143-444: Russell Mulcahy ( / m ʌ l ˈ k æ h i / mul- KA -hee ; born 23 June 1953) is an Australian director of film, television, and music videos. He began his career directing music videos for artists like Elton John and Duran Duran , before making his feature directorial debut with the horror film Razorback (1984). He achieved international prominence by directing the fantasy action film Highlander (1986), which spawned
286-668: A civil partnership with his long-term partner, the Canadian filmmaker David Furnish . They married in 2014, when same-sex marriage became legal in England and Wales. John has had more than fifty top-40 hits on the UK Singles Chart and US Billboard Hot 100 , including nine number ones in both countries, as well as seven consecutive number-one albums in the US. He has sold over 300 million records worldwide, making him one of
429-523: A multimedia franchise . Mulcahy's subsequent work includes Highlander ' s first sequel Highlander II: The Quickening (1991), the superhero film The Shadow , the action-horror film Resident Evil: Extinction (2007), and the Errol Flynn biopic In Like Flynn . He was also a director and executive producer of the television series Teen Wolf (2011–17), and directed the film's 2023 feature film spin-off . Stylistically, Mulcahy's work
572-712: A 20-per cent stake in Malaysia's AirAsia X . On 13 October 2007, Branson's Virgin Group sought to add Northern Rock to its empire after submitting an offer that would result in Branson personally owning 30% of the company and changing the company's name from Northern Rock to Virgin Money . The Daily Mail ran a campaign against his bid; Vince Cable , financial spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats , suggested in
715-477: A Seven pop show and asked to film some original footage and compile a music video (then known as a "film clip") to accompany the Harry Nilsson hit "Everybody's Talkin'" (for which no original video was available). Mulcahy soon found that he was in demand as a music video director, and made a number of successful film clips for bands from Australia and New Zealand, including Dragon , Hush and AC/DC , and
858-797: A UK and US number one that is certified Diamond by the RIAA for US sales of 17 million copies. In 1974, John collaborated with John Lennon on his cover of the Beatles ' " Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds ", the B-side of which was Lennon's "One Day at a Time". It was number 1 for two weeks in the US. In return, John was featured on " Whatever Gets You Thru the Night " on Lennon's album Walls and Bridges . Later that year, in Lennon's last major live performance,
1001-741: A Warrior (2008), and Prayers for Bobby (2009). He directed the features Resident Evil: Extinction (2007) and Give 'em Hell Malone (2009). Mulcahy was a key director on the Teen Wolf TV series throughout its run and also directed episodes of Eye Candy and The Lizzie Borden Chronicles . He returned to features with In Like Flynn (2018). Mulcahy is gay . He lives in West Hollywood, California , with his partner, David Guzman. As director As writer TV series TV movies Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight ; 25 March 1947)
1144-482: A captain of the ship, but it only takes one crew member to screw everything up. You just encourage everyone to do their best and have fun. The more they feel part of it, and the more fun they have, the day goes faster, and the better the work is. Mulcahy went back to video clips working with Culture Club , Elton John, Berlin and the Rolling Stones . His work for Duran Duran was particularly acclaimed, including
1287-520: A chain of health care clinics that would offer conventional medical care alongside homeopathic and complementary therapies, a development that was welcomed by Ben Bradshaw , the UK's health minister. Plans where GPs could be paid for referring National Health Service (NHS) patients to private Virgin services were abandoned in June 2008. The BMA warned the plan would "damage clinical objectivity", there would be
1430-510: A cooperative. His business sold records for considerably less than the "High Street" outlets, especially the chain WHSmith . Branson once said, "There is no point in starting your own business unless you do it out of a sense of frustration." At the time, many products were sold under restrictive marketing agreements that limited discounting, despite efforts in the 1950s and 1960s to limit retail price maintenance . Branson eventually started
1573-553: A film editor for Australia's Seven Network . He later said he "used to creep in there at 3am and make my own movies". He also acted on stage and was unsure whether to focus on acting or directing. Two of his films won the City Film Festival Award for Best Independent Short Film and he won Best Short Film at the Sydney Film Festival for "Contrived Mind Flashes". He was approached by the producer of
SECTION 10
#17327799334011716-634: A financial incentive for GPs to push patients toward the Virgin services at the centre. Plans to take over an NHS Practice in Swindon were abandoned in late September 2008. In February 2009, Branson's Virgin organization was reported as bidding to buy the former Honda Formula One team. Branson later stated an interest in Formula One , but claimed that, before the Virgin brand became involved with Honda or any other team, Formula One would have to develop
1859-537: A five-year contract for provision of a range of health services which had previously been under the aegis of NHS Surrey, the local primary care trust. By March 2015, Virgin Care was in charge of more than 230 services nationwide. In July 2012, Branson announced plans to build an orbital space launch system , designated LauncherOne . Four commercial customers have already contracted for launches and two companies are developing standardised satellite buses optimised to
2002-688: A global audience. The company was founded with author Deepak Chopra , filmmaker Shekhar Kapur , and entrepreneurs Sharad Devarajan and Gotham Chopra . Branson also launched the Virgin Health Bank on 1 February 2007, offering parents-to-be the opportunity to store their baby's umbilical cord blood stem cells in private and public stem-cell banks. In June 2006, a tip-off from Virgin Atlantic led both UK and US competition authorities to investigate price-fixing attempts between Virgin Atlantic and British Airways. In August 2007, British Airways
2145-715: A heavier backbeat. James Newton Howard joined to arrange in the studio and to play keyboards. In June 1975 John introduced the line-up at the London, England, Wembley Stadium . The rock-oriented Rock of the Westies entered the US albums chart at number 1, as had Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy , a previously unattained feat. John's stage wardrobe now included ostrich feathers, $ 5,000 spectacles that spelled his name in lights, and costumes such as
2288-428: A lower register. A disco -influenced album, Victim of Love , was poorly received. In 1979, John and Taupin reunited, though they did not collaborate on a full album until 1983's Too Low For Zero . 21 at 33 , released in 1980, was a significant career boost, aided by his biggest hit in four years, " Little Jeannie " (number 3 US), with the lyrics by Gary Osborne. In May 1979, John played eight concerts in
2431-483: A magazine named Student in 1966 with Nik Powell . The first issue of Student appeared in January 1968, and a year later, Branson's net worth was estimated at £50,000. The office for the venture was situated in the crypt of St. John's Church, off Bayswater Road , in London. Though not initially as successful as he hoped, the magazine later became a vital component of the mail-order record business Branson started from
2574-443: A more economically efficient and environmentally responsible image. At the start of the 2009 Formula One season on 28 March, it was announced that Virgin would be sponsoring the new Brawn GP team, with discussions also under way about introducing a less "dirty" fuel in the medium term. After the end of the season and the subsequent purchase of Brawn GP by Mercedes-Benz , Branson invested in an 80% buyout of Manor Grand Prix, with
