Comments on Billy Joel

audiobliss · September 2005

Ok. I want to know what you think about Billy Joel, his style, his talent as a singer, piano player, and whatever other instuments he plays (does he play anything else?). I've always admired/respected him (well, his music), and have always heard that other people do the same. Tonight, for the first time in my life, I've been told he has no talent.

So, what's the general consensus for Billy Joel?

audiobliss · September 2005

BTW, this won't much change my opinion of him - I'll still like him. However, just wondering how you guys see him.

Thanks.

audiobliss · September 2005

Oh, and this person also said his stuff sounds like country.

I've never thought that.

aaharvel · September 2005

We Didn't Start The Fire! It Was Always Burnin' Since The World's Been Turnin'!

nadams · September 2005

I like his music... especially his piano playing, but he's an all-around good musician. My sister had a 5 disc set of his music and I enjoyed most of it.

Mike682 · September 2005

I like him. I think he can play and sing well. I saw him and Elton at Giants Stadium and they both sounded very good. There was a set where they played/sang each other's songs. Billy sounded very good singing Elton's rangy songs.

He lives here on the island and he was very much into helping local commercial fishermen ("the downeaster Alexa"). He also wrote about the over-building of long island ("no man's land")..A few people I know ran into him and said he was a friendly guy too..

Dennis Gardner · September 2005

He has been one of my favorites since the late '70s but he isn't as talented as you would think...................

He can't drink and drive worth a ****..............that is the ultimate multitasking measurement isn't it?

Danny Tse · September 2005

I saw Billy Joel and Elton John together performing at San Jose Arena....these guys rock hard if they wanted to. Personally, I find Billy Joel's music more suited to my taste. The man is a great songwriter and he doesn't sing half bad neither

janmike · September 2005

I like the classic songs a lot better than some of the upbeat music that he has done. All in all, a very talented musician.

Pablo · September 2005

Overall he's a pretty good musician. When you've written an played that many hits, how can anyone really say he's not. But I REALLY hate his music. Every song reminds me of the last. It seems like music written for 10 year olds. Every tune annoys the crap out of me. Every time he comes on the radio, it's an instant station change (and I can tell it's him from the 1st note).

But.... millions don't feel the same way, so there has to be some talent there.

Micah Cohen · September 2005

Recently, I have re-evaluated some of my past faves, and Billy Joel is one of them. I grew up in Billy Joel Country, right around Oyster Bay, so genetically I should be predisposed to liking Billy Joel. When people ask, "What's it like growing up on Long Island?" the best answer is always, "Listen to 'Captain Jack.'" "Captain Jack," in the 70s, is like a precursor to BEE's "American Psycho" as a spot-on satire of New York life in the 80s.

So, I went back and re-listened to all the early Billy Joel albums. I mean, pre-1980 Billy Joel albums. Because, you have to admit that after 1980 Billy Joel is sort of... not masculine. (Playing a show with Elton John is sort of preordained, no? I'm sure they "hung out" backstage after the show, wink wink, nudge nudge.)

And so I can say that Billy Joel really sucks. His stuff is crap. Sure, he's a great musician. And, moreso, his pre-80s band is astonishingly tight and purposeful. But his songs are just not masculine. "James"? What the hell are you singing about, man?

But here's what I decided: that if you want to listen to Billy Joel, all you need is the live LP "Songs In The Attic." This collection of early 70s songs (none of the later "hits" you hear in the dentist's office) is superbly produced, and features the band ROCKETING thru some of the best songs, including songs he stopped playing in concert later like "Billy The Kid," all recorded in small local venues. The band is young, hungry, angry and they rock. If later stuff becomes "not masculine," then the most masculine example of Billy Joel music is the version of "Everybody Loves You Now" found on "Songs In The Attic."

So, my advice is to sell back all the crappy Billy Joel albums you have, and keep only "Songs In The Attic." It's the least "not masculine" Billy Joel music you can own.

MC

shack · September 2005

Piano Man and Glass Houses are the two albums that I enjoy. Piano Man was the best of his albums IMO and Glass Houses was his best effort at "Rock N Roll". I've never heard Songs in the Attic so I can't comment on it, but there is nothing after that is worthy of anything but elevator/dentist office status.

