Bernie Taupin

"Most photographers have a style and a favourite subject, but few are as synonymous with their chosen field as Anouk Krantz, who is known for her spectacular – and immensely popular – black & white studies of cowboy culture." — Black & White Photography Magazine "Incredible photos capture modern-day cowboys throughout the USA and South America and reveal 'humanity at its best'." — Daily Mail "...fascinating and expansive photo project on the many manifestations of cowboy culture, encompassing the North American cowboy that’s forever enshrined in popular culture, the Central American ‘vaquero’ and the South American ‘gaucho.’" — Amateur Photographer Magazine "...a stunning photographic journey uncovering a hidden world of modern cowboy culture." — Cultural Union In Anouk Masson Krantz’s most expansive work to date, she travels tens of thousands of miles across the Americas, broadening her focus from the United States to both American continents. In her exquisite, large-scale photographs – all new for this book - Anouk captures sweeping landscapes and paints an intimate portrait of the enduring cross-boundary legacies of the North American cowboy, Central American vaquero, and South American gaucho. Her time spent at ranches and rodeos across The Americas has culminated in a magnificent book honouring a way of life many around the world dream of but rarely have experienced first-hand. Frontier builds upon Anouk’s renowned body of work with her bestselling Wild Horses of Cumberland Island (2017); West: The American Cowboy (2019); American Cowboys (2021); and Ranchland (2022). Her stunning black and white, large-scale photographs capture a culture deeply rooted in principled, timeless values, sacrifice, strength, and self-reliance. From stunning panoramas to the intimate everyday lives of working cowboys and their families, Frontier is a must-have addition to her impressive body of work. Bernie Taupin, Oscar winner, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, and long-time song-writing collaborator with Elton John, has contributed an exceptional foreword. “There’s an honesty and integrity in these images that parlays all the elements of what it means to exist outside the boundaries of conformity and confinement. The rebel spirit, the rugged individualism, and the absolute unapologetic rhythm of history. This is stunning work—a true testament to the men and women who are the anvil on which America’s backbone was forged.” —Bernie Taupin

*THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER**A Times Best Music Book of 2023*'Glorious! I am besotted by the life I never knew he had.' -Elton John'Self deprecating and refreshingly honest' - Sunday Times'Divine. I couldn't put it down.' -Pete Townshend'Hilarious and so emotionally true' -Cameron Crowe'Taupin's words need no musical accompaniment. They sing with a poets voice.' -Gary Oldman'Eloquent and inspiring' -Robert Hilburn, author of Johnny Cash: The LifeThis is the memoir music fans have been waiting for. Half of one of the greatest creative partnerships in popular music, Bernie Taupin is the man who wrote the lyrics for Elton John, who conceived the ideas that spawned countless hits, and sold millions and millions of records. Together, they were a duo, a unit, an immovable object. Their extraordinary, half-century-and-counting creative relationship has been chronicled in biopics (like 2019's Rocketman) and even Elton John's own autobiography, Me. But Bernie, a famously private person, has kept his own account of their adventures close to his chest, until now. In this exciting, multi-decade whirlwind, we ride shotgun with Bernie on his extraordinary life. We discover early '70s New York with Elton on the cusp of global fame. We spend late night hours with John Lennon, with Bob Marley, and hanging with Frank Sinatra in LA. We witness memorable encounters with Graham Greene, Salvador Dali´, Andy Warhol and scores of notable misfits, miscreants, eccentrics, and geniuses, some of whom inspire the indelible lyrics to songs such as Tiny Dancer, Candle in the Wind, Bennie and The Jets, and so many more. Written with honesty and candour, Scattershot bears witness to events unfolding from Taupin's singular perspective, always with an infectious energy that only a songwriter's vivid prose could offer - his imagination sparked by country music and cowboy culture. From his East Midlands childhood and early London days with Elton to the star-studded fishbowl of '70s and '80s Beverly Hills, it is an epic, picaresque journey across a landscape of unforgettable characters and locations, as well as a striking, first-hand account of a creative era like no other.

'This is the most glorious of books. I am besotted by the life I never knew he had.' -Elton JohnHalf of one of the greatest creative partnerships in popular music, Bernie Taupin is the man who wrote the lyrics for Elton John, who conceived the ideas that spawned countless hits, and sold millions and millions of records. An exciting, multi-decade whirlwind, Scattershot: Life, Music, Elton and Me whizzes around the world as we ride shotgun with Bernie on his extraordinary life. Visiting New York with him and Elton on the cusp of Global Fame, late night hours with John Lennon, Bob Marley and Frank Sinatra, and almost in residency at an infamous rock 'n' rock hotel in Australia, in a blizzard of drugs. Beyond the world of popular music, we witness memorable encounters with writers like Graham Greene, painters like Andy Warhol, and scores of notable misfits, eccentrics and geniuses, known and unknown. Unique and utterly compelling, Scattershot will transport the reader into the vivid imaginings of one of music's most legendary lyricists. This beautiful, exclusive collector's edition of Scattershot is a bespoke design perfect for Elton and Bernie fans. Limited to only 400 copies and presented in a vibrant bright-yellow Perspex slipcase, the special edition includes:· A hand-signed, special edition book, cloth-bound in an original artwork created by Bernie Taupin himself, with bespoke endpapers and bright red sprayed edges· 2 limited-edition postcards - Bernie Taupin's original artwork 'Love Me Again' and the original cover art for the trade edition of Scattershot - enclosed in a bespoke Scattershot wallet· A special print of the epilogue handwritten by Bernie Taupin· A certificate of authenticity, signed by the publisher

