Elton John Leather Jackets. Is it that bad?

It's become Elton's beast in the cellar!

I bought the CD upon it's release in 1986. It still sounds OK, a bit 'soft', but the album was skipped over in the last series of remasters in 2003.

Elton is very disparaging of it, maybe partly down to it's low sales and lack of hit singles, but I don't think it's that bad!

True, the sleeve is horrible and the 'motor cycle gang' photo was a grave mistake, but I don't think the album is significantly worse than 1985's Ice On Fire or 1988's Reg Strikes Back.

He was working so hard back then, and while it's no Captain Fantastic, I don't think he should be ashamed of the album.

And let someone remaster it!

 

I can't say that Leather Jackets is bad, to me is just boring. On the other hand I never understood why Ice on Fire is considered bad - it's actually one of my favourites..

 

No - not terrible as people say - but when you compare to his other work, it's low quality on his cannon. Especially when you considered Gus came back to the producer's chair! So that's from an Elton fan view.

The writing is rather lazy, he seems to have phoned in the single, "Heartache All Over the World" - I mean, I can see how they thought it could have stood on its own as it was '86. But nothing interesting about it - could have been done by anybody.

I like "Slow Rivers" - could have been gorgeous, especially with Cliff Richard on it - but Gus doing producion for 1986 just doesn't work.

In short, it's not great, it has some moments, and if you are an Elton fan, then you need it for those okay to good songs and you can skip the rest. Heck, I do that with "The Fox" and I love the EP I downsized it to...

But "Leather Jackets" (one of the brighter moments) and a few other tracks would have made a good maxi-single.

The two b-sides from the "Slow River" single are GREAT - "Lord of the Flies" and "Billy and the Kids" - easily could have swapped out "Gypsy Heart" and "Go It Alone" with those and you would have had a pretty good album in total.

Jeff

 

I prefer it to Ice On Fire but, for my money, it can't hold a candle to Reg Strikes Back. The latter iss one under-rated album if you ask me.

 

A combination of factors led to the lack of success for "Leather Jackets". The usual public rejection that comes from time to time when releasing at least one album a year. The end of the relationship with Geffen was near and Elton was just fulfilling his contract. Elton was big in a drug phase, marital problems, tabloid problems, etc.

I actually never knew the album existed when it first came out. I never heard "Heartache All Over The World" on the radio. I never saw the CD in the Elton John section. I only discovered it in the cut on bin.

With all that being said, "Hoop Of Fire" and "Paris" are excellent. Substitute those B-sides like Captain Groovy said and get rid of complete crap like "Don't Trust That Woman" and "Angeline" and a marginal album could be created from it.

 

I remember Elton promoting the album on UK radio and saying that Cher demanded her name come first on the writing credit for Don't Trust That Woman. So he became Lady Choc Ice make her contribution look less serious!

Reg Strikes Back is better than LJ, but was mainly saved by the smash US single I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That. There are a couple of duds on it though!

I do believe Sleeping With The Past was his best album of the decade, however. Never write him off!

 

That is funny. I never heard that before.

 

Yes, he did it to take the p&%s and teach her a lesson!

Served her right, eh?!

 

I quite like the album. It's certainly better than the reputation it has, as long as one can accept the 80's sound. I really like the title track, Hoop Of Fire and Heartache All Over The World.

While the album is obviously better than Victim Of Love, I'd also place it above Ice On Fire, Blue Moves, The Big Picture, Empty Sky, and Reg Strikes Back. By my count, there are at least six Elton albums worse than this.

Playing now...this CD always puts me in a good mood!

BTW, here are a few previous Leather Jackets threads if you want to read more opinions on it.

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threa...-jackets-a-snarky-song-by-song-review.118013/

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/is-elton-johns-leather-jackets-out-of-print-if-so-why.62622/

 

This post sums up my feelings perfectly!

 

I think it can be agreed that 'Victim Of Love' qualifies as Elton's worst album.

 

I always liked Tumbleweed Connection the best......but I've never listened to any of his albums in it's entirety since captain...

 

I'd go for Empty Sky myself. It's like a totally different artist. Could never get into it.

Never heard VOL until it's 2003 master. It's not one of his best, but I don't hate it. Perhaps if I'd bought it in 1979 I'd have felt differently. Time can soften ones reactions!

The Thom Bell Sessions was another lost Elton album for me. Only got that one a few years ago. Not sure if it was ever released in the UK...

 

Sorry to offend ya'll EJ fans, but all should know that all great albums (just hits after these) ended abruptly with "Rock Of the Westies" and that is generous as I feel the last classic was Captain Fantastic. After that.... come on...........only die hards!

 

Blue Moves anyone?

 

Ok. Now I know there are people that prefer leather jackets to blue moves, and victim of love to empty sky.

I want to move to another planet.

 

Have to disagree. For one thing, Rock Of The Westies certainly wasn't great! And I think Elton did some excellent stuff well into the 2000's Wasn't keen on The Union, though..

 

Just to be clear, I was trying to say that Elton's streak of great albums should extend at least to Blue Moves. I've never heard Leather Jackets.

 

Too Low For Zero is a minor classic...to me anyway.

 

I was referring to agentalbert's post

 

I assume the part in bold means you dismissed over 20 albums without ever hearing them?

That is about as bad as correcting a post discussing what music will be heard 50 years from now.

 

Yes. Elton is one of the rare artists with a lot of releases where there can be no debate of which album is the absolute nadir.

But this one comes close...

 

Know what happens when ya' assume? i went back and looked at my post, I see nothing in bold. I just did a EJ album run today (well, one side of a lot) so I do get the artist and stand by my statement, oh yeah, I own a lot of his albums (LP and SACD), and have heard many others, after "West", but stand by my statement.... strongly! Don't attack without gettin' more info.

 

LJ is not as bad an album as its usually given credit for but that doesn't make it a good album, it's ok. I like about half the songs, and just love Paris. I would put it over Ice On Fire but below Reg.

 

I think that's way too limited. "Too Low For Zero" is a great album. "Made In England" and "Songs From The West Coast" are great albums. And there are a slew of very good albums over that span (Breaking Hearts, The One, Single Man). To suggest his music after Captain Fantastic or Westies is only for die-hards is pretty dismissive of an awful lot of music.