Pop legend Elton John goes record shopping in Newtown in Sydney’s inner west

LIKE A ‘Rocketman’ the UK music legend had a quick whiz around the shops of Sydney. But he wasn’t after bread and milk.

Elton John’s Sydney shopping spree

THE owner of a Sydney record store has said while he’s used to selling records by music legends it was a whole other experience when one walked through the door.

But that’s exactly what happened yesterday when music royalty in the form of Elton John came looking for some 70s classic vinyl.

“We had no advanced warning at all,” Chris Sammut, the owner of Repressed Records in Sydney’s inner west told news.com.au. “I just went out to get a salad roll for lunch and I walked back in and Elton John’s there flicking through records.”

Mr Sammut, whose shop lies on Newtown’s busy strip of King St, said he could tell instantly it wasn’t a lookalike, particularly as John is about to kick off his Australian tour.

“I knew it was Elton John straightaway, you could just tell. He had a couple of people with him, not heavies, but people don’t usually just walk in with people showing them around.”

But once he got over his initial shock, and with other customers beginning to twig a pop superstar was in the next aisle, Mr Sammut next challenge was to decide how to service his most famous customer yet.

Elton John during a performance in Hong Kong in November. AFP PHOTO / Philippe Lopez

“It was one of the strangest moments of my life. I thought, wow, oh my god, keep clam and composed and don’t do anything stupid,” he said of the incident which happened around Friday lunchtime.

He needn’t have worried though because the man behind hits such as Your Song and Candle in the Wind, hung around for about 20 minutes

“He was really nice and happy to chat and have a few photos with people. He shook our hands.”

Mr Sammut said one of John’s entourage had a list of his the music he already owned and was looking to fill the gaps.

“I know he’s an avid record collector and he had some holes in his record collection for 70s stuff.” John walked out with records from T-Rex, Roxy Music and Ian Dury and the Blockheads, said Mr Sammut.

Newtown’s Repressed Records are used to welcoming more local artists such as Caro De Dear and Sam Wilkinson from the band Day Ravies.

Asked if they often had celebrities wandering in, Mr Sammut said, “We’re a bit more alternative so we do get some musicians but no one as big as him.”

Repressed Records is one of a dwindling number of specialist record stores. Founded 13 years ago in Penrith, western Sydney, the shop moved to Newtown, the heart of Sydney’s counterculture scene, in 2008.

“Someone must have seriously heard of us of us to bring him in here,” Mr Sammut said.

Elton John kicks off a seven date tour of Australia tonight in the Hunter Valley’s Hope Estate. He will then visit Adelaide, Melbourne, Brisbane and Geelong before finishing up on the 17th December at Sydney’s Entertainment Centre.

Originally published as Pop legend Elton John goes record shopping in Newtown in Sydney’s inner west