Scattershot: Deluxe Edition by Bernie Taupin - Signed Limited (100) Edition

Scattershot: Deluxe Edition by Bernie Taupin - Signed Limited (100) Edition

Hand Signed by Bernie Taupin to a Numbered Signature Page
Hardback 1st Deluxe Edition
New & Unread - Published 11th November 2023

About the Deluxe Edition:

Presented in a unique, debossed, clamshell case, this collector’s edition comprises:

• A deluxe numbered printing of Scattershot, bound in a beautiful real cloth with artwork designed and signed by Bernie Taupin.
• A limited edition, large, hand signed print of Bernie's ‘Love Me Again’ artwork on high-quality gicleé stock at approximately 9 x 11 inches.
• A facsimile reproduction of Bernie’s handwritten epilogue in US letter size (280 x 216 mm).
• An exclusive and never-before-heard story, read and recorded by Bernie, on a Scattershot USB stick.
• A special, large print of the original handwritten lyrics to ‘Scarecrow’ (280 x 216 mm).
• Custom-made souvenir VIP backstage pass and vintage-style, numbered concert ticket for the ‘Scattershot Tour.’
• A Monoray certificate of authenticity signed by the publisher.
• This edition is limited to 100 numbered copies, plus 10 proofs.

“I loved writing, I loved chronicling life and every moment I was cogent, sober, or blitzed, I was forever feeding off my surroundings, making copious notes as ammunition for future compositions. . . . The thing is good, bad or indifferent I never stopped writing, it was as addictive as any drug.”

This 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, Scattershot 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. 

Limited Edition Prints: This deluxe edition includes a limited-edition and signed large print of Bernie Taupin’s ‘Love Me Again’ artwork, created in 2019 in honour of the song “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again” for the Rocketman soundtrack. Plus, a bespoke print of the book’s epilogue at US letter size, hand-written by Bernie and exclusive to this deluxe edition.

Exclusive Audio Content: A short chapter originally written by Bernie Taupin for the book but not included in the main edition, ‘Rufas T. Firefly and the Brown Dirt Cowboy’ recounts the story of when Taupin met Groucho Marx in 1972. It is read by Bernie Taupin and supplied on an etched USB stick.

About the Author: Bernie Taupin is an English lyricist who has worked in partnership with legendary singer, composer, pianist, and worldwide icon Elton John since 1967 and has written the lyrics for most of John’s famous hits, including “Rocket Man,” “Candle in the Wind,” “Crocodile Rock”, “Your Song,” “I’m Still Standing,” and countless others. One of the most successful and long-running musical collaborations in music history, John and Taupin received the Johnny Mercer Award from the Songwriters Hall of Fame, a lifetime achievement Grammy, an Academy Award, and many more. In 2022, Taupin was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services to music, and in 2023 he was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He lives in Southern California.

Format: Hardback Limited Edition
ISBN: 9781800962026

All our signed books include a 'Signed Copy' gift tag, supplied free of charge.

Please Note: By their very nature, all signed books will have been handled several times before they get to you. This may result in small marks to the dustjacket and title page, please also bear in mind that each signature will be a little different from the one we show here.

We use courier and signed for delivery services, so please use an address at which your parcel can be signed for during the normal working day.