2717-555: A music publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music for an estimated $ 39 million over 12 years, including the largest cash advance in music publishing history. In April 1992, John appeared at the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert at Wembley Stadium , performing " The Show Must Go On " with the remaining members of Queen , and " Bohemian Rhapsody " with Axl Rose of Guns N' Roses and Queen's remaining members. In September, John performed "The One" at
2860-601: A passenger onboard Virgin Galactic Unity 22 at the edge of space , a suborbital test flight for his spaceflight company Virgin Galactic. The mission lasted approximately one hour, reaching a peak altitude of 53.5 miles (86.1 km). At 70, Branson became the third oldest person to fly to space. Richard Charles Nicholas Branson was born on 18 July 1950 in Blackheath , Royal Borough of Greenwich , London,
3003-601: A quartet that was completed by Caleb Quaye and Nigel Olsson . On the advice of music publisher Steve Brown, John and Taupin began writing more complex songs for John to record for DJM. The first was the single " I've Been Loving You " (1968), produced by Caleb Quaye , Bluesology's former guitarist. In 1969, with Quaye, drummer Roger Pope, and bassist Tony Murray, John recorded another single, " Lady Samantha ", and an album, Empty Sky . For their follow-up album, Elton John , John and Taupin enlisted Gus Dudgeon as producer and Paul Buckmaster as musical arranger. Elton John
SECTION 20
#17327799334013146-520: A record shop in Oxford Street in London . In 1971, he was questioned in connection with the selling of records declared export stock. The matter was never brought before a court because Branson agreed to repay any unpaid purchase tax of 33% and a £70,000 fine. His parents re-mortgaged the family home to help pay the settlement. In 1972, using money earned from his record store, Branson launched
3289-666: A restrictive childhood. Both his parents were musically inclined, his father having been a trumpet player with the Bob Millar Band, a semi-professional big band that played at military dances. The Dwights were keen record buyers, exposing John to the popular singers and musicians of the day. John started playing his grandmother's piano as a young boy, and within a year his mother heard him picking out Waldteufel 's "The Skater's Waltz " by ear. After performing at parties and family gatherings, at age seven he began formal piano lessons. He showed musical aptitude at school, including
3432-469: A short-lived group called the Corvettes rounded out his time. Although normal-sighted as a teenager, John began wearing horn-rimmed glasses to imitate Buddy Holly . In 1962, John and some friends formed a band called Bluesology . By day, he ran errands for a music publishing company; he divided his nights between solo gigs at a London hotel bar and working with Bluesology. By the mid-1960s, Bluesology
3575-648: A singer. The album soon became his first hit album, reaching number four on the US Billboard 200 and number five on the UK Albums Chart . Backed by former Spencer Davis Group drummer Nigel Olsson and bassist Dee Murray , John's first American concert took place at the Troubadour in Los Angeles, California on 25 August 1970, and was a success. The concept album Tumbleweed Connection
3718-532: A stewardess. Fernandes escaped as the bet winner, as Lotus Racing ended tenth in the championship, while Virgin Racing ended twelfth and last. Branson kept his word after losing the bet, as he served his duty as a stewardess on an Air Asia flight between Perth and Kuala Lumpur on 12 May 2013. In 2010, Branson became patron of the UK's Gordon Bennett 2010 gas balloon race, which has 16 hydrogen balloons flying across Europe. In April 2012, Virgin Care commenced
3861-678: A variation of the Virgin Galactic livery to his personal business jet, the Dassault Falcon 900EX "Galactic Girl" (G-GALX). He was ninth in The Sunday Times Rich List 2006 of the wealthiest people or families in the UK, worth slightly more than £3 billion. Branson wrote in his autobiography of the decision to start an airline. My interest in life comes from setting myself huge, apparently unachievable challenges and trying to rise above them ... from
4004-471: A work by French ballet legend Maurice Béjart that draws upon the AIDS crisis and the deaths of Freddie Mercury and the company's principal dancer, Jorge Donn . Later in 1997, two close friends died: designer Gianni Versace was murdered on 15 July, and Diana, Princess of Wales died in a Paris car crash on 31 August. In early September, John asked Taupin to revise the lyrics of their 1973 song "Candle in
4147-556: A year later he began hosting his annual AIDS Foundation Academy Awards Party , which has since become one of the biggest high-profile Oscar parties in the Hollywood film industry. John was the chairman and director of Watford Football Club from 1976 to 1987, and again from 1997 to 2002, and is an honorary life president of the club. From the late 1970s to the late 1980s, John developed a severe addiction to drugs and alcohol, but has been clean and sober since 1990. In 2005, he entered
4290-466: Is a British singer, songwriter and pianist. Acclaimed by critics and musicians, particularly for his work during the 1970s, his music and showmanship have had a significant, lasting impact on the music industry . His songwriting partnership with lyricist Bernie Taupin is one of the most successful in history. John was raised in Pinner and learned to play piano at an early age, winning a scholarship to
4433-463: Is also held in the highest regard critically. In the three-year span from 1972 to 1975, John saw seven consecutive albums reach number one in the US, something that had not been accomplished before. All six of his albums to make Rolling Stone ' s 2003 list of " The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time " are from this period, with Goodbye Yellow Brick Road ranked highest at number 91. Between 1972 and 1976 he also had six singles reach number one on
Russell Mulcahy - Misplaced Pages Continue
4576-663: Is an English business magnate who co-founded the Virgin Group in 1970, and as of 2016 controlled 5 companies remaining of once more than 400. Branson expressed his desire to become an entrepreneur at a young age. His first business venture, at the age of 16, was a magazine called Student . In 1970, he set up a mail-order record business. He opened a chain of record stores, Virgin Records —later known as Virgin Megastores —in 1972. Branson's Virgin brand grew rapidly during
4719-468: Is manufactured by The Spaceship Company , which was founded by Branson and Rutan and is now solely owned by Virgin Galactic. In 2013, Branson said that he planned to take his two children, 31-year-old Holly and 28-year-old Sam, on a trip to outer space when they ride the SpaceShipTwo rocket plane on its first public flight, then planned for 2014. As part of his promotion of the firm, Branson has added
4862-699: Is one of 19 entertainers to win the EGOT , which includes an Emmy Award , five Grammy Awards , two Academy Awards , and a Tony Award . He also won two Golden Globes , a Laurence Olivier Award , and the Kennedy Center Honor . He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1992 and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, and is a fellow of The Ivors Academy . He was appointed Knight Bachelor for services to music and charity in 1998 and
5005-569: Is recognisable by the use of fast cuts , tracking shots and use of glowing lights, neo-noir lighting, windblown drapery, and fans. Mulcahy was born in Melbourne. He grew up in Mangerton in the Illawarra region of New South Wales and attended Corrimal High School . When he was 14 he received an 8mm camera and began making short films with his friends. After school he began working as
5148-488: Is the first single certified Diamond in the US where it sold over 11 million copies. The 2009 Guinness World Records states it is "the biggest-selling single since UK and US singles charts began in the 1950s, having accumulated worldwide sales of 33 million copies". The song's proceeds of approximately £55 million were donated to Diana's charities via the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Fund . It won
