1989’s Storm Front album found Billy Joel charting a new course for his career. Gone were longtime collaborators, including producer Phil Ramone and key band members Russell Javors and Doug Stegmeyer. 

Behind the scenes, Billy was embroiled in a lawsuit with his former manager as tens of millions of dollars hung in the balance. And, at least one song may allude to his marriage to Christie Brinkley already showing signs of strain. 

Despite these shakeups and unforeseen challenges, Billy delivered yet another multi-platinum album that earned him a new generation of fans. 

Co-produced by Billy and Mick Jones of the band Foreigner, the guitar-driven album was yet another abrupt stylistic turn in the 80s. And, listening to it 35 years later, it’s much more apparent that Storm Front was something of a high-wire act. 

Surrounded by a different creative team in a quickly-changing musical landscape, Billy managed to update his sound without coming off as an old head trying to sound young. And, he notched another bona fide timeless classic in “We Didn't’ Start the Fire,” a song that still lives in pop culture today. 

Alongside that single’s massive success are a handful of songs that in turn betray familiar themes, commentaries on then-current events, and a few fan favorites. 

Join us, as we dig deep into Billy Joel’s 1989 album Storm Front.

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Depending on the time of year, 1974 is either a period of uncertainty in Billy Joel’s career, or the first signposts of the superstardom to come. 

He begins the year touring behind the Piano Man record, which ultimately falls off the charts. Record label execs then hurry Billy into the studio to record what he regards as its lackluster follow-up Streetlife Serenade. 

But by the end of 1974, Billy’s setting up for the success he’ll soon enjoy. Most notably, Doug Stegmeyer joins the band on the Streetlife Serenade tour. The bassist will go on to play with Billy for the next thirteen years. And, he’ll bring in many of the core members for Billy’s band in time for them to record and tour behind his next album, Turnstiles. 

Press clippings from this year feature some of the first mentions of ideas and themes that will blossom over the next few decades. Reviewers note his penchant for energetic live shows and theatrical songwriting. In interviews, Billy also discusses his aspirations toward classical composers.

It all adds up to a year that may seem low-key at first glance, but a closer look reveals the pieces falling into place for his upcoming reign at the top of the charts. 

Join us as we dig deep into Billy Joel in 1974.

• Post-episode note - Michael mentions October 1, 1974 as the release date of Streetlife Serenade. It looks like he accidentally left off a '1' form his notes. The correct release date of Streetlife Serenade is October 11, 1974.

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Fall of 2024 is upon us! What is typically time for our next playlist installment, we're adjusting the title and format of the series slightly and are happy to announce the Glass Houses Side Quests. Expanding the concept of the playlists, the options are limitless from more music concepts to long form conversations with friends, musicians, and other creatives.

For this first installment, Michael is up with a conversation with music and fellow podcaster Clint Wells. Clint is a guitar player, singer, and songwriter and serves as the guitarist in the Morgan Wade band. Clint is also the host of the long-running podcast Metal Up Your Podcast, which celebrates all things Metallica.

Enjoy!

METAL UP YOUR PODCAST

MORGAN WADE

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There's an often-overlooked part of Billy Joel's rise to fame as a recording artist: His track record as a songwriter for others. 

Before he was a superstar, Billy's songs were covered by dozens of performers from around the world. The trend arguably peaked in the late 70s with multiple renditions of his now-classic songs New York State of Mind and Just the Way You Are. But, the bulk of these recordings revolved around his earlier albums and lesser-known composition. 

We covered a large sample of Billy Joel cover songs on a previous episode. This time, we're joined by the director of the Billy Joel archives, John Jackson. He put together an extensive list of pre-1980 recordings and tracked the trends surrounding them. In our conversation, he also provides insight and context about the recording industry's practices during this era. 

Join us as we dig deep into cover versions of Billy Joel's songs from the 1970s.

PLAYLIST : Billy Joel - 1970s Covers

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Billy Joel's 10-year monthly residency at Madison Square Garden is now in the past. But its legacy has been preserved for the public to enjoy. In fact, the same can be said for his entire career.  

In this last installment of our series covering Billy at the Garden, we sit down for a lengthy interview with Steve Cohen. As Billy's lighting director for 50 years, Cohen also produced the CBS special documenting the 100th residency show. 

The special, which aired in April 2024, is currently up for four Emmy awards. A few days after the nominations were announced, Cohen gave us an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at putting the show together - and a hint of what's to come. 

We're also exploring the Billy Joel exhibit at the Long Island Music & Entertainment Hall of Fame. Currently on display in Stony Brook, NY, it features hundreds of rare items from handwritten sheet music to a Grand piano. 

Join us, as we dig deep into what goes into documenting Billy Joel’s historic Madison Square Garden residency, and his career as a whole.

