Billy Joel
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Billy Joel
Piano-playing singer-songwriter from the Bronx, he's had huge success over the past 40 years with a selection of hit singles, and also become famous for his wives as for his cultural exchanges with the former Soviet Union. Still only 65. I recently picked up a copy of his 'Storm Front' album, as luck would have it. Here's a few of his finest moments:
Just The Way You Are
My Life
Uptown Girl
We Didn't Start The Fire
The River of Dreams
A modern-day Neil Sedaka?
Just The Way You Are
My Life
Uptown Girl
We Didn't Start The Fire
The River of Dreams
A modern-day Neil Sedaka?
misery guts- Admin
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Re: Billy Joel
Billy just makes my head spin. He has so many awesome songs, it's obvious he's a genius. In the 90's, Wisconsin had an eatery called Judy's. My room mate at time was one of those lucky souls to meet Billy! She saw through his glasses and baseball cap. As to avoid a riot, she calmly kept Billy in hiding. He not only signed her check, autograph and what not, but also tipped her $500.00! It paid our rent!
My fav Billy song .... ummmm ..... I'm insulted that his first US debut Billy Joel - Piano Man only scored #24! I just love everything he does.
My fav Billy song .... ummmm ..... I'm insulted that his first US debut Billy Joel - Piano Man only scored #24! I just love everything he does.
Re: Billy Joel
Cool story. He strikes me as being a good bloke, although he takes more than his fair share of critical flak from some quarters.
Good choice in 'Piano Man'. There were so many to select, and I tried to stick to what in the UK anyway would be termed his bigger known hits. I think I prefer some of his more abstract efforts than the slushy ones, but then maybe that's just my age, huh?
Good choice in 'Piano Man'. There were so many to select, and I tried to stick to what in the UK anyway would be termed his bigger known hits. I think I prefer some of his more abstract efforts than the slushy ones, but then maybe that's just my age, huh?
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Re: Billy Joel
Billy Joel: Live at the Shea Stadium
An hour & a half in NYC with the Piano Man. Also special guests Tony Bennett, Garth Brooks, and Paul McCartney. Many, many great hits here. Like Michael Bolton, much derided but the hits all connect.
Billy Joel: A Matter of Trust - The Bridge To Russia
How one of America's naffer acts tried to accelerate the glasnost & that in the mid-80's by touring the good ol' USSR. Billy, his then wife, his band, and a few Russian acts commented on the learning curve from a warm-up gig in Tbilisi (which ruined Joel's voice), and then gigs in Moscow (tricky) and Leningrad (success!). One entertaining touch was that Billy now looks quite old. Christie Brinkley, OTOH, looked like she had been interviewed 25 years ago! Anyway, there were some nice songs, and though the political claims were a little overdone, it was still an achievement worth recognising.
Billy Joel: A Matter of Trust - The Bridge to Russia : The Concert
From Leningrad, July 1987, a wide mix of songs, enthusiastically performed, and loved by the crowd. I gather this concert is now out as a live album, which explains a lot.
An hour & a half in NYC with the Piano Man. Also special guests Tony Bennett, Garth Brooks, and Paul McCartney. Many, many great hits here. Like Michael Bolton, much derided but the hits all connect.
Billy Joel: A Matter of Trust - The Bridge To Russia
How one of America's naffer acts tried to accelerate the glasnost & that in the mid-80's by touring the good ol' USSR. Billy, his then wife, his band, and a few Russian acts commented on the learning curve from a warm-up gig in Tbilisi (which ruined Joel's voice), and then gigs in Moscow (tricky) and Leningrad (success!). One entertaining touch was that Billy now looks quite old. Christie Brinkley, OTOH, looked like she had been interviewed 25 years ago! Anyway, there were some nice songs, and though the political claims were a little overdone, it was still an achievement worth recognising.
Billy Joel: A Matter of Trust - The Bridge to Russia : The Concert
From Leningrad, July 1987, a wide mix of songs, enthusiastically performed, and loved by the crowd. I gather this concert is now out as a live album, which explains a lot.
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Re: Billy Joel
Heyday TV: Billy Joel - Broadcasting Live
A half-hour culled from different shows (including Farm Aid!), giving 2 bites at "Only the Good Die Young", but also fitting in more famous numbers like "Just The Way You Are" and "We Didn't Start The Fire". Could & should have been a lot longer, really.
A half-hour culled from different shows (including Farm Aid!), giving 2 bites at "Only the Good Die Young", but also fitting in more famous numbers like "Just The Way You Are" and "We Didn't Start The Fire". Could & should have been a lot longer, really.
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Re: Billy Joel
Billy Joel Reflects On His Career And Breaking Records Today
Billy Joel recently gave an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Here is an excerpt:
In August you’ll play the final show at Nassau Coliseum, your hometown venue, before they tear it down to rebuild it. Do you recall the first time playing there?
