Billy Joel in the News

Lyrics and fan ramblings

2010-04-14T15:19:00.000-05:00

Billy Joel – Piano man (Lyrics)
By admin
20 Responses to "Billy Joel – Piano man (Lyrics)". MightyGarogh says: April 12, 2010 at 2:39 am. @LolCaramelz LOL trolls are wise indeed. ripn4life says: April 12, 2010 at 3:28 am. @DyggiPrahl = Like the Happy side of a Sad life = Now ...
Politics - http://politics.ifoday.com/

Crime Watch: 9mm: An interview with Margot Kinberg
By Kiwicraig
I'm a serious fan of Billy Joel (So Billy Joel, if you're reading this....). While I'm never going to get a recording contract, I've very much enjoyed playing and singing in coffeehouses and just for fun (although I haven't done that in ...
Crime Watch - http://kiwicrime.blogspot.com/

Blog entries

2010-04-14T15:16:00.000-05:00

Billy Joel – It's Still Rock and Roll to Me | The Go To For The ...
By admin
Billy Joel - It's Still Rock and Roll to Me Lyrics: What's the matter with the clothes I'm wearing? Can't you tell that your tie's too wide? Maybe I should.
The Go To For The How To .com - http://www.thegotoforthehowto.com/

Strawberry Lane: Elton John & Billy Joel Face 2 Face Live in ...
By Serena
Elton John & Billy Joel Face 2 Face Live in Denver, CO 22/2/2010 [FLAC]. Part 1: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=RMTMUDAV Part 2: Part 3: http://www.megaupload.com/?d=1NHI6B3Z. Posted by Serena at 11:12 PM ...
Strawberry Lane - http://yourmothershouldknow03.blogspot.com/

Billy Joel - The Longest Time - mmiggi's posterous
Billy Joel - The Longest Time By billyjoelVEVO · Loading mentions Retweet. Comments (0). Leave a comment... To leave a comment on this posterous, please login by clicking one of the following. Posterous-login Connect twitter ...
mmiggi's posterous - http://mmiggi.posterous.com/

Various Ramblings

2010-04-14T15:13:00.000-05:00

Dani's Big Hoss iPod: "Streetlife Serenade" Billy Joel
By Danielle
Even so, this week has had a pleasant alleviation to the pains of work, and that is found in the album known as "Streetlife Serenade" by Billy Joel. This is indeed one of the new albums I mentioned in the previous post, ...
Dani's Big Hoss iPod - http://bighossipod.blogspot.com/

Great Collection ~~"Billy Joel Greatest Hits: Vol. 1-2 (2CD ...
This really is a great collection of Billy Joel's 70's and 80'sworks. If you are like me then you like most of Billy Joel's musicbut to buy all of his albums would be very expensive. This is the next best thing. ...
Review Pickup from Amazon.com - http://amareview-us.posterous.com/

xodio01: Elton John & Billy Joel - goodbye yellow brick road
By Pepo
Elton John & Billy Joel - goodbye yellow brick road. Pepohttp://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=5167210103835534615. Publicado por Pepo en 05:39. Etiquetas: pop. 0 comentarios: Publicar un comentario en la entrada ...
xodio01 - http://xodio01.blogspot.com/

Rest in peace, Chewie: I love....
By C.Sarah
2. The Longest Time-- Billy Joel Hearing Billy sing "I intend to hold you for the longest time" always brings a smile to my face. Also, sometimes in the music video Billy Joel resembles Jack Bauer. Fact. ...
Rest in peace, Chewie - http://chewiewannabe.blogspot.com/

Doctor Warns Against St. John's Wort for Anxiety « LIVING IN STIGMA
By cherished79
William Martin Joel, better known as Billy Joel. May 9, 1949, Bronx, New York. In a book by Hank Bordowitz entitled "Billy Joel: The Life and Times of an Angry Young Man" it was revealed that Joel has battled for years with depression ...
LIVING IN STIGMA - http://cherished79.wordpress.com/

You may be right, picutres and Grammy Q&A

2010-04-14T15:12:00.000-05:00

Blip.fm | Dancer12 | Listen to Billy Joel – You May Be Right
Listen to Billy Joel - You May Be Right online for free. Posted on Apr 10, 2010 at 8:03 am by Dancer12: 'Used to be my theme song!! RB@roberlan'.
blip.fm/~ofccf

YouTube - Uptown Girl - Billy Joel
Great Song and funny video.Uptown girlShe's been living in her uptown worldI bet she's never had a backstreet guyI bet her momma never told her whyI'm gonna ...
www.youtube.com/?v=MstVs2DY2Q4

Billy Joel pictures
Billy Joel pictures, see the best pictures to Billy Joel on ArtistWiki.com :)
artistwiki.com/billy-joel/pictures

Category:Billy Joel live albums - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pages in category "Billy Joel live albums". The following 4 pages are in this category, out of 4 total. This list may not reflect recent changes (learn ...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Billy_Joel_live_albums

How many Grammys has Billy Joel won? | Answerbag
How many Grammys has Billy Joel won? According to the Billy Joel website, musician Billy Joel has won six Grammy awards, including Record of the Year ( 1978) ...
www.answerbag.com/q_view/1983199

Billy Joel's Song "The Entertainer" Transformed Into Modern Art

2010-04-14T15:06:00.000-05:00

Billy Joel's Song "The Entertainer" Transformed Into Modern Art
PR.com (press release)
"A dichotomy exists when Billy Joel's "The Entertainer" is turned into a cNOTE," Erik Rosen, Founder of cNoteART, said. "When the cNOTE is viewed as a whole ...

