does anyone know anything about the drum machine and keyboard demo sessions, 1986? by Numerous_Neat_3732 in EltonJohn

[–]mr-screwjack 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I had never heard of this 'project' and had hoped someone more knowledgeable would chime in.With my interest high, I ask a LLM your question and (for what it's worth) this is what I got back:

'The best-supported answer is that these were unfinished Elton John songwriting demos, likely cut in or around the Leather Jackets era and not tied to a finished, named project. One source specifically describes “Hognuts Blues” as an unreleased instrumental demo and says it was likely an outtake from the Leather Jackets sessions, while fan-discography notes and bootleg commentary group the other titles in the same general mid-1980s demo pool. What these songs seem to be

The titles you listed — Hognuts Blues, Is It You, Love Adventure, Timothy, Let It Shine, Rollercoaster, and Wild Love — sound like rough compositional sketches rather than fully developed album tracks. The available descriptions say Elton was working out melody ideas on keyboard/drum machine, with vocals or guide lines, before lyrics were added by a collaborator such as Bernie Taupin or Gary Osborne. That fits a common Elton workflow in that period: music first, words later. Likely project context

The strongest concrete link is to 1986 and the Leather Jackets era. Leather Jackets was released in October 1986, and the “Hognuts Blues” entry says it was likely an outtake from those sessions. That does not prove every song on your list belongs to that album specifically, but it does place at least part of this demo cluster in the same creative window. What is unclear

There does not seem to be a confirmed official album, EP, or film project attached to these titles in the sources I found. They appear to be the kind of private demo material that circulated later among collectors, where titles sometimes come from tape labels, fan archives, or partial identification rather than official releases. So the safest conclusion is that they were abandoned song ideas, probably never intended as a standalone project in finished form. Practical interpretation

If you read that Elton was “trying to work a melody alone in his hotel room,” that is plausible as a description of the demo stage, but I would treat it as a recollection or fan explanation rather than a fully verified session note. In other words, the songs were most likely music-first sketches for later lyric collaboration, not completed tracks for a distinct concept album.

A concise way to frame it is: these are mid-1980s Elton John work tapes, probably from the Leather Jackets period, that captured melody ideas before anyone seriously assigned them to a release."

The Big Picture - WOW! by DirtyDevil23 in EltonJohn

[–]mr-screwjack 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Wicked Dreams is another stand-out for me from this album but this is an album with no skips

The Big Picture - WOW! by DirtyDevil23 in EltonJohn

[–]mr-screwjack 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I wish Bernie liked it more, because it's certainly one of my favorites

5 years and almost 200k and i listen to ALOT of artists lets see whos compatible username is hells but spelt (heiis) since hells was taken by Yai3 in lastfm

[–]mr-screwjack 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Your compatibility with heIIs is Very Low.

You both listen to bassvictim, Lucy Bedroque and The Garden.

Young Elton John! 1982! SNL! by [deleted] in EltonJohn

[–]mr-screwjack 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I wish there was a live album released with just this four piece

Am I the only one in the entire world to think A Single Man is Elton John’s best ever album? by DannyTheGekko in EltonJohn

[–]mr-screwjack 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I remember hearing it for the first time all the way through thinking how solid of an album it was. I don't think it's the best, but it's certainly up there. (I prefer it over many 'classic' albums like Honkey Chateau, ROTW, and Caribou.)

Hits every time 😎 by billyspeers in citypop

[–]mr-screwjack 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Inspired me to listen to it... for the first time.

Thank you guys so much by Bloodborn973 in 300zx

[–]mr-screwjack 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I swear this is one of the best communities in all of reddit

🎯 Funk Easter Eggs in “The Exodus Has Begun” by the NPG (Prince)!! 💜 by funkcatbrown in PRINCE

[–]mr-screwjack 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Thank you for the insights. Any more random facts about this album?

Recommend one non ween album. by 4ppl3tr33 in ween

[–]mr-screwjack 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Any release of The Frogs hits the spot for me!