Elton John has warned fans against taking drugs as he revealed what advice he would give his younger self. 

The legendary musician, 78, has been incredibly open about his crippling addiction to alcohol and cocaine at the height of his fame in the 1970s and 80s before he eventually went to rehab in 1990.

And as he releases his latest acclaimed album Who Believes In Angels? with Brandi Carlile, the singer has admitted he wishes he had never taken drugs. 

Speaking to friend Kate Garraway in an interview with Smooth Radio he revealed he would tell his younger self: ‘Enjoy what you do, which I’d done. Never take drugs. I mean, I took drugs. 

‘It took me down, and then when I recovered, I had to go through that journey to become the person I am.

‘But I wouldn’t have wanted to go through all that, but it did land me up where I am now.’

Elton John has told fans ‘never take drugs’ as he talked about THAT studio tantrum in an interview to mark his new album release on Friday 

The legendary musician, 78, has been incredibly open about his crippling addiction to alcohol and cocaine at the height of his fame in the 1970s and 80s (pictured in 1975) 

Gushing about how music saved his life he continued: ‘You know, appreciate and admit you’re so really lucky to be able to have music in your life. Music has been in my entire life. 

‘It’s been with me when I’ve been up, been down, depressed, but I still went out there and made music, I recorded, I toured, and it saved me. 

‘It nearly destroyed me, but it saved me.’

Allowing the cameras in to film the writing process for his latest record, the pop legend is seen slamming his headphones down and tearing up a piece of sheet music as he tells aghast onlookers: ‘I’m going home.’

Discussing his tantrums, Elton confessed: ‘You forgot they were there and they captured everything. There were nine cameras, and I’m glad they did. 

‘It was like doing Tantrums and Tiaras, I suppose, years and years ago, where you see the whole, the pressure of trying to write something, the pressure of wanting to get it exactly right, and the frustration that I felt because I didn’t think I was doing my part of the job. 

‘Everyone else was, and I didn’t feel I was.’

Explaining how Brandi helped him he added: ‘And then Brandi came in and saw the state I was in at breakfast, and she wrote A Little Light, which is a really positive song. 

Speaking to friend Kate Garraway he said:’ Never take drugs. I mean, I took drugs.

Gushing about how music saved his life he continued: ‘It’s been with me when I’ve been up, been down, depressed, but I still went out there and made music, I recorded, I toured, and it saved me. ‘It nearly destroyed me, but it saved me’

The hitmaker released a collaboration album with American country singer Brandi, 43, called Who Believes in Angels? on Friday

Elton’s album reviews

The Guardian – ‘Easily the best album he has made this century’

MOJO – ‘A career highlight for Carlile and a rejuvenation for John’

CLASH – ‘a marriage made in heaven’ 

The Daily Telegraph 

The Daily Mail 

The Arts Desk 

The Times

Mail On Sunday 

iNews

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‘She said, “listen, we’re musicians. What we do is try and heal people with our music.” And she’s absolutely right. 

‘This was a frustrating time for me. I wasn’t feeling very well. I was tired, but she kicked me out of it, and, God, I needed her to do that, and she did.’

The highly anticipated album comes the week after Elton and Brandi debuted several tracks live during his performance at the The London Palladium last month. 

It comes after Elton reportedly made an outrageous admission about the prospect of making another solo album as the singer insisted he ‘needed Brandi Carille to keep going’.

According to The Sun, the Tiny Dancer singer said: ‘I knew that I didn’t want to make the same album again… I wanted the album to move forward because I’m always trying to look forward.

‘If I had just made another Elton John record, I would’ve killed myself.

‘I needed her, I needed her talent, her energy, her humour, and her brilliant lyrics. I’ve got two of the greatest lyric writers in the world: Bernie Taupin and Brandi Carlile.’

Speaking to Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1, he added that he enjoyed the process so much that he said it would be a ‘privilege’ to make a record with her again.

To fans delight, he also teased that his voice on the upcoming album is ‘the best it’s ever been’.

MailOnline has contacted a representative for Elton for comment. 

The full interview with Smooth Radio’s Kate Garraway is on Global Player now.

The show, which received widespread 5* reviews from critics, will air on ITV1, ITVX, STV and STV Player on Saturday April 19 and on CBS on Sunday April 6.