Elton John Said Michael Jackson’s Downfall Was Similar to Elvis Presley’s, ‘It Was Incredibly Sad’
Michael Jackson had a multi-decade career in music. He began as the star of the Jackson 5 before embarking on a solo career that saw him become the biggest star in the world during the 1980s. Unfortunately, Jackson’s fall from grace was quick as stories of drugs and accusations of inappropriate behavior toward minors overpowered his music. Elton John knew Michael Jackson for a long time and said his downfall was similar to Elvis Presley’s.
Elton John compared Michael Jackson’s fall from grace to Elvis Presley’s
Michael Jackson and Elvis Presley were kings; Elvis was the king of rock, and Jackson was the king of pop. Just like Jackson dominated the 1980s pop genre, Presley introduced rock n’ roll to a new generation in the 1950s and became a global sensation. Both were influential singers who died too early in their careers.
Elton John had a strong presence in the music industry when both artists were around. While he didn’t know Elvis as well as Jackson, he knew the stories of how substance abuse affected Presley’s career, eventually leading to his death. In his memoir, Me, the “Rocket Man” singer said he invited Jackson over for a dinner party. During the evening, John said Jackson’s appearance and behavior was “incredibly sad” and said he was a “disturbing person to be around.”
“God knows what was going on in his head, and God knows what prescription drugs he was being pumped full of, but every time I saw him in his later years, I came away thinking the poor guy had totally lost his marbles,” John explained. “I don’t mean that in the light-hearted way. It was incredibly sad, but he was someone you couldn’t help: he was just gone, off in a world of his own, surrounded by people who only told him what he wanted to hear.”
Elton John claimed he knew Michael Jackson since he was “13 or 14,” and said he started hiding from the world like Elvis did.
“He was just the most adorable kid you could imagine,” John said. “But at some point in the intervening years, he started sequestering himself away from the world, and away from reality the way Elvis Presley did.”
John said his ‘sad’ encounter with Elvis inspired him to become sober
While Elton John didn’t know Elvis like he knew Michael Jackson, his brief encounter with Elvis showed him what it was like when artists went down a dark path. John grew up idolizing Elvis and dreamed about meeting the Memphis singer one day. He and his mom went to see him perform at a concert in Maryland, but it was nothing like he had imagined. He met Elvis, and what he saw scared him.
“It [the meeting] was so sad because he turned into this big man with no eyes,” John told Oprah. “They had sunk into the back of his head, and it was pathetic.”
Seeing one of his idols like this was enough for John to commit to sobriety. He looked back at pictures of when he had substance abuse problems, and the images reminded him of what Elvis looked like.
“There are pictures of me when I look at them and think, ‘Oh my God, you know, I turned into Elvis,’” John explained. “You just shut your door, and you gained weight, and you did this. You did that and you didn’t care how you were.’ It’s very easy to do that.”
How to get help: In the U.S., contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration helpline at 1-800-662-4357.
