By Pete Thompson

There are some nights when you just have to take a chance. On Tuesday, 13 October 2026, I was travelling to London with no ticket, very little information about the event, and one simple hope: to get into a room with Bernie Taupin.

Bernie doesn’t make that many public appearances in the UK, and I’d been a little late discovering that he was appearing at Rough Trade Records on Denmark Street for a Q&A to promote his upcoming album, The Sea Has No Mercy.

I had no ticket and wasn’t entirely sure what the evening would involve, other than the promise of a conversation with the legendary lyricist. But living only an hour from London, I figured it was worth the risk. At the very least, I might get to see Bernie arrive.

The One that Got Away

There was one person who would have loved to have been there with me: Kate. You will know her as an Elton enthusiast who has written some reviews of Elton concerts for eltonjohn.world lately, Kasia Bugaj.

We love a little Elton John adventure, and this would have been another wonderful one to share. Unfortunately, it was all a bit too last-minute for her to jump on a plane from Warsaw. She would have come if it had been possible and practical, bless her. She was disappointed not to be there, and honestly, so was I. Some musical adventures are just better when shared.

A queue, a long shot and a stroke of luck

I arrived on Denmark Street at around 6.15 pm to find approx. 20 people already queuing outside Rough Trade Records.

I went inside to speak to the staff and find out what was happening. Was there any chance of a spare ticket? A return? Anything?

It wasn’t looking promising.

I was told the evening would consist of a Q&A followed by a signing, with just 50 people allowed inside. This was going to be a tough gig to get into.

There were a few familiar faces in the queue, including Jane, whom I’d seen just 2 weeks earlier with Kate at the Apple Music Hall event. It was lovely to see a familiar face, but I still had a problem to solve.

And then, as it turned out, opportunity came

A woman arrived shortly after me and we started chatting. Her name was Ella, and she told me she went to everything.
I wasn’t quite sure what she meant. Everything Elton-related, perhaps? I’d never seen her before, so I asked a few more questions. Then she showed me her calendar on her phone.

She had somewhere between 7 and 12 concerts, gigs, film premieres and grand openings every single day over the coming month. She’d bought a ticket for the Bernie Taupin event without really knowing much about him at all. It looked interesting, it was close to home, and it fitted around the other events she wanted to attend. She had 2 tickets. Her boyfriend wasn’t coming because he didn’t know who Bernie Taupin was — or, for that matter, Elton John! I was in!
Sometimes you just have to take a chance.

50 lucky people and a legend walks in

At 7.15 pm, we were finally allowed inside, all 50 of us.

The evening was hosted by Craig McLean, the established music journalist and author who has written for publications including The Independent. He guided Bernie through a fascinating conversation about his songwriting, his life with Elton John and the making of his new album.

At around 7.30 pm, Bernie came up from the basement of the store and settled in for a conversation about the making of his first album in around 40 years.

Dressed entirely in black, with white trainers, Bernie looked relaxed and completely at ease. He was candid, funny and remarkably talkative — more than I’d expected, to be honest.

For such a legendary figure, there was nothing particularly grand or distant about him. He seemed happy to talk openly about his life, his work and the experiences that had shaped him.

He recalled his first trip to America with Elton in the early 1970s and the profound effect that experience had on him. Listening to him reflect on those early days was a reminder of just how extraordinary the journey has been.

But the main subject of the evening was his new album, The Sea Has No Mercy, and the very personal process behind its creation.

Bernie described the project as a kind of a creative trilogy.

He had been reflecting on his life and experiences while writing his book. The next part of the story would be a documentary and the last one – an album.

That, he explained, was why he had felt comfortable making an album again. He had the freedom to take control of the musical side of the project and explore his own ideas without the same expectations that might come with his long-standing partnership with Elton.

It is a reflective and deeply personal record, looking back at the past while considering the present and what lies ahead.

And then there is the sea

Bernie spoke about his fear of the sea and recalled nearly drowning when he was younger. He believes there are forces and events on Earth that are immensely powerful, but nothing quite compares with the sea in its sheer force and unforgiving nature.

It is a fascinating idea behind an album title. The sea can be beautiful, captivating and inspiring.

GALLERY: