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The Latest

Here is a basic summary of all the things Elton has going on right now:

-Elton is resting at home in Nice after receiving his pacemaker. He will be fine after some time off
-Out of the 11 dates that had to be postponed from the European solo tour, the five dates in the UK will be made up on August 29-30, and September 3-5. The rest have been tentatively set for next June
-A European tour with the band is tentatively scheduled for summer 2000. An American tour w/band in spring 2000 is a definite possibility, but no details have been mentioned.
-Elton and Bernie wrote the song "For Wanting You" for Marianne Faithful's new album "Vagabond Ways". It's currently available in the UK
-Lulu's new album featuring "Elizabeth", the song that Elton was shown writing music for in "Tantrums", is due out this year on Rocket, barring any problems the label may experience.
-Elton and Dolly Parton are seriously discussing collaborating on songs for an upcoming movie project
-Elton plays piano on Mary J. Blige's new album, which will hit stores next month
-Rocket Pictures is currently filming "Women Talking Dirty" in Edinburgh. The film will probably debut at Cannes next year. Other projects for Rocket may include *A Biopic on an African human rights activist who campaigns against
female genital mutilation
*An adaptation of Rudyard Kipling's "Just So Stories"
*An adaptation of the book "In God's Name" which contends that the death of a recent pope(can't remember which) was caused by the Italian mafia who were afraid that he would clean up the Vatican. Oliver Stone may work on this project.
-Universal may dump Rocket Records, which will most likely lead to Elton leaving the label. Current Rocket artists are:
*Elton John
*Ryan Downe
*Daniel Cartier
*Jimmie's Chicken Shack
*Lulu
-"The Muse" will hit theaters next month, complete with score by Elton. I have seen no official word on a release date yet, but the soundtrack should be released very closely to the film. It features Elton's instrumentals as well as "The Muse" written by Elton and Bernie
-The soundtrack to Dreamwork's animated film "El Dorado" featuring songs by Elton and Tim Rice will be released in March. The film is set to open March 31
-Elton will head into the studio in a few months to record an album to be released in spring 2000. I would say May looks the most probable now. Chris Armstrong will reportedly produce.
-Rumors have circulated about live material surfacing, including a live boxed set or a live album from the solo tour, but no serious developments have accrued.
-"Aida" opens in Chicago in December. It hits Broadway in April. -Smash Hits 1999 will be held at the MCI Arena in Kansas City on September 12
-On September 25, Elton will appear at Andre Agassi's charity show at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas.

Here is the latest information regarding Elton's ex-manager John Reid which was recently released. Elton took out a substantial loan, and he wanted to clear up the reason for doing so. Here is an article from the London Mirror.

HE TOOK ME TO THE CLEANERS

EXCLUSIVE: SIR ELTON FURY AT THE MANAGER WHO BETRAYED HIM A FURIOUS Sir Elton John called The Mirror yesterday to nail the lie
that he's going broke. The Rocket Man launched a stinging attack on his former manager, John Reid, whom he accused of creaming off millions from his pop fortune with excessive management fees.

He sensationally revealed that Reid even remortgaged his beloved pounds 4 million, 37-acre home in Windsor, Berks, in secret.

And the trusted aide had also quietly sold off the rights to his first six albums - the most successful and lucrative work of his glittering
career - for a paltry pounds 3 million.

"As far as I'm concerned John Reid's a liar and a cheat," said Elton last night. "It all started in Atlanta a couple of years ago. I'd been
with John for 28 years - five of them in a personal relationship. He was my first love.

"I figured out something was wrong so I asked my lawyer, Frank Presland, who's been with me for 18 years, to take a look at my finances.

"It was the first time I'd asked for an audit in all those years. I didn't know how much money I had.

"And what did we find? The biggest mess you can imagine. There were literally dozens of horrendous deals. It was a total mess and very
alarming. I estimate pounds 20 million had gone.

"I found he'd sold the rights to the first six albums for just pounds 3million - a lot less than they were worth.

"I discovered pounds 5.5 million worth of borrowings secured on the Windsor house plus two of my favourite paintings - a Francis Bacon and a
Magritte.

"He'd sold it off at less than favourable rates and he creamed a hefty commission off the top."

Elton, 52, spoke out from his home in Nice in the south of France where he's recovering after a heart op.

HE HAS been angered by a series of highly inaccurate reports about the state of his finances and called The Mirror to put the record straight.

And he confirmed that he has taken out a pounds 25 million loan to buy back all his assets and the rights to his own music and will have no
trouble paying it back.

