1988 studio album by Elton John
Reg Strikes Back Elton John , released in 1988. It was his self-proclaimed comeback album, and his own way of fighting back against bad press.[ 3] Reg Strikes Back refers to John's birth name, Reginald Kenneth Dwight.
In the US, the album was certified gold in August 1988 by theRIAA . It was also John's third studio album in the 1980s to be placed inside the top 20 of USBillboard 200[ 10]
This was the last album that bassistDee Murray (albeit without bass) appeared on prior to his death in 1992, providing backing vocals. Additionally,Nigel Olsson , the longtime drummer for theElton John Band , appears (without drums) on backing vocals. Elton John brought back record producerChris Thomas for the album. The track "Heavy Traffic" had been written during the sessions for John's previous albumLeather Jackets
The tracks "I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That " and "A Word in Spanish" peaked at No. 2 and No. 19 on theBillboard Hot 100
On theUK singles chart , "I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" was the only song from the album to reach the Top 40 there, reaching #30 as the follow-up "Town of Plenty " and "A Word in Spanish" appears outside the Top 40 on the same chart, peaking at #74 and #91.
Cash Box Taupin haven't really touched since the seventies."[ 11]
After taking over a year off (to recover from throat surgery, address personal issues and recordReg Strikes Back in London), John returned to the stage with a new rhythm section. He wanted more of anR&B sound to his material, so drummerJonathan Moffett and bassist Romeo Williams, along with backing singers Marlena Jeter, Natalie Jackson and Alex Brown, were added to the band. GuitaristDavey Johnstone , now also in the role of music director, had assembled the new band, a task that he continues to do.[ 12]
The band's first show was at anAIDS benefit at theCentury Plaza Hotel inLos Angeles , where they played a 14-song set that featured the never-released John/Taupin composition, "Love Is Worth Waiting For".[ 13] Miami Arena inMiami , Florida and concluded on 22 October at New York'sMadison Square Garden .[ 12]
After recording the follow-up albumSleeping with the Past Denmark , the band (now with backing vocalist Mortonette Jenkins instead of Alex Brown) resumed their tour on 20 March 1989 at LaHalle Tony Garnier inLyon ,France , and played acrossEastern Europe and theUK , concluding on 10 June 1989 at theRDS Arena inDublin .[ 12]
Side two No. Title Length 1. "Goodbye Marlon Brando" 3:30 2. "The Camera Never Lies" 4:36 3. "Heavy Traffic" (John, Taupin,Davey Johnstone ) 3:30 4. "Poor Cow" 3:50 5. "Since God Invented Girls" 4:54 Total length: 42:06
Sides one and two were combined as tracks 1–10 on CD reissues. Bonus tracks (1998 PolyGram International reissue) No. Title Length 11. "Rope Around a Fool" 3:48 12. "I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" (Shep Pettibone Mix) 7:16 13. "I Don't Wanna Go On with You Like That" (Just Elton and His Piano Mix) 4:37 14. "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters (Part Two)" (The Renaissance Mix) 6:19 Total length: 64:06
Track numbering refers to CD and digital releases of the album.
Elton John – lead vocals, backing vocals,Roland RD-1000 digital piano (1, 3, 4, 10), synthesizers (2, 5, 6, 9),organ (2), acoustic piano (5, 7, 8)Fred Mandel – synthesizersFred McFarlane – programmingDavey Johnstone – electric guitar (1, 2, 3, 5–9), acoustic guitar (2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10), backing vocalsPete Townshend – acoustic guitar (1)David Paton – bassCharlie Morgan – drumsRay Cooper –maracas (6–9),tambourine (6–9),timbales (6–9)Freddie Hubbard – trumpet (3), flugelhorn (3)Dee Murray – backing vocalsNigel Olsson – backing vocalsAdrian Baker – additional backing vocals (10)Bruce Johnston – additional backing vocals (10)Carl Wilson – additional backing vocals (10)1998 reissue
Producer and remastering supervision – Mike Gill Remixing and additional production on tracks 12, 13 and 14 –Shep Pettibone Additional remixing on tracks 12 and 13 by Steve Peck Remixing on track 14 by Daniel Abraham Editing on tracks 12 and 13 –Junior Vasquez Remastered byGus Dudgeon , Mike Gill andPeter Mew . 1989 year-end chart performance forReg Strikes Back Chart (1989) Position French Albums (SNEP )[ 29] 93
Certifications and sales [ edit ] Region Certification Certified units /salesAustralia (ARIA )[ 30] Gold 35,000^ Canada (Music Canada )[ 31] 2× Platinum 200,000^ France (SNEP )[ 32] Gold 100,000* Italy sales 1988-1989 — 500,000[ 33] Spain — 25,000[ 34] Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[ 35] Gold 25,000^ United Kingdom (BPI )[ 36] Silver 60,000^ United States (RIAA )[ 37] Gold 500,000^ * Sales figures based on certification alone.^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.
