SHOW NOTES

Artist Andre Miripolsky tells George Matlock how he has teamed up with Elton John, David Furnish and the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

• Andre's now famous painting Elton Takes Manhattan 1980 will be premiered at Elton's Oscar Night Party this year.
• All proceeds from the sale of prints of the painting will be donated by Andre to the Elton John AIDS Foundation
• Pop-up stores start in Dubai this year and London is early on the list!
• Andre teams up with former Elton manager Ray Williams to launch Fear No Art Initiative benefiting artists affected by natural disasters.

Andre explains it all in this news bulletin episode for Radio Elton John | REJ.World and eltonjohn.world

This interview was conducted on 24 Janaury 2026.

Don't forget to catch Andre explaining more about the painting when he was our guest in August 2025. Full free episode now available on Silver.

SHOW NOTES:

Recorded: 24 Jan 2026  Released to Platinum subscribers: 31 Jan 2026

Presenter: George Matlock, Executive Producer: George Matlock

Welcome to Season 5 of the show, rebranded as ENCORE! on REJ.World.

Alan McCormick was a very popular Elton John fan who set up Wrap It Up!, the mail order service which became a lifeline for Elton fans to buy Elton music and memorabilia before the internet was even born.

Along with guest Peter Thomas, Alan campaigned for more of Elton's music to be made available. Peter has claimed that a little over 50 percent has ever been released.

When this show is released on Silver on 7 February 2026 it will mark a decade since we lost Alan after a short illness. Sadly, Alan never saw a lot of rare items on general release with the Jewel Box of 2019.

Alan's musician son Ben McCormick joins Peter to discuss Alan's life and how the vast stock of Elton music was cleared - it took 12 months after valuations.

Alan was also a personal friend of presenter George. Hear how they worked together in this special edition as Radio Elton John enters its 5th year on air!

Read more about this episode on REJ.World and eltonjohn.world

To get this show early, sign up to Platinum today!

SHOW NOTES:

Recorded: 16 Dec 2025  Released to Platinum subscribers: 24 Dec 2025

Presenter: George Matlock, Executive Producer: George Matlock

The holiday edition of Saturday Night’s Alright (for podcasting) is a real treat. We feature recently released EP The Gus Dudgeon Sessions 1975-2025 from one of Rocket Records’ earliest signings, Maldwyn Pope, as well as REJ.World veteran Phil “Phlop” Greenfield join George Matlock. We hear how Davey Johnstone arrived with a truck of instruments to record for Mal, how Elton mentored the “16-year-old failure”, and how Phlop fell out with John Reid but still delivered the master tape of Tommy to Eel Pie Island – wrapped in kitchen foil to avoid crude airport x-ray security detectors. Pinner also deliver a double-bill of songs fit for the season!

The show is on Platinum from 24 December 2025, and free on Silver from 27 December at 1800 GMT. Merry Christmas!

SHOW NOTES:

Recorded: 10 Nov 2025  Released to Platinum subscribers: 29 Nov 2025

Presenter: George Matlock, Executive Producer: George Matlock

Know your ABCs? Did you know that Elton John worked with two producers with the same name? Steve Brown. We speak to wife Jacky Brown about Steve who cleaned Nigel Olsson's drum kit in his own bedroom and was shown the light by Gus Dudgeon, before he went on to work on landmark tracks like Roy Wood's I Wish It Could be Christmas Everyday and produced Wham's Club Tropicana. His first production was the first single from 1980s stars ABC. Steve produced Manic Street Preachers and also worked with Dusty Springfield, whom Elton worshipped in the 1960s, as well as The Cult, Peters & Lee, The Pogues, Alison Moyet, Boomtown Rats, Status Quo, Thin Lizzy, and Sham 69. An amazing journey, thank you Jacky.

Extra news: The Cult - She Sells Sanctuary - the rock classic, was recorded at Olympic studios in Barnes, south west London and produced by Steve Brown. Elton also made his demos for Elton John (the black album) at Olympic in 1969.

SHOW NOTES:

Recorded: 22 Oct 2025  Released to Platinum subscribers: 25 Oct 2025

Presenter: George Matlock, Executive Producer: Hezikor Kadouri

Full Episode

On 24 October 2025, we marked 50 years since Elton John released another chart topper album, Rock of the Westies. The cover was photpgraphed at Caribou Ranch, Colorado and the album was recorded at that infamous studios too.
Radio Elton John celebrates this much-loved album as we catch up with those who were there. Guitarists Caleb Quaye and Kenny Passarelli.

Be sure to subscribe on ⁠REJ.World⁠ to hear the show on Platinum. Only $1.99 for ALL episodes!

And please follow this show on Spotify or your favourite podcast player app. That way, when a new episode is added, you get it first! Thank you, it means a lot!

