Sir Elton John has urged young singers to stay off cocaine.

Sir Elton John

Sir Elton John

The 68-year-old singer - who has suffered with drug problems in the past - has implored artists of today to get their highs from music, rather than turning to narcotics.

He said: "Young musicians have disappeared into the bathroom and I've gone, 'Are you doing coke?' And they're going, 'Yeah!' I said, 'That's not a good idea' and they say, 'It's what I'm meant to do, isn't it?'

"No, you're not. It's a f**king horrible drug. It brings out the worst side of your soul, you don't need it, you've got so much talent.

"Stop it. It's a f**king horror story.

"Just because Amy Winehouse , Jim Morrison and Jimi Hendrix died at 27, it doesn't mean you have to."

Sir Elton also recalled his years of excess, admitting the problem spiralled out of control before he'd really realised he'd developed an addiction.

He told Vice: "I used to sit on my own doing lines of coke, smoking joints and drinking scotch. I used to think, 'Why am I doing this?' I didn't realise I was an addict."