5291-549: The 11 September attacks , John appeared at the Concert for New York City , performing "I Want Love" as well as "Your Song" as a duet with Billy Joel . In August 2003, John's fifth UK number one single, " Are You Ready for Love ", topped the charts. Returning to musical theatre, John composed music for a West End theatre production of Billy Elliot the Musical in 2005 with playwright Lee Hall . John had been moved to write
5434-452: The 1992 MTV Video Music Awards and closed the ceremony performing " November Rain " with Guns N' Roses. In 1993, he released Duets , which featured collaborations with 15 artists, including Tammy Wynette and RuPaul . This included a new collaboration with Kiki Dee, " True Love ", which reached the Top 10 of the UK charts. In the same year, The Bunbury Tails , a multi-artist charity album,
5577-474: The Billboard Hot 100. In November 1977, John announced he was retiring from performing; Taupin began collaborating with others. Now producing only one album a year, John issued A Single Man in 1978 with a new lyricist, Gary Osborne ; the album produced no singles that made the top 20 in the US, but the two singles from the album released in the UK, " Part-Time Love " and " Song for Guy ", both made
5720-885: The Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 40th Annual Grammy Awards in 1998. The song " Something About the Way You Look Tonight " was released as a double A-side . On 15 September 1997, John appeared at the Music for Montserrat charity concert at the Royal Albert Hall , London, England, performing three songs solo ("Your Song", "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me" and "Live Like Horses") before finishing with " Hey Jude " alongside Paul McCartney , Eric Clapton, Phil Collins , Mark Knopfler and Sting . Two months later he performed on
5863-467: The Hammersmith Odeon on 24 December 1982; and introduced George Michael , still then of Wham! , to sing "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me". John also recorded material with Millie Jackson in 1985. Towards the end of the year, John released " Nikita " from the album Ice on Fire , which had a music video directed by Ken Russell . The song reached number three in the UK and number seven in
Russell Mulcahy - Misplaced Pages Continue
6006-638: The House of Commons that Branson's criminal conviction for tax evasion might be felt by some as a good enough reason not to trust him with public money. In September 2023, Branson declared his decision against injecting additional funds into Virgin Galactic, his space travel company experiencing financial losses. He highlighted that his business empire no longer possesses extensive financial resources, indicating constraints on further investment. On 9 January 2008, Virgin Healthcare announced that it would open
6149-558: The London Underground . Several instructors have attested that he was a "model student", and during the last few years he took lessons from a private tutor in addition to his classes at the Academy. He left the Academy before taking the final exams. John's mother, though strict with her son, was more vivacious than her husband, and something of a free spirit. With Stanley Dwight uninterested in his son and often absent, John
6292-593: The Royal Academy of Music , where he studied for five years. He formed the blues band Bluesology in 1962, but left in 1967 to embark on a solo career and met Taupin that same year. For two years, they wrote songs for other artists, and John worked as a session musician. In 1969, John released his debut album Empty Sky , and a year later formed the Elton John Band , also releasing his first hit single, " Your Song ". John's critical and commercial success
6435-694: The SpaceShipTwo suborbital spaceplane designed for space tourism . In March 2000, Branson was knighted at Buckingham Palace for "services to entrepreneurship". Due to his work in retail, music, and transport, his taste for adventure, and for his humanitarian work, he has become a prominent global figure. In 2007, he was placed in the Time 100 Most Influential People in the World list. In June 2023, Forbes listed Branson's estimated net worth at US$ 3 billion. On 11 July 2021, Branson travelled as
6578-587: The Statue of Liberty , Donald Duck , and Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart . In 1975, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . The album features his fifth US number one single, " Island Girl ". To celebrate five years since he had first appeared at the venue, in 1975, John played a two-night, four-show stand at the Troubadour . With seating limited to under 500 per show, the chance to purchase tickets
6721-772: The Tony Award for Best Musical , in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia, Chicago, Illinois, Toronto, Ontario, Seoul, South Korea, the Netherlands and São Paulo, Brazil, etc.), grossed over $ 800 million worldwide and won over 80 theatre awards internationally. John's only theatrical project with Taupin is Lestat , based on Anne Rice 's The Vampire Chronicles . It received negative reviews from critics and closed in May 2006 after 39 performances. John featured on rapper Tupac Shakur 's posthumous single " Ghetto Gospel ", which topped
6864-526: The best-selling music artists of all time . He is the most successful solo artist in the history of the US Billboard charts . His tribute single to Diana, Princess of Wales , " Candle in the Wind 1997 ", a rewritten version of his 1974 single , sold over 33 million copies worldwide and is the best-selling chart single of all time . In 2021, he became the first solo artist with UK top 10 singles across six decades. Among John's numerous awards , he
7007-406: The 1975 film adaptation of the rock opera Tommy , and to perform the song " Pinball Wizard ". Drawing on power chords , John's version was recorded and used in the movie. The song charted at number 7 in the UK. John, who had adopted a glam aesthetic on stage, would later state glam rock icon Marc Bolan "had a great effect on me." The 1975 autobiographical album Captain Fantastic and
7150-1090: The 1980s, as he started the Virgin Atlantic airline and expanded the Virgin Records music label . In 1997, Branson founded the Virgin Rail Group to bid for passenger rail franchises during the privatisation of British Rail . The Virgin Trains brand operated the InterCity West Coast franchise from 1997 to 2019, the InterCity CrossCountry franchise from 1997 to 2007, and the InterCity East Coast franchise from 2015 to 2018. In 2004, he founded spaceflight corporation Virgin Galactic , based at Mojave Air and Space Port in California, noted for
7293-465: The Academy in central London, and he has said he enjoyed playing Frédéric Chopin and Johann Sebastian Bach and singing in the choir during Saturday classes, but that he was not otherwise a diligent classical student. "I kind of resented going to the Academy," he said. "I was one of those children who could just about get away without practising and still pass, scrape through the grades." He has said that he would sometimes skip classes and ride around on
SECTION 50
#17327799334017436-411: The Atlanta, Georgia, Alliance Theatre and went on to Chicago, Illinois and eventually Broadway in New York City. John released a live compilation album, Elton John One Night Only – The Greatest Hits , featuring songs from his show at Madison Square Garden in New York City that same year. A concept album of songs from the musical Aida , Elton John and Tim Rice's Aida , was also released and featured
7579-434: The BBC's Children in Need charity single " Perfect Day ", which reached number one in the UK. John appeared as himself in the Spice Girls film Spice World , released in December 1997. The Lion King musical debuted on Broadway in 1997 and the West End theatre in 1999. In 2014, it had grossed over $ 6 billion and became the top-earning title in box-office history for both stage productions and films, surpassing
