Only for John diehards

Last weekend, vinyl fanatics might have been able to get their hands on the debut album by a promising 19-year-old singer-songwriter. His name is Elton John. After half a century of hits, the star has issued a surprise release of his “lost” first record, Regimental Sgt. Zippo.

In 1968, the unknown teenager had just signed to Dick James Music publishing and begun writing songs with Bernie Taupin.

Regimental Sgt. Zippo is their first collaboration. But the publishing company was unimpressed and the album was shelved. Within months John was recording a new album, Empty Sky, to be released in 1969 as his debut.

Zippo was issued on limited edition vinyl.

Perhaps only completists and diehard John fans will relish its contents. John makes no reference to Zippo in his 2019 memoir, Me, except to say that a publishing company executive listened to songs he produced during this period and told him: “You need to stop this rubbish. You're not very good at it.”

In an interview with Rolling Stone, John admitted that he could not remember half of the songs he composed at that time, although “I can remember things like Regimental Sgt. Zippo because how could you not with a title like that?” He said, “I find it hard to comprehend just how prolific Bernie and I were during the early days. The songs just poured out of us.”

Empty Sky was not a chart hit but it garnered some favourable reviews and set John on the road to success.