Elton John remembers fallen friends

By Tony Grew • September 14, 2006 - 0:00

Elton, who will be 60 next year, has been a major international star since 1970, when “Your Song” was a hit across the world.

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Singer Elton John has spoken candidly about the many friends he has lost to AIDS, cancer and assassination.

A song on his new album, called "Blues Never Fade Away," mourns the loss of pals Gianni Versace, Andy Warhol, Freddie Mercury, John Lennon, and Diana, Princess of Wales.

"It just seems so unfair that so many good people die prematurely, yet there are so many bastards still living," Elton told The Mirror.

"It's extraordinary. If you had said to me 25 years ago that I would have lost so many friends, I would have said that it was an impossibility."

Elton has also told ITV's Michael Parkinson show that his public disagreement with singer George Michael was at an end.

The pair fell out two years ago when Elton made comments about George's apparent lack of ambition.

"George and I are fine. He came and stayed down my house last year. We're fine."

He refused to be drawn on the recent publicity surrounding George Michael's cruising activities, saying, "I'd rather keep my mouth shut…It's up to him what he does with his life really and I don't really want to get into that any more."

Elton, who will be 60 next year, has been a major international star since 1970, when "Your Song" was a hit across the world. His long-time collaborator, lyricist Bernie Taupin, has been with him since the beginning.

He has no plans to retire and recently expressed an interest in working on a hip hop album.

He told The Mirror "I live my life to the full these days because you don't know what the future holds. I live day to day, work hard and enjoy life. That's all I can do. I certainly won't be retiring soon. There's too much to live for."

Elton revealed in a 1976 Rolling Stone interview that he was bisexual.

He later renounced his bisexuality and came out as gay. In 2005 he entered into a civil partnership with his partner of 13 years, film maker David Furnish.

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