7722-560: The Brown Dirt Cowboy debuted at number one in the US, the first album to do so, and stayed there for seven weeks. John revealed his previously ambiguous personality on the album, with Taupin's lyrics describing their early days as struggling songwriters and musicians in London. The lyrics and accompanying photo booklet are infused with a specific sense of place and time that is otherwise rare in his music. The hit single from this album, " Someone Saved My Life Tonight ", captured an early turning point in John's life. The album's release signalled
7865-409: The Earth's climate. Branson also announced that he would be joined in the adjudication of the prize by a panel of five judges, all world authorities in their respective fields: Al Gore , Sir Crispin Tickell , Tim Flannery , James E. Hansen , and James Lovelock . In July 2007, Branson purchased his Australian home, Makepeace Island , in Noosa . In August 2007, Branson announced that he had bought
8008-486: The Elton John Band, and joined by Richie Zito on lead guitar, Tim Renwick on rhythm guitar, and James Newton Howard on keyboards, John performed a free concert to an estimated 400,000 fans on The Great Lawn in Central Park in New York City. He played part of the set dressed as Donald Duck . The album Jump Up! was released in 1982, the biggest hit from which was " Blue Eyes ". With original band members Johnstone, Murray and Olsson together again, John returned to
8151-482: The Heart ") (1983), the Motels , Rod Stewart (" Young Turks ") (1981) and Elton John . He has a cameo appearance in the video for " I'm Still Standing " (1983) by Elton John, that he also directed. Mulcahy later recalled "When people were first asking me to do videos, there was never really a need or a request for a concept. They would just send me a cassette of the song. I'd listen to it with my eyes closed, come up with some ideas and write something down. We'd shoot
8294-450: The John duets " Written in the Stars " with LeAnn Rimes , and "I Know the Truth" with Janet Jackson . By this time, John disliked appearing in his own music videos; the video for " This Train Don't Stop There Anymore " featured Justin Timberlake portraying a young John, and the video for " I Want Love " featured Robert Downey, Jr. lip-syncing the song. At the 2001 Grammy Awards , John performed " Stan " with Eminem . One month after
8437-444: The Musical (2005). John's final tour, Farewell Yellow Brick Road (2018–2023), became the highest-grossing tour ever at the time. His life and career were dramatised in the 2019 biopic Rocketman . John is an HIV/AIDS charity fundraiser and has been involved in the fight against AIDS since the late 1980s. He established the Elton John AIDS Foundation in 1992, which has raised over £300 million since its inception, and
8580-441: The Rain " as a song and dance act with Elton playing piano. Kubrick's Clockwork Orange film had recently featured that song. Plus I designed crazy, over-the-top costumes and giant stage sets – known as 'Legstravaganzas'. Elton loved all of it." The pop album Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player came out at the start of 1973 and reached number one in the UK, the US, and Australia, among other countries. The album produced
8723-476: The Soviet Union ; four dates in Leningrad (now Saint Petersburg) and four in Moscow. At the same time, John collaborated with the French couple France Gall and Michel Berger on the songs "Donner pour donner" and "Les Aveux", released together in 1980 as a single. John's 1981 album The Fox was recorded during the same sessions as 21 at 33 and included collaborations with Tom Robinson and Judie Tzuke . On 13 September 1980, with Olsson and Murray back in
SECTION 60
#17327799334018866-428: The Stranglers , XTC 's " Making Plans for Nigel " (1979), the Sex Pistols and Paul McCartney . He directed the Vapors ' hit " Turning Japanese " (1980) and his landmark video for the Buggles ' " Video Killed the Radio Star " (1979) which became the first music video played on MTV in 1981. Mulcahy recalled "Nobody knew the impact that the video would have and how timely it was when we were shooting it. We went into
9009-401: The UK and topping the charts in the US, Canada and Australia. Reportedly recorded in two weeks between live appearances, it featured " The Bitch Is Back " and " Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me ". " Step into Christmas " was released as a stand-alone single in November 1973, and appears in the album's 1995 remastered reissue. Pete Townshend of the Who asked John to play the "Local Lad" in
9152-408: The UK charts in July 2005. In October 2003, John announced that he had signed an exclusive agreement to perform 75 shows over three years at Caesars Palace on the Las Vegas Strip in Nevada. The show, The Red Piano , was a multimedia concert featuring massive props and video montages created by David LaChapelle . Effectively, he and Celine Dion shared performances at Caesars Palace throughout
9295-467: The US by MCA and initially by Island in the UK), and signed acts to it—notably Neil Sedaka (John sang background vocals on Sedaka's " Bad Blood ") and Kiki Dee , in whom he took a personal interest. Instead of releasing his own records on Rocket, he signed an $ 8 million contract with MCA. When the contract was signed in 1974, MCA reportedly took out a $ 25 million insurance policy on John's life. In 1974, MCA released Elton John's Greatest Hits ,
9438-399: The US. John's highest-charting single of the decade was a collaboration with Dionne Warwick , Gladys Knight and Stevie Wonder called " That's What Friends Are For ". It reached number one in the US at the beginning of 1986; credited as Dionne and Friends, the song raised funds for HIV/AIDS research . In the same year, a live orchestral version of "Candle in the Wind" reached number six in
9581-430: The US. He also played piano on two tracks on the heavy metal band Saxon 's album Rock the Nations . In 1988, he performed five sold-out shows at Madison Square Garden in New York, giving him 26 for his career. Netting over $ 20 million, 2,000 items of John's memorabilia were auctioned off at Sotheby's in London. He also released " I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That " from the album Reg Strikes Back ,
9724-412: The Virgin group was Virgin Fuels , which was set up to respond to global warming and exploit the recent spike in fuel costs by offering a revolutionary, cheaper fuel for automobiles and, in the near future, aircraft. Branson has stated that he was formerly a global warming sceptic and was influenced in his decision by a breakfast meeting with Al Gore . On 21 September 2006, Branson pledged to invest
9867-464: The Virgin label to EMI for £500 million. Branson said that he wept when the sale was completed because the record business had been the very start of the Virgin empire. He created V2 Records in 1996 to re-enter the music business, owning 5% himself. Virgin also acquired European short-haul airline Euro Belgian Airlines and renamed it Virgin Express . In 1997, Branson took what many saw as being one of his riskier business exploits by entering into
10010-413: The Wind" to honour Diana, and Taupin agreed. On 6 September 1997, John performed " Candle in the Wind 1997 " live for the only time at Diana's funeral in Westminster Abbey . The song became the fastest- and biggest-selling single of all time, eventually selling over 33 million copies globally. The best-selling single in UK chart history, and the best-selling single in Billboard history, it
10153-422: The ability to compose melodies, and gained some notoriety by playing like Jerry Lee Lewis at school functions. At age 11, he won a junior scholarship to the Royal Academy of Music . According to one of his instructors, John promptly played back, like a "gramophone record", a four-page piece by George Frideric Handel after hearing it for the first time. For the next five years, John attended Saturday classes at
10296-404: The age of sixteen. Branson has dyslexia , and had poor academic performance; on his last day at school, his headmaster, Robert Drayson , told him he would either end up in prison or become a millionaire. Branson has also talked openly about having ADHD . Branson's parents were supportive of his endeavours from an early age. His mother was an entrepreneur; one of her most successful ventures
