Elton John

To the Editor:

Henry Edwards, in "Bad Taste Is Good Business For Elton John" [Aug. 8, 1976], extracted the most derogatory language from an admiring essay about Elton John to make it seem as if I'm turned off by Elton's resemblance to a "garbage processing plant." But I'm not. I think a good half of what Elton turns out is first-class pop junk food, which is more delicious these days for being so rare; his obsessive creativity is as invigorating as a Bronx cheer at a tennis match. I've been writing about the marvels of the corporate music machine for almost a decade; if that machine has gotten too efficient for our own good lately, that's not Elton's fault.

ROBERT CHRISTGAU
Senior Editor
Village Voice

The New York Times, Aug. 22, 1976