Old dogs Elton John and Rod Stewart still have a few new tricks left for their newborns
by Tony Parsons, Daily Mirror 26/02/2011
There’s Elton John, 63, cradling his first son. And here’s Rod Stewart, 66, posing proudly with his eighth kid.
The trend is definitely towards fathering babies in your dotage – at least if you have got a few bob.
And I can see all the arguments against old dads.
When Rod’s new son Aiden is a strapping, surly 16-year-old who doesn’t want to clean up his pizza-encrusted room, Rod will be in his early eighties.
And when Elton’s boy Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John is the same age, Elton will do doing well if he can remember his own name, never mind his son’s.
Being a dad is an assault course. The first 20 years are the worst. They are either keeping you up all night because they want a drink of milk, or keeping you up because they are out all night, drinking cider. What happens in-between are the great unimaginable rewards of fatherhood, when a store of unconditional love you never knew existed is unlocked in your heart.
Not that it is all fun and games. As soon as you become a parent, you become an unpaid mini-cab driver for life. Most of my weekends are spent ferrying my eight-year-old daughter to her various social engagements. It is like being Paris Hilton’s chauffeur. And having a son is like having a dog. You need to burn off a lot of energy just to get through the day.
Do Rod and Elton still have the knees for three-and-you’re-in kickabouts?
But somehow I can’t find it in my heart to join the chorus of disapproval. This is partly because I was begetting the next generation from my twenties to my forties.
Looking at it purely objectively, in my twenties I was probably too young, poor and dumb to be a perfect father. And in my forties I was probably too old and senile to be a perfect father.
But nobody looks at their children with cool, objective eyes. How could you? Why would you? From the moment they are born, children are not theoretical creatures but flesh and blood individuals, entirely their own people, even when you can see a few physical echoes of yourself in their face. And quite likely the loveliest people you will ever know.
For most of my life, I have been a dad. But it is not my own long personal history of fatherhood that makes me wish these dotage dads well – it is that everyone looks as though they are almost bursting with joy.
I have never seen Elton John looking as happy in his life as he does when he is holding his new son. And Rod Stewart looks unbelievably pleased with himself – although it is true that Rod always looks like that.
You might disapprove of elderly dads, and I can see why you would. But there are plenty of rotten parents in their teens and twenties. Leaving it late has much to recommend it – including the maturity of dear old dad. Delaying fatherhood can be good – as long as the old man doesn’t put his back out playing Wii Sports Resort.
“When you become a father,” my mum used to tell me, “your life is not your own.”
This is true. Your life is no longer your own when you bring another life into the world. But it is better.
Elton John’s smile says it all.
A baby is God’s opinion that life should go on.
Elton John adds 2nd show in Regina
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/story/2011/02/25/sk-arts-elton-john-second-concert-regina-110225.htmlCBC News
Posted: Feb 25, 2011 1:26 PM CST
Last Updated: Feb 25, 2011 1:26 PM CST
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British singer Sir Elton John performs during a concert in London, in 2010. ((Lefteris Pitarakis/Assciated Press))British rock star Elton John will hang around Regina for an extra day in May, to tack on a second performance at the local hockey arena.
Show promoters announced the second show, set for May 12, just hours after the May 11 concert date at the Brandt Centre sold out.
"The Wednesday, May 11 concert sold out in record time," Neil Donnelly, vice-president at the Brandt Centre, said Friday. "Elton John evokes frenzied passion in his fans like no other artist. We are privileged to welcome Elton John to Regina for a second concert."
Sir Elton John has topped the music charts for more than five decades, with well-known hits such as "Your Song," "Daniel" and "Rocket Man."
He is also set to perform at the Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon on May 10.
According to a press release, John has sold more than 250 million records worldwide, including the biggest selling single of all time, "Candle in the Wind ’97," which sold 37 million copies. Since his career began in 1969 he has played nearly 3,000 concerts worldwide.
Tickets for the second show will be available on Feb. 28 at noon CT, and cost $85 and $149 each in Regina. As with the first show, there is an eight ticket limit for each customer.
Tickets for John's Saskatoon show are still available.
The Saskatchewan concerts are part a prairie swing by John, who is also booked to play in Winnipeg and Calgary. Tickets for those concerts go on sale Monday, Feb. 28.
Neil Patrick Harris - Harris Lands Dream 'Play Date' For Twins With Elton's Tot
http://www.contactmusic.com/news.nsf/story/harris-lands-dream-play-date-for-twins-with-eltons-tot_120435026 February 2011 14:07
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Caption: Neil Patrick Harris (Picture) The 53rd Annual GRAMMY Awards at the Staples Center - Red Carpet Arrivals Los Angeles, California ....