All about Piano

2010-04-14T15:05:00.000-05:00

All About Piano – The Top Three Pianists Of The Modern Pop Music ...
By Admin
You will be surprised to know that the famous Billy Joel who made a big hit, "The Piano Man", nearly didn't know how to play piano. Because of his mother's motivation, he decided to take his piano lessons. Even though he was mocked by ...
ABBA SOS - http://abbasos.net/

NYSOM Cover, Speaking French?, Tell Her about it 12 inch vinyl

2010-04-14T15:03:00.000-05:00

YouTube - Billy Joel New York State of Mind Cover
This is my favorite song, lol i decided to do another version on my Yamaha S90ES . I tried to do a pretty sick sax solo at 4:25 =D Hope you enjoy and peace!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=sK9xD7Jxbps

Does Billy Joel sing in French? | Answerbag
Does Billy Joel sing in French? Billy Joel is an American and normally sings in English. He did sing part of one song, \
www.answerbag.com/q_view/1981226

In Billy Joel's song, we didnt start the fire, what does the ...
I need to do an analysis on this for school but I don't know what the word ... it referes to the war i learned this in elementary school. the fire is the war.. . ...
answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20100407120524AAqYBFy

Tell Her About It (12 Inch) - Billy Joel MP3 | Free MP3 | MP3 ...
Free MP3 Downloads, Playlists, and Lyrics | Tell Her About It (12 Inch) - Billy Joel MP3 | Free MP3 | MP3-Codes.com.
www.mp3-codes.com/play/352263/Tell_Her_About_It_(12_Inch)-Billy_Joel?...0

Wade Preston - Movin Out, Phil Ramone

2010-04-14T15:01:00.000-05:00

Jackson Rotary Club to host Wade Preston at Jackson Memorial Fine Arts Center ...
Jackson NJ Online
Wade Preston, the star of Billy Joel's Broadway Production "Movin' Out", will again be the featured performer. The 900+ attendees of last year's show were ...

Examiner.com

Phil Ramone to receive the 2010 Songwriters Hall of Fame Howie Richmond ...
Examiner.com
He produced such classic recordings as Billy Joel's "Tell Her About It," Paul Simon's "Late In The Evening" and Julian Lennon's "Too Late for Goodbyes," and ...

Still Rock and Roll to Me - Acoustic Guitar lesson, Shania Twain

2010-04-14T15:00:00.000-05:00

Mini Lesson Its Still Rock And Roll ,Billy Joel acoustic guitar ...
By Admin
This is part 1 of Mini Lesson Its Still Rock And Roll guitar lesson sample available at www.totallyguitars.com is the first part.
Free Online Guitar Tutorials - http://freeonlineguitartutorials.com/

MY LIFE MY WORLD: MP3:Billy Joel - Just the Way You Are
By hantukacak
Billy Joel - Just the Way You Are. Don't go changing, to try and please me. You never let me down before. Don't imagine you're too familiar. And I don't see you anymore. I wouldn't leave you in times of trouble ...
MY LIFE MY WORLD - http://hantukacak.blogspot.com/

Shania Twain lands own reality show
By Ani
November 13th, 2009 Tabloid reports linking SHANIA TWAIN to BILLY JOEL romantically have been shot down by the country star's publicist. The National Enquirer first reported the couple was an item, suggesting they'd enjoyed a string of ...
Entertainment Daily - http://blog.taragana.com/e/

Bartlett brings newer style of music to Continentals

2010-04-09T00:35:00.002-05:00

Bartlett brings newer style of music to Continentals
Lincoln Journal Star
... in Kimball Recital Hall for their annual spring concert, audience members will hear pieces made famous by Billy Joel, Manhattan Transfer and Tom Jones. ...
See all stories on this topic

Billy Joel tribute band will perform for booster club ...

2010-04-08T23:59:00.002-05:00

Billy Joel tribute band will perform for booster club ...
NEW MILFORD -- Big Shot, a Billy Joel tribute band, will perform in a fundraiser concert for the New Milford High School Booster Club May 1 at the school.
http://www.ctpost.com/news/article/Billy-Joel-tribute-band-will-perform-for-booster-441067.php

What is Billy Joel's net worth

2010-04-08T21:12:00.002-05:00

Billy Joel Online Store
Billy Joel Smokin T-shirt. Smokin T-shirt. Billy Joel Under the Bridge Men's T- Shirt ... Billy Joel Piano Man Men's T-shirt. Piano Man Men's T-shirt ...
store.bandmerch.com/billyjoel/

New Fine Art Prints from ICON Collectibles Including Billy Joel ...
Go to ICON Collectibles to check out the brand new Billy Joel fine art prints. The new collection features a live shot of Billy on stage in 1978. ...
http://www.billyjoel.com/news/new-fine-art-prints-icon-collectibles-including-billy-joel-and-willie-nelson

What is Billy Joel's net worth ChaCha Answers
ChaCha has the answer to this question: What is Billy Joel's net worth Answer: Billy Joel has amassed an impressive net worth of $160 million from.
http://www.chacha.com/question/what-is-billy-joel's-net-worth

Billy Joel's Song "The Entertainer" Transformed into Modern Art
Billy Joel's Song "The Entertainer" Transformed into Modern Art. cNoteART, which can turn any song into fine art, converted Billy Joel's "The Entertainer" ...
http://www.prlog.org/10616955-billy-joels-song-the-entertainer-transformed-into-modern-art.html

Billy Joel Rockin In The Free World Lyrics - Song Lyrics ...
Billy Joel - Rockin In The Free World Lyrics, > There's colors on the street Red , white and blue People shufflin' their feet People sleepin' in their shoes ...
wikilyrics.net/song/106415/Billy-Joel---Rockin-In-The-Free-World-Lyrics

Ashes To Ashes - BBC1, 9pm

2010-04-08T19:07:00.002-05:00

Mirror.co.uk

Ashes To Ashes - BBC1, 9pm
Mirror.co.uk
By Jane Simon 9/04/2010 Tonight, Matthew, Gene Hunt is going to be Billy Joel. As another 80s icon might say: You cannot be serious. ...
See all stories on this topic

T.U.B.E.: Billy Joel - 1977-10-31 - Miami, FL

2010-04-08T18:36:00.003-05:00

T.U.B.E.: Billy Joel - 1977-10-31 - Miami, FL
By Asso
Billy Joel - 1977-10-31 - Miami, FL. (Soundboard mp3@320) CD 1: 01 - The Mexican Connection 02 - The Stranger 03 - Somewhere Along The Line 04 - Summer Highland Falls 05 - Piano Man 06 - Thunder Road ...
TUBE - http://theultimatebootlegexperience3.blogspot.com/

Songs for wedding video? Wedding Dance Blog
By admin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WTMESWDWMA. Just the way you are- Billy Joel http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtMAvjvw-Lc. From this moment on- Shania Twain http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y8qj2MzIlJw. Forever and for always- Shania Twain ...
Wedding Dance Blog - http://www.weddingdancecrazy.com/weddingdance/

