Bernie Taupin is a lyricist, forthcoming author, soon-to-be member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and a fine artist. His latest show at Choice Contemporary gallery in Brentwood highlights lyrics from songs he wrote for Elton John. Taupin says with John on his farewell tour, “I just wanted to do something that was a hat tip to the tour and our fan base.”
The show offers colorful mixed media works, both originals and prints that are heavy on stenciling. “I just thought, ‘Okay, I’m gonna take some of the most iconic lyrics in our canon, and sort of snip out the ones that really I think will pop,’” shares Taupin. A cheeky yellow brick with “goodbye” stenciled atop it in black hangs on the wall along with a framed collage of actual records with “from the 22nd row” spray painted across them. He makes sure to highlight all the hits.
“From the 22nd Row” is a nod to “Candle in the Wind,” a song whose inspiration he explains in his upcoming book, but readers will have to wait until its fall release to get the skinny, Taupin says. “I think when people read the book, they’ll be quite surprised about my take on it. But it’s not something I really want to give away right now.”
The book, “Scattershot,” was written over two years during the height of the pandemic. “I just thought I’d write some stories. And then suddenly, I came up with the realization that what I was doing was actually writing a book,” notes Taupin. “It’s not a linear styled autobiography. It doesn’t go from A to Z. It jumps all over the place. Hence the title ‘Scattershot.’ It’s sort of like Homer’s ‘Odyssey,’ I guess it’s just ‘Bernie’s Odyssey.’”
Taupin’s show runs through the end of July, he will be inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in November. His memoir, which he says was “one of the most satisfying things I’ve ever done in my life,” comes out in September.