In addition to the selected works, I was asked to create a painting for the tour’s poster and T-shirts, as well as an additional work that was requested in black and white (the latter became an Indian ink on paper which appears on the last page of the 1974 Tour Book).

In late Spring of 1974, I brought the gouache entitled The Fantastic Elton John Band to the singer’s management offices, named John Reid Enterprises and based at Rocket Records’ North Audley Street offices, in London... Trembling at the thought that what I had done might not appeal to Elton John, if only because of its status as a mega-hyper-super international star -that he factually was-, a parameter that could be a problem given that the type of representation I had designed was... rather irreverent –to put it mildly.
But I had proof very quickly that this was not the case, as on the next day following my artwork's delivery during this London stay, I had the pleasure of briefly seeing Elton John again. And a few months later, I received copies in Nice of all the printed materials, tour-book, poster and t-shirt featuring my paintings.
For the record, it was on the occasion of my artwork delivery that I met John Reid, the young Scottish manager of Elton John, about whom I was unaware of the personal ties that bound him to the musician at that time. When I came to London to personally deliver to John Reid the works commissioned by Elton John, I met a friendly and straightforward man -the kind of man who always got what he wanted. Through all the times and moments I was able to see him until 1995, my perception of him never changed : someone whose tremendous energy was his own passport to achievement and success.

It is with fun that I remember the day when I met John Reid, en route to bring my commissioned works to his North Audley Street office. I remember this narrow staircase that led to the office upper floors, where I crossed a young man in jeans and a denim jacket, who rushed down the stairs towards the street.