Elton John Says He's the "Luckiest Man in the World" to Still Be Alive

Dave Hogan/NBCThese days, Elton John lives the life of an elder statesman of music and a devoted family man. But he admits that with the out-of-control lifestyle he used to lead, things could have turned out much worse for him.

In an interview with NBC's Today show that will air in full Tuesday and Wednesday, Elton talks about his new book Love Is the Cure: Life, Loss and the End of AIDS, and tells Matt Lauer, "I wasted such a big part of my life...I was a **** addict and self-absorbed...when you take a **** and you take a drink and you mix those two together, you think you're invincible." He adds, "I came out of this HIV-negative. I was the luckiest man in the world."

Elton has, of course, put those days behind him, and is enjoying life with his partner David Furnish and their son Zachary. In fact, he's looking to expand his family.

"I'd love to have more children," Elton tells Lauer. "And also Zachary...when he's four and he starts going to preschool kids will say, 'You don't have a mummy.'... And I want him to have a brother or a sister to go to school with him. And so that he can have someone to play with."