Elton John Album: “Reg Strikes Back [Remaster]”

The 1980s are not known for being a stellar decade in Elton John's career. He was deep into substance abuse, and even while he was working with his top-notch lyricist Bernie Taupin, Bernie's own personal problems wreaked their own havoc on Elton's output, culminating in 1986's LEATHER JACKETS, widely acknowledged as Elton's absolute worst album. Apparently, the acclaimed LIVE IN AUSTRALIA album & tour awoke Elton to the gems of his earlier days, and that along with surgery done to remove throat sores was to help make 1988's REG STRIKES BACK his big splash back into the spotlight. However, these were just baby steps compared to the all-out triumphant return of 1992's THE ONE, Elton's first clean & sober album in ages. But he had to start somewhere, so this might as well be it.

While I had long heard that REG STRIKES BACK was near the bottom of Elton's best, I was encouraged to buy it for "I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That", which I consider to be one of his best works even from a fallow period in his career. Sure enough, Elton sounds vocally invigorated on this song, growing into the deeper-textured voice that either came as a result of the surgery or just the passing years. Also, while Elton may have been playing more keyboards than actual piano by this time, this song is enough to make one admit that the man could still play! The public seemed to agree for "I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That" peaked at an impressive #2, becoming his highest-charting hit in over a decade.

Commercially, that was perhaps the extent of REG STRIKES BACK's success, although one more single did manage to chart somewhat high. "A Word In Spanish" is another song that Elton's fans don't quite rank high on their lists, and granted, it's not that stellar. But for a love song at a time when Elton & Bernie were starting to see that these guaranteed them hits more than the rockers of yore, "A Word In Spanish" still retains the intelligence of their older romantic songs. The airy exoticism of "Japanese Hands" & lush Beach Boys tribute of "Since God Invented Girls" do a much better job in the ballad department.

All in all, REG STRIKES BACK is more scattered in terms of good, presentable songs, with the prevailing atmosphere one of jubilant celebration having come back from the brink (though Elton had just begun), explaining the emphasis on rhythm. "Mona Lisas & Mad Hatters [Part Two]" is a much more syncopated number than its prequel of 15 years before, but lyrically, it's a fine way of updating the tune from a man who had indeed grown a lot in the years since.

"Goodbye Marlon Brando" (an all-too-apropos title recently) is a frenzied, funny way of bidding farewell to the excessive 1980s, which Elton is maybe the first to admit at being an active participant in (just look at the album cover). Although I'm not sure you could count off all the defining characteristics of the decade in just 3 1/2 minutes.

"The Camera Never Lies" is another uptempo "anti-love" song like "I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That", but with a more unsettling subtext, one hinting at voyeurism with the whole camera motif. On the other hand, "Town Of Plenty", "Heavy Traffic" & "Poor Cow" sound like they're coming from the still substance-addled minds of Elton & Bernie, maybe showing their insistence on words that simply sound good together rather than mean something.

The bonus tracks are rather nil on the reissue of REG STRIKES BACK, favoring alternate mixes than lost tracks. "Rope Around A Fool" is the real find with its bluesy atmosphere, and what sounds like a rare time in this period that Elton forsook his keyboards for a good old Steinway. On the other hand, the "piano-only" (but of the remix) version of "I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That" is another indication that no matter what kind of keyboard he plays, Elton is a wizard. Some people have claimed that the remix of "I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That" is an improvement over the original, which I think is a stretch. Rather, it's equally good & comparable, Shep Pettibone giving it a distinctly 1980s-kitsch flavor as a knowing wink to the anything-goes mood of the era. The same goes for the recasting of "Mona Lisas & Mad Hatters [Part Two]".

Maybe the 1980s was not the best time to be an Elton John fan for while commercially, he was still moving full speed ahead, creatively, it seemed that train had left the station once Bernie Taupin departed for the first time. Nevertheless, it was admirable that Elton & Bernie realized it was time to get back to business & win back their old fans with the "renewal" of REG STRIKES BACK. Looking back, it was not the ultimate "strike back" that was expected, but it still had enough reminders of the old genius days to give fans hope that a full-scale return was in the works.

The "Strikes Back" portion of this title was apt at the time. Elton had completed surgery on his vocal chords that - as he had been warned - could have resulted in his never being able to sing again. He'd also won a pair of important legal issues; He and Bernie Taupin had succeeded in their challenge to Dick James Music for royalty payments owed, and Elton's lawsuit against a tabloid for slander had been ruled in his favor. So it was a renewed and feisty Elton who was ready to record "Reg Strikes Back."

It shows the reinvigoration. While "Reg Strikes Back" is still very much an 80's album (heavy on synths and drum machines), the songs are uniformly strong. He even went as far as to update "Mona Lisas and Mad Hatters" from "

," and then perform the two as a medley in concert. Pete Townsend plays guitar on the peppy opener "Town Of Plenty," and the Beach Boys chime in on "When God Invented Girls." There are a couple mistakes here; "Poor Cow" is stupidly misogynistic and I never quite got the atmospheric "Japanese Hands."

With that in place, this was also the album with one of Elton's best mid-80's hits. His friendship with George Michael had clearly given his pop-sense a jolt of energy. The Wham-like "I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That" became his highest charting single of that decade. It was everything his 'recovery' embodied. It is an energetic, sassy and danable record, with an added irony that it was George Michael who held Elton out of the number one position.

This was the album where Elton decided to reclaim his personality, as the great Sothby's sell-off of his old gear on the cover shows. He and Bernie set out to craft songs that emphasized their resurgent popularity and succeeded here, and started the third chapter in Elton's illustrious career. The "Reg Strikes Back" bonus tracks are pretty slim pickens, consisting of one sub-par B-Side and three remixes. Get this because it is Elton's second best 80's album after "

," and you'll be satisfied.

