Elton John and Rod Stewart’s rivalry spans over five decades when they were neighbours in London in the 1970s.
The Rocketman has claimed in his new autobiography, Me, that his feud with the Maggie May singer “soured” after his frenemy blasted him on television then ignored his attempt to reach out.
Sir Elton, 73, has dedicated a chapter to Sir Rod, 75, where he addresses their spat.
Their rivalry was reignited two years ago after Rod described Elton’s farewell tour as “dishonesty”, adding that it “stinks of selling tickets”.
Speaking on a US talk show, Rod said that he would never announce his own retirement because it was not very “rock and roll”.
Elton John has opened up about his 50-year feud with Rod Stewart in his autobiography (Image: WireImage)
In response, a furious Elton wrote in his book: “I certainly didn’t feel like I needed a lecture on the feral spirit of rock and roll from someone who’d spent most of the last decade crooning his way through the Great American Songbook and Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas.”
“What’s more, I thought he had a f***ing cheek, complaining about me promoting a tour while he was sat on a TV show promoting his own tour.”
Rod responded: “(Elton) doesn’t like me at the moment. I was bang out of order. Correct, but bang out of order.”
The Handbags and Gladrags hitmaker went on to blame the TV show’s producers, adding: “They make sure you get drunk before you go on. Four big shots of neat vodka and with me being a butch man, I knocked them all back.
Elton and Rod’s rivalry spans over five decades when they were neighbours in London in the 1970s (Image: Mirrorpix)
“I said that 300 dates in three years sounded a bit money-grabbing to me.
“Look, I know where’s he’s coming from. He’s just got two kids very, very late in life but I’m planning my tours around my kids. I think he’ll miss it. I can’t wait for the next show.”
The Goodbye Yellow Brick Road singer was furious at Rod for months over the 2018 remarks but when he calmed down, he sent his rival a message saying that that they had “known each other far too long to fall out over something like that”.
Rod allegedly never got back to him and Elton says he received a message from Rod’s manager, saying the singer couldn’t speak on the phone because he was on “constant vocal rest” between shows.
The Rocketman says his feud with the Maggie May singer “soured” after his frenemy blasted him on television then ignored his attempt to reach out (Image: Getty Images)
Elton fumes that the “vocal rest” didn’t stop Rod popping up on even more chat shows, where he used the chance to dig at him again.
The Candle In The Wind singer says he has not heard from Rod since, adding:”I had no idea what I’d done to upset him so much.
“Which was ironic, given the hours I’d put in over the years deliberately trying to annoy him.”
Rod played a series of concerts at London’s Earl’s Court in 1985, with enormous balloons resembling footballs hanging above the venue to advertise his shows. Elton hired a sniper with an air rifle to shoot them down.
Sir Rod’s manager reportedly told Sir Elton that he couldn’t reply because he was on “vocal rest” (Image: PA)
In 1978, when both singers were performing in Las Vegas, Rod announced his shows with a banner proclaiming his album title, Blondes Have More Fun, outside the venue, Caesars Palace.
Elton had one put up on the building opposite, which read: “But Brunettes Make More Money.” And Elton never misses an opportunity to remind Rod that his £360million fortune dwarfs his rival’s mere £200million.
Writing in his book about the love-hate relationship, Elton penned: “Perhaps it is inevitable that a relationship based on friendly rivalry and one-upmanship would sour eventually.
“It just seems really strange and sad, not least because it’s deprived me of the opportunity to point out to him how much better my tour’s selling than his.”
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