(Playing a show with Elton John is sort of preordained, no? I'm sure they "hung out" backstage after the show, wink wink, nudge nudge.)

Well....Billy has stated that EJ was a big influence on him and in fact Piano Man was influenced by Tumbleweed Connection so "musical collaboration" was inevitable.

MC you are indeed a #^&#@! Must you shatter all of one's allusions. Are you trying to say that the same man that was married to, had sex with, spent time naked with to THIS woman....

Was also attracted to THIS man.....

Is nothing sacred anymore......

jgido759 · September 2005

Excellent "Rock 'N' Roll" piano player (also plays guitar), OK songwriter, stellar performer.

Micah Cohen · September 2005

I'm sticking by my contention that everything he has done is wimpy crap except "Songs In The Attic." It's full of fire and spirit, fun and anger, all crammed into super performances of totally non-**** songs that ROCK. Everything else is freaking dentists' office music. I'm telling you.

And Christy Brinkley whatever... The guy's a stoop for throwing over the woman who stuck by him when he was a nobody (his first wife), who lived with him when he was poor and struggling to get by. Some "great guy." What an a-hole.

MC

audiobliss · September 2005

Great to see you back in action, Micah! Where ya been?

As for Billy Joel...it's good to see that I'm not alone in thinking he's a good artist with several good albums out.

Ricardo · September 2005

audiobliss wrote:

As for Billy Joel...it's good to see that I'm not alone in thinking he's a good artist with several good albums out.

Agree; I had the opportunity of watching him live (with Elton John) and he is a great performer; I don't really care what they were doing backstage..I enjoyed the show

aaharvel · September 2005

welcome back from the Trenches Micah.

reeltrouble1 · September 2005

He has more talent in one finger, which is waving at his detractors, than lets say (my easiest target Ashlee Simpson) has in her whole self. He is able to write music utilizing several of the different modes available. Lets take Piano Man for an example, within this tune he has used the basic Ionian mode we are all familar with (Do, la, re, me, etc.) however, through the use of the relative minor, accidentals and harmonic scale you end up with a much more complex sounding song. What on the surface appears to be a simple piece is actually quite a difficult tune to master.

If you dont like him thats your bag, but if you can read music, go get one of his songbooks, tear the music notation apart and you will find an amazing artist. His chordal progressions are not typically country, however, I happen to enjoy the artistry in that genre as well. I agree that with the comments about masculinity but still enjoy his music.

RT1

aaharvel · September 2005

lol. LET THE FLAMETHROWING COMMENCE!

audiobliss · September 2005

'Piano Man' is one of my favorite songs to play on the piano. A 'dumbed down' version, of course.

reeltrouble1 · September 2005

I do recall writing some college term paper I prefaced with the line "so they sit at the bar and stuff bread in my jar and say man what are you doing here". Remember EJ had Taupin to write his lyrics, EJ could just write music so well to fit the lyrics. After many years I got over the **** thing a while ago.

Thanks for pic Shack, damm she has some thighs on her along with all her other charms. Had sort of forgot how fine she was.

RT1

mhardy6647 · September 2005

Billy Joel always struck me as not-too-bright, but a pretty good 'entertainer'. I think that his first three (actually, I guess, four) albums contain flashes of brilliance (if sometimes pretentiously so): Miami 2017, Streetlife Serenader, Captain Jack, Traveling Prayer, Ballad of Billy the Kid are all really great songs of their times. "Songs from the Attic" is really very good... I have that one on a store-bought cassette :-o

Be nice to have it on vinyl...

EDIT: Have you read the reviews of his albums at www.allmusic.com?

audiobliss · September 2005

Is 'Songs from the Attic' available on CD? If so, I just might look for it.

mhardy6647 · September 2005

Looks like it:
http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:0hmsa9lgb230

Spawndn72 · September 2005

I have always been a Billy Joel fan.

As a side note, Micah, could you give us a list of people you don't like? I am pretty sure I will like all of them.

audiobliss · September 2005

Spawndn72 wrote:

As a side note, Micah, could you give us a list of people you don't like? I am pretty sure I will like all of them.

ROFL

Micah Cohen · September 2005

tear the music notation apart and you will find an amazing artist

And this is exactly where you get into trouble.

