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"Prince, Billy Joel Set To Sing at Super Bowl" By: Larry Fine (February 1st, 2007) Prince let his music do the talking on Thursday when he faced the media at a news conference covering Sunday's Super Bowl halftime show. The singer, clad in a tunic-style orange jump suit, eschewed questions about his Super set, instead launching into a pulsating three-song performance to preview what should be a high-energy break from the NFL championship game. The pre-game entertainment will be provided by local pop singer Gloria Estefan and the acrobatic troupe Cirque du Soleil, while Billy Joel will sing the National Anthem. "I think people have always recognized that (the Super Bowl) is a form of entertainment," said Joel, who like Prince has won six Grammys and is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. "It is the biggest television day of the year." Last season's Super Bowl was again the top-rated US telecast of the year, watched by 141 million in the United States, according to the NFL. Around the world, 54 broadcasters will televise Sunday's game to 232 countries and territories in 33 languages. Joel will become the first person to sing the National Anthem twice at a Super Bowl, previously doing the honors at Super Bowl XXIII also in Miami. "Billy Joel, Prince Prepare For Super Bowl Performances" (February 1st, 2007) Billy Joel's plan for the Super Bowl is not to forget the words. Prince's attitude is to say everything with music. Joel and Prince separately met with reporters in advance of their Super Bowl performances. Joel will sing the National Anthem, and Prince will perform the halftime show. Joel says he plans to stick to the basics with the anthem. He says it's a difficult song to begin with, and "stretching it beyond its recognition" is not his thing. Prince told reporters that contrary to rumor, he would take questions. That's until someone asked one, and he immediately broke into a version of "Johnny B. Goode" and two other songs, then left without saying anything more. "Billy Joel... Prince... at The Super Bowl" By: Beau Dure (February 1st, 2007) Live Blog: Prince has wrapped after a three-song set here in the Super Bowl media center. Billy Joel has also come and gone as part of the Super Bowl entertainment media session. Here's what we were blogging as it happened: Some weird stuff is showing up here: Joel is singing the national anthem and Prince is performing the halftime show on Sunday. The King has arrived at the Super Bowl. No, not Elvis. The Burger King...that strange larger-than-life icon that has become the face of the fast food franchise. He's been seen before a big-time defensive back and quarterback flattener in BK's commercials, so he's probably here to strut his stuff. 2:17pm: Question for Billy Joel from a Japanese reporter: Is performing similar to playing in the Super Bowl? Joel: "I don't know. I never played on Super Sunday." 2:18pm: Joel is offering no predictions. "I root for New York teams," he says. 2:18pm: Joel says "America The Beautiful" is a better song than "The Star-Spangled Banner." The National Anthem, he says, "is kind of a slog." 2:20pm: Billy hasn't put out a new album, one reporter tells him. What's up with his creative juices? Joel: "I don't know. I don't feel like writing an album right now," Joel responds. 2:22pm: Jets or Giants, Billy? He confesses: Giants. 2:24pm: Does he get nervous? Yes, the first night of a new tour. But when he walks on stage, or "his office," it goes away. 2:25pm: What goes through his mind when he walks onto the field Sunday? "Don't forget the words." 2:26pm: What Bill thinks of Prince: "I think he's brilliant. He's one of the most talented people in the industry." 2:27pm: Billy's portion has wrapped...very quickly. Prince is scheduled at 2:30pm and we wonder if the hurry to get Billy out has to do with keeping Prince happy and on time. Anyway, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told us earlier in the week that Prince will not speak during his portion of the press conference...but he will perform. Stay tuned. 2:28pm: While we wait for Prince... Billy Joel is singing the National Anthem for the second time at the Super Bowl. He is the first performer to accomplish that. He also honored America at Super Bowl XXIII, also in Miami, Florida. 2:30pm: They tell us 10 minutes until Prince appears. 2:33pm: The NFL has told our Scott Zucker that Prince actually rehearsed for this performance today. The Purple One is taking his turn in front of the football press corps very seriously. 2:43pm: Prince is beginning. He mumbled some very hard to understand words... I think he said he would take a few questions and then the band launched into music. Here we go. 2:44pm: Sounds like he's singing some variation of "Johnny B. Goode." 2:45pm: Prince is at center stage. He is wearing a bright orange suit. He has about 10 people in his band. 2:50pm: A man dressed as Howard Cosell just entered the room for the concert. He was had dark glasses, slicked-back dark hair, was decked out in a yellow blazer with an old-school ABC Sports logo on the pocket and carried what looked like a 10-inch cigar. 2:54pm: Prince has wrapped after playing three songs. About the same amount of songs and time he's likely to have on Sunday. He mumbled a few words before he walked off stage. It sounded like the last one was "Peace." "Billy Joel Hopes To Remember Anthem Lyrics" By: Linda Trischitta & Stephen Silverman (February 3rd, 2007) While Prince will tackle the half-time show at Miami's Dolphin Stadium, Sunday's Super Bowl XLI will kick off with the National Anthem sung by Billy Joel – who calls it "a tough song." "It's not the greatest song ever written," Joel, 57, told a group of reporters in Miami Beach this week, when asked how it is to sing "The Star-Spangled Banner." "What it represents is a terrific thing. But 'America The Beautiful' is actually a better song." What makes the Frances Scott Key lyrics so tough, Joel explained, is that the anthem, "was written early in the 19th century, and that's the vernacular of the song. Nobody remembers the lyrics because they don't know what they mean. The melody is difficult, and everybody drops out in the high notes. It's kind of a slog, actually." When asked what will be going through his mind just before the performance, he cracked: "Don't forget the words." Still someone must have liked the way Joel sang it before, since this will actually be a Super Bowl encore for him. The Grammy-winning "Piano Man"'s other delivery of the National Anthem was prior to 1989's Super Bowl, also in South Florida. In fact, for a song that gives him problems, Joel sure seems to sing it a lot. "I did it at the Stanley Cup, I did it at the