Elton John
“Reg Dwight, as he was then known, joined simon Dupree And the Big sound during our last year together. And the one thing we all noticed immediately was how much of an incredible musicologist he was. not only did he have wide taste, but reg was responsible for introducing us to spirit, who became such an important influence on Gentle Giant. so i have to say that without him it’s possible that Gentle Giant might never have happened.
“He was also a huge fan of Miles Davis, another musician to have a big impact on us as a band. when we decided to split up simon Dupree and put together Gentle Giant, reg was keen to be involved. But by then he’d met Bernie taupin and was working on songs for a solo album. we did meet him for dinner and discuss the idea of reg being in Gentle Giant, but when we heard the material he was working on, we knew it could never work with him. soon after, he became elton John and went on to become hugely famous and successful, whereas Gentle Giant struggled, of course. But i’ve never forgotten how important he was in the band’s formation.”