Episode 30 - Listening Session with Peter Thomas

Episode 30 - Listening Session with Peter Thomas

Author: Neil Barrett April 18, 2019 Duration: 2:06:45
You are invited to a very special listening session and conversation with Peter Thomas, the preeminent Elton John collector and archivist. Peter Thomas, in his role as founder of monitor and speaker company PMC, has worked with the finest studios, mastering houses and broadcasters in the world. He has a passion for sound quality, and this extends into his hobby, which is researching and collecting Elton's earliest and most obscure recordings.  In this episode you will get to hear some snippets of Peter's favourite acquisitions, as well as the histories around the acetates and reels of tape that carry these sounds through to the present day.  The image for this episode is Peter's promo copy of 'I've Been Loving You', along with the handwritten release and contact details, featuring Elton's home phone number in Pinner.  Once again I'd like to thank Peter for the wonderful generosity he has shown, sharing his time, his treasures, and his memories. 

Neil Barrett hosts I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Elton John Podcast, a series built on a simple but powerful idea: you can love an artist's work deeply without needing to know every single fact. This isn't a dry historical archive or a gossip-filled biography. Instead, each episode focuses on the music itself-the songs, the albums, the collaborations, and the sheer craft behind them. You'll hear a thoughtful, often personal exploration of what makes these tracks resonate, from the chart-topping anthems to the deeper album cuts that might have slipped by. The tone is warm and conversational, like discussing records with a knowledgeable friend who’s more interested in sharing appreciation than proving expertise. It’s that balance of affection and detail that defines this podcast, offering a space for both lifelong fans and curious newcomers to hear Elton John's catalog with fresh ears. Barrett’s approach reminds us that music is for enjoyment first, and his episodes are a perfect companion for that journey, whether you're revisiting classic albums or discovering hidden gems for the first time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 42

I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Elton John Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Eppsisode 21 - Stuart Epps Interview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:36
Stuart Epps is Elton John royalty! He was a huge part of the team that worked together to bring Elton out from the sidelines of Tin Pan Alley, into megastardom. He saw that process first hand, working in a variety of dif…
Episode 20 - Elton's Buried Treasure vol. 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:51
In this episode the cake is unbaked, and every ingredient of the Elton John recipe is celebrated. Complex drum and percussion sounds are unpicked, backing vocals are highlighted, lead vocals are isolated, and previously…
Episode 19 - Early Cover Versions of Elton's Music [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:32
It's well known that Elton and Bernie spent their formative years trying to write hits for other artists, while trying to find their own voice. This episode tells the story of Elton and Bernie's early years through the p…
Episode 18 - Elton's Anonymous Cover Versions - ft. Dana Gillespie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 55:47
In his formative years as a session musician, in fact even after the recording of his third album, Elton earned some extra cash recording cover versions of the hits of the day, anonymously, for budget record labels. Thes…
Episode 17 - The New Routes of Davey Johnstone - 1971-73 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 45:11
The second of a two-part biography of Davey Johnstone's early musical history. Davey's range, and his scope for development, were apparent to all at his first Elton John session, for Holiday Inn. Elton wasn't going to le…
Episode 16 - The Folk Roots of Davey Johnstone - 1951-71 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:48
The first of a two-part biography of Davey Johnstone's early musical history. Just three years after getting his first guitar, a 14-year-old Davey could be found in folk clubs around Scotland, a class apart from the grou…
Episode 15 - Ego at 40 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:01
24 months passed between the recording sessions for Crazy Water, and those for Elton's next (major) single, the angry, jagged Ego. From the sound of the record, Elton hadn't been able to find much solace in the interim.…
Episode 14 - The Songs They Gave Away [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 59:14
Elton wrote a lot of incredible music over the years, in fact, more than he needed at some points of his career. This is the story of the songs that Elton gave away, either by design, or by default. Two of Elton's demos…
Episode 13 - I've Been Loving You (For Precisely 50 Years) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:59
50 years ago today, on the 1st of March 1968, a 20-year-old Elton released his first solo single, 'I've Been Loving You', on Philips. Today's episode is an all-encompassing celebration of that moment, telling the story t…
Episode 12 - Bernie's Early Themes - '67-'69 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 39:44
A thematic analysis of Bernie's early work, with a particular focus on his songs about incarceration and exile. One very special rarity is included.