'Come Fly Away' on Broadway: Twyla Tharp's homage to Sinatra a ...
By leisureblogs
"Come Fly Away" follows the hit "Movin' Out" (the music of Billy Joel) and the flop "The Times They Are A-Changin'" (the music of Bob Dylan, whom Tharp did not seem to understand at all). Sinatra, though, she has down. ...
The Theater Loop - http://leisureblogs.chicagotribune.com/the_theater_loop/

Classical cut-ups

2010-04-08T16:14:00.002-05:00

Classical cut-ups
Niagara Falls Review
A piece by 16th century composer Pierre Passrereau may be followed by something from Billy Joel. Or Neil Young. Or the King of Pop. ...
See all stories on this topic

American Idol's Lee Dewyze Debuts New Cocksure Attitude

2010-04-08T14:07:00.002-05:00

American Idol's Lee Dewyze Debuts New Cocksure Attitude
E! Online (blog)
Maybe it's the Billy Joel look circa '76 that's finally bringing him out of his shell. Scoop up more Soup video right here! It's fun, and it's good for you!
See all stories on this topic

Today In Rock History – Piano Man

2010-04-08T12:51:00.005-05:00

Roxy's Bay Head Blog: Music Monday: Captain Jack by Billy Joel
By RoxiticusDH
Over the past 80 Music Mondays, I've been enjoying some of my fellow bloggers' "theme weeks," so this week I thought I'd go with a Billy Joel theme with "The Entertainer" on Roxiticus Desperate Housewives and "Captain Jack" here on ...
Roxy's Bay Head Blog - http://bayheadnewjersey.blogspot.com/

Must Have For Even Small Collections ~~"Billy Joel Greatest Hits ...
Although my favorite Billy Joel album is "The Nylon Curtain" (even Joel gives special attention to it), because of recording quality and songs, the Greatest Hits has some of those and others that everyone knows. ...
Review Pickup from Amazon.com - http://amareview-us.posterous.com/

Today In Rock History – Piano Man « 104.3 WOMC
By 104.3 WOMC
April 6, 1974, Billy Joel cracked the top 40 for the first time with "Piano Man." Piano Man was Joel's second album and was released by Columbia Records. It was Billy Joel's breakthrough album and climbed to #25 on Billboard's Pop ...
104.3 WOMC - http://womc.radio.com/

13 Going On 30 – Vienna | Health Knowledge
The song is called "Vienna" by Billy Joel. 13 going on 30 Have you ever felt lost or hopeless? I know I have one too many times.. Here is a link to a site that can motivate you and help with your depression in ways you have never ...
Health Knowledge - http://health.knowledgedd.com/

Runnin' Around Uptown: Springtime in Jersey
By RunAmyRun
"Acoustic #3" by Goo Goo Dolls, "Ain't no reason" by Brett Dennen, "Ain't no rest for the wicked" by Cage the Elephant, "Alejandro" by Lady GaGa, "All About Soul" by Billy Joel, "All Dressed in Love" SATC soundtrack-Jennifer Hudson, ...
Runnin' Around Uptown - http://runninarounduptown.blogspot.com/

Billy Joel in the news...

2010-04-08T11:28:00.004-05:00

new york state of mind billy joel | Owners Manual PDF
By buzz
IT ChapterIn his song, "New York State of Mind," Billy Joel laments the differences between California and New York. In this homage to the Big Apple, he ...
Owners Manual PDF - http://www.knownpdf.com/

Billy Joel Wantagh Apr 23√ Mulcahy's Wantagh New York - map ø ...
Billy Joel Wantagh for Mulcahy's Wantagh on Friday April 23 concert. Gruvr.com lets you set a reminder for this show,see concert map,get directions,discuss with fans near Wantagh. No registration needed.
Billy Joel concert maps - http://gruvr.com/band/billyjoeltributeband/

Songs with Wine in their Lyrics « Tall Horse Wines
By tallhorsewines
Big Shot by Billy Joel "You had the Dom Perignon in your hand and the spoon up your nose". Children's Crusade by Sting "History's lessons drowned in red wine". Cracklin' Rosie by Neil Diamond "Cracklin' Rosie, you're a store-bought ...
Tall Horse Wines - http://tallhorsewines.wordpress.com/

expansions.
By emily
We are going to dance to Just the Way You Are by Billy Joel. I'm pretty sure I've mentioned my family's love of Billy before, but in case I haven't or you are new, Billy Joel's music is something I grew up with & love very much. ...
expansions. - http://emfry.wordpress.com/

Jaman! | Share Spotify Playlists at ShareMyPlaylists.com
By tdomf_5192e
Billy Joel - Piano Man Johnny Cash - Hurt Johnny Cash - Get Rhythm Johnny Cash - I Walk The Line P.O.D. - Booyaka 619 P.O.D. - Satellite - 2006 Remastered Album Version P.O.D. - Execute The Sounds - 2006 Remastered Album Version ...
Share Spotify Playlists at ShareMyPla... - http://sharemyplaylists.com/

Phil Ramone

2010-04-08T11:01:00.004-05:00

American Songwriter

News Roundup: Billy Joe Shaver, Dierks Bentley, Phil Ramone
American Songwriter
Famed music producer Phil Ramone, best known for his work with Billy Joel (The Stranger), has been selected to receive the Howie Richmond Hitmaker Award at ...
See all stories on this topic

Unsorted Billy Joel Rare Music Clips

2008-09-29T17:55:00.002-05:00

It has been a very long time since I have updated this site. Here are some more rare links for you to enjoy. I'll sort them in later... Enjoy!

