“I had no idea that it was being recorded!”: 48 years later, percussionist Ray Cooper tells the story of his ‘lost’ live collaboration with Elton John that's finally getting a release

Ray Cooper.

In May 1977, Elton John took the stage at London’s Rainbow Theatre alongside percussionist Ray Cooper for a six-show residency. The shows marked the first time in five years that a full month had passed without an Elton LP or single appearing on the UK charts and saw Elton at the height of his powers.

The gigs were a return to the stage for Elton following his surprise ‘retirement’ from touring the year earlier. Incredibly, he had been averaging one show every four days for the previous seven years.