Captain Fantastic

Veteran rock journalist [Tom] Doyle continues his foray into the 1970s music scene with a compelling profile of an unlikely rock star. . . . In chronicling Elton John's stratospheric rise to fame, replete with platinum records, increasingly outlandish stage shows, and mountains of cash, the author deftly manages to keep his subject in sharp focus. Based on hours of one-on-one interviews with Captain Fantastic himself, this breezy yet comprehensive biography demonstrates what it was like for the talented musician to churn out an impossible string of hit records. . . . A great way to better understand the man behind the garish glasses and platform boots. - Kirkus Reviews In this adoring and candid set of fan's notes, music journalist Doyle ( Man on the Run ) draws on interviews with John and his colleagues, especially his writing partner, Bernie Taupin, to capture the meteoric rise and fall of the man who released at least one album every year of the 1970s. . . . This energetic book . . . makes a convincing case that John reached his peak and made his best music in the '70s. - Publishers Weekly A breezy and surprisingly poignant romp through a decade, and a career, that effectively invented modern celebrity culture. -Peter Doggett, author of You Never Give Me Your Money: The Beatles After the Breakup Praise for Man on the Run Tom Doyle's detailed chronicle, which includes rare interviews with McCartney and former Wings members, portrays a band that was far more contentious than eager-to-please hits like 1976's 'Let 'Em In' had us believe, fronted by a legend who wanted to be both boss and buddy. The book is larded with tales of Seventies rock-star excess, Paul and Linda's love of weed, docked paychecks, and grousing musicians. - Rolling Stone Well-researched but still breezy and engaging, the book offers a comprehensive tour of the shaggy, bleary-eyed decade when the hardest-working ex-Beatle reached the zenith of his creative and commercial success. . . . Man on the Run makes an excellent contribution to the burgeoning literature devoted to McCartney's post-Beatles career. - The Boston Globe In the 1970s, a depressed, heavy-drinking Paul McCartney walked away from The Beatles and reinvented himself as the leader of another hitmaking rock 'n' roll band. A new book by longtime Q magazine contributing editor Tom Doyle about that turbulent period in the legendary rock star's life, Man on the Run, catches him in mid-flight. - Billboard Man on the Run is a must for any rock fan. Doyle strips away the larger-than-life figure and examines the real McCartney: the musician, the father, the husband, fighting off a nervous breakdown, trying to navigate his way through a tumultuous decade. - The Boston Herald Doyle has added a valuable entry into the Beatles Bookshelf. - Houston Press Doyle digs deeply into Mr. McCartney's life and career, doing fans a great service as he unearths details even the most obsessive among them likely did not know. - The East Hampton Star A compelling read for both casual and well- versed fans. - The Morton Report [An] engaging, accessible, and well-written telling of rock and roll's ultimate comeback tale. - Library Journal Compulsively readable . . . Accomplished rock journalist Doyle presents a solid, detailed, and, above all, honest reappraisal of McCartney's work. - Publishers Weekly