World Series, I did it at Super Bowl XXIII," he said, "so I'm kind of an old dinosaur doing this kind of thing." By the way, asked whom he favors to win - the Chicago Bears or the Indianapolis Colts - Joel replied: "I have no idea. I was rooting for New York." "Billy Joel: Sing Along, Everyone!" It's His Second Time Around, Singing The National Anthem (February 3rd, 2007) Billy Joel's career over the past 30 years has brought him many awards and accolades, from six Grammys to sales of more than 100 million albums. But for Super Bowl XLI, Joel is being honored in a way that is unique: He is the first performer to sing the National Anthem twice at the Super Bowl. His first time was in 1989. In a conversation with The Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith, Joel talked about the Super Bowl and his special relationship with his concert audiences. As he thought about performing the National Anthem for the second time at the Super Bowl, did Joel consider doing it differently - with a string section, for instance? "You know, honestly, I approach it as a musician," says Joel. "It's a difficult song to sing in the first place. There's a 15-note - an octave and a half span in the song. Nobody can hit the high note; everybody drops out. Rockets red glare! The lyrics were written in the early 19th century vernacular, which is difficult for people to understand, so very few people remember the words. "So," he concludes, "I think you stick to the script. Don't take it out 50 ways from Sunday. You have to treat it with respect, whatever you think of the song." It is an honor, though. "Sure, it's an honor. Yeah. Absolutely," concurs Joel. "And I am aware that this is a huge day in television. This is the biggest day of the year." Interjects Smith, "It's only about 141 million people, or something like that." And Joel points out, "Yeah but that's an abstract number. You can't think of that." Did he think about pre-recording his performance? "I'm not gonna tape it! I'm gonna sing it live!" Joel emphatically replies. "That's what I'm paid to do. I'm paid to be a singer, not a lip-syncher." The singer says he hopes everyone sings along with him, telling Smith that "The Star-Spangled Banner" works better as a sing-along than a solo number. But Smith isn't sure that anyone wants to hear him sing along! "Well, that's why everybody should sing," says Joel. "You'll all 'mush' each other out. So don't worry about what you sound like. Just sing." Moving to a different subject, Smith brings up Joel's upcoming U.S. concert tour. "Honestly, the American audiences are the best audiences for us," Joel observes. "They're the most energetic, enthusiastic, crazy, frenetic type of a crowd, and we like that. So, they do a lot of work, whether they know it or not. The audience is half the show. "It's an energy exchange," he continues. "We make noise, they make noise. We make more noise, they make more noise. And as long as they're making noise… It's kind of like making love. If someone's too quiet, you're not doing it right." Last year, Joel sold out 12 straight shows at New York's Madison Square Garden. But die-hard New York fans may be disappointed to hear that he won't be heading back there this time around. He explains, "I feel like we kinda hit that New York area pretty heavy for a while. I mean, it went from the winter into the late spring, just staying at the Garden. We were like the house band! It was like here we are back in the office again… "There are a lot of other places we haven't played in the states. We're gonna cover the Southeast for the first four weeks, then we take a break, then we go to the Midwest. We're gonna do some Canada, so there's a lot of places we haven't been for a while on our own. I was touring with Elton John and we played a lot of places, but we haven't been to places on our own for a long time. So there's plenty left to do." "Billy Joel Shares Love Song For His Wife" By: Liza Hamm (February 7th, 2007) In 2005, Billy Joel, 57, wrote a ballad for his wife Katie Lee Joel, 25, to celebrate their first wedding anniversary. Now, he's releasing that song, "All My Life," as a single – and People Magazine has the exclusive first listen. In honor of the occasion, the "Piano Man" spoke to People Magazine about the makings of a great love song. Tell us a little about the song. It's not a typical "Billy Joel song." I thought it would be great for Tony Bennett. I hope he does it, anyway. I recorded it with a full orchestra – a real old-fashioned session just like they did in the '50s. And I dressed like Frank Sinatra. I took on a whole other persona. Why try a different kind of music? I was always a little wary of being termed a balladeer. [But] at this point in my life, I don't care. I don't think a love song is substantial if it's all candy. There's a good deal of regret in this song. I have regrets in my life. Anyone who says they don't have regrets hasn't really lived. Are you a fan of Valentine's Day? It depends. When you're in love, it's great. When things aren't going well, it's a bah humbug day. Joel also shared his five favorite love songs: 1.) "Whole
Lotta Love," Led Zeppelin: "It's a slamming hot love song." "Florida State of Mind" By: Lee Zimmerman (February 8th, 2007) It's a no-brainer that Billy Joel has an obvious appeal to the geriatric crowd. After all, here's a guy who has penned his fair share of ballads, with songs such as "New York State of Mind" and "Piano Man" providing fodder for many a lounge crooner's repertoire. But anyone who has seen him in concert - especially last year's two-night stint at Broward's BankAtlantic Center, knows that this sometime-South Florida resident is equally prone to rawk. This shouldn't be surprising considering that Joel got started with '60s rock outfit The Hassles and eventually created the psychedelic heavy-metal duo Attila. So don't even try to pigeonhole this 40-year industry veteran, because his trick bag runs deep. And given his ample catalogue - boasting nearly three dozen Top 10 hits - he has plenty of harder-hitting material to tap into - "It's Still Rock and Roll To Me," "Big Shot," and "You May Be Right" chief among them. By the way, this is the second chance to catch him locally this month; among other distinctions, he just became the only artist asked to sing The National Anthem a second time at the Super Bowl. Talk about a "Big Shot!" "Billy Joel" By: Saby Reyes-Kulkarni (February 8th, 2007) After more than four years off the road - which included a rather ill-fated renouncing of pop music for classical - Billy Joel returns to (what else?) woo us with his legendary catalogue of songs. Aw, why not? Joel's work came ready-made for nostalgia 30 years ago. The songs from his heyday ("Piano Man," "Honesty," "My Life," "Big Shot," and on and on) proved so catchy we felt they had been around forever. Despite his unfortunate penchant for "Uptown Girl"s, Joel has rightfully etched his songbook into the mass consciousness. And even pushing 60, the guy can still bring the fire to a live show (even if he didn't start it). His recent concert disc, "12 Gardens Live," is all the evidence you need. The Bronx native also has the grace and good sense to reach deep into his catalogue for every show, past the big hits, which makes his live gigs, as they say, worth the price of admission. "Download: Brown Eyes Blue" By: Christopher Blagg (February 8th, 2007) "All
