Rock impresario John Reid first met 23-year-old songwriter and piano player Reginald Kenneth Dwight at a Christmas party in 1970. "I remember this hip, shy young man," he'd later recall. "There was a gawky sweetness about him."
That young musician later changed his name to Elton John and went on to become one of the world's flashiest pop stars, known for his exuberant on-stage persona and signature sunglasses. Reid worked as John's manager for over two decades, and within just a few weeks of meeting, they also struck up a secret romance. Their relationship features prominently in Paramount Pictures' new biopic Rocketman, which stars Taron Egerton as John and Richard Madden as Reid.
Here's everything to know about the former business partners and lovers.
Who is John Reid?
Reid might have indulged in extravagance later in life—he owned seven homes and, at one point, had amassed a sizable art collection with an estimated worth of $2.5 million—but he comes from humble beginnings. Reid grew up in a working-class suburb of Glasgow, and, at the age of 18, moved to London, claiming he was "tired of being the only gay in the village." His career in the music business started at a UK Motown label that worked with The Supremes, Marvin Gaye, Stevie Wonder, and The Temptations. He founded his own company, John Reid Enterprises, in 1971.
What was the relationship between Elton John and John Reid really like?
Reid was introduced to John at a Christmas Party in 1970, according to a 1998 Scottish Daily Record feature. At the time, John had already released one album in 1969 called Empty Sky, which went mostly unnoticed. When John played some of his new songs for Reid, the music manager was blown away. "The songs were beautiful and it became the Elton John album," he told the Scottish Daily Mail in 2018.
Still, Reid was hesitant to manage him. "When I met Elton, I didn't even realize his potential. I've never claimed to have discovered him," he told the Daily Mail. "In fact, when he suggested I should manage him, I wasn't enthusiastic."
In July 1973, he acquiesced, and the duo struck up a business partnership. They were also romantically linked, although they kept that under wraps. "He was my first great love and I was his," Reid told the Daily Mail.
They eventually moved into an apartment above a Safeway grocery store on London's Edgeware Road together and lived, as their friends described it, like a married couple, "always arguing, but ferociously loyal to each other," according to the Daily Record. John reportedly likened living with John to "trying to hold back a racehorse."
The couple battled addiction together, helping each other through "problems, especially alcohol," Reid told the Daily Mail. "Elton made me go and see a wonderful therapist... after he went through rehab in 1990 and when I came out, he helped me through it."
They also reportedly spoiled each other with extravagant gifts, like yachts and a rare emerald ring. John, Reid told the publication, had "no concept of money—I have seen him spend a million in an afternoon." When Reid got angry about this spending, John's response was, "We'll just make some more."
After five years together, the couple split. Reid stayed on as John's manager for 25 years, and told the Daily Mail, "There were no dramas" with the breakup—that would come later, when John took Reid's company to court.
Who else did John Reid work with?
Around the same time Reid and John split up, the music manager became aware of a band called Queen, who'd just released a catchy song called Killer Queen. At a dinner meeting with Freddie Mercury in 1975, Reid told the frontman he was gay. "So am I, dear, we'll get on swimmingly!" Mercury reportedly responded.
Reid managed Queen for the next three years, during which time the group produced classic hits like "Somebody to Love" and "We Are the Champions." In the 2018 Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, for which Rami Malek won an Academy Award for Best Actor, Reid was played by Game of Thrones actor Aiden Gillen.
Queen drummer Roger Taylor told the Daily Mail he believes the reason Reid split with the band after just a few years, was because he "was put under terrific pressure by his 'other artist,' I think Elton felt a bit threatened by the other client."
Why did John Reid stop working with Elton John?
Despite their breakup, Reid continued to represent John until 1998, when the star became suspicious that his former lover was taking advantage of him. This resulted in a lengthy legal battle. In 2000, John accused Reid in court of getting "his fingers caught in the till," according to The Guardian.
"I thought he would kill for me in any circumstances," John reportedly said. "I trusted him and I thought he was by far the best person to manage my career."
It's been nearly 20 years since their falling out, and Reid admits he's still "fond" of his former client. "I'm...proud of the work I did with him," Reid told the Daily Mail. "One day I'll bump into him and there may be hugs and kisses. Or maybe not."
Rocketman is in theaters on May 31. Buy tickets here.
Rose is a Senior Editor at ELLE overseeing features and projects about women's issues. She is an accomplished and compassionate storyteller and editor who excels in obtaining exclusive interviews and unearthing compelling features.