^ "RIAA" .Recording Industry Association of America .^ "Elton John singles" .^a b Stephen Thomas Erlewine."Reg Strikes Back " .AllMusic . Retrieved11 January 2012 . ^ Heim, Chris (12 August 1988)."Elton John Is Back With Fan-pleasing 'Reg Strikes Back' .chicagotribune.com . Chicago Tribune. Retrieved29 January 2012 . ^ Larkin, Colin (2011). "John, Elton".The Encyclopedia of Popular Music ISBN 978-0-85712-595-8 ^ Grein, Paul (3 July 1988)."Elton: Second Wind" .Los Angeles Times . Retrieved29 January 2012 . ^ Holden, Stephen (17 July 1988)."RECORDINGS; Three Veteran Rock-and-Rollers Spin New Disks" .The New York Times . Retrieved29 January 2012 .^ Smith, Robin (9 July 1988)."Albums" .Record Mirror . Retrieved12 March 2023 . ^ Harold Goldberg (6 October 1988)."Reg Strikes Back | Album Reviews" .Rolling Stone . Retrieved11 January 2012 . ^ "Elton John Chart History (Billboard 200)" .Billboard . Retrieved19 July 2022 .^ "Single Releases" (PDF) .Cash Box . 17 September 1988. p. 12. Retrieved22 December 2022 .^a b c "The Band" .Elton John .^ "Elton John: Live in Los Angeles – July 8, 1988 (2021 Remaster)" . 7 April 2021. Retrieved25 April 2022 – viaYouTube .^ "Australiancharts.com – Elton John – Reg Strikes Back" . Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 July 2024.^ "Austriancharts.at – Elton John – Reg Strikes Back" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 July 2024.^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 6482" .RPM Library and Archives Canada . Retrieved 20 July 2024.^ "Danskehitlister.dk" .danskehitlister.dk . Archived fromthe original on 8 April 2016. Retrieved13 January 2022 .^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Elton John – Reg Strikes Back" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 July 2024.^ "Le Détail des Albums de chaque Artiste – J" .Infodisc.fr (in French). Archived fromthe original on 22 October 2014. Retrieved9 June 2012 .Select Elton John from the menu, then press OK. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Elton John – Reg Strikes Back" (in German).GfK Entertainment Charts . Retrieved 20 July 2024.^ "Classifiche" .Musica e Dischi . Retrieved20 July 2024 .^ "Charts.nz – Elton John – Reg Strikes Back" . Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 July 2024.^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Elton John – Reg Strikes Back" . Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 July 2024.^ "Swedishcharts.com – Elton John – Reg Strikes Back" . Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 July 2024.^ "Swisscharts.com – Elton John – Reg Strikes Back" . Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 July 2024.^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100" .Official Charts Company . Retrieved 20 July 2024.^ "Elton John Chart History (Billboard 200)" .Billboard ^ Kent, David (1993).Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book.ISBN 0-646-11917-6 ^ "Les Albums (CD) de 1989 par InfoDisc" (in French). infodisc.fr. Archived fromthe original (PHP) on 23 October 2014. Retrieved29 January 2012 .^ Ryan, Gavin (2011).Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 147. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Elton John – Reg Strikes Back" .Music Canada .^ "French album certifications – John E. – Reg Strikes Back" (in French). InfoDisc.Select JOHN E. and click OK. ^ Caroli, Daniele (9 December 1989)."Italy > Talent Challenges" (PDF) .Billboard . Vol. 101, no. 49. p. I-8.ISSN 0006-2510 . Retrieved25 July 2020 – via World Radio History. ^ "Elton John – Spain" (PDF) .Music & Media . Retrieved14 December 2020 .^ "Polygram award to Elton John for sales of over 25,000 of the Reg Strikes Back album in Switzerland" . 20 February 2023.^ "British album certifications – Elton John – Reg Strikes Back" .British Phonographic Industry .^ "American album certifications – Elton John – Reg Strikes Back" .Recording Industry Association of America .
Studio albums Live albums Soundtrack albums Compilation albums Extended plays Other albums Video albums Concert tours Concert residencies Miscellaneous Musicals Documentaries Related articles
Years given are for the recording(s), including the soundtrack albums, not first release.
Albums Open Sesame Goin' Up Hub Cap Minor Mishap Dedication! Duke Pearson , 1961)Ready for Freddie The Artistry of Freddie Hubbard Hub-Tones Here to Stay The Body & the Soul Breaking Point! Jam Gems: Live at the Left Bank Jimmy Heath , 1965)The Night of the Cookers Blue Spirits Backlash High Blues Pressure A Soul Experiment The Black Angel The Hub of Hubbard Red Clay Straight Life Sing Me a Song of Songmy İlhan Mimaroğlu , 1970)First Light Polar AC Sky Dive Keep Your Soul Together Freddie Hubbard/Stanley Turrentine in Concert Volume One In Concert Volume Two Stanley Turrentine , 1974)High Energy Gleam Liquid Love Windjammer Bundle of Joy Super Blue The Love Connection Skagly Live at the North Sea Jazz Festival, 1980 The Alternate Blues Clark Terry ,Dizzy Gillespie &Oscar Peterson , 1980)The Trumpet Summit Meets the Oscar Peterson Big 4 Born to Be Blue Keystone Bop: Sunday Night Outpost Rollin' Splash Above & Beyond Back to Birdland Face to Face Ride Like the Wind The Rose Tattoo Sweet Return Double Take Woody Shaw , 1985)Life Flight The Eternal Triangle Feel the Wind Art Blakey , 1988)Times Are Changing Topsy – Standard Book Bolivia At Jazz Jamboree Warszawa '91: A Tribute to Miles Live at Fat Tuesday's Blues for Miles MMTC: Monk, Miles, Trane & Cannon New Colors On the Real Side WithArt /The WithDexter WithHerbie WithBobby WithQuincy WithWayne With The Soul of the City Manny Albam , 1966)The Other Side of Abbey Road George Benson , 1969)Out of This World Walter Benton , 1960)True Blue Tina Brooks , 1960)God Bless the Child Kenny Burrell , 1971)Cables' Vision George Cables , 1979)Droppin' Things Betty Carter , 1990)Free Jazz Ornette Coleman , 1960)Olé Coltrane John Coltrane , 1961)Africa/Brass Ascension Muses for Richard Davis Outward Bound Eric Dolphy , 1960)Out to Lunch! Undercurrent Kenny Drew , 1960)Leaving This Planet Charles Earland , 1973)Booker 'n' Brass Booker Ervin , 1967)Interplay Bill Evans , 1962)Sonic Text Joe Farrell , 1979)Boss of the Soul-Stream Trombone Curtis Fuller , 1960)Soul Trombone Cabin in the Sky Take a Number from 1 to 10 Benny Golson , 1961)Pop + Jazz = Swing Slide Hampton and His Horn of Plenty Sister Salvation Slide Hampton , 1960)Drum Suite The Quota Jimmy Heath , 1961)Triple Threat Big Band Joe Henderson , 1996)Pax Andrew Hill , 1965)Compulsion Sunflower Milt Jackson , 1972)Goodbye 52nd Street Billy Joel , 1978)Reg Strikes Back Elton John , 1988)J.J. Inc. J.J. Johnson , 1960)Echoes of an Era Chaka Khan , 1982)Essence John Lewis , 1960–62)Water Sign Jeff Lorber , 1979)Doin' the Thang! Ronnie Mathews , 1963)Bluesnik Jackie McLean , 1961)MJQ & Friends: A 40th Anniversary Celebration Modern Jazz Quartet , 1994)Fingerpickin' Wes Montgomery , 1958)Roll Call Hank Mobley , 1960)The Blues and the Abstract Truth Oliver Nelson , 1961)Sweet Honey Bee Duke Pearson , 1966)The Right Touch Contours Sam Rivers , 1965)Drums Unlimited Max Roach , 1965)East Broadway Run Down Sonny Rollins , 1966)Numbers Rufus , 1978)Once a Thief and Other Themes Lalo Schifrin , 1965)Giant Box Don Sebesky , 1973)Sugar Stanley Turrentine , 1970)Together McCoy Tyner , 1978)Quartets 4 X 4 Soundscapes Cedar Walton , 1980)Uhuru Afrika Randy Weston , 1960)Blue Moses
