Elton John is currently on year four of his farewell tour, which kicked off in 2018, was obviously rerouted during the pandemic, and which currently sees dates carrying over into 2023. Much like his tour itinerary, though, the musician’s public presence is far from reaching a state of retirement, with—unless I fever-dreamed this, which feels increasingly likely—a Hollywood biopic dropping between headlines and photoshoots paired with today’s most innovative artists like Young Thug, The Weeknd, and Gorillaz who he can frequently be heard championing on his Apple Music 1 program Rocket Hour.
The latest musicians to find themselves the subject of Sir Elton’s interest are Leeds post-punks Yard Act, who were graced with Elton’s presence on a new reworking of the closing track to their recent LP The Overload. “You have no control over the mad shit,” frontperson James Smith shared in a press statement about the collaboration, “it just happens [when you do art]. Elton John saw our stuff and he started telling the press he thought we were good and then we chatted on the phone and after a few calls I said ‘Elton, do you want to come to the studio and play piano on a tune?’ because, fuck it, it doesn't matter if he says no.”
Elton eventually came in to help lay down a new version of the track “100% Endurance,” which had already been graced by the presence of another living legend, David Thewlis, in the track’s official video. “[Elton] said something very poignant to me,” Smith added. “‘The fascinating thing is you hear things so differently from other people, and when you hear what they hear, then it all makes sense.’ That insight, that curiosity, and that approach to music is the reason he’s still standing.”
Hear the new piano-embellished version of the track below.