My Life" "Billy Joel Plays Memorial Arena" By: Roger Bull (February 8th, 2007) Billy Joel took a few chances in front of a packed Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena Wednesday night. No, he didn't break out any new songs or produce any Dylan-esque reworkings that made the crowd wonder what the songs were. But he played a few lesser known of the songs from his past. The crowd wanted the hits. It was the first night of his tour, and he admitted he's experimenting a bit to see what works and what doesn't. The Set-Up: The round stage sat at one of the arena, with no backdrop. Every seat in the place, even those behind the stage looked full. Several electronic keyboards sat in the back next to the drums, but there was no piano. But then the lights went down, and Joel and his piano rose up front underneath the stage and kicked into "Prelude/Angry Young Man." Lights shined up on the ceiling, down on the stage and blindingly out into the crowd. He wore blue jeans and black sport coat over a black shirt. He's still short and bald. The Music: Some of the songs seemed to be in a lower key to suit his aging voice, but that was the only concession to the passing years. His voice was strong, and he was in high energy and good spirits. His seven piece band was solid and he gave the horn players some nice solos. After grabbing the crowd quickly with "Prelude/Angry Young Man," a superb version of "My Life" and "The Entertainer," Joel played the lesser known "Stop In Nevada," which didn't get as big a reaction. And he could tell. "A lot of you don't know that one. Maybe you know this one," he said as he kicked into "Allentown." He talked easily between songs early on in the concert, often introducing a song with the year and the album it was from. "I've always wanted to play this one more," he said as he introduced "All About Soul," "but we aren't sure how people would react. So if you don't like, we may take it out back and shoot it." But it was pretty clear the crowd wanted the hits. "New York State of Mind," "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)," "An Innocent Man," and "Keeping The Faith" followed, high energy versions that stayed close to the originals. "She's Always A Woman" was one of the few slow songs of the night. Next Biggest Change of Pace: Joel brought out guitar tech "Chainsaw" who belted out a fine version of AC/DC's "Highway To Hell" while Joel walked around the stage playing guitar. No Piano: The piano went below the stage and stayed there as Joel grabbed the microphone for "We Didn't Start The Fire," "Big Shot," and "It's Still Rock and Roll To Me." In what was the strongest part of the concert, he strutted, postured and twirled the mic stand for all the rock and roll schtick. The End: A little less than two hours in, right after "You May Be Right," Joel thanked the crowd and the band left the stage. But the crowed cheered for an encore and held their cell phones aloft. It actually could have been a cell phone record, so many glowing and waving in the dark. The band came back for "Only The Good Die Young," then left the stage again while Joel played around a bit before sitting down for "Piano Man." His voice sounded it was starting to give out, but the crowd was more than happy to help him out. What Was Missing: This week, Joel released his first new song in more than a decade. But he didn't play "All My Life." You've still got to go to People.com to hear it. "'Piano Man' Plays Jacksonville" (February 8th, 2007) To kick off his nationwide tour, the "Piano Man" played Wednesday night at the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena. Billy Joel started his 16-city tour in Jacksonville, Florida to an eager crowd of 13,000 inside the arena. They listened to songs like "Prelude/Angry Young Man," "An Innocent Man," and "We Didn't Start The Fire." Joel has been in semi-retirement since the 1990s, but could be planning a comeback. Wednesday, he released his first single in 14 years called "All My Life," which was originally dedicated to his wife Katie Lee Joel. This is Joel's second trip to the First Coast in a little over a year. He was here in January 2006. "The 'Piano Man' Is Still 'Keeping The Faith'" By: Howard Cohen (February 9th, 2007) Billy Joel has sold some 100 million records, landed in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Songwriter's Hall of Fame and has been touring for four decades. It's only natural that his persona starts to take on some aspects from his best-loved compositions. Take his concert staple "Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)." In that forward-looking rocker from his 1976 Turnstiles LP, Joel envisions moving to Florida. Joel now has a 305 area code, having moved with third wife Katie Lee to a $13.5 million, 8,881-square foot house on Miami Beach's La Gorce Island. ''I'm getting a jump on being an old Jew now,'' the 57 year-old singer/songwriter joked in one of two expansive telephone conversations earlier this week. "I'm just starting 10 years before ["Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)].'' Another Joel pop hit comes to mind after his National Anthem performance Sunday at a rain-soaked Super Bowl at Dolphin Stadium: "We Didn't Start The Fire." Joel, it appears, has unleashed a firestorm over his performance of the anthem. Some have praised it. Some, Joel says, have been so outraged "they say they aren't going to buy tickets to a Billy Joel concert again.'' A Contra Costa writer pronounced Joel's rendition "the best I've heard in my five Super Bowls. Goosebumps.'' The Times in London called it "a model of musical detachment.'' What has Joel most distressed are rumors that CBS ran his voice through an ''auto-tuner,'' a pitch-control device. Joel, unlike most Super Bowl singers who are urged to pre-record the National Anthem and lip-sync, sang live and says he would never authorize the use of an auto-tuner on his vocals. Don Mischer, producer and director of the Super Bowl's entertainment, said, "Unequivocably no. Nothing was done to his voice.'' This will come as some relief to Joel, who performs