TO SAVE LEGENDARY VENUE FROM DEMOLITION
“Once it was open, other people, promoters, realised that there was a venue here which was comparable to the Apollo in Glasgow. It was big. It opened everyone’s eyes, basically, to see the future of the place.
“The Edinburgh Festival was on – it was completely mobbed with proper, professional artists and this bunch of rock stars. It was mad.
“Trying to find accommodation was a nightmare, which is why I had to rent a house in Annandale Street and the residents weren’t pleased – all these Rolls- Royces turning up at 3am and people partying but it was all part of the fun.”
There were rock star demands. Freddie refused to go on unless all the f lute champagne glasses were replaced with boules and his towels had to be wrapped in cellophane. But it was worth it.
David added: “It was an amazing feat to pull off.”
While the Playhouse continues as one of Scotland’s success stories, John parted ways with Queen in 1978 at the end of their contract.
In the Queen film Days Of Our Lives, John – interviewed in the back of a chauffeur-driven Rolls-Royce – describes it as “the gentlest parting of the ways of anyone I have ever worked with”.
It is in stark contrast to the end of his relationship with Elton.
The Scot, who attended St Mirin’s Academy in Paisley, started out in the music business as a promoter for EMI before becoming the UK manager for Tamla Motown.
John met Elton, when the singer was still called Reg Dwight, at a Motown Christmas party and he became his first client.
For the first five years, the two were also in a relationship and they managed to overcome their dif ferences and personal diff iculties, including the singer’s well- documented battle with drink and drugs.
John’s company reportedly banked £ 73million from their time working with him. But it all came to an end when Elton thought Reid’s firm were leaking information about his lavish lifestyle to the press. It was later found to be infamous bin raider Benjamin Pell.
In a multimillion-pound lawsuit in London’s High Court, Elton tried to sue a former managing director of Reid’s company, John Reid Enterprises, and accountancy firm PricewaterhouseCoopers for negligence.
Reid quit management in 1999, although he made a reappearance in 2005 as a judge on the Australian version of The X Factor. Since then, he has kept a typically low profile.
Sti l ls from Rocketman – whose producers include Elton and his husband David Furnish – show Madden’s Reid striking Elton, played by Taron Egerton, on the face.
And Bruce hopes John is givenn a fair portrayal. He said: “He’s been hugely successful and to manage not justust one big artist but three truly iconic artists in Billy Connolly, Queen and Eltonn John is amazing. I don’t know anyonee who has managed three equally big acts.
“I am not familiar with his business ness practice, good or bad, but I didn’t dn’t hear anything bad about him.
“The guy I met was relaxed, ed, confident, friendly and undoubtedly dly successful but I will best remember ber him for saving the Playhouse.”