Elton John wants to shut down the internet
Cory Bergman August 1st, 2007
No joke. “The internet has stopped people from going out and being with each other, creating stuff,” Elton John explains. “Instead they sit at home and make their own records, which is sometimes OK but it doesn’t bode well for long-term artistic vision…. Hopefully the next movement in music will tear down the internet…. Let’s get out in the streets and march and protest instead of sitting at home and blogging.” And finally there’s this little quote to polish off the interview: “I don’t have a mobile phone or an iPod or anything.”
12 Comments Add your own
1. Safran | August 2nd, 2007 at 4:24 am
Elton John cranky? Wow.
2. Brink | August 2nd, 2007 at 6:04 am
He’s right.
And I make my living using the internet.
3. Frank Catalano | August 2nd, 2007 at 6:09 am
The culture of instant connectedness has pretty much killed the idea of having time to think and let an idea percolate and solidify before responding. Can’t say I blame him, in general terms.
4. Steve | August 2nd, 2007 at 7:27 am
But think of all the downloadable gay porn he’s missing out on.
5. Steve Safran | August 2nd, 2007 at 8:05 am
It’s nonsense, and it’s the usual response to new technology. Replace “the internet” with “television,” or “movies” and you get what people in previous generations said. Dismissing amateur music making is the same mistake that professional TV people make about amateur video. It’s his choice not to use technology, but people who are proud not to use computers or cellphones worry me.
6. Frank Catalano | August 2nd, 2007 at 10:33 am
I think it depends. Television or movies are one-way communications media. Cellphones and the Internet are two-way. There is a difference between the latest developments and the earlier ones.
For the issue of having time to think before replying, the new technologies have replaced thoughfulness with shotgun responses.
But for the issue of raising talent that otherwise wouldn’t have exposure or a distribution mechanism, Elton is wrong and Steve is correct. Assuming they can be heard among the noise and clutter.
7. El Dangeroso | August 2nd, 2007 at 11:01 am
Blame Edison for that confounded light bulb.
8. love this world | August 2nd, 2007 at 1:19 pm
what was that line in that Who song, “I hope I die before I lose touch with innovations in communication and the overall shift of power to independent artists…”
That’s how it went, right?
9. No one important | August 3rd, 2007 at 7:20 am
This is Elton John friend of Victoria Beckham?
The sad truth is that if anything is destroying creativity, it is the Shallow Bland Celebrity Culture that exists, which Mr Dwight fully endorses…
Of course he would want the internet closed down as this bypasses the celebrity obsessed culture and allows real artists to promote their work.
One thing Elton and his celebrity chums hate is people with minds of their own… The internet allows too much Artistic freedom for Elton’s liking. We need to all worship and think like them.
He should just be ignored.
10. mike | August 3rd, 2007 at 11:48 am
He needs to rip the rug off of his head and pull the banana out of his tailpipe.
11. mike | August 3rd, 2007 at 11:49 am
he needs to rip the rug off of his head and pull the banana out of his tailpipe.
12. Rob | August 3rd, 2007 at 3:11 pm
I’d give his comments about the interwebs a little more consideration if my name above wasn’t linked to Sir Elton’s official website, where people can purchase everything from Elton John bobbleheads to CDs of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.
Of course once he yanks down his online store and website, gets Amazon.com to pull his CDs offline and takes all his tracks off iTunes and Napster THEN maybe I’ll listen to him.
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