faroutmagazine.co.uk
The “telling-off” George Harrison gave Elton John about his drug use
by Joe Taysom
FAR OUT Magazine
Tue 20 August 2024
Although addiction is rife throughout all walks of life, it’s especially prevalent in the music industry. Addiction is a disease that has robbed artists of their careers and cost countless lives. Few are more aware of its trappings than Elton John, who counts himself fortunate to be a survivor.
The pop star has been sober since 1990, which he considers the greatest decision he has ever made. After seeing the light, John’s life has changed immeasurably. Instead of being a slave to substances as he was for many years, John is now a loving family man with two children. It’s no coincidence that his career enjoyed a second wind once he successfully left the substances behind and embraced sobriety. John’s love for music started burning brighter than ever, and he viewed his career as a privilege instead of a burden.
Like most addicts, John’s memory of several years blurs into one, but considering he almost lost his life, that’s a small price to pay. His problems were visible to anybody who spent considerable time in the pianist’s company, and many of his associates attempted to intervene before he finally sought help.
While George Harrison and Elton weren’t the closest friends, the Beatles guitarist knew the singer was knee-deep in trouble and, therefore, tried his best to give him a wake-up call. However, as anyone in a similar position to Harrison can attest, these warnings can often fall on flat ears.
By the time Elton finally got sober, he had been dependent on cocaine for almost two decades. During that time, John began to stop resembling himself, with those around him growing increasingly worried about his health. While he certainly had some fun during the early days of his use, those days of enjoyment were long gone by the time he eventually got clean.
Elton has talked extensively about his drug problems, and his honesty on the topic is admirable. Rather than trying to leave that part of his life in a locked box, he’s open about his experiences, which he hopes will prevent others from taking flight on a similar journey.
During an interview on Today, Elton, who was a shy child, explained how he initially used cocaine as a coping mechanism in social settings, revealing, “I thought, ‘This is the drug that has opened me up. I can converse, I can be verbose. I would have an epileptic seizure and turn blue, and people would find me on the floor and put me to bed, and then 40 minutes later, I’d be snorting another line.”
He never knew when to call it a night, and although Harrison had extensively been people using drugs, Elton’s actions were a shock to his system. John later revealed that Harrison tried to convince him to change his ways on plentiful occasions, telling Rolling Stone, “It’s very hard to put into words. He was very forthright, and he actually administered quite a few tellings-off to me about my drug problem.”
Despite his hazy memory from that period, he vividly remembers one particular earful he received from Harrison. To make matters worse, they were also in the company of Bob Dylan. “There was this one night in Los Angeles when he said, ‘Listen, for God’s sake, go easy on the marching powder, because it’s not going to do you any good.’ That was the evening I tried to change Bob Dylan’s wardrobe,” he began.
Elton claimed “the abject look of horror on Bob Dylan’s face was unbelievable” before revealing that Harrison “administered a little talk to me” following the attempted makeover.
The embarrassing moment in front of two of music’s most revered figures is a source of shame for John, and if he weren’t on cocaine, the singer would never have acted that way. While Harrison’s words didn’t immediately make him seek out a rehabilitation clinic, they’ve stayed with him to this day, which suggests they hit a nerve.
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