3 had worked extensively with Elton.
By Sean Callaghan4 years ago in Beat
The Tomorrowland Problem:Part 1
When it opened in 1955, Tomorrowland was one of the original four cardinal realms of Disneyland. (The others were Frontierland, Fantasyland and Adventureland.) Walt Disney's plan was for this land to represent "A vista into a world of wondrous ideas signifying mans achievements."
By Sean Callaghan4 years ago in Wander
Songs From The West Coast
In the Summer of 2000, in Nice, France, Elton John and lyricist Bernie Taupin convened at Elton's home there to address what they considered a debacle; Elton's most recent catalog LP The Big Picture. According to Elton, he'd been thinking and reading about the praise being heaped on the duo's Tumbleweed Connection, their Band-inspired third album and reappraised his career as getting away from the goal of producing sturdy songs and consistent cohesive albums. At this new millennium summit, Bernie and Elton agreed that future albums would need to be albums they would both be happy to be associated with, admitting they had spent too many years releasing albums of varying levels of quality.
By Sean Callaghan4 years ago in Beat
The Big Picture
Considered by Lyricist Bernie Taupin to be the worst Elton John album who has dismissed it's production as abysmally cold and technical. The Big Picture came out during a difficult time for Elton. His good friend, fashion designer Gianni Versace whom the album is dedicated to was murdered earlier in 1997 and just a few months later another Elton friend, Diana Princess of Wales was killed in a car crash in Paris. In response to Diana's death, Bernie Taupin wrote new lyrics to him and Elton's 1973 classic "Candle in the Wind" which Elton performed at the Princesses' funeral at Westminster Abbey. He then recorded it with Producer George Martin and it was released as a single and became the best selling single of all time though Elton himself would later become quite dis-enchanted with it.
By Sean Callaghan4 years ago in Beat
Made in England
Elton John went into the studio to record his 1995 album still riding high on the success of The Lion King, including his very own Academy Award. Armed with Bernie Taupin's latest set of lyrics, Elton brought in Greg Penny, best known as K.D. Lang's producer, to co-produce the album with Elton himself at George Martin's AIR Studios in London.
By Sean Callaghan4 years ago in Beat
The Lion King
In the early 1990s, Walt Disney Feature Animation was enjoying its second golden age, and through a series of circumstances it enlisted the services of one Elton John, who was seeking a second golden age of his own. True, his star had not completely dimmed and his most recent albums, Sleeping With the Past and The One, had showed strong promise of an artistic rebirth. But no doubt, the agreement to write a songtrack for Disney's planned animated feature, The Lion King would prove a pivotal part of the second act for the Rocket Man soon to be known as Sir Elton John.
By Sean Callaghan4 years ago in Beat
The One
Following a stint in rehab to overcome his drug and alcohol addictions, Elton John decided to record a new album in 1992 at Studio Guillame Telll in Paris, France. He brought with him many of the usual suspects: a set of Taupin lyrics, Chris Thomas as producer, and veteran Elton John band members Davey Johnstone and Guy Babylon contributing electric guitar and backing vocals and keyboards and programming, respectively. There are also vocals from not only Nigel Olsson, but also Kiki Dee.
By Sean Callaghan4 years ago in Beat
Sleeping With the Past
For Elton John, the 1980s was a decade that resulted in several albums, with varying tone, consistency, and quality across the albums and often within them. For his 1989 album "Sleeping With The Past", he and lyricist Bernie Taupin decided to make an album consistent in tone and quality, based on the classic soul and R&B Records they both loved. To start with, Elton hired a new rhythm section of Romeo Williams on bass and Johnathan "Sugarfoot" Moffet on drums, veterans of various soul records recruited by guitarist Davey Johnstone specifically for their R&B backgrounds. Also new to the band was keyboard player Guy Babylon, a Johnstone recruit who would be a key figure in the Elton story until his death in 2009. The album was recorded at Puk Studios in Denmark over a period of 6 months, under producer Chris Thomas.
By Sean Callaghan4 years ago in Beat
'Reg Strikes Back'
Coming off the career nadir of Leather Jackets in 1986 and a victorious lawsuit against British tabloid The Sun in 1987 for false and scandolous rumors against him, Elton John sought a new start with 1988's Reg Strikes Back. Chris Thomas who produced Elton's work earlier in the 80s returned as producer. It was recorded at AIR Studios and Westside Studios in London England and Circle Seven Recording and The Record Plant in Los Angeles California.
By Sean Callaghan4 years ago in Beat
'Leather Jackets'
Released in 1986, Leather Jackets is considered by Elton John himself to be his worst album — "about as close to an unmitigated disaster as anything I've ever released" according to his autobiography . Producer Gus Dudgeon said it was a mad hassle to produce, Elton was in the thick of his cocaine addiction at the time and it was the first Elton John album since Tumbleweed Connection not to yield a top 40 hit, charted the worst and is probably an album everyone involved in making it would rather forget.
By Sean Callaghan4 years ago in Beat