I want to heartily endorse Keith Hayward's book, "Tin Pan Alley." I'm nearly done reading it, and if you are not only an Elton John fan, but also a fan of music in general, this is a must read. Keith has not only encapsulated the start of Elton and Bernie, but even more has captured an era in music history that will never exist again. His work chronicling the music business scene on Denmark Street, particularly during the 1960s, and how Elton's rise to prominence was inextricably linked to that magical place and time is just astounding in its detail and description. Keith's interviews and research almost plunks you right in the street. You can smell the coffee at the cafes and hear the clamor inside the offices of the publishing companies. You can see the Kinks, Stones, Beatles and Reg Dwight and his companions going in and out of the buildings. You get what it was like to be a struggling group, such as Bluesology, and understand the machinations that led Reg/Elton and Bernie to the music they would start out writing and later the different style of songs they would end up recording. Caleb's insights are particularly noteworthy. Folks, this isn't a glorification book about Elton John. It's a frank, honest look at the state of music in England during one of its most creative and evolutionary periods. Whole chunks of pages go by without any mention of Elton or Bernie whatsoever, but that's as it should be. Hayward has a lot of history to impart, and doesn't flinch or take the easy way out. He put a lot of work into this book and it shows. I for one will never listen to "Bitter Fingers" the same again having read his book. "Those old diehards in Denmark Street start laughing at the keyboard player's hollow, haunted eyes." Wow, it takes on a whole new meaning now. If you haven't already, buy a copy of it today. I can hardly wait for his followup to be released!