Rocket Man vs Space Oddity: Two Stars in the Same Space but in Different Orbits

Rocket Man vs Space Oddity: Two Stars in the Same Space but in Different Orbits

Elton John and David Bowie were two of the biggest names in music in the 20th century. Icons of British rock, innovators in sound, image, and attitude, their careers often ran parallel — sometimes close, sometimes in tension.

Between curious encounters, public jabs, and sincere tributes, the story between the two reveals an honest portrayal of the coexistence of geniuses.

Below, a timeline of the key moments in their tumultuous and fascinating relationship, showing how they were incompatible.

Encounters and Affinities

In the early 1970s, Elton John and David Bowie were close friends. According to Elton, they used to hang out with Marc Bolan (from T. Rex) and frequent gay clubs in London.

Source: https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/understanding-the-reason-why-elton-john-and-david-bowie-stopped-being-friends/

This period coincided with both of their creative peaks, when their bold music and visuals made them symbols of the British glam rock scene.

"The 'Tiny Dancer' singer was hit with a series of cruel remarks from Bowie in interviews, which weakened their friendship. 'Years later, he would always make snippy remarks about me in interviews,' said John. 'The token queen of rock and roll' was the most famous, although, to be fair, he was absolutely out of his mind on coke when he said that."

In another interview, Bowie even referred to John when he said: "I consider myself responsible for a whole new school of pretension — they know who they are. Don’t you, Elton?"

John explained: "I honestly don’t know what the problem was, but there clearly was a problem. I was never great friends with Bowie. I loved his music and we socialized a couple of times, visiting the Sombrero with Tony King and having dinner together in Covent Garden while he was rehearsing for the Ziggy Stardust tour. But there was always something distant and aloof about him, at least when I was around."

From the outside looking in, it’s clear that the two just didn’t naturally mesh well together. Later commenting, John said: "I thought he was a bit snooty. He wasn’t my cup of tea. No; I wasn’t his cup of tea." The 'Rocketman' singer even believed that Bowie thought himself "above" him.

October 1972: Tea in the Musical Bunker

An iconic meeting occurred at the Beverly Hills Hotel in 1972. Elton visited Bowie, who welcomed him surrounded by records in a dark room. The conversation was polite, but cold:

David Bowie on meeting Elton John in October 1972 (from the book Moonage Daydream)

"I found this interesting story David told in the Moonage Daydream book:

'Another Brit, Elton John, was also staying in the Beverly [Hills Hotel] in one of the many bungalows scattered around the grounds. He invited me for tea. I had met him only once before and, although he was cheerful and quite friendly, we didn’t exactly become pals, not really having that much in common, especially musically. This meeting was even more awkward. The entire living room of his bungalow was barricaded with huge stacks of record albums. He sat, small and bewildered-looking, in the middle, as if in some kind of bunker. Apparently, he had a deal with all the major companies to supply him with their latest releases. I couldn’t see how anyone could keep up with the amount of vinyl with which he was enclosed. We had tea and cakes and we asked each other how we found America, and after a polite half-hour I made my apologies, declined a further cuppa and went for a wander down Sunset.'

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/DavidBowie/comments/18vltib/david_bowie_on_meeting_elton_john_in_october_1972/

1972: “Rocket Man” vs. “Space Oddity” — Tension in Song Form

Elton John's release of "Rocket Man" led to inevitable comparisons with "Space Oddity," Bowie’s hit from three years earlier. Both songs tell of lonely astronauts and are driven by melancholic melodies. The similarity irritated Bowie, who, according to reports, considered "Rocket Man" a copy of his style.

Moreover, Bowie allegedly offered a song to Elton, which was rejected — a gesture that, according to some biographers, contributed to the growing distance between the two.

Discussion of the musical influence: https://www.reddit.com/r/Music/comments/10zvc83/songs_that_were_based_off_another_artists_song/

The 80s: The Nickname That Hurt

Over time, the bond between them deteriorated. In an interview, Bowie referred to Elton John as "the token queen of rock and roll," a comment Elton considered offensive and unnecessary:

"David and I weren’t the best of friends towards the end. We started out being really good friends... but I think we just drifted apart."

Source: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/elton-john-says-he-fell-out-with-david-bowie-over-token-queen-comment-a6873271.html

“I loved David. But he could be super snooty. He had that arrogant look. We just didn’t get along after a while.” — Me, Elton John’s autobiography (2019)

According to Elton, these comments occurred during a difficult period for Bowie, marked by intense drug use.

Source: https://www.smoothradio.com/artists/elton-john/david-bowie-friendship-feud/

1985: Live Aid Backstage — Burgers and Silence

Both attended Live Aid in July 1985 at Wembley Stadium. Although there are no records of them meeting on stage or in video, they were present in the same space. Elton recalled that he brought a portable grill and made burgers for himself, Freddie Mercury, and Bowie:

"Bowie, Freddie, and I were starving... so I arranged for a portable grill and made some burgers for us backstage."

Source: https://www.reddit.com/r/queen/comments/14eqtp3/freddie_mercury_and_elton_john_backstage_at_live/

2016: A Respectful Farewell

After David Bowie’s death in January 2016, Elton John paid a heartfelt tribute during a show in Los Angeles. Playing “Space Oddity” on the piano, he said:

“We all know how inspiring he was. His music speaks for itself. He was innovative, broke barriers, and danced to his own tune — which is really rare for an artist.”

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_of_David_Bowie

Video:

Two Stars, Two Paths

The relationship between Elton John and David Bowie was never simple. From youthful enthusiasm to the distance of maturity, what separated them might have been precisely what brought them together: strong personalities, artistic ambition, and a very personal vision of what it means to be an icon.

But, like celestial bodies in different orbits, their paths crossed — brilliant, intense, and sometimes colliding — leaving an eternal legacy in music.

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