Elton John doesn’t compare himself to stars like Jimmy Somerville and Boy George because he doesn’t see himself as a “gay artist”.
The Rocket Man star revealed publicly that he was gay in 1992 but, according to the musician, his sexuality doesn’t influence his music because he’s not a lyricist.
Speaking to fellow LGBTQ+ star John Grant for The Guardian, Elton explained: “I don’t see myself as a gay artist, you see, as such because I don’t write lyrics. I can’t write lyrics.
“But I love what pop culture did for gay music, starting with Jimmy Somerville and Boy George.
“If I wrote something, it would be like: ‘I’d like to suck your k**b behind the bike shed,’ and there’s just not a market for that!”
Throughout his career, Elton, who is set to resume his ‘Farewell Yellow Brick Road’ Tour next year, has worked extensively with songwriting partner Bernie Taupin, who has provided lyrics to the star’s compositions.
And although he’s known for his “elaborate” performances, the singer insists that isn’t him being “a gay artist”.
In fact, Elton says he’s “ashamed” of his reliance on drugs and alcohol early in his year, as it prevented him from being an activist for the LGBTQ+ community at the height of the AIDS crisis.
“I know I’m ‘elaborate’, but that’s not being a gay artist – that comes from British vaudeville, Mick Jagger, Marc Bolan, David Bowie. The list goes on and on,” insisted the Tiny Dancer star.
“My activism [via the Elton John Aids Foundation] is the only thing I can do to compensate for that and I’ve tried to be active since the 1990s.
“I missed the boat in the 1980s which I’m ashamed of, because I was too down in the pit of drugs and drink.”
He added: “When I got sober, my activism started small, but then it started to mushroom. And I was so lucky, as I said, and I never really had much trouble in the business, because everyone knew I was living with my manager, for God’s sake!
“I was going into every gay club in the world and it was never a big deal for me. I was so happy to be gay!”