Monday at Miami's AmericanAirlines Arena on the eve of the release of his first pop single since 1993. The man, born William Martin Joel in the Bronx, who spent a couple weeks in a Long Island hospital's pysch ward for depression at 21, who once tore up unfavorable reviews on stage and routinely ended his concerts with the command, ''Don't take any shit from anybody!'' has matured. The voice on the other end of the line is relaxed, forthright, amiable. In effect, a guy's guy. No pretense. Question: Sony, your label, says you are concerned about your Super Bowl performance. What happened? Joel: Everything went great at rehearsal. When it came time to sing they didn't have my monitors turned on. I couldn't hear myself, the piano or my vocal, I didn't know what key I was in. I had to listen to the sound in the stadium on the stage I was on. I adjusted to the key once I heard it echoing back from the side of the stadium. Question: We could tell. A bit flat at the beginning, stiff. But one aspect we liked is that it was sung straight, no wild vocal genuflections. And the reaction seems extreme. Joel: I'm not a fancy singer. I think it's the kind of song that should be done straightforward. It's difficult to sing to begin with. You are given a certain time - 1:35 seconds - because of the jet flyover so...while not hearing my voice or piano and trying to get the pitch and trying to watch this stopwatch on my piano and finish in a minute and 35 it wasn't that I could concentrate on singing that song with finesse. I had to get through it. Question: There's more to this, though, isn't there? Joel: I made a comment at the press conference, 'It's a slog to do that kind of song.' I was meaning no disrespect. I was honored to be chosen. What the song represents is a wonderful thing. But ask any musician, it's not an easy song to sing. I never made believe I was a terrific singer to begin with. I've sung it before [at the 1989 Super Bowl] so I know how difficult it is. It stirred up a hornet's nest: 'Billy Joel is no fan of the National Anthem.' I could see where people can get bugged by that but I never slogged the symbolism of it. It's the song itself, talking purely as a musician. If people want to make a tempest in a teapot let them. It's a big event on TV worldwide. I'm not trying to excuse a bad performance. Question: Your new single, "All My Life," sounds like a standard but it's an original. This proves someone can write a new song in that style. Joel: It's hard to top Sinatra. I don't know why anyone would have the audacity to try. I wanted to write in that genre because I was thinking of Tony Bennett recording that song. Not me. I wrote that for my wife on our first anniversary. I was doing a session on Tony's Duets album, and I figured I'll play this for Tony and hope he agrees to do it. Tony listened [adopts Bennett's accent] 'I love that song. Love to do that song. Really good, Billy. Thank you.' Duets went on to be a big hit, and I didn't know when he was going to record that song, and it [the song] sat around, and our second anniversary was approaching. So I thought, 'I'll give Katie a recording of this.' A real basic track. Got a jazz section together. Recorded it and gave it to Katie. Happy anniversary. Columbia knew I was doing this and said 'We'd like to make a finished recording with an orchestra' because that's what I had in mind when Tony was going to do it. [They] wanted to release it as a single. It's a misnomer because it leads one to believe there's an album as well. I don't have an album. This is all I've got. How will you market it? Question: iTunes has made it a singles market anyway. Joel: Yes, everyone is cherry-picking songs off the albums anyway. It was kind of fun to get in the studio with a full orchestra session. I wore a Sinatra kinda hat and suit to get in the mood and made a film of it. Question: Phil Ramone, who produced your biggest albums - from 1977's "The Stranger" through 1986's "The Bridge" - delivered an old-fashioned track. Joel: One of the things I learned about writing that song is that it's a lot more difficult to write these kinds of songs.... It's much more complex than you'd imagine. There are a lot of chord changes people may not be aware of. That's the trick. There are eight key changes in the bridge alone but you don't want to see the rivets. Smoothing it out is the real challenge. And it has to have an economy of words. A lot of words have to have a double meaning. It can't be all flowers and candy and roses. There's an element of sadness and regret and longing, and that's what makes a good love song. Question: Can you believe it's the 30th anniversary of "The Stranger?" Could you imagine still setting box office records for a series of concerts at Madison Square Garden last year? Joel: I'm trying to imagine what I was thinking at the time while making the album at that time - in 30 years I'll be dead and gone, but I'm still doing those songs. I never would have imagined. I guess we figured we'd be out of business now, kicked out for being old geezers. I love this job. It's the best job I ever had. People say, 'Why are you still doing it? Is it about the money?' No, that's not why I'm still doing it. I'm doing it because I can. Question: Some of your peers have been writing some of their best work at this stage of their careers. Elton John, for instance, did "The Captain & The Kid" last year. Joel: I heard it. It was great. Question: ...But it's been 14 years since your last pop album, "River of Dreams." Didn't "All My Life" get you thinking about doing a full pop album? Joel: Not really, because I was thinking of someone else singing it. I never considered it to be a Billy Joel song. I'm not disowning it. It's just not my kind of music really. I was most interested to write with someone else singing it. Question: In a lot of instances your work has been written with a real journalistic eye - songs like "We Didn't Start The Fire," "Allentown," "The Downeaster 'Alexa'" - so it's curious that you sat out the Clinton and Bush administrations without passing comment in a pop lyric. Joel: I don't have the objective vision of myself other people do. I suppose there's an element of Charles Dickens in what I was writing back in the Reagan era...but I'm very challenged by the music I'm writing now. It all goes back to the music I loved as a child, which is classical music. I was listening to Beethoven symphonies 15 years ago and felt puny and insignificant but felt inspired and uplifted at the same time. That was the greatest music ever written. Not that I'm going to try and be Beethoven. I'm not near that. Question: Do you watch "American Idol?" Joel: I've seen it, and I think there are some talented people there and some people who are terrible. I suppose it's another form of discovering people. I hope people on the show who are finalists understand it's not just about singing a song on TV. 