10439-601: The aircast, not just the 40 minutes selected by Dick James Music. John and Taupin wrote the soundtrack to the 1971 film Friends and the album Madman Across the Water , which reached number eight in the US and included the hit songs " Levon " and the album's opening track, " Tiny Dancer ". In 1972, Davey Johnstone joined the Elton John Band on guitar and backing vocals. Released in 1972, Honky Château became John's first US number one album, spending five weeks at
10582-567: The award for " Can You Feel the Love Tonight ". Both that and " Circle of Life " became hits. "Can You Feel the Love Tonight" also won the Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance at the 37th Annual Grammy Awards . The soundtrack for The Lion King remained at the top of the Billboard 200 for nine weeks. On 10 November 1999, the RIAA certified The Lion King " Diamond " for selling 15 million copies. In 1994, John
10725-517: The chance to see our beautiful planet from such a powerful perspective." In 2014, Branson launched the "Foodpreneur" food and drink-focused start-up competition. Winners were provided with mentorship from Branson, legal support, and brand counseling. The 2014 winners included Proper Beans, Killer Tomato, Sweetpea Pantry and Sweet Virtues. In 2015, the competition expanded to the Virgin StartUp's Foodpreneur Festival. The 2015 winners were given
10868-490: The chart on both sides of the Atlantic, remaining at number one for two months. It also temporarily established John as a glam rock star. It contained the US number 1 " Bennie and the Jets ", along with the hits " Goodbye Yellow Brick Road ", " Candle in the Wind ", " Saturday Night's Alright for Fighting " and " Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding ". John formed his own label, The Rocket Record Company (distributed in
11011-643: The charts with the 1983 album Too Low for Zero , which included the singles " I'm Still Standing " (No. 4 UK) and " I Guess That's Why They Call It the Blues ", the latter of which featured Stevie Wonder on harmonica and reached number four in the US and number five in the UK. In October 1983, John caused controversy when he broke the United Nations' cultural boycott on apartheid -era South Africa by performing at Sun City . He married his close friend and sound engineer, Renate Blauel, on Valentine's Day 1984;
11154-542: The clip for "Wild Boys", Arena (An Absurd Notion) and the As the Lights Go Down concert video. In 1985, Mulcahy directed the cult film Highlander , starring Christopher Lambert and Sean Connery , featuring music from Queen. Mulcahy said "I loved the genre, I loved the action, and I loved the strange complexity of the intercutting timelines. What really grabbed me though was the sense of tragic, epic romance in
11297-529: The contract, Branson said he was convinced the civil servants had "got their maths wrong". In October, after an investigation into the bidding process, the deal was scrapped. The Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin announced there were "significant technical flaws" in the process and mistakes had been made by transport staff. Virgin Rail continued to operate the West Coast line until 7 December 2019, when it
11440-501: The design of LauncherOne, in expectation of business opportunities created by the new smallsat launcher. In August 2012, when re-tendered the InterCity West Coast franchise was awarded to FirstGroup after a competitive tender process overseen by the Department for Transport . Branson had expressed his concerns about the tender process and questioned the validity of the business plan submitted by FirstGroup. When Virgin Rail lost
11583-467: The end of the Elton John Band, as an unhappy and overworked John dismissed Olsson and Murray. According to Circus , a spokesman for John's manager John Reid said the decision was reached mutually via phone while John was in Australia promoting Tommy . Davey Johnstone and Ray Cooper were retained, Quaye and Roger Pope returned, and the new bassist was Kenny Passarelli; this rhythm section provided
11726-590: The family moved to a nearby semi-detached house. He was educated at Pinner Wood Junior School, Reddiford School and Pinner County Grammar School , until he was 17, when he left just before his A-Level examinations to pursue a career in music. When John began to consider a career in music seriously, his father, who served in the Royal Air Force , tried to steer him toward a more conventional career, such as banking. John has said that his wild stage costumes and performances were his way of letting go after
11869-466: The field. In 1980 he joined Lexi Godfrey, Scott Millaney, Brian Grant , and David Mallet to form the video company MGMM. He had notable collaborations in particular with Ultravox , Duran Duran (especially " Hungry Like the Wolf "), Kim Carnes , Icehouse , Spandau Ballet , Fleetwood Mac (" Gypsy ") (1982), Billy Joel ("Allentown" & "Matter of Trust"), Bonnie Tyler (including " Total Eclipse of
12012-561: The fight against AIDS. And also his bravery in exposing all the triumphs and tragedies of his personal life." — Axl Rose speech inducting Elton John into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Along with Tim Rice , John wrote the songs for the 1994 Disney animated film The Lion King . At the 67th Academy Awards , three of the five nominees for the Academy Award for Best Original Song were from The Lion King soundtrack . John won
12155-450: The genre. Mulcahy was a friend of Richard Branson and had done videos for Virgin Records . Branson had an idea for making a film about Derek and Clive and hired Mulcachy to shoot one of their albums over two nights. This became Derek and Clive Get the Horn (1979), Mulcahy's first feature. For the next few years, Mulcahy focused on music videos, becoming one of the leading directors in
12298-471: The good of mankind. The Virgin Earth Challenge was to award $ 25 million to the individual or group who are able to demonstrate a commercially viable design that will result in the net removal of anthropogenic, atmospheric greenhouse gases each year for at least ten years without countervailing harmful effects. This removal must have long-term effects and contribute materially to the stability of
12441-463: The hit song " The One ". It was his first album recorded entirely sober. As John recalled in 2020, "I was used to making records under the haze of alcohol or drugs, and here I was, 100% sober, so it was tough. But I managed to come up with a good song, which was the title of the record." He also released " Runaway Train ", a duet he recorded with his longtime friend Eric Clapton , with whom he played on Clapton's World Tour . John and Taupin then signed
12584-503: The hits " Crocodile Rock ", his first US Billboard Hot 100 number one, and " Daniel ", which reached number two in the US and number four in the UK. The album and "Crocodile Rock" were respectively the first album and single on the consolidated MCA Records label in the US, replacing MCA's other labels, including Uni. Goodbye Yellow Brick Road , a double-album released in October 1973, gained instant critical acclaim and topped
12727-401: The key early songs by the band which helped launch them internationally. "We just hit it off," he said. "They were young and brave, as was I really." In 1982, Mulcahy said he had been approached to make a feature film about a movie palace by David Puttnam , who had success working with first time directors from TV commercials. However, the film was never made. Mulcahy's first dramatic feature
12870-496: The lyrics if he could not come up with anything quickly. For two years they wrote easy-listening tunes for James to peddle to singers. Their early output included a contender for the UK entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 1969 , for Lulu, called "I Can't Go On (Living Without You)". It came sixth of six songs. In 1969, John provided piano for Roger Hodgson on his first released single, "Mr. Boyd" by Argosy,
