Revisiting Elton John’s “Rock of the Westies”

For Elton John, 1975 was a peak year in his ascension into the rock and roll stratosphere. His most recent disc, the autobiographical Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy, debuted at number one on the Billboard charts upon release, the first time an artist had ever accomplished that feat. The success of Captain Fantastic rounded out an impressive run of albums and singles released by Elton throughout the last several years. But when he arrived at Colorado’s Caribou Ranch studio to begin work on his tenth album, there were changes afoot, in both the band’s lineup and Elton’s signature sound.

Long-time bassist Dee Murray and drummer Nigel Olsson were replaced by Kenny Passarelli and Roger Pope, respectively. Keyboard player James Newton Howard and guitarist Caleb Quaye also joined the group. Both Pope and Quaye had played with Elton on earlier albums, and these additions to the group joined guitarist Davey Johnstone and percussionist Ray Cooper at the recording sessions, which took place during the summer of 1975, with long-time producer Gus Dudgeon behind the boards. The album’s title, Rock of the Westies, was a bit of a pun on the location of the studio, which was “west of the Rockies.”

Rock of the Westies is something of a transitional record in Elton’s oeuvre. He appeared to be trying for a loose, funkier sound, less dependent on the majestic sweep of songs like “Indian Sunset” and albums like Madman Across The Water, with a vibe more akin to tracks like “Amy” from Honky Chateau. “Medley: Yell Help-Wednesday Night-Ugly,” is an amalgam of rock and soul, featuring vocals from Labelle, and “Dan Dare (Pilot of the Future),” is a percussive tune based on a popular British comic book character. “Street Kids” is a hard-rocking number featuring excellent backing work from the band.

The album’s biggest hit was “Island Girl,” a tale about a Jamaican lady of the night, which notched the number one spot in the US. “Feed Me” a tune about giving in to your excesses, has something of a jazzy feel, reminiscent of Steely Dan. “Hard Luck Story” was originally written for Kiki Dee (who provides backing vocals on the album) by Elton and longtime songwriting partner Bernie Taupin. Guitar maestro Davey Johnstone is credited as a co-writer on the rollicking “Grow Some Funk of Your Own” which features Elton and the band rocking out and creating some deep grooves.

While the album is filled with crunchy tunes like “Billy Bones and the White Bird” there’s a nod to the classic Elton ballads of the past. One of the best tracks on Rock of the Westies is “I Feel Like A Bullet (in the Gun of Robert Ford)” which uses Old West imagery to illustrate the bitter end of a relationship, recalling John/Taupin compositions from albums like Tumbleweed Connection. The song, featuring a wonderful vocal performance by Elton, was released as a double A-side single with “Grow Some Funk of Your Own,” and traveled up to number 14 on the charts.

Rock of the Westies was issued in October 1975, just five months after Captain Fantastic, and like that disc, it entered the charts at number one. Reviews in the music press were mixed, though some critics, like Robert Christgau, praised the record. A number of fans cite the album as a favorite, while others consider it one of Elton’s weaker efforts. I was a little disappointed by the record when it first came out, as I didn’t think it represented Elton and Bernie’s strongest work, though it’s grown on me over the years. Rock of the Westies, which celebrates its 50th anniversary this year, is notable in Elton’s discography for leading to further musical explorations on records like Blue Moves and A Single Man. It also signaled the end of his classic period, and his overall domination of the charts in the 1970s, though there would be more hits, and more terrific albums, to come in the future.

-John Visconti

Photo: Fair use image of Rock of the Westies