'American Idol' has defined someone who sings. What about someone who plays or writes and isn't all movie star pretty? If I had to rely on my looks I wouldn't have gotten anywhere. It takes more than belting out a song that someone else has written unless you are Frank Sinatra or Tony Bennett. Question: Your 21 year-old daughter, Alexa Ray, has "Sketches," an EP out, and is readying the release of her own full album. Joel: I keep asking her, 'Are you sure this is what you want to do?' Being famous can look glamorous but it's a pain in the ass. But she was musically inclined when she was tiny. She had perfect pitch. Sang herself to sleep. Played the piano when she was young. Writing songs. She's a natural at it. Someday I'll be known as her father. "Joel: Hits & Plenty of Them" By: Jim Abbott (February 11th, 2007) Billy Joel isn't an "Angry Young Man" anymore, to borrow from the song that opened his show on Saturday at Amway Arena. At 57, he's more of an elder statesman of pop, but he and his vast catalogue of hits are more than enough to please an audience. Even if inescapable oldies such as "Just The Way You Are" and "Piano Man" aren't cutting edge, they come equipped with a mainstream appeal that defies generational boundaries. The big, enthusiastic crowd on Saturday ranged from seniors to teenagers and Joel rewarded them with a generous, well-paced stroll down memory lane. Dressed in a black jacket, blue jeans and black shoes, he also was chatty: "I'm Billy's dad," he joked, acknowledging his gray (and missing) hair after the opening pair of songs, "Prelude/Angry Young Man" and "My Life." "Billy will be out in a little while." He specifically greeted the folks behind the stage and in cheap seats in the upper bowl at the arena's far end. The stage, an understated oval design that featured a rotating piano and lovely floor-mounted spotlights, emphasized the music and seemed to shrink the surroundings a bit. A couple more big video screens (the band used the ones on the basketball scoreboard) might have made things even better for the folks in the nosebleed sections, but it would be hard for even the most cynical critic to complain about what the man was doing on stage. In a 2-hour main set, Joel and the band delivered faithful renditions of his biggest hits: "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)," "Allentown," "She's Always A Woman," "New York State of Mind," "Big Shot," It's Still Rock and Roll To Me." He then returned for another 20 minutes to barrel through "Only The Good Die Young," "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant" and then lead the obligatory "Piano Man" sing-along closer. There weren't many surprises in the arrangements, but some songs did offer an opportunity for his big backing band to shine. "Zanzibar," off "52nd Street," was elevated by fiery trumpet and fluegelhorn solos by Carl Fischer, while percussionist Crystal Taliefero injected inviting rhythms into "The River of Dreams." Saxophonist Mark Rivera, a longtime Joel sideman, was spotlighted in signature solos on "New York State of Mind" and "It's Still Rock and Roll To Me." It also helped that the band's contributions were supported by such hospitable acoustics. Joel didn't do "Just The Way You Are," which might have better filled the time used by a roadie singing "Highway To Hell" with Joel on rhythm guitar, but so it goes, to quote another song. When he wasn't playing AC/DC, the "Piano Man" still does a terrific job on Billy Joel songs. "It's Still Rock and Roll To Electric Billy Joel" By: Michael Hamersly (February 13th, 2007) This time it didn't rain on the "Piano Man" - it merely rained on fans trying to get to the venue. Eight days after performing the National Anthem soaking wet before Super Bowl XLI at Dolphin Stadium, Billy Joel had the near-capacity crowd at downtown Miami's AmericanAirlines Arena in a "New York State of Mind" Monday night with a lively two-hour-plus tour through many of his greatest hits. After a half-hour wait for the straggling crowd to grow beyond half-full - it might sound like a lame excuse, but it was actually true - the stage floor opened up, a baby grand piano rose, Joel hammered out the rapid-fire riffs to "Prelude/Angry Young Man," and the night was suddenly electric. Joel, decked out in his trademark jeans and black sport coat, was in a jovial mood, mugging to the crowd and playing with the vocal phrasing of the next hit, the elegant yet muscular "My Life." ''Hi, I'm Billy's dad,'' he joked beforehand. "Billy's on his way." Before launching into 1971's "Everybody Loves You Now," Joel acknowledged the poor souls in the nosebleed section, thanking them for buying seats ''way up in Fort Lauderdale'' and cracking, "I really need the money now.'' At 57, Joel's voice is a marvel, having lost little power or range over his four decades as a performer. He seemed to draw energy from his excellent band: The jazzy "Zanzibar" allowed Carl Fischer to show off his Maynard Ferguson-like prowess on the trumpet; Joel and Mark Rivera enjoyed an extended vocal-saxophone banter on "New York State of Mind"; and almost the entire crowd sang along to "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)," with three harmonizing saxophones at the end drawing huge cheers. Also outstanding were guitarist Tommy Byrnes, who bears a striking resemblance to Bruce Springsteen, and jack-of-all-trades Crystal Taliefero, who handled percussion, guitar, saxophone and backing vocals. Many more of Joel's hits were represented - "Allentown," "Don't Ask Me Why," "Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)," "An Innocent Man," "Keeping The Faith," "Big Shot," "It's Still Rock and Roll To Me," "You May Be Right," "She's Always A Woman" and for the encore, "Only The Good Die Young," "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant," and "Piano Man." Yet Joel frequently kept the crowd guessing. After a rowdy run through "The Entertainer," he offered to perform a choice of two songs - the winner being measured by his unofficial applause meter. "Vienna" easily beat out "I've Loved These Days." Joel dedicated "All About Soul," from his last album, 1993's "River of Dreams," to his mother, who was in attendance. "Happy Birthday, Mom.'' But the biggest surprise was an "American Idol" moment. Joel strapped on an electric guitar, introduced a member of his road crew called ''Chainsaw'' and told the audience to give him a chance. The band then ripped through AC/DC's "Highway To Hell," with Chainsaw screeching out the notes impressively and Joel doing his best Angus Young impersonation. Hey, it's