TURN ME LOOSE
FROM YOUR HANDS
LET ME FLY
TO DISTANT LANDS
Empty Sky
is the
debut
studio album
by British
singer-songwriter
released on
June,6th 1969.
It was not issued
in the United States
until
January 1975
(on MCA),
with
different cover art,
well after
John's fame
had been
established internationally.
Background
Recorded during
the winter of 1968
and spring
of 1969
in a DJM Records
8-track studio,
Empty Sky
is the only album
in the early part
of
Elton John's career
not produced by
Gus Dudgeon,
instead
helmed by friend
and
DJM staffer
Steve Brown.
The album was released
in the UK
in both stereo
and mono,
the latter now
being a
rare collector's item.
John plays
harpsichord
on several tracks,
including
"Skyline Pigeon",
which John has
described as being
"the first song Bernie
and I ever got
excited about
that we ever wrote."
John used
musicians who
were friends
of either him
or Brown
or both.
Guitarist
Caleb Quaye
and
drummer
Roger Pope,
both at the time
members of the band
Hookfoot,
played on
many of the tracks.
Quaye and Pope
would rejoin John
a few years later
as part of his
studio and
touring band
behind
Rock of the Westies
in 1975
and
Blue Moves
in 1976.
Tony Murray
from
The Troggs
played bass.
Empty Sky
is the
first appearance
with John
of then
Plastic Penny
and
and
Spencer Davis Group
member
Nigel Olsson
who played drums
on
"Lady What's Tomorrow?"
Olsson and fellow
Spencer Davis bandmate,
bassist
Dee Murray,
would soon join
John as his
early 1970s
touring band
Also listed in
the production credits
is
Clive Franks,
who would
later produce
John's live sound
in concert
for much of his
touring career,
and would
occasionally
co-produce
with John
on albums
such as
A Single Man
and
21 at 33.
The original
sleeve design
was done by
David Larkham
(billed as "Dave"),
who would go on
to create designs
for John
and
other artists.
TRACK LIST
Empty Sky
Val-Hala
Western Ford Gateway
Hymn 2000
Lady What's Tomorrow
Sails
The Scaffold
Skyline Pigeon
Gulliver / Hay Chewed / Reprise
Lady Samantha
All Across the Havens
It's Me That You Need
(Alt Mix)
Just Like Strange Rain
Skyline Pigeon
(Piano Demo)
(Alt Mix)
Empty Sky
(Alt Mix)
Lady What's Tomorrow
(Alt Mix)
Reminds Me of You
(Piano Demo)
(Alt Mix)
Skyline Pigeon
(Live)
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