I bought this album way back in 1988 right after it was released & it is still one of my favorites today. IMHO, it is not only one of the best from the 80's but also Elton's expansive catalog as well. Alot of fans do tend to knock it becuz it sounds too 80's or becuz there's alot of synth or becuz it isn't up there with classic albums like "Yellow Brick Road". So does it have songs that measure up to epics like "Funeral for a Friend/Love Lies Bleeding"? Nope. But what it does have is a strong set of songs with great lyrics, infectious melodies & also some hidden gems that never made it on the radio but probably could have. Tracks like "Town of Plenty", "Mona Lisa's And Mad Hatters (Part Two)" & "Goodbye Marlon Brando" are very likable & fast paced pop tunes you will probably like the very first time you hear them. Then, of course, you have the album's big hit "I Don't Wanna Go on With You Like That". A very catchy dance track with a nice rhythm to it. My favorite track on the album is "The Camera Never Lies". It is a very catchy mid-tempo number that kind of sounds a little like Elton's future hit - "Healing Hands" and just like that song it has great percussion, piano, synth & a nice chorus as well. It's a shame it wasn't released as a radio single cuz I think it could've charted fairly well if given the chance. The ballads on the album are also top notch. The best being the elegant single - "A Word In Spanish". Definitely one of Elton's best songs. I also enjoyed the quiet but atmospheric "Japanese Hands" & the album's closer "Since God Invented Girls" which is a tribute not only to beautiful women but also the Beach Boys and as it turns out, they showed up to provide their trademark harmony b/g vocals on the song. The other tracks are also pretty good & sometimes even quite humorous if you listen to the vocals closely.

As far as this re-release goes, there are 4 previously un-released tracks. The first is "Rope Around A Fool" & it has a nice bluesy New Orleans style piano that kind of reminds me of Dr. John. There are also 2 re-mixes of "I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That" & "Mad Hatters 2" which are interesting but much inferior to the originals. The re-mix of "I don't wanna" is a typical dance/hip-hop style re-mix that is much longer than the original (7:17) & is also sped up somewhat. The re-mix of "Mad Hatters" is very similar in style it & clocks in at 6:19. The highlight from the new songs though is the stripped down jazzier version of "I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That". It's still a fast song but all you hear is Elton on the piano with some nice b/g vocals & it is very intimate(Think Unplugged). I almost like it better than the original & i'm not even a big fan of stripped down music.

As for the re-mastering, it is definitely an improvement over the original sound but only somewhat. The biggest difference being a much punchier bass & slightly louder volume. So if you already own this album, it's not a night & day difference but if you love this album as much as I do or wanna hear the new tracks, it's def worth the double dip.

All in all, I think this is one of Elton's best albums & it deserves much more respect than it typically gets. A joy from beginning to end & you would be hard pressed not to find at least a few tracks here that are really enjoyable.

Luis Mejia (son) - Reginald Dwight, better known as Elton John, mildly recovered from his strong life problems at the time of the album's release; he had a throat surgery and his bandmates and collaborators were back in his side, even though Elton still kept a serious drug and alcohol addiction, but I don't blame this for the foolishness of this album, so as far as I'm concerned the best rock and roll, hard rock and heavy metal were composed just under the same conditions. Also Bernie Taupin's life problems were slightly converted into the songs' composition. Anyway, the album still keeps some classic 80's sounds, not very potential though the album keeps a vague, nauseatic synthesized sounds structure, with some slight rock and roll, average balladries, slight rock and roll, it even contains some of the bastardized disco vibe. The album's moods are mellodic,enviromental, dance and mellow. I may sound tough, so why 3 stars? Well, there are a little set of songs that are saved from being terrible, like the undertaking, fine balladry A Word In Spanish, also a slight hit; I Don't Wanna Go On With You Like That, which is a dance style song, possessing great mellodies and a great electric piano performance; Japanese Hands, although not an original or very creative tune, it stays apart from the heavily synthesized structure, its an ambient effort by Elton John. Heavy Traffic is the only song co-written by David Johnstone, being maybe the best song in the album, it keeps some of the catchy, 70's style that gave fame to Elton; Poor Cow, although still being a nauseatic synthesized song, it retains some nice mellodies but Bernie Taupin's lyrics seem to go nowhere. Finally, Since God Invented Girls is a tribute ballad with a touch of sensitivity. Elton John's keyboards domine the record, but spitefully, he didn't made an space for his fantastic piano performance. Also, I've always considerated that this album would had been a lot better, even if they didn't change the mellodies, but if synthesizers are gonna take place, James Newton Howard is the man. The only highlight in the album is the guitar presence of The Who Pete Townshend, although he only played, poorly by the way, in the uneven, common first track, Town Of Plenty. In conclussion I strongly agree that his real comeback was in The One, this albums keeps an 80's synthesized vibe unappreciateable for even strong Elton John's fans, well, like me for example.

In 1986,Elton John returned to the MCA label after spending the previous six years with Geffen and recorded LIVE IN AUSTRALIA. This is the first studio album since returning to MCA. I DON'T WANNA GO ON WITH YOU LIKE THAT was on hit parade in the summer of 1988,when this album was released. The only other hit was A WORD IN SPANISH,a beautiful ballad with of course,Spanish style music. SINCE GOD INVENTED GIRLS has the Beach Boys,or at least some of them,singing background vocals. Elton even mentioned the popular surf music group in GOODBYE MARLON BRANDO. The front cover features memorabilia from Elton's past(the hats,glasses and wardrobes he wore). There even is a photo of little Reggie(pre-Elton John). Great album!