13013-400: The marriage lasted three years. In 1984, he released Breaking Hearts , which featured the song " Sad Songs (Say So Much) ", a number five hit in the US and number seven in the UK. In 1985, John was one of the many performers at Live Aid , held at Wembley Stadium . He played "Bennie and the Jets" and "Rocket Man"; then "Don't Go Breaking My Heart" with Kiki Dee for the first time since
13156-589: The music video for the Saints ' " (I'm) Stranded " (1976). Tony Hogarth from Wizard Records sent Mulcahy to England to do a video for a punk band in Birmingham. It was well received and Mulcahy decided to stay on in the country. He joined Jon Roseman Productions International and made successful music videos for several noted British pop acts—his early UK credits included Culture Club , the Human League ,
13299-630: The musical after seeing the 2000 British coming-of-age film Billy Elliot , saying of the titular character, "he's like me". Opening to strong reviews, the show won four Laurence Olivier Awards , including Best New Musical . The 12th-longest-running musical in West End history , the London production, which featured Tom Holland as Billy for two years, ran through April 2016, with 4,566 performances. As of December 2015, Billy Elliot has been seen by over 5.25 million people in London and nearly 11 million people worldwide (on Broadway where it won
13442-485: The name of a horse in British sitcom Steptoe and Son , of which John was a big fan. The team of John and Taupin joined Dick James 's DJM Records as staff songwriters in 1968, and over the next two years wrote material for various artists, among them Roger Cook and Lulu . Taupin would write a batch of lyrics in under an hour and give it to John, who would write music for each of them in half an hour, disposing of
13585-589: The novel by Neville Shute ; The Lost Battalion (2001), with Rick Schroder ; and 1st to Die (2003); he also did episodes of Queer as Folk , The Young Lions , Jeremiah and Skin . He returned to features with the Australian Swimming Upstream (2003) but mostly directed TV movies, including 3: The Dale Earnhardt Story (2004), Mysterious Island (2005), The Curse of King Tut's Tomb (2006), The Sitter (2007), Crash and Burn (2007), The Scorpion King: Rise of
13728-584: The occasional video clip for artists like Elton John and began to direct TV shows like Tales from the Crypt , Perversions of Science and The Hunger . He directed the features Tale of the Mummy (1998) and Resurrection (1999), the latter with Christopher Lambert of Highlander . In the 21st century, Mulcahy's work was increasingly on the small screen: On the Beach (2000), filmed in Australia based on
13871-546: The opportunity to pitch Target Corporation buyers. The 2015 winners included Pip & Nut, Double Dutch Drinks, Harry Bromptons, Cauli Rice and Mallow and Marsh. In March 2015, Virgin Trains East Coast commenced operating the InterCity East Coast franchise; the company was a joint venture between Stagecoach (90%) and Virgin Group (10%). Due to the line performing below VTEC's expectations, it
14014-665: The original studio album of Randy Newman 's musical Faust . A duet with Luciano Pavarotti , " Live Like Horses ", reached number nine in the UK in December 1996. A compilation album, Love Songs , was released in 1996. Early in 1997, John held a 50th birthday party, costumed as Louis XIV of France , with 500 friends. He performed with the surviving members of Queen in Paris at the opening night (17 January 1997) of Le Presbytère N'a Rien Perdu De Son Charme Ni Le Jardin De Son Éclat ,
14157-479: The pair performed these two number-one hits, along with the Beatles' " I Saw Her Standing There ", at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Lennon made the rare stage appearance with John and his band to keep the promise he had made that he would appear on stage with him if "Whatever Gets You Thru The Night" became a US number-one single. Caribou was released in 1974, becoming John's third number one in
14300-644: The partnership on Richard Branson's boat, leading to the concise and impactful title " Now That's What I Call Music! ," inspired by a Danish Bacon poster gifted to Simon Draper. Richard Branson's introduction to the antique shop owned by Joan Templeman, played a pivotal role in his growing fascination with old signs and advertisements, ultimately shaping the collection. Branson formed Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Cargo in 1984. He formed Virgin Holidays in 1985. In 1992, to keep his airline company afloat, Branson sold
14443-696: The perspective of wanting to live life to the full, I felt that I had to attempt it. In 2006, through a merger with SN Brussels Airlines , Virgin Airlines formed Brussels Airlines , while retaining its separate listing. It also started a national airline based in Nigeria, called Virgin Nigeria , which ceased operations in 2009. Another airline, Virgin America , began flying out of San Francisco International Airport in August 2007. Branson's next venture with
14586-563: The press that portrayed Virgin negatively. After the so-called campaign of "dirty tricks" , British Airways settled the case, giving £500,000 to Branson, a further £110,000 to his airline, and had to pay legal fees of up to £3 million. Branson distributed his compensation (the so-called "BA bonus") among his staff. Branson launched Virgin Mobile in 1999, and airline Virgin Blue in Australia in 2000. On 25 September 2004, Branson announced
14729-580: The profits of Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Trains in research for environmentally-friendly fuels. The investment is estimated to be worth $ 3 billion. On 4 July 2006, Branson sold his Virgin Mobile company to UK cable TV, broadband, and telephone company NTL:Telewest for £900 million. A new company was launched with much fanfare and publicity on 8 February 2007, under the name Virgin Media . The decision to merge his Virgin Media Company with NTL
14872-417: The public to such lesser known avant-garde music as Faust and Can . Virgin Records also introduced Culture Club to the music world. Branson's net worth was estimated at £5 million by 1979, and a year later, Virgin Records went international. Branson's first successful entry into the airline industry was during a trip to Puerto Rico. His flight was cancelled, so he decided to charter his own plane
15015-621: The railway business during the privatisation of British Rail in the late 1990s. Virgin Rail Group won the InterCity CrossCountry and InterCity West Coast franchises, beginning operations in January and March 1997 respectively. Both franchises were scheduled to run for 15 years. A series of disputes in the early 1990s caused tension between Virgin Atlantic and British Airways , which viewed Virgin as an emerging competitor. Virgin subsequently accused British Airways of poaching its passengers, hacking its computers, and leaking stories to
15158-421: The record label Virgin Records with Nik Powell . The name "Virgin" was suggested by one of Branson's early employees because they were all new at business. Branson bought a country estate north of Oxford in which he installed a residential recording studio, The Manor Studio . He leased studio time to fledgling artists, including multi-instrumentalist Mike Oldfield , whose debut album Tubular Bells (1973)
15301-498: The record previously held by Andrew Lloyd Webber 's 1986 musical The Phantom of the Opera . In addition to The Lion King , John composed music for Disney's musical production Aida in 1999 with lyricist Tim Rice , for which they received the Tony Award for Best Original Score at the 54th Tony Awards , and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album at the 43rd Annual Grammy Awards . The musical had its world premiere at
15444-535: The rest of the way and offered a ride to the rest of the stranded passengers for a small fee to cover the cost. In 1982, Virgin purchased the gay bar Heaven . In 1991, in a consortium with David Frost , Branson made an unsuccessful bid for three ITV franchises under the CPV-TV name. The early 1980s also saw his only attempt as a producer—on the novelty record " Baa, Baa, Black Sheep ", by The Singing Sheep in association with Doug McLean and Grace McDonald, on which he
