'HONKY CHATEAU' BY ELTON JOHN

Elton John was also sojourning in style in France, in the Herouville chateau outside Paris that had been turned into a recording studio. The reportedly haunted pile was popular with other 70s luminaries including David Bowie and Iggy Pop.

“Elton was in his imperial period, with some incredible tunes like 'Honky Cat' and 'Rocket Man',” said Bigot.

It underlined John's star status in his native Britain, and “laid down the foundations for '70s soft-rock as a whole,” in the words of music bible NME.