Elton John & Leon Russell

Elton John，1947年3月25日出生于倫敦。他四歲開(kāi)始學(xué)習(xí)鋼琴，曾在皇家音樂(lè)學(xué)院的比賽中獲業(yè)余學(xué)士獎(jiǎng)。隨后，Elton John迷上了搖滾音樂(lè)。并在1961年成了R&B樂(lè)隊(duì)的一名新成員。
1967年，Elton John加盟英國(guó)音樂(lè)公眾交易公司負(fù)責(zé)音樂(lè)廣告。稍后，他和抒情詩(shī)人伯尼.托平以及音樂(lè)出版商聯(lián)手合作演出。
1968年，他們與飛利普公司簽約，推出了第一支單曲《我深?lèi)?ài)你已久》，但沒(méi)能如愿沖上排行榜。1969年的單曲《薩瑪莎女士》也不見(jiàn)起色。這一年Elton John的首張專(zhuān)輯《虛闊的天空》面世。
1970年，Elton John和美國(guó)尤尼唱片公司推出的單曲《邊境之歌》，打入了排行榜第四位。同年10月，專(zhuān)輯《Elton John》也進(jìn)入了排行榜的第四位，這張專(zhuān)輯的內(nèi)容嚴(yán)肅而高雅，大多以管樂(lè)作為歌曲的前景音樂(lè)。這年，第一個(gè)Elton John翻唱樂(lè)隊(duì)成立，合作伙伴新增了姆瑞和奧爾森等人。
1971年，樂(lè)隊(duì)錄制的特別專(zhuān)輯《風(fēng)滾草的聯(lián)結(jié)》。其歌曲以古老的西部為主題，深受歌迷的歡迎，它進(jìn)入了排行榜的第五位。從此，Elton John、姆瑞和奧爾森開(kāi)始展示他們狂野古怪的音樂(lè)風(fēng)格。這種風(fēng)格形成了70年代Elton John舞臺(tái)形象的根。在一次巡回演出中他竟站在鋼琴上狂舞不已！
1972年，Elton John的音帶和演出在樂(lè)迷中產(chǎn)生了令人艷羨的反響。專(zhuān)輯《淌水的瘋子》在排行榜中位居榜首達(dá)五個(gè)星期之久。從此，Elton John成了樂(lè)壇明星。
在接下來(lái)的四年中。Elton John一路青云很快成為世界頂級(jí)搖滾巨星。這期間，他所推出的專(zhuān)輯《別開(kāi)槍?zhuān)�我只是個(gè)彈琴的》(Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player)、《再見(jiàn)，黃金路》(Goodbye Yellow Brick Road)和《瘋狂上將和黃土牛仔》(Capitain Fantastic And the Brown Dirt Cowboy)均高居歌壇榜首數(shù)周之久。此外，進(jìn)入排行榜首的單曲還在《鱷魚(yú)石》(Crocodile Rock)、《伯尼和黑玉》(Benme And the Jets)、《費(fèi)城的自由》(Philadelphia Freedom)等。Elton John的狂野的形象得到了歌迷們近似狂野的歡呼回應(yīng)。每次演出的門(mén)票往往脫銷(xiāo)。1976年，他打破了滾石樂(lè)隊(duì)在紐約曼迪遜廣場(chǎng)花園的賣(mài)座率。連續(xù)七天場(chǎng)場(chǎng)爆滿，收入超過(guò)100萬(wàn)元。
1977年，Elton John曾宣布將告別樂(lè)壇。1978年也曾決定結(jié)束他和托平直到1983年的專(zhuān)輯《低于零》推出后才終止的合作關(guān)系，但結(jié)果Elton John并未退隱。1979年，他又開(kāi)始了巡回演出，不過(guò)風(fēng)格和個(gè)性特色都平淡了許多。
之后，Elton John繼續(xù)巡回演出和錄唱專(zhuān)輯。1983年，單曲《我猜那是他們叫它布魯斯的原因》在排行榜名列第四。1984年的《悲傷的歌曲說(shuō)出了許多》排在第五。1986年的《尼吉它》排在第七。1987年的《風(fēng)中搖曵亽的燭光》排名第六。1988年的《我不想和你繼續(xù)下去》排名第二。加上1983年推出的優(yōu)秀搖滾作品專(zhuān)輯《我們站立著》(We're Still Standing)等，都堪稱(chēng)是Elton John職業(yè)生涯中最優(yōu)秀的的代表作。
進(jìn)入90年代，Elton John仍然活躍在搖滾樂(lè)的舞臺(tái)上。1992年，他在生球的巡回演出倍受歡迎。其新舊作品經(jīng)常被許多電臺(tái)爭(zhēng)相選播。
Elton John的舞臺(tái)形象以搖滾樂(lè)的發(fā)展具有決定性的影響。隨著名氣的不斷加大，他狂熱的舞臺(tái)演出由原來(lái)的卓越莊嚴(yán)變得有點(diǎn)滑稽荒謬，表演服裝過(guò)于艷麗奇異卻常令樂(lè)迷們傾倒。在演出中，他的打扮有時(shí)猶如來(lái)自渺茫天際的牛仔，有量則滿頭的金辮子配戴著官帽，就象一位香蕉共和國(guó)的獨(dú)裁者。有70年代中期，Elton John被譽(yù)為搖滾樂(lè)壇的自由神。
Elton John將傳統(tǒng)和搖滾音樂(lè)演變?yōu)閾u滾奇觀，他創(chuàng)造出的新舞臺(tái)美感預(yù)示了搖滾不再是一種情感宣泄的方式，而是大眾娛樂(lè)的一種新形式。
1994年，他為動(dòng)畫(huà)片《獅子王》(Lion King)作曲并演唱的原聲唱片Can You Feel the Love Tonight銷(xiāo)售了1000萬(wàn)張以上，歌曲本身還榮獲了奧斯卡、金球獎(jiǎng)、格萊美等多項(xiàng)大獎(jiǎng)。
1997年10月，Elton John為悼念英國(guó)王妃戴安娜，自彈自唱改寫(xiě)的《風(fēng)中之燭》(Candle in the Wind)傳遍了全球。
1999年，Elton John又為迪斯尼的舞臺(tái)音樂(lè)劇《阿依達(dá)》重新創(chuàng)作了21首樂(lè)曲。
Leon Russell的藝人檔案
by Jason Ankeny
