'This is the most glorious of books. I am besotted by the life I never knew he had.' -Elton John
Half of one of the greatest creative partnerships in popular music, Bernie Taupin is the man who wrote the lyrics for Elton John, who conceived the ideas that spawned countless hits, and sold millions and millions of records.
An exciting, multi-decade whirlwind, Scattershot: Life, Music, Elton and Me whizzes around the world as we ride shotgun with Bernie on his extraordinary life. Visiting New York with him and Elton on the cusp of Global Fame, late night hours with John Lennon, Bob Marley and Frank Sinatra, and almost in residency at an infamous rock 'n' rock hotel in Australia, in a blizzard of drugs. Beyond the world of popular music, we witness memorable encounters with writers like Graham Greene, painters like Andy Warhol, and scores of notable misfits, eccentrics and geniuses, known and unknown. Unique and utterly compelling, Scattershot will transport the reader into the vivid imaginings of one of music's most legendary lyricists.
This beautiful, exclusive collector's edition of Scattershot is a bespoke design perfect for Elton and Bernie fans.
Limited to only 400 copies and presented in a vibrant bright-yellow Perspex slipcase, the special edition includes:
· A hand-signed, special edition book, cloth-bound in an original artwork created by Bernie Taupin himself, with bespoke endpapers and bright red sprayed edges
· 2 limited-edition postcards - Bernie Taupin's original artwork 'Love Me Again' and the original cover art for the trade edition of Scattershot - enclosed in a bespoke Scattershot wallet
· A special print of the epilogue handwritten by Bernie Taupin
· A certificate of authenticity, signed by the publisher
Publisher: Octopus Publishing Group
ISBN: 9781800962033
Number of pages: 320
Weight: 2040 g
Dimensions: 352 x 266 x 210 mm
Orgasmic. Every page of Scattershot is a delight, a joy, a name-dropper fan's delight. Divine. I couldn't put it down - Pete Townshend
In Bernie Taupin's miraculous memoir Scattershot you'll meet legends, cowboys, geniuses, unforgettable faces in the night, shady purveyors of outrageous fortune, warriors of the heart, and most of all, Taupin himself. Hilarious and so emotionally true, Scattershot is like a letter from a cherished friend. You'll want to keep it close, so you can read it again and again - Cameron Crowe
Touching. Charming. Humble. Witty. And exquisitely written. Taupin's words need no musical accompaniment. They sing with a poets voice. - Gary Oldman
Eloquent and inspiring, Scattershot is a freewheeling memoir that is as warm and evocative as Bernie Taupin's most memorable lyrics. A born storyteller, Taupin gives us the life of an artist whose outlook was shaped by a rare but fascinating blend of lifelong innocence and endless intellectual curiosity - Robert Hilburn, author of Johnny Cash: The Life
I simply wouldn't write songs without Bernie Taupin. I've read every word he's ever written and there could never be enough of them to satiate my need for Bernie's way of seeing the world. Scattershot, though, is a lifting of the veil, as beautifully written as it is honest and rugged. Reading this book brought me face to face with who he truly is: an empathic genius who speaks to the everyman. - Brandi Carlile
This is the most glorious of books. I am besotted by the life I never knew he had. - Elton John
Written in a highly entertaining, articulate style with a wickedly acidic sense of humor, this book sets a new standard for rock biographies. - LIBRARY JOURNAL
Scattershot takes a non-linear approach and is all the better for it. It's funny too (one cokey chapter is titled Days Of Wine And Noses), and encounters with Salvador Dali and Princess Margaret colour the zippy narrative. There's a sense Taupin can't quite believe it all happened... - MOJO
An entertaining ride that doesn't spare the horses - RTE Guide
Sharply Written - The Independent
Evocative - The Guardian
Engaging and poetic - The Times
Compellingly written - Scattershot is a thoroughly enjoyable read - Record Collector Magazine
Bernie is well-read, highly literate and, on the evidence of his memoir, a man of wise, sensitive intelligence. - Roger Lewis, Daily Mail
A wildly entertaining roller-coaster of a life story - Daily Mail
Brilliant memoir - Daily Express
Bernie Taupin’s “Scattershot” delivers insight into one of rock music’s most visible unknowns. Known as Elton John’s lyricist, his photos were on a number of the 1970’s albums… but anything else could pretty much be... More
I’ve been a fan of Elton John’s music since the early ‘70s, a time in which he’d release up to three albums in a twelve month period. But it wasn’t until the release of his biographical album Captain Fantastic and the... More
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