Crimes of Passion

Among the vast catalog of Elton John and Bernie Taupin, a few rare compositions were never officially released by Elton himself. One of these hidden gems is "Crimes of Passion," a collaboration between Elton John, Bernie Taupin, and Davey Johnstone that found a unique path: it was recorded and released only by the band Public Domain, led by Billy Trudel, in 1998.

The Origin of "Crimes of Passion"

"Crimes of Passion" emerged during Elton John's songwriting sessions in the second half of the 1980s. It is believed that the song was originally written around the time of the Leather Jackets album (1986), although it was never officially released by Elton. According to some collectors' sources, the track was considered "too personal" by Elton at the time, which may have led to its exclusion from his main catalog.


It was Davey Johnstone, Elton's longtime guitarist and musical partner, who introduced the track to Billy Trudel, with whom he had previously collaborated on other projects. With the approval of Elton John and Bernie Taupin, Trudel was authorized to record the song with his own band, Public Domain.

The Radio Nights Album (1998)

In 1998, Public Domain released the album Radio Nights, which included "Crimes of Passion" in its tracklist. The album features a collection of melodic rock/AOR, a style popular among soft rock fans and collectors of rare music. Although the album had limited distribution, "Crimes of Passion" gained some notoriety due to its prestigious songwriting credits.

The record was released by smaller labels such as MTM/Arctic Rock and remains a collector's item for both Elton John fans and AOR enthusiasts.

Billy Trudel: The Direct Connection with Elton John

Billy Trudel was no stranger to the Elton John universe. He was a backing vocalist for Elton's band during the late 1990s, performing on several tours between 1997 and 2000, including The Big Picture tour. In addition, Trudel had previously fronted the band Warpipes, formed in the early 1990s.

Warpipes was a side project created by members of Elton John’s own band:

Davey Johnstone (guitar)

Nigel Olsson (drums)

Guy Babylon (keyboards)

Bob Birch (bass)

Billy Trudel (lead vocals)

The group’s only album, Holes in the Heavens (1991), was unfortunately hindered by the collapse of its label, Artful Balance Records, shortly after its release.

The Connections Within Elton’s Band

The story of "Crimes of Passion" reflects the deep bond between Elton John's musicians throughout the decades. Side projects like Warpipes and Public Domain are the result of this strong internal musical chemistry:

Davey Johnstone has performed with Elton since 1971.

Nigel Olsson has worked with Elton since the early 1970s.

Guy Babylon was Elton's keyboardist from 1988 until his passing in 2009.

Bob Birch became Elton's longtime bassist for over a decade.

In this context, Billy Trudel held a unique role: he was the only artist to officially record and release an unreleased Elton John, Bernie Taupin, and Davey Johnstone composition.

Timeline: Crimes of Passion and Billy Trudel’s Journey with Elton John

🔹 1985-1986
Probable period when "Crimes of Passion" was written by Elton John, Bernie Taupin, and Davey Johnstone during sessions for Leather Jackets (released in November 1986).

🔹 1990
Formation of the band Warpipes by Davey Johnstone and Nigel Olsson.
Members: Billy Trudel (vocals), Davey Johnstone (guitar), Nigel Olsson (drums), Guy Babylon (keyboards), Bob Birch (bass).
Recording of the album Holes in the Heavens.

🔹 1991
Official release of Warpipes - Holes in the Heavens (Artful Balance Records).
The label soon went bankrupt, limiting the album's promotion.

🔹 1994
Billy Trudel performs at high-profile events (such as the Oscars) as a backup singer for major artists.

🔹 1995-1996
Davey Johnstone presents "Crimes of Passion" to Billy Trudel for a new studio project.

🔹 1997
Recording of Radio Nights by Public Domain, led by Billy Trudel with guest musicians.

🔹 1998
Official release of Public Domain - Radio Nights, featuring the only official recording of "Crimes of Passion".
The album was released by smaller labels such as MTM/Arctic Rock with limited circulation.

🔹 1997-2000
Billy Trudel serves as a backing vocalist for Elton John’s band, participating in The Big Picture tour and various global events.

🔹 2000
Unofficial re-release of Warpipes’ Holes in the Heavens with some bonus tracks.

🔹 2009
Passing of Guy Babylon, Elton John Band’s longtime keyboardist and Warpipes member.


Watch the video below for more context and visual material related to this story:



Research and Sources

https://melodic-hardrock.com/public-domain-radio-nights-1997/
https://www.discogs.com/release/3923951-Public-Domain-Radio-Nights
https://www.rocksverige.se/interview-billy-trudel-public-domain/
https://www.eltonjohn.com/the-band/davey-johnstone
https://www.eltonjohn.com/the-band/nigel-olsson
https://www.eltonjohn.com/the-band/guy-babylon
https://www.eltonjohn.com/the-band/bob-birch
https://melodic-hardrock.com/warpipes-holes-in-the-heavens-1990/
https://aorarchive.blogspot.com/2010/05/public-domain-radio-nights-1997.html
https://www.gemm.com/music-billy-trudel-public-domain-radio-nights/
https://www.westcoast.dk/interviews/interview-with-billy-trudel/
https://www.eltonography.com/bios/band_bios.html
https://eltonjohn.com/

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