Stiletto - Madison Square Garden Jan 23, 2006
Uptown Girl Early take - An innocent Man recording session
Temptation Demo with Bridge - Demo
Unreleased Unfinished song -Demo - 1986
I Don't Want to be Alone 3/30/80 UK - Live
Sleeping with the Television On - Live at the Budokan 4/17/81
Falling of the Rain - Sigma Sound Studios in Philly from 15.04.1972
Baby Grand Demo - Demo
This is the Time Live 1987 - Live
Running on Ice Alternate Take - The Bridge Sessions
Great Ships Great Oceans - ???
My Life Solo - (Stony brook Lecture 2000)
The Stanger Demo - Demo
Senorita (Early Rosalinda's Eyes) - Demo
Half a mile away - (alternative band version)
Close to the borderline - 52nd Street Demos
Sleeping with the television on (early take) - Demo
R.O.D Grammy Performance - Live
long, long time - (live 1972)
Rosalinda - (live 1972)
House of Blue Light (Live--4/17/90) - Here's an interesting live performance of House of Blue Light. Live in Oakland on the Storm Front Tour (4/17/90). Great guitar work by David Brown!
Matter of Trust (9-23-93) - Live
The Longest Time (Solo Vocal) - Center Chan. From The Essential DVD.
All You Wanna Do Is Dance - From 6/10/77

Billy's Juke Box - Rare Audio and Video

2007-05-18T07:28:00.000-05:00

Remixes, Demos and Out-takes
Uptown Girl - Dry Mix From B.J. Greatest Hits DVD (mp3)
Modern Woman - Demo
Half a Mile Away - Demo
Keeping the Faith - Special Remix Instrumental From UMIXIT Disc (mp3)
Zanzibar - Instrumental Version From UMIXIT Disc (mp3)
Los Angelenos - Front Channels From Discrete Q8 Track (mp3)
The Entertainer - Front Channel Mix From Discrete Q8 Track (mp3)
N.Y. State Of Mind - SQ Quadraphonic Mix w/ Alt Sax Solo (mp3)
Sometimes A Fantasy - Extended Version From Promo 12" (mp3)
Movin' Out (Anthony's Song) - Up-Front Vocal From The Stranger SACD
She's Always A Woman To Me - Acapella Mix From The Stranger SACD (mp3)
Everybody Loves You Now - Taken from original British Philips vinyl release of CSH (mp3)
N.Y. State Of Mind - Early Rough Mix No Sax Or Strings (mp3)
Money Or Love - (Original 1989 Demo Version) (wma)

Rare Live Audio
Downeaster Alexa - Live Syracuse 11/13/93 Part 1 (mp3)
Downeaster Alexa - Live Syracuse 11/13/93 Part 2 (mp3)
Vienna - Live Hartford Connecticut 3/23/06 (wma)
We Didnt Start the Fire - Live Hartford Connecticut 3/23/06 (wma)
In My Life (Beatles cover) (mp3)
Keeping The Faith - Live on the Today Show (mp3)
Tell Her About It - Live 06/1984
Leave A Tender Moment Alone - Live 06/1984
All For Leyna - 1981 Sparks Long Island, New York (mp3)
Let Em In - Live McCartney Cover Miami 1977 (mp3)
Captain Jack - Live (WMMR 4-15-72) (mp3)
Take it Easy - Live Cover VH1 Story Tellers
Thunder Road - Live (Cover: 10-31-77)
Rock Jive Talk - Live May 19, 1976 Sydney Harbor House (Stand-up)
The Longest Time - Live London 1984
Ain' No Crime - Live London 1978
What's Your Name? - Live London '84
Innocent Man - Live (1/26/06)
Say Goodbye To Hollywood - (Live 12/1982)

VINTAGE BILLY

Billy Joel with the Hassles
Land of Despair - From The Hassles album "Hour Of The Wolf"
When I Get Home - Hassles Demo session 1967. Beatle fans will recognize this.

Billy Joel with Attila
California Flash - 1st song of the Attila album
Wonder Woman - 2nd song of the Attila album
Hotel St. George - No information on this one...

Covers of Billy Joel Songs
N.Y. State Of Mind - 5th Grade Chorus Plaza Elementary School Baldwin N.Y. April 2003 (mp3)

Interview with Regis

12 Gardens Live!

2007-05-17T09:46:00.000-05:00

12 Gardens Live

No other artist has shook the World's Most Famous Arena quite like Billy Joel has.With 12 record-breaking sold-out performances, Billy Joel now has the longest most successful run of a single artist at MSG.On the 12th sold-out night of this incredible run, a MSG jersey 'Joel 12' was raised among the rafters and presides alongside NY sport legends, making Billy Joel the first non-athlete to have this honor bestowed upon him.For all those who were there to witness this great moment in music history or for those who want to experience the magic of Billy Joel's captivating MGS performances for the first time, comes the new record 12 Gardens Live. This extraordinary double-CD release from Billy Joel was recorded live at Madison Square Garden during his recent record-breaking twelve sold-out shows in New York City and features amazing live versions of greatest hits and fan favorites including New York State Of Mind, Piano Man, We Didn't Start The Fire, and many more!

Buy Billy's Music by the song...

2007-05-16T13:30:00.000-05:00

No matter if you are looking for that ONE special Billy Joel song or want to make up your own Billy Joel CD, here is where you can get those special favorites to make your own CD's.

Here are a few songs to choose from. Each song is only $0.99 from YAHOO!

From My Lives:

Christie Lee (Demo)

These Rhinestone Days (Demo)

Money Or Love (Demo)

Oyster Bay (Demo)

Los Angelenos (DVD Audio Stereo)

In A Sentimental Mood

The Times They Are A-Changin' (Live)

Nobody Knows But Me

New Mexico (Demo)

She's Got A Way (Demo)

Elvis Presley Blvd.

Hey Girl

Keeping The Faith (Dance Remix)

Baby Grand

An Innocent Man

Only A Man (Demo)

Until The Night

Movin' Out (Live)

All Shook Up

New York State Of Mind (Live)

I Go To Extremes (Live)

Where Were You (On Our Wedding Day)?

Heartbreak Hotel

When You Wish Upon A Star

Captain Jack (Live)

Piano Man (Demo)

Soliloquy (On A Separation)

Only The Good Die Young (Alternate Version)

These are most of the songs from My Lives. If you find yourself wanting most of these songs, you may consider picking up the entire box set with a bonus DVD!

My Lives (w/ Bonus DVD)

Get a view from behind the piano in Billy's first-ever career spanning collection! 4 CDs PLUS a previously unreleased Live Concert DVD For the first time ever, experience the complete career of Billy Joel through this behind-the-scenes journey, from the 60's through to his Classical work, as he reveals some of his most intimate musical moments in this unprecedented box set. 4 CDs, over 5 hours of previously unreleased tracks including demos, live versions, alternate takes, covers and much, much more. Also included is a completely unreleased DVD, live from Frankfurt: A Voyage On The River of Dreams - Live From The River of Dreams Tour featuring Billy Joel performing his biggest hits of all time. The deluxe booklet features in-depth liner notes from Anthony DeCurtis, track-by-track annotations of the unreleased material and photos and memorabilia from Billy's own archives. Every track was chosen by Billy...from his early days with the Hassels, his metal moments with Attila and so much more. This is the ULTIMATE must-have for any Billy Joel fan.

