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Elton John feels that being locked down with his family due to the pandemic was like a silver lining. During a new interview with The Guardian, the “Rocket Man” was asked what life was like for him while shut down during Covid.

He explained, “I just toddled around doing not much and realizing there is more to life than just going out on the road. I wasn’t interested in writing any Elton John/Bernie Taupin songs, although I have a lot of great lyrics from Bernie and I’m dying to do another album, but I didn’t see this as the time to do it. So, I played on other people’s records, Gorillaz (on ‘The Pink Phantom,’ from the album Song Machine) and (Lady) Gaga (on ‘Sine From Above’ from Chromatica), and did a Miley Cyrus and Metallica thing (a cover of Metallica’s ‘Nothing Else Matters’), and went back a bit into being a session musician. But most of the time was spent here with my family and doing my weekly radio show (on Apple Music) and keeping in touch with friends by Zoom. I’m Zoomed out now, though. I can’t f***ing stand it.”

Elton went on to admit, “Usually, I’m never in one place for more than three weeks because I’m such a fidget, so it was just one of the most wonderful experiences of my life to have to stay here with the boys (sons Elijah, 10, and Zachary, 8) and (my husband) David (Furnish). It was just the four of us. Without their friends, the boys relied on us, so we did more with them than we’ve ever done before.”

Elton added, “I treasured the time we spent together. I’ve owned this house since 1975, and this the first time in my life that I’ve seen spring, summer, autumn, and winter here. It’s where I brought up my kids. This is the hub.”

Back in 2018, upon announcing his still-ongoing “Farewell Yellow Brick Road” extravaganza, Elton told us that he was quitting the road to devote more time to his family: Elton explained why it was important for him to finally quit the road: “And, y’know, I always thought I was going to be like Ray Charles, B.B. King — on the road forever. But once your life changes and you have the children; it has changed our life so much, and I love them so much — and they’ll be coming on part of this tour with us. We’re going to take them out of school for nine months, with a tutor. I just wanna be there. When I stop, they’re going to be 10 and eight and that’s a very important time in their lives. I love them so much, I don’t want to miss them and I don’t want them to miss me.”

Elton John next performs on September 1st in Berlin, Germany.