SHOW NOTES:

Recorded: 15 Sept 2025  Released to Platinum subscribers: 27 Sept 2025

Presenter: George Matlock, Executive Producer: George Matlock

This month our guests are fan-authors Andrea Grasso and Luca Perasi.
Fresh from publishing a book Goodbye Yellow Brick Road - The Making of an Epic Album Andrea and Luca tell us about some of their discoveries in the book - but how much will they reveal?

Our thanks to the boys for including Cheryl Herman's article from our sister website eltonjohn.world in their book.
There's also a chance to win the book. Check out the entire episode for Platinum subscribers.
We also introduce the Radio Elton John tribute band, Pinner, latest song Elton's Biggest Fan.
Be sure to subscribe on ⁠⁠REJ.World⁠⁠ to hear the show on Platinum. Only $1.99 for ALL episodes!
And please follow this show on Spotify or your favourite podcast player app. That way, when a new episode is added, you get it first! Thank you, it means a lot!

SHOW NOTES:

Recorded: 10 July 2025  Released to Platinum subscribers: 26 July 2025

Presenter: George Matlock, Executive Producer: George Matlock

This month our guest is the acclaimed artist Andre Miripolsky.

Famed for creating THAT outfit, the piano key costume for Elton at the historic Central Park New York concert in 1980, Andre actually created no less than seven costumes for Elton’s 1980 World Tour.

You can see some of them in the gallery on eltonjohn.world and REJ.World

Andre confesses to us his three favourite Elton songs and tells us about the Elton Takes Manhattan 1980 painting he was commissioned to produce. We also announce a chance to win an enormous signed print of the masterpiece when Radio Elton John hosts a fundraiser to which you are all invited on the 45th annivesary of the 1980 concert in September. Proceeds will benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation.

We also introduce the Radio Elton John tribute band, Pinner, with their latest song called London Calling.

Read our preview and view the gallery now:

⁠https://rej.world/rej-world-andre-miripolsky/⁠

Be sure to subscribe on ⁠REJ.World⁠ to hear the show on Platinum. Only $1.99 for ALL episodes!

And please follow this show on Spotify or your favourite podcast player app. That way, when a new episode is added, you get it first! Thank you, it means a lot!

SHOW NOTES:

Recorded: 25 May 2025  Released to Platinum subscribers: 31 May 2025

Presenter: George Matlock, Executive Producer: George Matlock

On 23 May 1975, Elton John and Bernie Taupin's autobiograhical Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy was released in the UK and USA - to become a defining hit album. It was delivered in the most creative album cover to ever grace an Elton John album by Alan Aldridge. We celebrate the half century with a 90-minutes interview with Elton's Art Director David Larkham and Alan's photographer/artist son Miles Aldridge. A very special edition available on REJ.World.

Read more about this special edition and view the rare art gallery at: ⁠https://eltonjohn.world/captain-fantastic-at-50/⁠

Be sure to subscribe on ⁠⁠REJ.World⁠⁠ to hear the show on Platinum. Only $1.99 for ALL episodes!

And please follow this show on Spotify or your favourite podcast player app. That way, when a new episode is added, you get it first! Thank you, it means a lot!

SHOW NOTES:

Recorded: 16 April 2025  Released to Platinum subscribers: 26 April 2025

Presenter: George Matlock, Executive Producer: Hezikor Kadouri

Funeral for a Fan? The last minute was the best minute? Those were some of the suggestions of Elton John fans who delivered their verdict on each and every song on Elton John and Brandi Carlile’s new album Who Believes in Angels? Expert fans on the show included Keith Hayward, Neil Barrett, Jim Turano, Linda Dupuis, Peter Thomas, Stephan Heimbecher, James Mackay, Tom Stanton, Urpu Kallio, Dale DeBakcsy, and Marta Coloma. The Fan Forum also voted out of 10 points for the overall album. Where did it land or is it still spinning in the stratosphere? A live show which spanned the entire Elton John World, with contributions from Australia, Europe, USA and Canada. Available now only on REJ.World

Be sure to subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠REJ.World⁠⁠⁠ to hear the show on Platinum. Only $1.99 for ALL episodes!

And please follow this show on Spotify or your favourite podcast player app. That way, when a new episode is added, you get it first! Thank you, it means a lot!

SHOW NOTES:

Recorded: 21 March 2025  Released to Platinum subscribers: 29 March 2025

Presenter: George Matlock, Executive Producer: George Matlock

Elton's birthday episode is full of surprises - for the Rocketman and his fans. Dale DeBakcsy plays piano and rips Elton's songs and sheetmusic to shreds on the show! Author of a new book released on 30 March in the UK and USA in May, Elton John - Album By Album, Dale analyses Elton's songwriting. Plus a chance to win the new book! And try out our new poll on Spotify! Expect a real masterclass with Dale as we join the Elton lab.

Be sure to subscribe on ⁠⁠⁠REJ.World⁠⁠⁠ to hear the show on Platinum. Only $1.99 for ALL episodes!

And please follow this show on Spotify or your favourite podcast player app. That way, when a new episode is added, you get it first! Thank you, it means a lot!