Billy Joel is 'movin' out'

2006-11-10T05:17:00.000-05:00

Thursday, September 28, 2006 12:17 PM

Billy Joel is 'movin' out'

Newsday - Long Island,NY,USA

Long Island's arguably most famous resident, musician Billy Joel, may be moving out, having listed his primary residence -- his huge Centre Island estate where ...

Billy Joel may be movin' out.

He's put his primary residence -- the 14-acre Centre Island estate where he's lived for four years -- up for sale for $37.5 million.

Joel, who paid $22.5 million for the property, declined to comment, but spokeswoman Claire Mercuri insisted he is not abandoning his native island. "Billy is a Long Islander and still maintains a property in Sag Harbor," she said.

Besides the harborfront house in Sag Harbor, Joel also owns a townhouse in Greenwich Village and a house in Miami. Sources said Joel has been looking for a new primary residence beyond Long Island.

His main reason for wanting to leave Centre Island, the sources said, is his frustration over not being able to build a dock for his three boats. No new piers have been approved in decades because local officials arranged with the feds for the harbor to become a national wildlife refuge in the early 1970s to stop a proposed bridge from Bayville to Rye. As a result, Joel has kept his $2.5-million commuter yacht Vendetta, fishing boat Alexa and a pontoon landing craft across the harbor in Oyster Bay. Joel has complained about the restriction.

The listing by Daniel Gale / Sotheby's International Realty notes that the Piano Man's spread includes a 14,000-square-foot brick, gabled house with 1,550 feet of frontage on Oyster Bay Harbor. Among the amenities is a domed-roof indoor pool room where Joel had the pool filled in to create the perfect acoustical home for a grand piano. Also on the grounds are a guest cottage and a pool house.

In addition to the purchase price, whoever takes over the digs will have to fork out about $250,000 in taxes.

The estate is across Cold Spring Harbor from a house previously owned by Joel just north of the causeway leading to Lloyd Neck. A lack of screening on the water side made the property too visible after Joel married Christie Brinkley, so the couple moved to Amagansett. After their divorce, Joel bought the Centre Island estate. In 2004, Joel married Kate Lee there.

Billy Joel wants to sell LI mansion

2006-11-10T04:09:00.000-05:00

Thursday, September 28, 2006 3:31 PM

Billy Joel wants to sell LI mansion

San Jose Mercury News - CA, USA

... Joel's spokeswoman, Claire Mercuri, told Newsday: "Billy is a Long Islander and still maintains a property in Sag Harbor." She declined further comment. ...

CENTRE ISLAND, N.Y. - The Piano Man is movin' out. Four years after purchasing an estate with picturesque views of Oyster Bay Harbor, the 57-year-old singer has listed the place for sale with a prominent real estate firm.

Joel, who paid $22.5 million for the property in 2002, now has an asking price of $37.5 million. For that, a buyer will get a 40,000-square-foot brick, gabled house containing five bedrooms with three full baths, three half-baths and eight fireplaces on 14.26 acres with 1,550 feet of shoreline on Oyster Bay. There's also a guest cottage and a pool house by the beach.

Joel's spokeswoman, Claire Mercuri, told Newsday: "Billy is a Long Islander and still maintains a property in Sag Harbor." She declined further comment.

Other amenities include a gym, music room, wine cellar, outdoor pool, bowling alley and tennis courts, and a domed-roof indoor pool room, which has been converted into a space for Joel's grand piano.

RICH CRIBS

2006-11-10T03:12:00.000-05:00

Thursday, September 28, 2006 10:53 PM

RICH CRIBS
Newsday - Long Island,NY,USA
In the secluded enclave of Centre Island, where Billy Joel and Rupert Murdoch also reside, is a property called Southerly. Built ...

Got $37.5 Million? Trade It For Billy Joel's House

2006-11-10T01:39:00.000-05:00

Thursday, September 28, 2006 10:53 PM

Got $37.5 Million? Trade It For Billy Joel's House

New York, NY (AHN) - Billy Joel is moving out, and you can move in for a mere $37.5 million. If you have the cash, then you can ...

New York, NY (AHN) - Billy Joel is moving out, and you can move in for a mere $37.5 million.

If you have the cash, then you can live in the singer's Oyster Bay Harbor home in New York, which sports five bedrooms, three full baths, three half-baths, and eight fireplaces.

The 40,000-square-foot mansion rests on 14.26 acres, with 1,550 feet of shoreline.

Joel's spokeswoman, Claire Mercuri, told Newsday: "Billy is a Long Islander and still maintains a property in Sag Harbor."

According to CNN, other amenities include a gym, music room, wine cellar, outdoor pool, bowling alley and tennis courts, and a domed-roof indoor pool room, which has been converted into a space for Joel's grand piano.

Joel wants $37.5M for his mansion

2006-11-08T10:44:00.001-05:00

Joel wants $37.5M for his mansion
Montreal Gazette (subscription) - Montreal,Quebec,Canada
Four years after spending $22.5 million on a 3,700-square-metre mansion, singer Billy Joel has listed it for sale, asking $37.5 million. ...

Billy Joel asking $37.5 million for his mansion on Long Island

2006-11-08T10:44:00.000-05:00

Thursday, September 28, 2006 10:53 PM

Billy Joel asking $37.5 million for his mansion on Long Island

Canada.com - Hamilton,Ontario,Canada

our years after purchasing an estate with picturesque views of Oyster Bay Harbor, 57-year-old singer Billy Joel has listed the place for sale with a prominent ...

CENTRE ISLAND, N.Y. (AP) - The Piano Man is movin' out. our years after purchasing an estate with picturesque views of Oyster Bay Harbor, 57-year-old singer Billy Joel has listed the place for sale with a prominent real-estate firm.