15587-477: The same ad. John wrote music for the lyrics and then sent it to Taupin, which began their decades-long partnership that still continues . When the two first met in 1967, they recorded the first John/Taupin song, "Scarecrow". Six months later, John began going by the name Elton John in homage to two members of Bluesology: saxophonist Elton Dean and vocalist Long John Baldry . He legally changed his name to Elton Hercules John on 7 January 1972. "Hercules" came from
15730-409: The same church he used for Student . Branson used the magazine to advertise popular albums, driving his record sales. He interviewed several prominent personalities of the late 1960s for the magazine including Mick Jagger and R. D. Laing . Branson took over full direction of Student after successfully lying to Powell that the workers at the magazine opposed Powell's plans to turn the magazine into
15873-594: The show Finding Your Roots , Branson was shown to have 3.9% South Asian (Indian) DNA, likely through intermarriage. Later, he stated that one of his great-great-great-grandmothers was an Indian named Ariya. Branson was educated at Scaitcliffe School , a prep school in Surrey , before briefly attending Cliff View House School in Sussex . He attended Stowe School , a private school in Buckinghamshire until
16016-556: The signing of a deal under which a new space tourism company, Virgin Galactic , will license the technology behind SpaceShipOne —funded by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen and designed by aeronautical engineer Burt Rutan —to take paying passengers into suborbital outer space . Virgin Galactic plans to make flights available to the public with tickets priced at US$ 200,000 using the Scaled Composites White Knight Two . The spacecraft, SpaceShipTwo ,
16159-462: The single reaching number two in the US in 1988. His albums continued to sell, but of those released in the latter half of the 1980s, only Reg Strikes Back (number 16, 1988) placed in the top 20 in the US. In 1990, John achieved his first solo UK number one hit single, with " Sacrifice " (coupled with " Healing Hands ") from the previous year's album Sleeping with the Past ; it stayed at
16302-812: The son of Edward James Branson (1918–2011), a barrister , and his wife Evette Huntley Branson ( née Flindt ; 1924–2021), a former ballet dancer and air hostess. He has two younger sisters, Lindy and Vanessa . His grandfather, Sir George Arthur Harwin Branson , was a judge of the High Court of Justice and a Privy Councillor . Branson's great-great-great-grandfather, John Edward Branson, left England for India in 1793; John Edward's father, Harry Wilkins Branson, later joined his son in Madras . Starting from 1793, four generations of Branson's family lived in India, mostly at Cuddalore , in modern-day Tamil Nadu . On
16445-585: The songs that launched his career as a rock star; he lived there until he had four albums simultaneously in the American Top 40. At age 15, with his mother's and stepfather's help, John was hired as a pianist at a nearby pub, the Northwood Hills Hotel, playing Thursday to Sunday nights. Known simply as "Reggie", he played a range of popular standards, including songs by Jim Reeves and Ray Charles , as well as his own songs. A stint with
16588-571: The story." Mulcahy directed several Queen video clips for the Highlander soundtrack (including " A Kind of Magic ") as well as works for Billy Joel, Kim Carnes, Kenny Loggins , Def Leppard , Elton John (including " I Don't Wanna Go on with You Like That ") and Rod Stewart. He later directed the Highlander sequel, Highlander II: The Quickening (1991), but disowned it after the completion-bond company interfered with production . He wanted to have his credit changed to Alan Smithee , but as he
16731-579: The team being renamed Virgin Racing . In 2010, Virgin Hotels was launched under the Virgin Group. In February 2018, Branson announced the first Virgin hotel in the UK would open in Edinburgh. Branson and Tony Fernandes , owner of Air Asia and Lotus F1 Racing , had a bet for the 2010 F1 season where the losing team's boss should work on the winner's airline during a charity flight dressed as
16874-496: The top 20 there, with the latter reaching the top 5. In 1979, accompanied by Ray Cooper , John became one of the first Western artists to tour the Soviet Union and Israel. John returned to the US top ten with " Mama Can't Buy You Love " (number 9), a song MCA rejected in 1977, recorded with Philadelphia soul producer Thom Bell . John said Bell was the first person to give him voice lessons and encouraged him to sing in
17017-714: The top of the Billboard 200 , and began a streak of seven consecutive US number-one albums. The album reached number two in the UK, and spawned the hit singles " Rocket Man " and " Honky Cat ". In 1972 John performed at the Royal Variety Performance , where he was upstaged by the dancing of Larry Smith , the drummer with the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band . Smith was invited to join John's second US tour; Smith later said: "I suggested adding in various other bizarre elements like me doing " Singin' in
17160-495: The top spot for five weeks. The following year, "Basque" won the Grammy for Best Instrumental , and a guest concert appearance at Wembley Arena John made on George Michael 's cover of " Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me " was released as a single and topped the charts in both the UK and the US. At the 1991 Brit Awards in London, John won Best British Male. In 1992, John released the US number 8 album The One , featuring
17303-485: The video the next day or two days later. It really was just grab what you can and do it." Warner Bros music chief Jo Berggman called Mulcahy's style "everything but the kitchen sink and more school of video. Russell's work is expensive by music video standards but look at what you get. Wizard of Oz , Singing in the Rain - I mean, name your favorite MGM musical, they're all there." Mulcahy worked with Duran Duran, directing
17446-626: The video with no concept of what it was going to do... It was a one day shoot. I just had this idea of it being set in a strange laboratory, with a girl coming down a tube on a wire." In 1978, he went to the United States (for Roseman) and directed videos for The Cryers and Candi Staton - where he first used the "jump cut" - under producer Paul Flattery. Other Mulcahy innovations included spot colour, body painting, glass matte shots and faux widescreen aspect ratio (first used on his Ultravox and Rod Stewart videos) which have all become standards for
17589-620: The year at the first annual Rock Music Awards in Santa Monica, California. In May 1976, the live album Here and There was released, followed in October by the album Blue Moves , which contained the single " Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word ". His biggest success in 1976 was " Don't Go Breaking My Heart ", a duet with Kiki Dee that topped a number of charts, including the UK, the US, Australia, France and Canada. Besides being John's most commercially successful period, 1970–1976
17732-437: The year; while one performed, the other rested. The first of these shows took place on 13 February 2004. In February 2006, John and Dion sang together at the venue to raise money for Harrah's Entertainment Inc. workers affected by the 2005 hurricanes, performing "Sorry Seems to Be the Hardest Word" and "Saturday Night's Alright (for Fighting)". Richard Branson Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson (born 18 July 1950)
17875-610: Was announced in May 2018 that the contract would be terminated early by the government. VTEC ceased operating on 23 June 2018 and operations passed to a government-owned operator, London North Eastern Railway . In November 2015, Branson announced the addition of Moskito Island to the Virgin Limited Edition portfolio. This resort, The Branson Estate on Moskito Island, offers 11 bedrooms for 22 guests. In 2017, Virgin Group invested in Hyperloop One , developing
