Elton John: Goodbye Yellow Brick Road. The Making of an Epic Album (Milestones) Paperback – August 29, 2025

Released on 5 October 1973, Goodbye Yellow Brick Road was the peak of Elton John’s trajectory up to that point and would establish itself as the pinnacle of his career, one of the longest and most prolific in rock history. An epic double album that followed the successes of Honky Château and Don’t Shoot Me, I’m Only the Piano Player, it combinedElton’s flamboyant musical inventiveness with Bernie Taupin’s imaginative lyrics, with both writers at their peak.An album imbued with film heroes and heroines (Marilyn Monroe, Roy Rogers), unconventional female figures, fantasy characters invented by Taupin and brought to life by the incredible variety of Elton John’s musical scenarios, ranging from rock ‘n’ roll to pop, from country to music hall, in a vocabulary of genres that are unforgettable.Goodbye Yellow Brick Road: The Making of an Epic Album tells the story of Elton’s masterpiece – an ambitious LP in the tradition of The Beatles’ “White Album” but recorded mostly in just 16 days in the studio! – with an historical approach. Through a large collection of vintage interviews, exclusive information and rare sources, all of which help to paint the most complete picture of this iconic rock album that continues to amaze and attract new buyers and listeners, the authors fill a gap in the Elton John bibliography with the first book dedicated to this record. The aborted sessions in Jamaica, the return to the familiar Château d’Hérouville in France, the fast and efficient recording process by Elton and his band, the overdubbing and mixing decisions, the story behind the cover, the critical and commercial success of the album, its never-ending legacy: the volume explores all the aspects that made this a legendary record. All the songs – including the other material from the sessions and the single “Step into Christmas” – are analysed in detail through the words of their creators and the musicians who were in the studio with Elton, and for the first time their exact recording order and dates are also revealed. Some technical notes on the playing, from the musicians themselves and from some experts, enrich the song entries and add a further degree of accuracy. A must for all Elton John fans and rock music lovers alike. Read more