Joel, who paid US$22.5 million for the property in 2002, now has an asking price of $37.5 million. For that, a buyer will get a 3,700-square-metre brick, gabled house containing five bedrooms with three full baths, three half-baths and eight fireplaces on 5.8 hectares with 470 metres of shoreline on Oyster Bay. There's also a guest cottage and a pool house by the beach.

Joel's spokeswoman, Claire Mercuri, told Newsday: "Billy is a Long Islander and still maintains a property in Sag Harbor." She declined further comment.

Other amenities include a gym, music room, wine cellar, outdoor pool, bowling alley and tennis courts, and a domed-roof indoor pool room, which has been converted into a space for Joel's grand piano.

Centre Island Home , Estate of the Day

2006-09-29T14:09:00.000-05:00

Centre Island Home , Estate of the Day
Luxist - Santa Monica,CA,USA
... received a hot tip that this castle-like waterfront home in Centre Island, New York which was recently put on the market just might be the home of Billy Joel. ...

Centre Island Home , Estate of the Day

We received a hot tip that this castle-like waterfront home in Centre Island, New York which was recently put on the market is the home of Billy Joel.

Joel bought his home in 2002 for $22 million and was married there in 2004. This estate has 1550 feet of waterfront. The large 14,000 square foot main house is definitely Piano Man-worthy (note the elegant grand piano. The estate also include a three bedroom, 2 1/2 bath guest cottage and three bedroom, three bath beach house. Other features include indoor and outdoor pools, tennis court and a bowling alley. It is listed at $37.5 million by Daniel Gale. After the jump, I'm in a New York state of mind.

502 Centre Island.. taxes last year being $184,513.11

"I guess it would be large enough for a weekend house, but I just can't see it working out as a primary residence" .....Yours truly, Jerry Seinfeld

so any guesses where he may be moving? don't know of any grander estate on the north shore thats on the water. my guess is someplace a little more east.

Well, a while back there was a $60 million Lloyd Neck estate w/ 2 helipads featured on this site. Taxes $194,985. It's completely absurd and listed on danielgale.com if you want to take a peep. Maybe he'll move there!

Click Here to Make $20-$75/Hour for Your Opinion

Piano Man thinks it's time to move on

2006-09-29T13:59:00.000-05:00

Piano Man thinks it's time to move on
Bryan College Station Eagle - TX, United States
AP. CENTRE ISLAND, NY - Four years after purchasing an estate with picturesque views of Oyster Bay Harbor, Billy Joel has listed the place for sale. ...

CENTRE ISLAND, N.Y. - Four years after purchasing an estate with picturesque views of Oyster Bay Harbor, Billy Joel has listed the place for sale.

Joel wants $37.5 million for the property he bought for $22.5 million. That includes a 40,000-square-foot brick, gabled house with five bedrooms, three full baths, three half-baths and eight fireplaces on 14.26 acres with 1,550 feet of shoreline on Oyster Bay. Oh, and don't forget the guest cottage and beachside pool house.

Click Here to Make $20-$75/Hour for Your Opinion

Michael Jackson's Custody Case Nearly Settled

2006-09-29T13:45:00.000-05:00

Michael Jackson's Custody Case Nearly Settled
FOX News - USA
... Russell Crowe simply didn’t show. But Billy Joel had the best excuse, a real nightmare story. Whoever packed his bags out on Long ...

But Billy Joel had the best excuse, a real nightmare story. Whoever packed his bags out on Long Island made a huge mistake, and when Billy opened his suitcase in Manhattan there was no dinner suit. All he had were jeans. It was too late to do anything, so Billy and wife Katie opted out. They were missed.

Click Here to Make $20-$75/Hour for Your Opinion

Behind the scenes with aH'wood fixer

2006-09-22T15:30:00.000-05:00

Behind the scenes with aH'wood fixer
New York Daily News - New York,NY,USA
... Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley's singing daughter, Alexa Ray, would like to explain why she passed out backstage before her performance Sept. ...

Click Here to Make $20-$75/Hour for Your Opinion

Piano Man + Uptown Girl = Alexa Ray Joel! Piano Girl Debuts at the ...

2006-09-22T15:25:00.000-05:00

Piano Man + Uptown Girl = Alexa Ray Joel! Piano Girl Debuts at the ...
Last week, Alexa Ray Joel, on-leave NYU student and daughter of Billy Joel and
Christie Brinkley, made her New York City musical debut at the Cutting Room ...

Last week, Alexa Ray Joel, on-leave NYU student and daughter of Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley, made her New York City musical debut at the Cutting Room before a standing-room-only crowd that included both parents, her piano teacher, her publicist (whom she shares with Billy), and her voice coach. Alexa sang, played piano (backed by a three-man band), and chatted with the audience. (Sample banter: “My mom said, ‘That song is so good. It’s by Ray Charles, right?’ I said, ‘Uh, no, Mom, it’s by me.’ ”) Brinkley sat close to the stage, bobbed to the beats, and waved her table votive like a lighter at the end, while the more subdued Piano Man kept a low profile in the back. “I’m the luckiest mom in the world,” Brinkley gushed. “She literally came out singing. She would pop out these songs when she was 3, and I would say to Billy, ‘You should record that.’ ” The proud papa always knew his daughter had talent. “She’s pretty much doing this on her own. She had perfect pitch as a baby,” he said. “I guess it’s genetic.”

Click Here to Make $20-$75/Hour for Your Opinion

Alexa Ray Joel puts her genes to good use - The Boston Globe

2006-09-22T15:21:00.000-05:00

Alexa Ray Joel puts her genes to good use - The Boston Globe
It was an excellent sign: the sight of Alexa Ray Joel in her pigtails and fishnets
checking out the opening band between smooches with her bass-player ...

It was an excellent sign: the sight of Alexa Ray Joel in her pigtails and fishnets checking out the opening band between smooches with her bass-player boyfriend.

Sign up for: Globe Headlines e-mail | Breaking News Alerts The 20-year-old daughter of pop star Billy Joel and supermodel Christie Brinkley looked like a real girl, a nice girl, albeit a girl who in so many ways, for both better and worse, drew the daddy card in the genetic lottery. Diminutive in stature, pronounced in facial features, and a natural singer of songs (miraculously, given that Kelly Osbourne is the rule and Bonnie Raitt the exception when it comes to musical celebrity offspring), Joel is tiptoeing into the family business.