still rock and roll to him. "Joel Churns Out The Hits at The Colonial Center" By: Otis Taylor, Jr. (February 15th, 2007) Billy Joel. On Valentine's Day. Some might call it a dream day come true, especially if surprised by a pair of tickets. (Of course, you'd have to be a fan to qualify the surprise as pleasant.) From the top of the arena where my seats were, it looked as if many of the fans who weren't on the floor were watching a movie, sitting still and waiting for something to happen. That isn't to say Joel was boring during his show at the Colonial Center on Wednesday night, because he wasn't. But piano rock and roll, however it is accessorized, just doesn't elicit the type of response you get for a rock band like, say, Rascal Flatts. Joel entertained the faded-jeans-and-dark-sports-coat crowd (he was wearing the same thing) by churning out classics. I could just list them because they were all pleasant. "The Entertainer," "She's Always A Woman," "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)," "Just The Way You Are," and "Allentown" were stellar. (I can still hear the ack-ack-ack-ack from "Movin' Out.") "We Didn't Start The Fire" and "An Innocent Man" (the finger snaps were crisp) went over well, but it was ballads such as "New York State of Mind" that made one want to crochet, which is what one woman began doing. (Some in the crowd were chatty, almost as if Joel were a "Piano Man" playing in a bar.) Joel sat at a piano that rotated every few songs. The way he bobbed and gyrated on the stool was endearing and goofy, but not as embarrassing as when he dropped the mic stand he was twirling. While he did have a good handle, you couldn't imagine Vince Neil or George Michael dropping the mic. (Elton John, maybe, if only he dared to get up from his bench.) Most arena concerts seem to rely on pyrotechnics that make it smoky and jumbo screens with video images that distract from the show, but Joel's light display was engaging and well-timed to the music. The lighting, though bright at times, actually added to the performance. Joel told a few jokes, one thanking those in the nose-bleed seats for buying a ticket because "I need the money." He didn’t stray from playing his hits, save a better-than-"American Idol" version of AC/DC's "Highway To Hell," which was performed by a roadie. And, thankfully, there wasn't an opening performer. Billy Joel. On Valentine's Day. He could've been anywhere else in the world, but he was here. In Columbia. I hope you had a happy Valentine's Day. Joel's fans did. "Professor Joel Sounds Off On Songwriting 101" By: Nicole Keiper (February 20th, 2007) Until the download-only release of tender pop standard-styled single "All My Life" this month, we hadn't heard new pop music from Long Island legend Billy Joel in almost 15 years. In the nearly two decades prior, though, Joel was the architect behind some of the best-loved pop gems of his generation, smashes from "Just The Way You Are" to "River Of Dreams" helping him sell some 100 million-plus albums worldwide. Joel never stopped writing; since 1993's "River of Dreams," his focus has been on classical-inspired instrumental music, such as the sonatas on 2001's "Fantasies & Delusions." "I'm writing themes and I'm writing fragments of things, writing chamber music and music which could be probably used for movie soundtracks or symphonic orchestras," he says. "But I don't have a compulsion to have this stuff recorded. I guess I'm more interested in just the composition of it right now." In a hit song-hunting town like Nashville, Tennessee, it's hard not to be just as interested in Billy Joel's composition process. Joel's innate sense of hit-crafting, after all, has been attuned enough to fill a 20 million-selling greatest hits collection. Below, Joel shares some insight into that process, the fruits of which fans can hear Wednesday at Gaylord Entertainment Center. Show Respect To Your Roots "My first love was classical music, Beethoven and Mozart and Brahms and Bach. When I was a kid, I took piano lessons and that was the stuff I was learning. I just started writing songs when I was around 12 - when The Beatles came out, I thought I might try my hand at writing pop music. But my first love was instrumental music, and I kind of rediscovered it (around "River of Dreams"). I listened to the Beethoven symphonies, and I just let them pound on me. And it's an interesting reaction that I had: I felt insignificant and puny. Even though I'd accomplished what I had in pop music, I didn't feel like I'd really done anything compared to that kind of music. Not that I was gonna try to be another Beethoven, I just recognized that that was the first music that inspired me." Sometimes Melodies Speak Louder Than Words "The music always came very easily to me; the lyrics were the struggle. In a way you're kind of translating your music into a language that laymen can understand. So the songwriting process was always trying to unwrap the puzzle and translate it into English words, what inspired that emotion, what was I trying to convey with that melody, with that theme. Sometimes the struggle was that it was an abstract feeling, it wasn't something that could be explained in English. Sometimes emotions are not easily defined. And that's OK, and that's a lot easier to do with instrumental music. You can allow the music to speak for itself, and you don't have to be so literal." That Said, Choose Your Words Carefully "I've got pretty high standards that I'll set for myself, and one of the difficult parts of writing lyrics is to make it sound easy. You don't want it to sound forced, you don't want people to see the construction, see the rivets and all the labor that goes in. It should sound as if it just came naturally. That's part of the art of songwriting." Pay Heed To Your Subconscious "Sometimes I do dream completed symphonies, and I wake up and, 'What the hell was that?' I don't always remember it. That was the same with the (pop) songwriting process. I would dream a theme or dream a melody, and then I'd wake up and not remember it. Then a few weeks go by, sometimes a few months, and it would reoccur to me, and I'd assume, 'OK, this is an inspired moment.' I recognized pretty recently that what I thought was an inspired moment was actually a dream that had reoccurred. Which is why I titled that last album "River of Dreams." I guess it's in the inner radio." Idle Hands Produce No Hits "When I was writing (pop) songs, I found that it was much better to be disciplined about it. I'd get up in the morning and have my coffee, and then I would go over to the piano and try to come up with something and put in a good couple hours. Whether something happened or not, whether I wrote something or not, it was important