My Ambition Was To Be A Record

It Is By Now Beyond Question That Elton John Is A Competent And Classy Entertainer. Few People Who Have Achieved His Popularity Have Succeeded In Maintaining His Standards For Performance And Professionalism.

To Her Audience, Janis Joplin Has Remained A Symbol, Artifact And Reminder Of Late Sixties Youth Culture. Her Popularity Never Derived From Her Musical Ability, But From Her Capacity To Link Her Fantasies Of Freedom And Immortality With Ours.

On The Surface, Rock And Roll Changes At An Amazing Pace. The Influence Of A Figure Like The Maharishi Can Appear And Disappear In A Matter Of Months. Talk About Old Fashioned Rock And Roll Finds Itself Dead Before It Begins.

Bob Dylan Was The Source Of Pop Music's Unpredictability In The Sixties. Never As Big A Record-seller As Commonly Imagined, His Importance Was First Aesthetic And Social, And Then As An Influence.

The Only Criticism Heard With Any Frequency Of Elton John's First American Album, 'elton John,' Was That The Production Was Too Grandiose. The Melodies Were Superb, And Lyrics Frequently Very Good, And The Performances Flawless.