Armed with no album, no team of handlers, and none of the fanfare that characteristically accompanies a rock-royalty debut, Joel brought a three-piece band and 10 songs, all but one original, to Great Scott on Monday. And while there were hardly enough patrons in the club to log a couple of dozen hits on her MySpace page, Joel, seated at her Yamaha electric piano, plowed valiantly through her 50-minute set of sturdy pop-rock tunes and contemplative singer-songwriter fare. There's nothing remotely indie or trendy about Joel. As a songwriter she's clearly absorbed the classics -- Carole King, Elton John, Billy Joel. As a singer she's quite frankly a powerhouse -- a nimble, soulful vocalist with genuine personality and a wonderfully original feel for phrasing.

As a performer, well, she's green. Joel announced each song with a stiff ''This next one is called . . ." A couple of them -- ''Far Away," most notable for its pedestrian chord changes and journal-entry lyrics, and a '50s-inflected toe-tapper that she should give to her father -- will surely be the source of a cringe in later years. But Joel's gifts are obvious despite her inexperience, and so is her intelligence. How clever to be honing her craft in small, sparsely filled rooms, for the curious few, away from the media glare. And how refreshingly novel.

Click Here to Make $20-$75/Hour for Your Opinion

Captain Fantastic

2006-09-22T15:19:00.000-05:00

Captain Fantastic
OregonLive.com - Portland,OR,USA
Billy Joel says that one of the highlights of his career were the Face to Face tours he embarked on with Elton John in recent years. ...

Elton John returns with his superior songwriting and a sequel to one of his best recordings ever

Friday, September 22, 2006

ED CONDRAN

Billy Joel says that one of the highlights of his career were the Face to Face tours he embarked on with Elton John in recent years. "Elton is one of the greatest piano players/singer-songwriters ever," Joel said. "He's also just a great guy. I'm a huge fan. I can't say enough about him."

It's not surprising that Joel is enamored of John. Both are chubby, balding, middle-aged piano players who churn out classic pop-rock. "We have our similarities and our differences," Joel said. "We're not carbon copies."

John, 59, is a British legend who brings his unique songwriting skills and legendary showmanship to Portland's Rose Garden arena Sunday evening. It's in support of his newest CD, "The Captain & the Kid," a sequel of sorts to 1975's "Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy," arguably the best album in John's long career. The new recording reteams John with master wordsmith Bernie Taupin. Together they co-wrote songs such as "Philadelphia Freedom" and "Someone Saved My Life Tonight."

John, the flamboyant son of a former Royal Air Force trumpeter, arguably was the most popular rocker of the early '70s. Unlike many of his contemporaries, he was able to sustain success. He charted a Top 40 single every year from 1970 to 1996.

"That's one of the most amazing things about Elton," Joel said. "Anyone in this business knows how hard it is to be on top. It's hard to do for a few short years, let alone decades like he has been able to accomplish."

A number of John's songs -- "Your Song," "Rocket Man" and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" -- are considered rock standards.

"There's no doubt that Elton John is very talented," E Street Band guitarist/actor/DJ Steve Van Zandt said. "The guy knows how to write a hit."

John continues to sell out airplane hangars.

"There still is an audience for guys like Elton and I," Joel said. "The baby boomers and younger fans like this style of music."

Hipsters, such as Mooney Suzuki frontman Sammy James Jr., also dig the charismatic legend.

"I would consider myself a fan even though I never bought his stuff," James said. "I did download some of his songs last week. I paid for them on iTunes. I remember how much I liked his hits during the '80s, when I was a kid. All of his songs are so ubiquitous. You don't have to buy them. You know his songs by osmosis. The thing that's great about Elton John is that if you hear a snippet of one of his songs on the piano and you can instantly identify it. It's obviously Elton John. He is amazing with melody."

Click Here to Make $20-$75/Hour for Your Opinion

Alexa Ray Joel 'Sketches' out tour

2006-09-22T15:17:00.000-05:00

Alexa Ray Joel 'Sketches' out tour
LiveDaily.com - USA
The New York-based performer, the daughter of Billy Joel (tickets | music) and Christie Brinkley, will kick off her tour Sept. 24 ...

Singer/songwriter Alexa Ray Joel (tickets | music) will head out on an 18-city tour this fall, backing her self-released and independently distributed debut EP, "Sketches."

The New York-based performer, the daughter of Billy Joel (tickets | music) and Christie Brinkley, will kick off her tour Sept. 24 in Portland, OR, opening for Teddy Geiger and Holly Brook, before moving into the headlining portion of the outing starting Sept. 26 in Spokane, WA.

The first half of her itinerary concentrates on the Pacific Northwest and West Coast before sending her back to the East Coast in November. Joel will make a number of appearances at Hard Rock Cafes around the country, something she also did earlier this year.

The singer's first recorded effort, "Sketches," officially released in late August, contains six originals, and can be obtained through iTunes and also by accessing Joel's official website.

Joel was in the news recently after she passed out backstage before an early September performance at New York's Marist College. Addressing the fainting spell on her MySpace site, Joel assured her fans that the incident was nothing to worry about.

"I'm absolutely fine, and I was only in the hospital for a few hours," she wrote. ""I pretty much exhausted myself to the point that I couldn't do the show...I ended up fainting from stress, lack of sleep, and just overall exhaustion."

Joel also cited her mother's well-publicized divorce proceedings with Peter Cook as a contributing factor to her stress level.

September 2006

24 - Portland, OR - Aladdin Theater

26 - Spokane, WA - Big Easy Music House

27 - Boise, ID - The Big Easy

28 - Yakima, WA - Central Washington State Fair

30 - Las Vegas, NV - Clark County Government Amphitheatre

October 2006

2 - Anaheim, CA - House of Blues

3 - San Francisco, CA - Great American Music Hall

5 - West Hollywood, CA - Troubadour

6 - Reno, NV - Grand Sierra Theatre

7 - Sacramento, CA - Hard Rock Cafe

9 - Phoenix, AZ - Rhythm Room

11 - Salt Lake City, UT - Hard Rock Cafe

12 - Denver, CO - Hard Rock Cafe

14 - Minneapolis, MN - Fine Line Music Cafe

15 - Madison, WI - Majestic Theatre

17 - Chicago, IL - Hard Rock Cafe

18 - Louisville, KY - Hard Rock Cafe

November 2006

11- Sellersville, PA - Sellersville Theater

Click Here to Make $20-$75/Hour for Your Opinion

This Day in Music For September 21, 2006

2006-09-22T15:07:00.000-05:00

This Day in Music For September 21, 2006
Monsters and Critics.com - Glasgow,UK
... 1983 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: ``Tell Her About It,`` Billy Joel. The video features Joel performing the song on ``The Ed Sullivan Show.``. 1972 - No. ...