The ultimate rock & roll session man, Leon Russells long and storied career includes collaborations with a virtual whos who of music icons spanning from Jerry Lee Lewis to Phil Spector to the Rolling Stones. A similar eclecticism and scope also surfaced in his solo work, which couched his charmingly gravelly voice in a rustic yet rich swamp pop fusion of country, blues and gospel. Born Claude Russell Bridges on April 2, 1942, in Lawton, OK, he began studying classical piano at age three, a decade later adopting the trumpet and forming his first band. At 14, Russell lied about his age to land a gig at a Tulsa nightclub, playing behind Ronnie Hawkins & the Hawks before touring in support of Jerry Lee Lewis. Two years later, he settled in Los Angeles, studying guitar under the legendary James Burton and appearing on sessions with Dorsey Burnette and Glen Campbell. As a member of Spectors renowned studio group, Russell played on many of the finest pop singles of the 1960s, also arranging classics like Ike & Tina Turners monumental River Deep, Mountain High; other hits bearing his input include the Byrds Mr. Tambourine Man, Gary Lewis & the Playboys This Diamond Ring, and Herb Alperts A Taste of Honey.
In 1967, Russell built his own recording studio, teaming with guitarist Marc Benno to record the acclaimed Look Inside the Asylum Choir LP. While touring with Delaney & Bonnie, he scored his first songwriting hit with Joe Cockers reading of Delta Lady, and in 1970, upon founding his own Shelter Records imprint, he also organized Cockers legendary Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour. After the subsequent tour film earned Russell his first real mainstream notoriety, he issued a self-titled solo LP, and in 1971 appeared at George Harrisons Concert for Bangladesh following sessions for B.B. King, Eric Clapton, and Bob Dylan. After touring with the Rolling Stones, Russell increasingly focused on his solo career, reaching the number two spot with 1972s Carny and scoring his first pop hit with the single Tight Rope. While the success of 1973s three-LP set Leon Live further established his reputation as a top concert draw, response to the country inspired studio effort Hank Wilsons Back was considerably more lukewarm, as was the reception afforded to 1974s Stop All That Jazz. 1975s Will O the Wisp, however, restored his commercial luster, thanks in large part to the lovely single Lady Blue.
In June of 1975, Russell married singer Mary McCreary; the following year the couple collaborated on The Wedding Album, issued through his newly formed Paradise Records label. Also in 1976, the Russell-penned This Masquerade earned a Grammy Award for singer George Benson. He and McCreary reunited for 1977s Make Love to the Music, and upon completing the solo Americana, Russell teamed with Willie Nelson for 1979s Willie & Leon. He then spent the next two years touring with his bluegrass band, the New Grass Revival, issuing a live LP in 1981; although Paradise shut down later that year, the label was reactivated for 1984s Hank Wilson, Vol. II and Solid State. Russell spent the remainder of the decade largely outside of music and did not resurface until issuing the Bruce Hornsby produced Anything Can Happen in 1992. The album appeared to little fanfare, however, and another long period of relative inactivity followed prior to the 1998 release of Hank Wilson, Vol. 3: Legend in My Time. Face in the Crowd appeared a year later.