"It got to the point where everything was coming in at number one, and the only dangerous thing about that is that you assume that everything else should come in at number one," he recalls. But what was happening to him pro- fessionally, for all the world to see, was worlds apart from what was happening to him personally. He had been in a solid, romantic rela- tionship with his manager, John Reed, for several years, which brought him great comfort. But hiding it from the world became more difficult, as his life mirrored the words in "Rocket Man"-"Im not the man you think I am at home." As with many relationships, this one ended, which was difficult for John, but he tried to mask his grief and maintain his wild persona in public.

The next stage in his brand evolution would focus on the effect his personal life had on the image of his brand among his fans. It was similar to the impact that changes in the personal lives of company owners, CEOs, and spokespersons have on the image and public per- ception of the companies and brands they represent.

Intert wining the Personal Man and the Professional Brand

In an all-too-common story in the music industry, money, fame, and power made indulging in alcohol and drugs easy. A self-proclaimed "goody two-shoes," it wasnt until a few years into his career that Elton John tried drugs, although he knew that his band members had been using for a while. As he says, the blow made it easier for him to overcome his shyness, talk to people, and break out of his shell. Drugs and alcohol also allowed him a temporary escape from other issues in his personal life.

Rumors about his sexuality hovered, but it wasnt until Cliff Jar of Rolling Stone magazine asked the bisexuality question during an interview that it became public. John explains, "I thought it was okay to say yeah." He just didnt care anymore who knew; it was the begin- ning of the process of recapturing himself. But it was the 1970s, and many of his fans were shocked by the headlines that screamed of his proclaimed bisexuality. It hurt his brand because mainstream culture wasnt ready to deal with sexual preference publicly. Blue Moves, the album following his announcement, didnt come in at number one.

In fact, it peaked at only number three-which although disappoint- ing after a string of chart-topping albums, proved that the news had damaged his career but hadnt killed it.

His personal highs and lows affected his career to a certain degree, but even in the early 1980s he was able to release a whole new string