NEIL PATRICK HARRIS got his dream 'play date' for his twins HARPER and GIDEON - SIR ELTON JOHN's new baby ZACHARY.
The How I Met Your Mother Star was one of the first celebrities to congratulate the Rocket Man and partner David Furnish on the arrival of the tot via a surrogate mother in December (10), and invited the couple to bring little Zachary to play with his newborn children with partner David Burtka.
And Harris got his wish - the legendary rocker arranged the date straight away, and the actor reveals he was impressed by the pair's parenting skills.
He tells Access Hollywood, "Elton and David came to our house for Zachary's first play date a couple (of) weeks back. They're great guys. They're super great parents. They're so fiercely involved in their son's life and it's really kind of great to watch them interact with him."
Harris and Burtka welcomed their kids by surrogate in October (10).
The How I Met Your Mother Star was one of the first celebrities to congratulate the Rocket Man and partner David Furnish on the arrival of the tot via a surrogate mother in December (10), and invited the couple to bring little Zachary to play with his newborn children with partner David Burtka.
And Harris got his wish - the legendary rocker arranged the date straight away, and the actor reveals he was impressed by the pair's parenting skills.
He tells Access Hollywood, "Elton and David came to our house for Zachary's first play date a couple (of) weeks back. They're great guys. They're super great parents. They're so fiercely involved in their son's life and it's really kind of great to watch them interact with him."
Harris and Burtka welcomed their kids by surrogate in October (10).
Lady GaGa To Be Godmother Of Elton John's Baby
http://perezhilton.com/2011-02-24-lady-gaga-to-be-elton-johns-babys-godmotherFiled under: Elton John > Lady GaGa
Yes! It's true!
In a recent interview, Elton John's partner David Furnish, although trying not to comment, has given more than enough information that Lady GaGa will be baby Zachary's godmother.
What a lucky kid!
When asked about rumors of Lady
"We haven’t publicly confirmed that yet but your sources are very good! I prefer not to comment on it because we are going to make a statement about godparents later on."We are going to take that line about the good sources as a definite YES!
This comes as no surprise to us because the Elton and GaGa have become close friends since the last year's Grammy Awards and he has praised her as the Queen of
David also had plen-ty of nice things to say about her as well.
Check out this excerpt from the interview:
Q: Do you believe Lady Gaga has the potential to influence today’s generation in the same waySounds like Elton, David, Zachary and GaGa will be one big, happy family that is a walking, talking example of what it means to accept people for who they are!Madonna and Elton have?
A: Absolutely. The strongest thing that Gaga has—putting her amazing musical talent aside—is that she has such a connection with her fans. She has 25 million followers on Facebook and she communicates to fans [via] Twitter in a regular, ongoing way.
Q: Her knowledge of civil and human rights is impressive. What do you think about the type of messages she sends out to her fans?
A: She’s all about inclusiveness and tolerance. She believes that you can be whoever you want to be and that we don’t have to live in a world of conformity and that we can all [benefit] from individuality. That’s the best message in the world. The freedom to be who you are, do what you want and love who you want to love.
Q: And you’d like that kind of message to be around your family?
A: Absolutely. Elton and I don’t talk about what we hope Zachary grows up to be—musician, doctor or whatever. We just hope he grows up to be happy and that he’s able to do what he wants to do in life and has the freedom to take whatever path.
We can't wait for the official announcement because we want to know who the godfather will be!
Thoughts???
http://www.berniejtaupin.com/articles.bt?n_id=459617
02.23.11
Gnomeo’s A-Go-Go
We realized we haven't thrown up anything here on the phenomenal success of the sleeper movie hit of the season "Gnomeo & Juliet." We're talking of course about the Disney/Rocket Pictures animated retelling of Shakespeare’s tale of star crossed lovers as played out by those odd but endearing garden ornaments.
This little classic that snuck into theaters several weeks ago and featuring a full score of vintage Elton & Bernie tunes, plus a couple of newly minted beauties has taken everyone by surprise by shooting to the top of the US box office and raking in over 50 Million domestically in its first two weeks.
Add to this its huge success overseas, No.1 in the UK & Australia and we’ve got a gem that looks like it’s going to keep piling it on for some time to come.
Keep posted here for further developments. --
Sir Elton rocks the MACC
http://www.mauinews.com/page/content.detail/id/546546/Sir-Elton-rocks-the-MACC.html?nav=10February 25, 2011 - By Jon Woodhouse
Save | 
KAHULUI - More than 5,000 fans were regaled with one of the most amazing shows in years when Sir Elton John played Thursday evening at the Maui Arts & Cultural Center.
