In the new issue of Rolling Stone, Elton John talks about his 40-year career, including his enduring relationship with lyricist Bernie Taupin, the joys of fatherhood, and his true feelings about his longtime friend and tour-mate Billy Joel.

He tells the magazine that Billy Joel needs to get serious about sobriety, and “do something better” with his life. He tells the magazine that the pair canceled many tours because of Billy’s illnesses and alcoholism.

“At the end of the day, he’s coasting,” John tells Contributing Editor Austin Scaggs. “I always say, ‘Billy, can’t you write another song?’ It’s either fear or laziness. It upsets me. Billy’s a conundrum. We’ve had so many cancelled tours because of illnesses and various other things, alcoholism.” He goes on to criticize Joel’s past attempts to stop drinking. “He’s going to hate me for this, but every time he goes to rehab they’ve been light,” John says. “When I went to rehab, I had to clean the floors. He goes to rehab where they have TVs. I love you, Billy, and this is tough love.”

Joel has yet to comment on these statements.

The cover story is in the new issue of Rolling Stone, on newsstands Friday. Go here for more highlights.

Meet Elton John and David Furnish’s new son Zachary!

The couple shares the first photos of son Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John exclusively in the new issue of Us Weekly, out Wednesday.

As first revealed at UsMagazine.com, little Zachary was born via surrogate on Christmas Day 2010, weighing 7 pounds, 15 ounces.

“I’ve never felt anything like it in my life,” Grammy winner John, 63, tells Us of holding his son for the first time. “You’re so awestruck. What can you say? You take it in. The feeling, the joy, the warmth of his body, his breathing…I will never forget that experience ever.”

What kind of personality does little Zachary have? Gushes film director Furnish, 48, John’s partner of 17 years: “He’s a content little guy…He’s very peaceful…He just loves to be nurtured, cuddled, and sung to.”

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After welcoming Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John on Dec. 25 via a surrogate, Sir Elton John, 62, and partner David Furnish, 48, shared the joyous news with UsMagazine.com.

“We have fulfilled a dream in finally becoming parents, and are so happy and excited at this very special time. Zachary is a gorgeous little baby and we are so proud of him,” John tells UsMagazine.com. The couple explained that they didn’t take long in choosing the baby’s name. “A friend gave us a book of baby names, and we started to flick through it, but we have always loved the name Zachary and kept coming back to it. In the end, we looked at each other, and put the book back on shelf, and said, “This is it!’”

The music superstar met Furnish, a film director and producer, in October 1993 at a dinner party held at his home. “He was very well dressed, very shy,” John says of their first meeting. Noting that he was “instantly” attracted to Furnish, the singer says their relationship took off from there. “The next night we had dinner…We fell in love very quickly.”

John proposed to Furnish in 2005 and the two married in a civil ceremony on December 21, 2005, the first day that civil partnerships could be performed in England, in the town of Old Windsor. The pair work hard to keep their relationship strong. “Every Saturday for 16 years, we’ve sent each other a card,” John told Parade earlier this year. “No matter where we are in the world, to say how much we love each other.”

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Sir Elton John and David Furnish have become parents to son Zachary Jackson Levon Furnish-John, the couple tells UsMagazine.com exclusively.

The baby boy, who was born Dec. 25 in California via a surrogate, weighed 7 pounds, 15 ounces.

“We are overwhelmed with happiness and joy at this very special moment,” John and Furnish tell Us in a joint statement. “Zachary is healthy and doing really well, and we are very proud and happy parents.”

This is the first child for John and Furnish. The couple married in 2005 after 12 years together.

A rep for the couple has stated that they intend to protect and respect the privacy of their surrogate, and will not be discussing any details relating to the surrogacy arrangements.

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Elton John discussed possibly collaborating with Lady Gaga, and gave his thoughts on her upcoming studio album Born This Way in a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly:

“She and I come from exactly the same place. She’s kind of like the bastard daughter of Elton John. I love her, and I love her ability to write. There’s a chance I might do one track with her, but she’s so busy and I’m so busy, we can never get together! But her record – it’s fucking amazing. ‘Born This Way’, which is the title song, will completely get rid of Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I Will Survive.’ This is the new ‘I Will Survive.’ That was the gay anthem. This is the new gay anthem. Actually, it’s not a gay anthem – it can apply to anybody.”

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We all know Lady GaGa likes to try to shock her audiences. So at Elton John’s Benefit Ball she once again tried to take it to extremes.

At the 12th annual White Tie and Tiara Ball to benefit the Elton John AIDS Foundation in Windor, England, Thursday night, the singer took to the stage sporting a bra, panties and fishnet stockings, assessorized with, (we assume), fake blood smeared all over her upper body.

I wouldn’t be surprised if she actually used real blood. Do you think GaGa would be crazy enough to do something like that?

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Lady Gaga opened up the Grammy Awards with her usual (or perhaps unusual) style with a green glittery dress, shoulder pads and high heels. The high-energy ‘Poker Face’ performance was short and as previously reported, the song switched over to her duet with Elton John. Both he and Gaga were pushed out on stage to duet with dueling pianos to ‘Speechless’ and ‘Your Song.’ Both emerged with large, sparkly glasses with faces painted in what looked to be ash. The two traded off verses at times, while simultaneously playing the piano. Watch their performance