Ben Folds has told Aussie website Undercover that he is now comfortable with his work being compared to that of Elton John. "Unfortunately if you play piano the first thing you have to get past is being called Junior Elton John," he told the website. "I really dodged that for a long time like anyone would. People would say 'so, Elton John tell me about that' and I'd be like 'fuck off, talk to me about Elvis Costello or somebody else'. As I've gotten older I don't care anymore. If they want to call me Junior Elton John then my career is doing fine now. I don't have to worry about it".
In fact Folds has become good friends with Elton. "He's been so great. He has really helped me out a lot in the last couple of years. Having him as a friend, I am not concerned about the comparison anymore because I'm grown up and he's great".