It was the first big arena I ever played, right after The Stranger came out in 1977. Very, very exciting. Everyone I knew in the world was there. Ex-girlfriends, you know…
You haven’t released an album of pop songs since 1993’s River of Dreams. Do you want to make more pop music?
I’m writing new music all the time. I’m just not writing pop stuff. It’s not my goal right now. I’m writing for the sake of writing music. Whether it gets heard or not isn’t an issue for me. It keeps my own juices going and my mind active.
Do you write your music down?
There’s no tapes of what I’ve been writing for the last 20 years. I should have put it on tape because I’m sure my memory will start to go. I’m 66 now. Probably got a good couple of years left. [Laughs]
Billy Joel recently gave an interview with Entertainment Weekly. Here is an excerpt:
In August you’ll play the final show at Nassau Coliseum, your hometown venue, before they tear it down to rebuild it. Do you recall the first time playing there?
It was the first big arena I ever played, right after The Stranger came out in 1977. Very, very exciting. Everyone I knew in the world was there. Ex-girlfriends, you know…
You haven’t released an album of pop songs since 1993’s River of Dreams. Do you want to make more pop music?
I’m writing new music all the time. I’m just not writing pop stuff. It’s not my goal right now. I’m writing for the sake of writing music. Whether it gets heard or not isn’t an issue for me. It keeps my own juices going and my mind active.
Do you write your music down?
There’s no tapes of what I’ve been writing for the last 20 years. I should have put it on tape because I’m sure my memory will start to go. I’m 66 now. Probably got a good couple of years left. [Laughs]
Re: Billy Joel
I was about to say I remember he did a gig which was the last at the old Shea Stadium, but since I haven't listed it above, I might have mis-remembered that.
Has he really not done a new album in 20 years? It's my day for ignorance, then...
Has he really not done a new album in 20 years? It's my day for ignorance, then...
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Re: Billy Joel
Video Killed The Radio Star: Billy Joel
I've seen thing many times, so it's slack of me not to review it before now. Directors Jay Dubin, Andy Morahan and Russell Mulcahy all had tales to tell from Tell Her About It, Uptown Girl, Allentown, The Longest Time, The Downeaster Alexa and The River of Dreams. Billy's comic touch, his championing of the common man, especially the maritime man, his closeness with Christie Brinkley (at the time) were all key facets.
I've seen thing many times, so it's slack of me not to review it before now. Directors Jay Dubin, Andy Morahan and Russell Mulcahy all had tales to tell from Tell Her About It, Uptown Girl, Allentown, The Longest Time, The Downeaster Alexa and The River of Dreams. Billy's comic touch, his championing of the common man, especially the maritime man, his closeness with Christie Brinkley (at the time) were all key facets.
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Re: Billy Joel
Brian Johnson's Life on the Road: Billy Joel
Brian went to a bike repair shop in Oyster Bay to chat with the Piano Man himself. He talked of his parents fleeing Hitler during WW2, with his father then enlisting to return and fight. He started off in bands, then a duo called Attila, and finally his own solo times. His early albums had the odd success, but nothing major. LA proved little help, but NY was a home from home. Once he hit the spot, he kept hitting it. He has deep social views and writes about them, when not writing about love or history. He stopped releasing original albums in the 1990s, and then put a stop to touring. He still does a monthly residency at Madison Square Garden, and the occasional good cause, such as after 9/11, or the last gig at Shea Stadium.
Brian went to a bike repair shop in Oyster Bay to chat with the Piano Man himself. He talked of his parents fleeing Hitler during WW2, with his father then enlisting to return and fight. He started off in bands, then a duo called Attila, and finally his own solo times. His early albums had the odd success, but nothing major. LA proved little help, but NY was a home from home. Once he hit the spot, he kept hitting it. He has deep social views and writes about them, when not writing about love or history. He stopped releasing original albums in the 1990s, and then put a stop to touring. He still does a monthly residency at Madison Square Garden, and the occasional good cause, such as after 9/11, or the last gig at Shea Stadium.
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Re: Billy Joel
The Old Grey Whistle Test: Billy Joel
He and his Bechstein came to London on Mar 14, 1978 apparently. He did a steady selection that included New York State of Mind and Just The Way You Are, plus She's Always A Woman. He had some good banter going on between songs too.
He and his Bechstein came to London on Mar 14, 1978 apparently. He did a steady selection that included New York State of Mind and Just The Way You Are, plus She's Always A Woman. He had some good banter going on between songs too.
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Re: Billy Joel
Focus On: Billy Joel
Nice to see him turn up in this series. A few less familiar inclusions, like Goodnight Saigon and Keeping The Faith, and also a time he did NY State of Mind with Bruce Springsteen.