"There's a lot to sort out and that takes a lot of time and energy," said Elton. "For years the management of my finances was carried out
behind my back and was disgraceful. As the full extent of the troubles were explained to me I literally went into shock, but I had a great
support team with me and they are helping me now.

"It's ludicrous and untrue to say I'm in financial difficulty. I'm not skint, nothing could be further from the truth, but my team and I have
one goal - to build for the future.

"I trusted John as a friend, but as a business adviser I was always kept in the dark. When I discovered what had gone on it came as a very severe blow.

"It's bad enough to lose pounds 20 million to someone you trusted, but the money really is of secondary importance. It's the act of betrayal
which really hurts, especially a betrayal of someone I trusted. He used to hate me doing things for the Elton John Aids Foundation because it
wasn't earning him any money.

"I know of a number of occasions when John would interfere. There was a memorable moment when I was wanted for a classical concert with Sir
Simon Rattle. John told them there was no f*****g way I could get involved and then said he hoped they all died of Aids."

Elton fired welder's son Reid, 49, in May last year. Frank Presland immediately took over as chief executive for the superstar singer's
three companies and began the long process of clawing the cash back.

Among the astonishing discoveries made by a team of auditors was that Elton had made a pounds 12,000 loss on a sell-out 44-date US tour in
1980 while his manager had made nearly pounds 600,000. Aides insisted yesterday that estimates that Elton was worth pounds 160 million were
"very conservative".

His borrowings are tiny compared to his income - less than ten per cent of his total assets - and he earns around pounds 40 million a year.

Elton, the biggest album-selling solo artist in American chart history - 60.6 million albums sold to date - has been consistently in the top ten
grossing acts in the world. He was the biggest live earner in America last year, well ahead of the Rolling Stones, Rod Stewart, Celine Dion
and Eric Clapton.

Two postponed shows at Leeds Castle in Kent were sold out before the first ad for the gigs even hit the press. A third date - unadvertised -
sold out in hours. They will now go ahead in September. And as part of his bid to get his finances back on an even keel, Elton is paying
himself a fixed salary for the first time - believed to be around pounds 10 million a year. Last night he confessed he liked to spend his money,
but could well afford it.

"The truth is, I do spend a lot of money. I don't deny that. It's rubbish to suggest that I spend more than I earn although, that said, I
do spend a lot. I believe in living while you're living. I've got nobody to leave it to, but my partner, David Furnish, my family and my
employees.

"I'm very proud of my employees and trust them implicitly which is why John's betrayal hurts me so much. You know, I've paid off the mortgages of many of my staff so they didn't have to worry about their futures.

"I pride myself on the loyalty and friendship of the people that work with me and that's why John Reid hurt me so much.

"All the stuff over the years of Reid discovering me as some kind of pub pianist and making me a superstar, well it's just bulls***. I got where
I am today thanks to bloody hard work and Dick James, the man who first believed in me and made me a star in America before Reid was even in the picture.

"But we've moved on. It's interesting to see he doesn't manage anyone of any significance any more."

Elton says the future has never looked so rosy.

"We're now building for the future. Frank has borrowed pounds 25 million to buy my assets back and we are planning to expand. Career-wise it's never been better for me."

LAST night, in an unprecedented step, Elton's bank manager told The Mirror he had every faith in the star.

Kevin Meade, head of media banking for HSBC, the world's largest bank, said: "We have been prepared to invest substantial funds into Sir
Elton's companies. We have taken independent advice and analysis and as a result we have granted a facility of pounds 25 million which will
allow him to buy back his assets.

"As far as I'm concerned Sir Elton is a man of considerable substance. This has been a very competitive business and we're delighted to be able
to assist him without asking for formal security."

Elton, who also has a home in Atlanta, Georgia, admitted the strain of sorting out his finances had taken its toll. He said: "I've been under a
lot of stress for the past 18 months dealing with the John Reid situation and the problems with Universal, my record company in America.

"I feel really dejected about that situation, really depressed. There's nobody there that seems to know what's going on. Frankly it's a
disaster. Will I drop them? Unless they do something soon that's a possibility."

His American record company didn't even send him flowers after news broke that the star had had emergency surgery. Elton has not spoken with Reid since he fired him and has no plans to do so in the future.

"Honestly, Matthew, the loss of the money barely registers compared to the extreme pain his treachery caused me. It cut straight to my heart
like a knife. It's unforgivable.

"We were friends for a hell of a long time - or at least I thought we were friends."