to stay in that discipline, in that process. And that helped, to have a continuum. I didn't get too far away from the last song I'd written by that process." All Writers Have To Learn To Chop Down Writer's Block "There's an ebb and flow to creativity, and I think that's natural. It's sort of like the growing season and the fallow season, and you have to allow for that, so that the soul can replenish itself. "When I was trying to write songs and I was living in New York City, I'd bring a notebook with me and I'd walk, and I'd settle someplace and sit down and have lunch. I'd put the notebook on the table, and I'd try to look like a writer. And then the waiter would look at me and see my notebook, and he'd go over to the other waiter and go, 'Oh that's Billy Joel, he's writing a song.' I'd kind of fool myself, 'That's right, I'm a songwriter, that's what I do.' And if you look like a songwriter and you appear to be a songwriter and enough people think you are a songwriter, you do it because you think you can do it. So that's one of the tricks." Know When To Fold 'em, Know When To Hold 'em "I always had a difficult time finishing a song that I didn't think was any good. I'd always throw it out. I refer to it as taking it out back and shooting it, putting it out of its misery. But sometimes I'll use something that didn't start out to be a very good song as a spare part - I have a spare parts bin as well. I just toss an old carburetor in the spare parts bin, and down the road when I need a part I go rummaging through the bin and, 'Here's a nice little fragment, OK, this'll work.' Sometimes that helps. I'm sure my record company thinks I've had writer's block for 14 years." Make Sure You Mean It "I think (any good song) has to have a committed songwriter. If somebody sits down and writes a song just to be a hit, and they don't have a personal attachment to what it is they're writing, I think it's bogus, I don't think it's gonna be a good song. I've never sat down and tried to write a hit, I wouldn't know how to do that if my life depended on it. "I wasn't even thinking of an audience, I wasn't thinking of radio, I wasn't thinking of charts, I wasn't thinking of a record company, I wasn't thinking of critics. I was just thinking if I liked it or not. I really wrote it for me. And my belief is that if you write something that fulfills you, that allows you to express what you feel deeply and you're a human being, other human beings will probably relate to that." If Ye Be Judged, Ignore The Critics "I expected to get savaged by critics (for releasing classical music), I knew they'd be waiting for that with a knife and a fork. But that's OK. I really don't mind. If you read the invectives written about a lot of famous composers, you gotta laugh... "There's a lot I don't understand about the way journalists relate to music. My advice to songwriters: Just do what you do and don't think about what they're gonna like. And don't write for them, my god, that's the worst thing you could do. Write for yourself. And if you find an audience, that's great." Know When It's Time To Let Go "In the studio, (we'd) try to get the definitive recording. And sometimes you've just gotta stop in the studio. You can go on and on and on and beat something to death looking for the Holy Grail. I don't really think of myself as a very good singer or a good piano player; I just try to get as close as I can and then walk away." You're Already Doing Something Right "Nashville is a great place to be a musician. That's really the center of the universe in terms of craft right now. It's a great place to be a songwriter... I don't think you can help but be influenced by all that quality around you. There's damn good songwriters in Nashville, and anybody who has a modicum of talent is gonna want to make some connections in Nashville." Go Where The Day Takes You "I set out to be a songwriter actually, quite early on... I wrote a bunch of songs, and then the advice I got from people in the music industry was, 'Well, now you should make a recording of those songs and get an album deal, and then if the album comes out people will hear your songs.' So I said, 'Well, OK,' being naive and foolish. I got a recording deal and made an album of the songs, and the advice I got was, 'Well, now you should go out on the road and tour and perform and promote the album.' I said OK, though I thought this was kind of a strange way to be a songwriter. It turned into this silly thing called Billy Joel. Which to this day is still very funny to me. I mean don't get me wrong, I'm not knocking it, it's the best job I ever had, and I'm glad I did it. But it really wasn't what I set out to do.... I don't look like a rock star, I don't even feel like a rock star. But I guess I am one, sort of in a roundabout way." Always Expect To Be Humbled "You can have a success like (the 12 date, sold-out stint at Madison Square Garden chronicled on last year's "12 Gardens Live"), and then, I just sang at the Super Bowl, and they didn't have my monitors turned on. So I'm playing the piano, I didn't know what key I was in, I couldn't hear the piano, and I'm watching a stop watch to try to time it with this jet fly-over. And I'm singing a difficult song to begin with - "The Star-Spangled Banner" is a tough song to sing. I guess I must have flubbed a couple of notes, because I heard that a lot of people didn't think I did a very good job. Well there you go, you can go from 12 nights at the Garden to pooping out at the Super Bowl, and you're right back there down in the dumper again. So I take all that stuff with a grain of salt. I've learned not to be impressed with my own success." "Concert Review: Billy Joel Does Justice To Decades of Hits" By: Laurie Holloway (February 22nd, 2007) The "Piano Man," last night, entranced a crowded house, wrapping hit after hit around a warm, funny comic routine for a show that kept fans in their seats until the last encore had ended. From the opening notes of "Prelude/Angry Young Man," Billy Joel pounded out two hours of power piano rock and roll at the Gaylord Entertainment Center. He gave fans - heavy on Baby Boomers, but including a surprising number in their 20s - just what they expected and wanted: an energetic, layered show with few surprises. Joel remains remarkably fluent at the ivories, although at 57 his voice occasionally was raw and raspy. He shortened many of his longer notes, and kept a spray bottle handy to spritz his throat repeatedly. Yet he maintained a strong command of his songs, and his outstanding backing band provided good cover for any lapses. Joel was faithful to his varied and lengthy career. His set included some of his biggest hits, including "My Life," "The Entertainer," "Allentown," "Movin' Out (Anthony's Song)," and "She's Always A Woman." Of course, with a career spanning more than 35 years, there's not room for all of his biggies, even the popular "Just The Way You Are." Instead, Joel reached deep into his playlist for cuts like "Zanzibar," off of the 1978 album "52nd Street." Veteran musician Carl Fischer simply ripped the top off of that song with sizzling trumpet and fluegelhorn work. Joel extended a special nod toward Nashville's songwriters and musical heritage, changing his set list from other cities to showcase tunes he rarely performs anymore. The first of these was "Stop In Nevada," from 1974's "Piano Man" album. Another was Joel's "Shameless," a #1 country smash by Garth Brooks in 1991. Saying he hadn't played that song since the 1980s, Joel said if fans heard a mistake, they should just "consider it an authentic rock and roll screw-up." Noticeably absent from the show, despite fans' pleas, was Joel's newest pop single, "All My Life," a love song for his wife. Joel's piano sat on a rotating circle, giving fans on all sides an unobstructed view. He encouraged sing-alongs, threw on a backwards baseball cap and some awkward rap moves for "Big Shot," and even had a roadie come out to smoke the vocals on a version of AC/DC's "Highway To Hell." The Rock and Roll Hall of Famer showed a deft touch with his audience, cracking jokes and making a point to welcome the fans in the upper levels of the GEC. "Thank you all for coming. I need the money; my auto insurance is nuts," he said in one self-deprecating reference to his rash of recent accidents. Fans paid back the love during the show and two encores, the last one ending, to no one's surprise, with "Piano Man." "Joel Fans Always Got It" And Deserve That Seat at Tomorrow's Concert In Charlottesville By: Melissa Ruggieri (February 22nd, 2007) It's never been particularly cool to dig Billy Joel. Unless, of course, you're a native of New York, Philly, New Jersey or South Florida, where the Gospel of Billy is as readily recited as the short menu at H&H Bagels. You also get a pass if you were a teen in the '70s, when Joel, like his occasional touring mate Elton John, was inescapable on FM radio. Between 1977 and 1980, the Bronx-born, Long Island-raised pop pianist brewed 11 Top 40 hits. So if you weren't hanging at the disco grooving to Peaches & Herb or Sister Sledge, you were being swept into that blue-collar otherworld where Sgt. O'Leary walked the beat and we all waved goodbye to high school sweethearts Brenda and Eddie. No doubt Bon Jovi's later lyrical characters, the struggling Tommy and Gina, are more than a slight homage to Joel's vivid creations. (By the way, "Scenes From An Italian Restaurant," Brenda and Eddie's musical birthplace, was never a hit. But Joel fans would riot if this tremendous live fave didn't make an appearance in his concerts.) For whatever reason, those who didn't grow up with Joel's music or feel a kinship to what he represents (unflashy New Yorker with a quick wit and a penchant for writing melodies that sound simpler than they really are) disregard him as a step above elevator music. Those are usually the people who know him for only "Uptown Girl." But to stick by Joel now - after weathering "Just The Way You Are," a song so saccharine he won't play it live anymore; after enduring the kiddie-flavored Caribbean of "The River of Dreams," his last big hit in the early '90s; after wincing at all of the tasteless (but sometimes amusing) jokes about his bad habit of wrapping cars around trees - well, yes, then you are a true fan who understands the depths of Joel's songwriting talents. You've experienced the wistfulness generated by "Summer, Highland Falls." You cringed for yet another reason after September 11th, 2001 when you realized how eerily prescient the lyrics to "Miami 2017 (Seen The Lights Go Out On Broadway)" suddenly seemed. You still think his 1986 duet with Cyndi Lauper, "Code of Silence," is an unheralded gem. Yes, you deserve that seat at tomorrow's concert at John Paul Jones Arena in Charlottesville, Virginia. It's natural to wonder if now, at almost 58, Joel is still worth the price of admission even though, to his credit, a top price of $85 is a value these days for a musician of his stature. Exactly a year
ago, Joel launched his first solo tour since the late '90s. In between,
he and Elton John occasionally hit the arena circuit for a few months
of their hugely lucrative "Face 2 Face" outings, which found
the two pals often swapping songs from their vast catalogues. Joel did, in fact, release a new song this year - his first in nearly 14. But the plodding ballad dedicated to wife Katie Lee, "All My Life," hasn't made it onto any set lists since this 2007 jaunt began a few days after Joel's Super Bowl appearance. So what you can expect from Joel these days is a nostalgic romp of '70s classics ("Big Shot," You May Be Right," "My Life"); a few wasted opportunities ("Keeping The Faith?" Really? Still?); Joel ably tackling the high notes of "An Innocent Man"; and his crack-shot band, still featuring the ultra-cool Crystal Taliefero on percussion and sax player Mark Rivera anchoring a solid musical procession. After two hours of that, feel free to challenge any of those who just don't get it and then argue about how cool it is to dig Joel. "Billy Joel-Twyla Tharp Musical 'Movin' Out' Won't Dance On PBS' 'Great Performances'" By: Ernio Hernandez (February 28th, 2007) "Despite much effort, 'Movin' Out' will not air on 'Great Performances.' While we have a long association with both Billy and Twyla and remain dazzled by their dynamic collaboration on 'Movin' Out,' bringing a Broadway show to public television requires formidable financial resources beyond our usual fare," a PBS spokesperson told Playbill.com. "Alas, we were unable to raise the necessary foreign and commercial investment before the tour ended." The planned broadcast was announced in the "Great Performances" 2006-2007 season brochure and slated to air some time in winter/spring 2007. Following a tryout at Chicago's Shubert Theatre, Movin' Out officially opened on The Great White Way October 24th, 2002, closing December 11th, 2005. The production took home Tony Awards for Best Choreography (Tharp) and Orchestrations (Joel and Stuart Malina). Launched in Detroit on January 27th, 2004, the dance-heavy musical's national tour ended its run in Birmingham, Alabama, January 21st, 2007, having played 1,111 performances. The bookless show uses Joel's song lyrics and Tharp's choreography to craft a story of five friends and lovers across three decades through love, war and loss. There is no dialogue, and all songs are performed by the pianist-singer, who sings non-stop and heads an onstage band during the show. |