18018-652: Was appointed a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour in 2020. Elton John was born Reginald Kenneth Dwight on 25 March 1947 in Pinner , Middlesex (now part of the London Borough of Harrow ), the eldest child of Stanley Dwight (1925–1991) and only child of Sheila Eileen (née Harris; 1925–2017). He was raised in a council house in Pinner by his maternal grandparents. His parents married in 1945, when
18161-490: Was at its peak in the 1970s, when he released a string of chart-topping albums both in the US and UK, which began with Honky Château (1972) and culminated with Rock of the Westies (1975) . His success continued in the 1980s and 1990s, having several hit singles and albums in both decades, and he has continued to record new music since. John has also had success in musical films and theatre, composing music for The Lion King (1994), Aida (2000), and Billy Elliot
18304-828: Was backing touring American soul and R&B musicians such as the Isley Brothers , Major Lance and Patti LaBelle and the Bluebelles . In 1966, the band became Long John Baldry 's supporting band and played 16 times at the Marquee Club . In 1967, John answered an advertisement in the British music paper New Musical Express , placed by Ray Williams , then the A&;R manager for Liberty Records . At their first meeting, Williams gave John an unopened envelope of lyrics written by Bernie Taupin , who had answered
18447-487: Was building and selling wooden tissue boxes and wastepaper bins. In London, he started off squatting from 1967 to 1968. Branson is an atheist . He said in a 2011 interview with CNN's Piers Morgan that he believes in evolution and the importance of humanitarian efforts but not in the existence of God. "I would love to believe," he said. "It's very comforting to believe". After failed attempts to grow and sell both Christmas trees and budgerigars , Branson launched
18590-468: Was credited as "Jeff Mutton". The track consisted of samples of animal noises recorded at his aunt Claire Hoares' farm in Norfolk, set to a drum-machine-produced track and reached number 42 in the UK charts in 1982. In 1983, Now That's What I Call Music! emerged from Virgin Records offices as a unique compilation series, distinct in its originality. Collaborating with EMI , Peter Jamieson orchestrated
18733-542: Was determined by a postcard lottery, with each winner allowed two tickets. Everyone who attended the performances received a hardbound "yearbook" of the band's history. That year, he also played piano on Kevin Ayers 's Sweet Deceiver and was among the first and few white artists to appear on the African-American television series Soul Train . On 9 August 1975, John was named the outstanding rock personality of
18876-519: Was fined £271 million over the allegations. Virgin Atlantic was given immunity for tipping off the authorities and received no fine—a controversial decision the Office of Fair Trading defended as being in the public interest. On 9 February 2007, Branson announced the setting up of a new global science and technology prize—The Virgin Earth Challenge —in the belief that history has shown that prizes of this nature encourage technological advancements for
19019-414: Was hired by Carolco Pictures to direct Rambo III (1988), but was replaced with second-unit director Peter MacDonald . The collaboration had started well but it became apparent that he had major creative differences with star/writer Sylvester Stallone so Mulcahy left the project. "It was nobody's fault," said Mulcahy later. "Sly is a wonderful man, and we still remain friends." He continued to direct
19162-428: Was in Australia, Razorback (1984). The film was a box office disappointment but has become a cult favorite. He later said: From my videos and continuing on through RAZORBACK and after, I've always made sure I have a group around me that are as important as me, and people whose expertise and talent I want and encourage. I want them to be part and parcel of the team and to be proud of their work. I guess there has to be
19305-515: Was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame by Guns N' Roses ' frontman Axl Rose . In 1995, he released the album Made in England (number 3). The title track is an autobiographical recounting of parts of his life. The album also featured the single " Believe ". John performed "Believe" at the 1995 Brit Awards and won the Outstanding Contribution to Music prize. In September 1995, he appeared as Angel Rick on
19448-509: Was made in order to integrate compatible areas of the two businesses. Whilst Branson had owned three-quarters of Virgin Mobile, he would now get paid £8.5 million per annum for the use of the Virgin brand name. He does not own any part of Virgin Media. In 2006, Branson formed Virgin Comics and Virgin Animation, an entertainment company focused on creating new stories and characters for
19591-650: Was not a member of the Directors Guild of America , he had no way of forcing the film-guaranty company to change the credit. He eventually took the opportunity to restore his vision for the film, to a large extent, with the video release of Highlander II: The Renegade Version . Mulcahy began to focus on features, mostly action/thrillers, such as Ricochet (1991) with Denzel Washington , Blue Ice (1992) with Michael Caine , The Real McCoy (1993) with Kim Basinger , The Shadow (1994) with Alec Baldwin and Silent Trigger (1996) with Dolph Lundgren . He
19734-531: Was raised primarily by his mother and maternal grandmother. When his father was home, the Dwights had vehement arguments that greatly distressed John. When he was 14, they divorced. His mother then married a local painter, Fred Farebrother, a caring and supportive stepfather whom John affectionately called "Derf" ("Fred" backward). They moved into flat No. 3A in an eight-unit apartment building called Frome Court, not far from both previous homes. There John wrote
19877-527: Was released in April 1970 on DJM Records/ Pye Records in the UK and Uni Records in the US, and established the formula for subsequent albums: gospel-chorded rockers and poignant ballads. The album's first single, " Border Song ", peaked at 92 on the Billboard Hot 100 . The second, " Your Song ", reached number seven in the UK Singles Chart and number eight in the US, becoming John's first hit single as
20020-453: Was released in October 1970 and reached number two in the UK and number five in the US. The live album 17-11-70 (titled 11–17–70 in the US) was recorded at a live show aired from A&R Studios on WABC-FM in New York City. Sales of the live album took a blow in the US when an east-coast bootlegger released the performance several weeks before the official album, including all 60 minutes of
20163-715: Was released, which was the soundtrack to the British animated television series of the same name. "Up The Revolution" was John's track, alongside contributions from George Harrison , the Bee Gees and Eric Clapton. The album was issued briefly, and only in the UK. "For myself as well as for many others no one has been there more for inspiration than Elton John. When we talk of great rock duos like Jimmy Page and Robert Plant , John (Lennon) and Paul (McCartney) , Mick (Jagger) and Keith (Richards) , I like to think of Elton John and Bernie Taupin. Also tonight I think that Elton should be honoured for his great work and contribution in
20306-461: Was replaced by Avanti West Coast . In September 2014, Branson announced his investment in drone company 3D Robotics stating, "It's amazing to see what a little flying object with a GoPro attached can do. Before they came along the alternative was an expensive helicopter and crew. I'm really excited about the potential 3D Robotics sees in drones. They can do a lot of good in the world, and I hope this affordable technology will give many more people
20449-562: Was the first release for Virgin Records and became a chart-topping best-seller. Virgin signed controversial bands such as the Sex Pistols , which other companies were reluctant to sign. Virgin Records would go on to sign other artists including the Rolling Stones , Peter Gabriel , XTC , Japan , UB40 , Steve Winwood and Paula Abdul , and to become the world's largest independent record label. It also won praise for exposing
#400599