'This is the most glorious of books. I am besotted by the life I never knew he had.' -Elton JohnHalf of one of the greatest creative partnerships in popular music, Bernie Taupin is the man who wrote the lyrics for Elton John, who conceived the ideas that spawned countless hits, and sold millions and millions of records. An exciting, multi-decade whirlwind, Scattershot: Life, Music, Elton and Me whizzes around the world as we ride shotgun with Bernie on his extraordinary life. Visiting New York with him and Elton on the cusp of Global Fame, late night hours with John Lennon, Bob Marley and Frank Sinatra, and almost in residency at an infamous rock 'n' rock hotel in Australia, in a blizzard of drugs. Beyond the world of popular music, we witness memorable encounters with writers like Graham Greene, painters like Andy Warhol, and scores of notable misfits, eccentrics and geniuses, known and unknown. Unique and utterly compelling, Scattershot will transport the reader into the vivid imaginings of one of music's most legendary lyricists. This beautiful, exclusive collector's edition of Scattershot is a bespoke design perfect for Elton and Bernie fans. Limited to only 100 numbered copies and presented in a vivid red, Scattershot debossed clamshell case, this deluxe edition include:· A hand-signed and numbered special edition book, cloth-bound in an original artwork created by Bernie Taupin himself, with bespoke endpapers and bright blue sprayed edges· A limited edition giclée print of Bernie Taupin's 'Love Me Again' artwork, hand signed by Taupin and enclosed in an acid-free glassine envelope within a bespoke, printed wallet· A large special print of the epilogue handwritten by Bernie· A custom printed USB stick containing a never-before-heard audio recording of an exclusive unpublished story written and read by Bernie Taupin· A print of the original handwritten lyrics to 'Scarecrow', printed on Chlorine-free art stock· A custom-made VIP backstage pass enclosed in a lanyard for the 'Scattershot tour'· Uniquely designed vintage-style concert ticket for a seat on the 22nd row· A certificate of authenticity signed by the publisher

*THE SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLER**A Times Best Music Book of 2023*'This is the most glorious of books. I am besotted by the life I never knew he had.' -Elton John'Every page of Scattershot is a delight, a joy, a name-dropper fan's delight. Divine. I couldn't put it down.' -Pete Townshend'Hilarious and so emotionally true, Scattershot is like a letter from a cherished friend. You'll want to keep it close, so you can read it again and again.' -Cameron Crowe'Touching. Charming. Humble. Witty. And exquisitely written. Taupin's words need no musical accompaniment. They sing with a poets voice.' -Gary Oldman'Eloquent and inspiring' -Robert Hilburn, author of Johnny Cash: The Life'A funny, zippy narrative' -MOJO'An entertaining ride that doesn't spare the horses' -RTE Guide'Sharply written' -The Independent'Self deprecating and refreshingly honest' - Sunday Times'Brilliant memoir' Daily ExpressThis is the memoir music fans have been waiting for. Half of one of the greatest creative partnerships in popular music, Bernie Taupin is the man who wrote the lyrics for Elton John, who conceived the ideas that spawned countless hits, and sold millions and millions of records. Together, they were a duo, a unit, an immovable object. Their extraordinary, half-century-and-counting creative relationship has been chronicled in biopics (like 2019's Rocketman) and even John's own autobiography, Me. But Taupin, a famously private person, has kept his own account of their adventures close to his chest, until now. Written with honesty and candour, Scatterhot allows the reader to witness events unfolding from Taupin's singular perspective, sometimes front and center, sometimes from the edge, yet always described vibrantly, with an infectious energy that only a vivid songwriter's prose could offer. From his childhood in the East Midlands of England whose imagination was sparked and forever informed by the distinctly American mythopoetics of country music and cowboys, to the glittering, star-studded fishbowl of '70s and '80s Beverly Hills, Scattershot is simultaneously a Tom Jones­-like picaresque journey across a landscape of unforgettable characters, as well as a striking, first-hand account of a creative era like no other and one man's experience at the core of it. An exciting, multi-decade whirlwind, Scattershot whizzes around the world as we ride shotgun with Bernie on his extraordinary life. We visit New York with him and Elton on the cusp of global fame. We spend time with him in Australia almost in residency at an infamous rock 'n' roll hotel in an endless blizzard of drugs. And we spend late, late night hours with John Lennon, with Bob Marley, and hanging with Frank Sinatra. And beyond the world of popular music, we witness memorable encounters with writers like Graham Greene, painters like Andy Warhol and Salvador Dali, and scores of notable misfits, miscreants, eccentrics, and geniuses, known and unknown. Even if they're not famous in their own right, they are stars on the page, and we discover how they inspired the indelible lyrics to songs such as "Tiny Dancer," "Candle in the Wind," "Bennie and The Jets," and so many more. Unique and utterly compelling, Scattershot will transport the reader across the decades and around the globe, along the way meeting some of the greatest creative minds of the 20th century, and into the vivid imaginings of one of music's most legendary lyricists.