Nice to see him turn up in this series. A few less familiar inclusions, like Goodnight Saigon and Keeping The Faith, and also a time he did NY State of Mind with Bruce Springsteen.
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Re: Billy Joel
Billy Joel - In Black & White
At the Faena Theatre, somewhere in Florida, he told stories about his inspirations, such as working with Ray Charles, and played brief bits of other songs he was taken with, like A Whiter Shade of Pale and Blue Ronda A La Turk. He did do more of his own numbers, including The Downeaster Alexa and finally Piano Man. He spoke of preferring tunes to words these days, and being unlikely to make another album, as such.
At the Faena Theatre, somewhere in Florida, he told stories about his inspirations, such as working with Ray Charles, and played brief bits of other songs he was taken with, like A Whiter Shade of Pale and Blue Ronda A La Turk. He did do more of his own numbers, including The Downeaster Alexa and finally Piano Man. He spoke of preferring tunes to words these days, and being unlikely to make another album, as such.
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Re: Billy Joel
Extraordinary with Fareed Zakaria: Billy Joel
Fareed did a series and admits he included Billy on his list because he was a fan from way back. Billy has been in residency at Madison Square Garden for a decade, and sold 150 million records. He links the shock to the country of JFK's death with the appearance of the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. He took piano lessons from the age of 4. He mentioned classical touches in Uptown Girl and The Longest Time. Listed Beethoven, Mozart and Ray Charles as influences. Just The Way You Are was an idea from a dream. Only The Good Die Young started out as reggae before his band improved it. His father left and lived in Vienna for a decade, but they later reconnected. Fareed claims Billy says little about politics (if you discount the bleeding obvious examples like Leningrad, We Didn't Start The Fire etc!) He experiences suicidal thoughts at 21. Was very prolific album-wise in the 1970s. The River of Dreams felt like his swan song, and he hasn't made a new rock album since, though he keeps composing.
Fareed did a series and admits he included Billy on his list because he was a fan from way back. Billy has been in residency at Madison Square Garden for a decade, and sold 150 million records. He links the shock to the country of JFK's death with the appearance of the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. He took piano lessons from the age of 4. He mentioned classical touches in Uptown Girl and The Longest Time. Listed Beethoven, Mozart and Ray Charles as influences. Just The Way You Are was an idea from a dream. Only The Good Die Young started out as reggae before his band improved it. His father left and lived in Vienna for a decade, but they later reconnected. Fareed claims Billy says little about politics (if you discount the bleeding obvious examples like Leningrad, We Didn't Start The Fire etc!) He experiences suicidal thoughts at 21. Was very prolific album-wise in the 1970s. The River of Dreams felt like his swan song, and he hasn't made a new rock album since, though he keeps composing.
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Re: Billy Joel
Billy Joel - LIVE at Yankee Stadium
There were a couple of fill-in bits from a daytime visit by Billy, but mainly it was a show from 23rd June, 1990, so around the time of the Storm Front album, a lot of which was played during the show. Plenty of other reliable numbers from his career too.
There were a couple of fill-in bits from a daytime visit by Billy, but mainly it was a show from 23rd June, 1990, so around the time of the Storm Front album, a lot of which was played during the show. Plenty of other reliable numbers from his career too.
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Re: Billy Joel
Global Public Square - 3/3/24misery guts wrote:Extraordinary with Fareed Zakaria: Billy Joel
Fareed did a series and admits he included Billy on his list because he was a fan from way back. Billy has been in residency at Madison Square Garden for a decade, and sold 150 million records. He links the shock to the country of JFK's death with the appearance of the Beatles on Ed Sullivan. He took piano lessons from the age of 4. He mentioned classical touches in Uptown Girl and The Longest Time. Listed Beethoven, Mozart and Ray Charles as influences. Just The Way You Are was an idea from a dream. Only The Good Die Young started out as reggae before his band improved it. His father left and lived in Vienna for a decade, but they later reconnected. Fareed claims Billy says little about politics (if you discount the bleeding obvious examples like Leningrad, We Didn't Start The Fire etc!) He experiences suicidal thoughts at 21. Was very prolific album-wise in the 1970s. The River of Dreams felt like his swan song, and he hasn't made a new rock album since, though he keeps composing.
FZ again talked to the legendary pianist, as he's just put out his first "new" material in nearly 30 years:
Turn The Lights Back On
Billy worked on it with a new collaborator, Freddy Wexler, who also suggested the premise for the video, which uses AI (uh-oh) to imagine various Billys from stages of his career, all singing the new song. Billy performed the track at the Grammys, and enjoyed his interactions with new stars who were polite and respectful to him. FZ seemed desperate to hear that there would be more tracks, an album, a tour, etc, and Billy found several ways to suggest this might well just be a one-off.
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