Goodbye yellow brick road

Press, 4 May 1978, Page 15

Goodbye yellow brick road

Elton John’s record company is in a spin over the poor showing on the British pop charts of his latest single, “Ego,” reports NZPA from London. Two top executives of Rocket Records, the man-aging-director, David Croker, and the marketingdirector, Arthur Sheriff, have been sacked on John’s instructions, according to press reports. This was after the superstar’s allegation that the pop charts, used by the 8.8. C., were “highly inaccurate.”

John’s complaint is based on record sales fig-

res which he claimed showed that his “Ego” single should have climbed the Top 40 chart instead of dropping as it did last week from 33 to 34. John is reportedly angry at 8.8.C.’s refusal to show a £50.000 ($NZ290,450) promotional film he made featuring the single, but the 8.8.C.’s pop programme, “Top Of The Pops,” says it will not use promotional films of records not in the Top 30. According to the London “Sun, both Croker and Sheriff were dismissed during a telephone call from Elton Jahn’s manager and co-director of Rocket Records, John Reid, who is in Australia on a business trip. The gossip columnist, of the “Daily Mail,” Nigel Dempster, said that Sheriff. who had worked for John for two years, had told him: “John Reid’s lawyer rang to say that I was fired and that Reid would not return my calls. I am extremely upset.” Reid told Dempster from Australia: “It was all done in a fit of anger. I was furious because they (Croker and Sheriff) hadn’t explored the possibilities of getting the record played over the credits (of the 8.8. C. TV show) at the end, and told them they hadn’t done their job properly.” But the position could clear itself, as Reid added: “I have apologised for screaming so loudly, and I have said we shall talk about it when I return to London on Sunday.” Elton John’s manager has acquired a reputation for losing his temper.