So what, it's brilliant music writing? So what? The real question should be, does it rock and roll your socks off? Does the song "James," which probably as complex to play as a Bach cantata, rock and roll your socks off?

No. It's ****. I mean, it's just boring.

So again, I say find and listen to "Songs In The Attic," especially if you're reading this thread thinking, "Hey, I like Billy Joel! I like that thing he did live in Russia or something, and I just saw him with Elton John and they rocked my wheelchair!" Get "Songs In The Attic"; you'll be able to compare Billy Joel the rock and roller to Billy Joel the boring geriatric easy-listening "artiste."

One is GREAT. One is really lame.

I saw Billy Joel back in 1984, I think; "Live From Long Island" was the video that was made from the show I saw. It was a superb, tremendous great show. But it pales when compared to the early performances captured on "Songs In The Attic." They will rock and roll your socks off. And that's what counts.

We are talking about rock and roll, right?

MC

Micah Cohen · September 2005

could you give us a list of people you don't like?

You'd be surprised. I like pretty much everything except jazz (don't know much about it) and opera (don't like singing with my classical music). I can find something to like in practically every kind of music out there. The key is that I only like the very best of it, I don't waste my time on post-1980 Billy Joel garbage.

Choose the best, and you don't have to waste your time with the dreck. Simplify.

MC

audiobliss · September 2005

Micah Cohen wrote:

And this is exactly where you get into trouble.

So what, it's brilliant music writing? So what? The real question should be, does it rock and roll your socks off? Does the song "James," which probably as complex to play as a Bach cantata, rock and roll your socks off?

No. It's ****. I mean, it's just boring.

Here we go again...

No, I think that you're getting into trouble with where you're going. We can objectively look at the music and say, "Wow, that's complex." That'll be fact. Thus, we can state it as such.

YOU can also listen to his stuff and say, "Wow, that's boring!" That's not fact. That's an opinion. Thus, you can't state it as fact. Whether or not something is boring is subjective and thus can't be beat into somebody.

If you think it's boring, fine. Say so, maybe even tell us why, and then don't listen to those boring songs. However, if we think the music is 'complex and brilliant' and enjoy listening to it, then stop telling us it's boring. We obviously don't think so. (And that 'we' would just happen to be whoever doesn't think Billy Joel's stuff is 'boring'.)

Since I asked for comments on Billy Joel, I'm glad you chimed in and said you think he's boring. That's what I wanted to find out (what y'all though). However, you can't tell me what's boring. That's subjective.

What's kept you away from the forum so long, this time? Or have I just been mssing your posts?

ND13 · September 2005

Micah Cohen wrote:

You'd be surprised. I like pretty much everything except jazz (don't know much about it) and opera (don't like singing with my classical music). I can find something to like in practically every kind of music out there. The key is that I only like the very best of it, I don't waste my time on post-1980 Billy Joel garbage.

Choose the best, and you don't have to waste your time with the dreck. Simplify.

MC

DITTO!!!

I don't waste my time with post "Subdivisions" Rush. I don't waste my time with anything that the Stones have done from the 80s on. I don't waste my time with post "Pump" Aerosmith. And so on and so on. You can find something redeeming in most genres. Hell, there's even some bluegrass that I like. I like jazz, just don't know much about it other than the well known artist like Miles, Coltrane, Yellowjackets, Bird, and Metheny.

bobman1235 · September 2005

audiobliss wrote:

YOU can also listen to his stuff and say, "Wow, that's boring!" That's not fact. That's an opinion. Thus, you can't state it as fact. Whether or not something is boring is subjective and thus can't be beat into somebody.

If you think it's boring, fine. Say so, maybe even tell us why, and then don't listen to those boring songs

Since "boring" is, by definition, a subjective word, I think it's obvious that Micah's stating his opinion. He may be very vocal about it, and argumentative even, but the whole thing is opinion. And he's backing it up by way of examples and comparisons to other music that he sees as "not boring."

There's no reason that he has to say "in my opinion..." before every word he says - if you're too stupid to know what things are opinion and what things aren't then just stop reading. If you're in the car with some friends, and a song comes on, and one of your friends says "good song!", do you jump down his throat and say "IN YOUR OPINION IT'S A GOOD SONG! IT'S NOT A FACT".