“American Idol - just the worst. Take risks. Go and play in a pub”: Elton John has a blueprint for musicians who want to establish themselves and have a long career - and it doesn’t involve TV talent shows

While TV talent shows are frequently pitched as forums for breaking new artists, it’s no secret that the people who tend to benefit most from them are the creators of the shows themselves. In fact, if you want to establish yourself and have a long career as a musician, no lesser authority than Elton John thinks that they’re best avoided altogether.

While speaking to Rolling Stone UK in advance of the release of Who Believes In Angels?, his collaborative album with Brandi Carlile, John was asked what advice he would give to up-and-coming musicians who want to break through.

“Just keep trying to play live,” he says. “That’s the way you improve as a musician and a songwriter. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing to 40 people. The more experience you get playing to nobody, the better. Because when I played in Bluesology, we played to hardly anybody sometimes.”

Bluesology, of course, was the band that Elton - then Reg Dwight - founded with some friends in the early ‘60s. Although they were never a household name, they gigged relentlessly, and ended up backing the likes of The Isley Brothers and Patti LaBelle when they were on tour.

And it was this on-the-job musical education, says John, that set him up for the career that he would go on to have.

“That experience stood me in great stead for when I became Elton John because I had backbone,” he confirms. “And backbone is so important, because the worst thing that can happen to you in the industry are things like X Factor and instant fame on television where you have no experience of playing live. You get put on stage, you go, and you can’t do it. That’s the worst thing. American Idol - just the worst. Take risks. Go and play in a pub.”

Elton John, Brandi Carlile - Who Believes In Angels? - YouTube

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Elsewhere in the interview, John and Carlile discuss the making of Who Believes in Angels?, which was produced by Andrew Watt and will be released on 4 April. As previously confirmed, the 20-day recording session was fraught at times, with Elton throwing one or two of his notorious tantrums. In the end, though, it sounds like the experience was a joyous and rewarding one for all concerned - the ‘house band’ also included Chad Smith on drums, Pino Palladino on bass and Josh Klinghoffer on keys and guitar - and on the opening track, Little Richard’s Bible, Elton got the chance to pay tribute to one of his musical heroes.

“You have to play it like Little Richard,” says Elton. “He was my idol, and he was a huge influence. And it was quick to write, I have to say. I put it down to Chad just playing a hi-hat, and I put the piano down straight away, and I just hammered the shit out of it. It was such a joy to do.”