Elton John Recording Rap in Vegas?

Recently, Elton John suggested in an interview he might want to do a rap disc one day; he may be spending his spare time in Vegas starting to make good on that threat. Word is that the Caesars headliner has been hooking up with rap producer Timbaland at the Palms studio. For those interested in more traditional Elton John music (whatever that means) I highly recommend picking up John's latest, The Captain & The Kid. It is a truly deep and wonderful disc that puts John in that tiny league of veterans like Bob Dylan and Neil Young who are continuing to make vital work after decades in the business. I hear only one song form the new disc, "The Bridge," is being added to John's The Red Piano show. That is understandable. John gets that Vegas is a hits town and unlike his usual concerts, The Red Piano, is a paired down 90 minute performance that already doesn't last long enough to include many of his signature hits. But last week Elton John did use The Red Piano stage at Caesars to perform songs from the new disc; it was for a broadcast on the cable channel QVC. John managed to move thousands of discs during the appearance. Maybe, radio should take the hint: The Captain & The Kid has songs worth spinning. I have been trying, by the way, to arrange to interview Elton John for Movable Buffet and Las Vegas Weekly ever since I heard The Captain & The Kid. But so far no luck.  I've interviewed Elton John once, years ago, back before The Red Piano opened. It was at the Grammy Awards and the interview was very brief: John was playing good cop to Billy Joel's bad cop.

photo by Matt Sayles/AP