The British icon entered the new Yokouchi Pavilion to a thunderous welcome as the evening was transformed into a marathon, mass sing-along with Elton performing one memorable hit after another for almost three hours without a break.
Backed by longtime band mates, drummer Nigel Olsson and guitarist Davey Johnstone, plus bass, keyboards, percussion and four female singers (including Rose Stone of Sly and the Family Stone), the 63-year-old legend opened with the epic "Funeral For A Friend"/"Love Lies Bleeding" medley from "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," and then launched into a rousing "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting."
Elegantly attired in sparkly black tails and purple-tinted glasses, Elton announced: "This is the first time I've done an 'official' concert. I love this place so much."
A former Royal Academy of Music student, the superstar commanded his Yamaha grand piano, often launching into elaborate solos that ventured from elegant, neoclassical territory to rocking boogie, with an inspired "Madman Across the Water," including an extended, jazz-flavored passage.
Later on, after a superb "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues," Elton detoured from the "Greatest Hits" to explore some of the best new songs from his recent collaboration with Leon Russell, "The Union."
"I made this record with my hero," he said before delivering the rousing gospel romp "Hey Ahab," the haunting Civil War lament "Gone to Shiloh," and the Stones-ish rock of "Monkey Suit."
One of the 10 best-selling recording artists in history, Elton can draw from an extraordinary catalogue of chart-toppers, and for his first MACC show, he enraptured the sold-out crowd with around 25 classics.
Among the many highlights - a sublime "Tiny Dancer," an incredible 14-minute jam-out version of "Rocket Man," and an extraordinary "Take Me to The Pilot," that featured a dazzling piano progression that fused classical, jazz, gospel, blues and rock elements.
After many standing ovations, Elton closed with "Crocodile Rock," and then returned for a two-song encore of "Your Song" and "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me."
Delighting in the audience's adoration, Elton relayed how he loves visiting Maui.
"I first came in 1972, and we've been coming back lots of times," he said. "There's a special feeling here on this island and you've shown it tonight."
Sir Elton John returns to the Maui Arts & Cultural Center at 7 tonight.
Music columnist Jon Woodhouse can be reached at jonwoodh@gmail.com.
The British icon entered the new Yokouchi Pavilion to a thunderous welcome as the evening was transformed into a marathon, mass sing-along with Elton performing one memorable hit after another for almost three hours without a break.
Backed by longtime band mates, drummer Nigel Olsson and guitarist Davey Johnstone, plus bass, keyboards, percussion and four female singers (including Rose Stone of Sly and the Family Stone), the 63-year-old legend opened with the epic "Funeral For A Friend"/"Love Lies Bleeding" medley from "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road," and then launched into a rousing "Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting."
Elegantly attired in sparkly black tails and purple-tinted glasses, Elton announced: "This is the first time I've done an 'official' concert. I love this place so much."
A former Royal Academy of Music student, the superstar commanded his Yamaha grand piano, often launching into elaborate solos that ventured from elegant, neoclassical territory to rocking boogie, with an inspired "Madman Across the Water," including an extended, jazz-flavored passage.
Later on, after a superb "I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues," Elton detoured from the "Greatest Hits" to explore some of the best new songs from his recent collaboration with Leon Russell, "The Union."
"I made this record with my hero," he said before delivering the rousing gospel romp "Hey Ahab," the haunting Civil War lament "Gone to Shiloh," and the Stones-ish rock of "Monkey Suit."
One of the 10 best-selling recording artists in history, Elton can draw from an extraordinary catalogue of chart-toppers, and for his first MACC show, he enraptured the sold-out crowd with around 25 classics.
Among the many highlights - a sublime "Tiny Dancer," an incredible 14-minute jam-out version of "Rocket Man," and an extraordinary "Take Me to The Pilot," that featured a dazzling piano progression that fused classical, jazz, gospel, blues and rock elements.
After many standing ovations, Elton closed with "Crocodile Rock," and then returned for a two-song encore of "Your Song" and "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me."
Delighting in the audience's adoration, Elton relayed how he loves visiting Maui.
"I first came in 1972, and we've been coming back lots of times," he said. "There's a special feeling here on this island and you've shown it tonight."
Sir Elton John returns to the Maui Arts & Cultural Center at 7 tonight.
Music columnist Jon Woodhouse can be reached at jonwoodh@gmail.com.
