There are more than just musicians behind a great-sounding album. No matter how well they play, or how good the songs are, it doesn’t mean much if the recording doesn’t capture them the right way. 

And, when it came to many of Billy Joel’s most iconic albums, the person responsible for shaping much of their sound was Jim. 

Billy Joel, along with the Lords of 52nd Street and others put some great performances down on tape working with producer Phil Ramone and his crew. And, a crucial member of that team was Jim Boyer.

As an engineer, Jim was responsible for capturing the performances, which were often played by the full band live in the studio. Then, as mixer, he blended all those elements into the great-sounding records we all know today. 

After years in the studio with Billy, Paul Simon, and many others, Jim moved into a different part of the music business when he co-founded Double Helix, a CD pressing plant. Then, he returned to mixing – first by doing sound at live music events, and then back to studio recordings. 

Jim passed away on June 15, 2022, at the age of 71. But, along with the legacy he left on countless hit records, his legend lives on through the stories his friends remember and the impact he had on their lives. 

For this episode, we spoke with Larry Franke and Bradshaw Leigh, two members of Phil Ramone’s production team that worked on several Billy Joel albums, as well as working with many other artists. 

They’ll share their memories of Jim as a friend, his work in the studio, his impact on the music industry, and what it was like recording dozens of records in the 1970s and 80s.

Join us as we dig deep into the life and work of Jim Boyer. 

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Did you know there’s a connection between Billy Joel and one of the most popular cartoons of the 1980s? 

We didn’t know either until a few weeks ago. 

Recently, Michael and I interviewed Larry Franke, who was second engineer on Songs in the Attic and the Nylon Curtain. During the conversation, Larry mentioned that, after working with Billy and Phil Ramone, he worked on the cartoon Thundercats, which ran in syndication from 1985 to 1989. 

During the show’s run, that cartoon was about as big a deal to me as Billy Joel - maybe even more (Hey, I was in elementary school). 

And, hearing that Larry was an integral part of one of my favorite childhood shows meant I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to hear more about it. 

We’ll hear Larry’s memories of working with Billy in a few weeks. For my playlist episode this year, however, I’m doing something a little different. 

Instead of playing songs I worked on or by artists I really enjoy, I spoke with Larry and Anthony Gioveniello, who was on the production staff and occasionally directed episodes, about how they put together 130 episodes over four years. 

If you’re around my age and remember rushing home from school every afternoon to catch the latest adventures on Third Earth, you’ll love this intimate look at how a piece of your childhood was made. 

And, even if you’re too young, or too old, or just weren’t into the show, you’ll still enjoy the stories, behind-the-scenes information, and the memories of how important the show was for Larry and Anthony - not only for their careers, but also for the fun they had and the close friends they made during the show’s run. 

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Filmed over two nights in June 1990, Live at Yankee Stadium was a hit on VHS and on cable TV upon its release later that year. But, it’s been overlooked in the decades after, with only a handful of songs available and a production style that quickly felt dated.

But, that’s all changed with a deluxe release in the fall of 2022. Fans got to see a newly-edited version of the film in theaters, complete with footage of an unreleased song. That new cut is now available on Blu-ray with a 2CD set featuring those tracks plus 11 never-before-heard performances from the historic two night stand. The full, 22-song live album is also out as a 3LP vinyl set. 

Over the summer, we spoke with director Jon Small and producer Steve Cohen about the making of the original film and the story behind its reimagining. Now, we’re getting the full picture with the official, updated release. 

In this episode, we’ll recount our unboxing of the Blu-ray + 2CD package and vinyl edition. Then, we’ll share our comments and observations on each song in the 22-track set. 

Join us as we dig deep into the remixed, remastered, and expanded version of Billy Joel: Live At Yankee Stadium.

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This episode is all about meeting new people in the Billy Joel world. 

First, we're telling the story of when we, your hosts, finally met after recording virtually for nearly three years. We've hinted at it online and some listeners asked about it. So, we thought we'd tell the story here along with our memories of seeing the new Live At Yankee Stadium sneak preview in Sag Harbor this summer 

Then, we're speaking with Dan Orlando and Russell Javors. Dan is currently the piano player and singer for the Lords of 52nd Street. After a few gigs at the end of 2019, he’s played regularly with the band since venues began re-opening in 2021. 

Join us for two stories about newcomers, new connections,  and new experiences.

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There are make-or-break moments in every successful musician’s career. Sometimes they’re huge, cataclysmic events. Other times, they’re subtle nods that point a performer in the right direction. 

For Billy Joel, a pair of shows in November of 1973 was the latter. And, we have the tapes to prove it. Piano Man had just been released, and Billy was grinding out dates opening for the Beach Boys and the Doobie Brothers. 

Being an opening act wasn’t suiting Billy, so he took up a local DJ on his offer to play a show at the Roxy Theatre in Northampton Pennsylvania, a few miles north of Allentown. 

By all known accounts, it would be his first time headlining a theater. And, put into the context of his career up to that point, it’s safe to say that this engagement informed his business strategy, as well as some of his song material, afterward. 

The DJ, Denny Somach, recorded the shows and rediscovered the tapes a few years ago. He made four of the songs available on YouTube, including one that was never released on an album. 

As intriguing as these early renditions are, the big draw here is Billy’s off the cuff comments that reveal much about his career and outlook up to this point. 

In this episode, we’re exploring both the songs and the conversation on the Roxy tapes. We also spoke with Denny Somach to learn more about the events leading up to the shows. 

Join us, as we dig deep into the audio artifacts of Billy Joel’s first headlining theater engagement.

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For someone who hasn’t released an album in nearly 30 years, Billy Joel is all over the TV. His music, his touring band, and his likeness get featured regularly on sitcoms, primetime dramas, prestige shows, and cartoons made for, for lack of a better word, mature audiences. 

These pop culture references have helped keep Billy in the public eye for the last few decades. They also reveal a lot about how the public’s perception of him has evolved over that time. 

And, a lot of them are just pretty damn funny. 

Join us as we dive deep into just a handful of Billy Joel references in pop culture.

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The Nylon Curtain wasn’t nearly as popular as Billy Joel’s albums just before and after this release. But, it still spawned a handful of hits, classics, and perennial fan favorites and concert staples. And today, it’s regarded by fans and critics as Billy’s most accomplished artistic statement.

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Even when looking at five decades of songwriting, album releases and concerts, 1978 stands as arguably the busiest, most successful, and most defining year of Billy Joel’s career.

The year began with the smash hit album The Stranger still racing up the charts after its release the previous fall. 

12 months later, Billy would wrap up 1978 with a string of hit songs, gold and platinum albums and singles, dozens of reviews, interviews and media appearances and tour dates around the world. 

And, of course, he would also release 52nd Street, an album that rivals even The Stranger in terms of album sales, hit songs, fan reception, and accolades. 

There’s a lot to cover in the year that laid the foundation for the next two decades of Billy Joel’s music. 

Join us as we dig deep into Billy Joel in 1978.

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This fall, an often-overlooked live Billy Joel release is getting a second lease on life. 

The 1990 video release Live At Yankee Stadium is getting a makeover with remixed and remastered sound, an extra song, and a brand new edit. And, after a limited run in theaters, it’ll be available on Blu-ray along with a 2-CD or 3-LP release featuring 11 never before released performances. 

While the Yankee Stadium home video was a hit after its release, it’s been largely overlooked in the decades after that. It came on the heels of the definitive Live From Long Island in 1982 and the historically seismic Russia shows in 1987. 

Those live releases featured mostly members of Billy’s longtime core band. Later, 2006’s 12 Gardens Live and Live At Shea Stadium, released in 2011, spotlighted a lineup that’s gone largely unchanged since then. 

By contrast, Live at Yankee Stadium features a transitional lineup. And, it didn’t help that the fast cuts and frenetic camera angles locked it squarely as an early-90s MTV relic. 

But that’s changing with this new release. The longer cuts and enhanced sound give the entire production a more organic and immersive feel. And, the accompanying audio discs reveal even more of Billy’s two-night stand. 

To learn more about the new release, we spoke with Steve Cohen, Billy’s longtime lighting director and producer of the re-released film. And with director and original producer Jon Small, who’s worked with Billy since the late 60s and has either directed or collaborated on virtually every Billy Joel concert film or music video. 

They gave us an amazing behind-the-scenes look at the making of the original film, the inspiration for its reimagining, and the process of bringing it back to life. 

Join us as we dig deep into the original Live At Yankee Stadium and the story behind its new look and sound. 

www.billyjoel.film

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By 1984, Billy Joel was known for changing styles from album to album. What’s less recognized was how often he changed voices. And, one night that year in England, those voices were all on display. 

Close listening to any Billy Joel record reveals a variety of tones, accents, and affectations in the singing. Add to that the many impressions he’s done over the years in interviews and concerts. 

Many of them were on display, and front and center, when BIlly and the band took the stage at Wembley Arena in June of 1984. Deep into the An Innocent Man tour, the concert was simulcast on radio and television in Europe. 

As a result of it being broadcast, the mix is often more dry and a little muted with the singing more prominent than usual. At the same time, Billy seemed to be leaning into the many different vocal affectations more often than usual. 

The concert itself is a great performance, with the band augmented by a horn section and a guest star and a baby on the way. But in particular, it’s an excellent showcase for Billy’s so-called rubber voice. 

Join us, as we dig deep into Billy Joel at Wembley Arena in 1984.

Date: June 8, 1984

The band:

The Affordables

The Setlist: 

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