Scattershot: Life, Music, Elton and Me

by Bernie Taupin

Genres: Music

416 pages, Paperback

Published May 23, 2024

About the author

Bernard John Taupin is an English-American songwriter, singer and visual artist. He is best known for his long-term collaboration with musician Elton John.

Reviews

[Valerie P · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’ve always been curious about Bernie Taupin & his amazing talent, career highlights, creating music with Elton John, and later in life pursuits. I had no idea that he had become an artist. This is obviously a man of many talents.

In this haphazard and minimally edited memoir (hence the name “Scattershot”), he tells some really funny and interesting stories. I also enjoyed learning about his collaborations with many different musical artists. However, I found his tales of excess in the form of alcohol and drug abuse by himself and others very hard to read about. His descriptions of his many relationships with various women and his opinions of them were often unpalatable to read. And his generalized view of women given on Page 346 had me rolling my eyes.

It was encouraging to learn that he has found love later in life and has two beautiful daughters as well. He finishes his book with a brief tribute to Elton. His epilogue is a bit corny but charming.

[Tim Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Scattershot – Life, Music, Elton and Me” is everything you hope a rock-and-roll autobiography will be: raw, reflective, mischievous, and filled with soul. Bernie Taupin takes readers on a cinematic journey through the chaotic brilliance of his life, from the early days of forging an unlikely partnership with Elton John to navigating fame, creativity, and personal reinvention. His storytelling is vivid and unfiltered, shifting seamlessly between eras and emotions, and offering a rare insider’s view of the chemistry and craft behind some of the most iconic songs ever written.

What makes this memoir exceptional is Taupin’s voice, wry, lyrical, and self-aware. He doesn’t polish over the rough edges, nor does he rely on nostalgia as a crutch. Instead, he brings honesty, humour, and a deep sense of humanity to every chapter. Whether he’s recounting wild adventures, artistic struggles, or moments of deep connection, Taupin reminds us that great songwriting comes from an authentic, messy, beautifully lived life. “Scattershot” is a must-read not only for Elton John fans, but for anyone fascinated by creativity, collaboration, and the stories behind the music that shaped generations.

[Malcolm Frawley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found this memoir somewhat frustrating. There is no doubt that Taupin is one of the greatest, & most successful, lyricists in rock music history but I was given little insight in these pages as to how he goes about it. So, that was the first frustration. I wanted to be taken into the room with him as he composed Rocket Man or Your Song or Daniel. The second was the virtual omission from his own history of the Goodbye Yellow Brick Road album, surely in the top five recordings of the 1970s. Tracks from this monumental landmark are referenced only obliquely, almost in passing. Why? And the final frustration was that, as success blooms and the money starts to roll in, so does Bernie's enjoyment of those rewards. The second half of the book is virtually a check list of all the things that a rich prick can indulge in. Not that I begrudge him his success. He is brilliant at what he does. He is also pretty frank about his own failings as a husband, through several marriages. But I have to say I didn't like him much by the final page.

[A.M. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting, especially how it dovetails in with Elton’s memoir that I read a little while ago.

Also Bernie has an entirely different life, and a different set of friends than Elton did in the US. From rodeo riding to born again Christian - makes a face. [noooo]

I did not realise that he wrote ‘we built this city’ - evidently his biggest selling song. Which is some kind of a statement, eh? Put the kids through college, he jests.

3 stars

[Mark Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read. The number of famous people he met was astonishing.
Seems to be the best time in modern history for rock and roll.