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The opening strains of Miami 2017 took on a new meaning on July 25, 2024. It was the final show of Billy Joel’s 10-year monthly residency at Madison Square Garden, and the classic opener kicked off the night. 

Suddenly, the song’s theme about thousands of people hunkering down to hear these songs for maybe the last time felt almost too real. While this certainly wasn’t Billy’s last show ever, it was the end of an era. 

And, we were fortunate enough to be there for it. Michael flew in from the west coast for an extended visit that included a journey to Long Island and our first face-to-face meetings with many friends of the podcast. 

The show itself was deceptively low-key. Aside from a few guests, there were no big surprises in the setlist. And there was little ruminating from the man himself about the unprecedented run. Instead, Billy and the band did what they do best: Put on a show that’s more intimate than in any other venue. One that’s become a pilgrimage for some and a ritual for others. 

In this episode, we’ll discuss this performance and our recollection from being in the room when it happened. We’ll also discuss our Billy-related travels and meetups that, for us, became a part of the concert experience. 

Join us as we dig deep into Billy Joel’s final Madison Square Garden Residency show.

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Starting in the mid-2000s, BIlly Joel cemented his Madison Square Garden legacy with two unprecedented engagements. The first was a dozen shows spread over 4 months in 2006. The setlists were filled with songs that were rarely, if ever performed live, and The recordings from these dates made up his live album 12 Gardens Live, released later the same year.

Then came the residency: one show a month at the famed venue from 2014 through 2024, with the exception of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021. Billy’s team kicked off the series without an idea of how long it would last. Virtually all the shows were sellouts, and they were recognized especially for their frequent guest performers. 

These two runs came after Billy went into quasi-retirement in the early 2000s. Now, with the residency closing this year, we’re diving deep into the second half of Billy Joel’s 150 shows at Madison Square Garden.

Billy Joel Playlist of Madison Square Garden guests through the years

Original Jim Bruer Audio & Video

Kevin Bacon Billy Joel TikTok Video

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When BIlly Joel plays his final show at Madison Square Garden on July 25, 2024, he’ll be closing out a nearly 50-year run of shows. And, in this episode, we’re diving deep into the first half of that legacy. 

Starting in December 1978, Billy has played multiple nights at the Garden on all but one album tour. His engagements also included Face to Face shows with Elton John and the Millenium Concert, which took place on New Year’s Eve 1999. Looking back on all those performances produces a time capsule of each era of his career: Which hits were most prominent on certain dates, which singles dropped off the setlists, and which songs cemented their places in history as they became fixtures at these shows. 

Join us, for the first installment of a two-part look at BIlly Joel’s historic run at Madison Square Garden.

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Billy Joel’s groundbreaking 100th Madison Square Garden Residency Show was commemorated with an edited version of the concert airing on network television. The special entitled “The 100th: Billy Joel At Madison Square Garden” was broadcast in prime time on April 14, 2024 on CBS. 

For fans, this was a step up in production from even the official concert clips on YouTube. The high-end production, song resequencing, and interviews with band, crew members and fans made this televised event much more than just concert footage.

The special also chronicled one of the first live renditions of Turn the Lights Back On, Billy’s first  single release in 17 years.  And, it was a ratings success: More than 5.7 million viewers tuned in for the first airing, resulting in the special surpassing even the most popular holiday programming for viewership. 

However, not everything went as planned: The concert was cut short by a few minutes on the East Coast to make way for the 11:00 news. Fan outcry prompted the network to re-air the special 5 days later. 

Still, it’s a crystal-clear document of the current lineup, which has been in place for more than a decade. And, it’s a love letter of sorts to fans, with today’s high-end video technology able to spotlight the audience much better than in older concert videos. 

These make the show worth the watch, even if you’ve heard all but one of the songs countless times. So join us as we dig deep into the television special, “The 100th: Billy Joel At Madison Square Garden.”

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Thanks to a recently-unearthed audience recording, fans can now hear Billy Joel's first performance at the legendary Madison Square Garden. The performance took place on December 14, 1978, more than a decade after Billy first took to a stage as a professional musician. 

Listening to it in 2024, perhaps the most interesting aspect about Billy headlining one of the world's most renowned venues is how little he has to say about it. There's barely any stage banter, which had been a trademark of his shows for years. Concerts from previous tours were punctuated with jokes, offhand comments, and monologues. 

Now, he only addresses the audience in a few brief moments. Fortunately, the music is there to do the talking. Billy's between-song improvisations and even a few extended jams on a few numbers seem to convey his emotions throughout the night. 

It's not easy to describe in words. That's what music is for, after all. So join us, as we head back to the 52nd Street Tour and we dig deep into Billy Joel’s first show at Madison Square Garden on December 14, 1978.

Audio courtesy of Paul Fierro - Listen to the full concert HERE.

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