1983 - No. 1 Billboard Pop Hit: ``Tell Her About It,`` Billy Joel. The video features Joel performing the song on ``The Ed Sullivan Show.``

Click Here to Make $20-$75/Hour for Your Opinion

Piano men 'duel' with ballads

2006-09-22T15:05:00.000-05:00

Piano men ‘duel’ with ballads
Red and Black - Athens,GA,USA
Sir Mix-a-Lot versus Billy Joel — “Baby Got Back” versus “Piano Man,” in a battle. Who would win? Well, not really. But ...

Click Here to Make $20-$75/Hour for Your Opinion

Music Notes

2006-09-22T15:03:00.000-05:00

Music Notes
Richmond Times Dispatch - Richmond,VA,USA
... Tomorrow: John Mayer does "The Early Show"; Tony Bennett and Billy Joel visit "Today"; Clay Aiken sings on "The View"; Ludacris hangs with Letterman; Chingy is ...

Tony Bennett and Billy Joel visit "Today"

Click Here to Make $20-$75/Hour for Your Opinion

Joel to attend inaugural for Hall of Fame

2006-09-22T15:01:00.000-05:00

Joel to attend inaugural for Hall of Fame

Newsday - Long Island,NY,USA

Anyone who thought the Long Island Music Hall of Fame was just a pipe dream will be proved wrong when Billy Joel shows up for the hall's inaugural induction ...

While this column went on hiatus for a few weeks, Long Island bands continued to make albums, launch tours, sneak their songs onto movie soundtracks and generally keep busy. Here's what's been happening, and what's about to happen:

Anyone who thought the Long Island Music Hall of Fame was just a pipe dream will be proved wrong when Billy Joel shows up for the hall's inaugural induction ceremony, Oct. 15 at the Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts. Yes, really - Joel's publicist confirms it. Other artists scheduled to appear include Joan Jett, Paul Shaffer and Dion.

The secretive Brand New camp has leaked a few bits of information. One is that its tour supporting Dashboard Confessional has been extended from a relatively short jaunt to a full-blown trek through the United States. The band will stop at Madison Square Garden Dec. 8. (As of this writing, tickets were not yet on sale, and it was unclear whether the venue would be the Garden proper or the smaller Theater downstairs.) In another sign of Brand New's popularity, it will headline next month's Bamboozle Left festival in Pomona, Calif., topping acts such as Thrice, 30 Seconds to Mars and Yellowcard.

More Brand New news: The long-awaited album is scheduled for release Nov. 21 on Interscope. No title has been announced.

Speaking of albums, Dearly Departed has finished its latest, tentatively titled "Blueprints of Modern American Folklore." And Envy on the Coast has signed with Photo Finish, the new label from Matt Galle (the booking agent for Taking Back Sunday, My Chemical Romance and others) to release its upcoming full-length disc. Check the band's MySpace page for information on its CD release show tomorrow at Looney Tunes in West Babylon.

Last but not least: Who does that punked-up cover of the Bee Gees' "Stayin' Alive" on the soundtrack for the action flick "Crank"? None other than Long Island's own The Sleeping.

Click Here to Make $20-$75/Hour for Your Opinion

A Timeless ''Sneak Peek'' from Tony Bennett

2006-09-22T14:40:00.000-05:00

A Timeless ''Sneak Peek'' from Tony Bennett
Business Wire (press release) - San Francisco,CA,USA
... Included on the album, "The Good Life" with Billy Joel, "Cold, Cold Heart" with Tim McGraw and "For Once in My Life" with Stevie Wonder. ...

A Timeless ''Sneak Peek'' from Tony Bennett

--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Clear Channel (NYSE:CCU)

-- Tony Bennett's Latest Duet Album Available Exclusively on Over 125 Clear Channel Radio Station Web Sites

WHAT:  Just weeks after his 80th birthday, Tony Bennett releases

       yet another album, "Duets: An American Classic." And this

       year, he's giving his fans the birthday gift, with a preview

       of the album before its September 26th release. Guaranteed to

       be a favorite, Tony sings some of his most celebrated songs

       with the help of various rock, pop and R&B stars. Included on

       the album, "The Good Life" with Billy Joel, "Cold, Cold Heart"

       with Tim McGraw and "For Once in My Life" with Stevie Wonder.

       This exclusive premiere will be available through the

       On-Demand "Sneak Peek" program on over 125 Clear Channel Radio

       station Web sites.

WHEN:  Available September 19 - September 25

WHERE: Log on to www.clearchannelmusic.com for more details.

WHY:   Because just like Tony Bennett himself, this album is

       guaranteed to be a classic.

WHO:   Clear Channel Radio's Online Music & Radio unit

JOEL'S DAUGHTER DEFENDS STEPMOTHER

2006-09-18T13:38:00.000-05:00

JOEL'S DAUGHTER DEFENDS STEPMOTHER

PR Inside (Pressemitteilung) - Wien,Austria

BILLY JOEL's daughter ALEXA RAY JOEL has spoken out in defence of her stepmother KATIE LEE, insisting Lee did not marry her father for his money. ...

BILLY JOEL's daughter ALEXA RAY JOEL has spoken out in defence of her stepmother KATIE LEE, insisting Lee did not marry her father for his money.

Joel married TV cookery correspondent KATIE LEE in 2004 - even though Lee is only four years older than 20-year-old Alexa, who is set to launch her own pop career.

But Alexa, the daughter of Joel and his first wife, model CHRISTIE BRINKLEY, believes their love is genuine.

She says, "I certainly know what it's like to be labelled and given a hard time because you're connected with someone - my dad. I'm sure that was hard for her, too. Once I got to know her, all my worries kind of went away.

"Katie has her own career going and she's very talented in her own right. If she was some air-headed ditzy girl, that would be an issue."

Christie Brinkley Files For Divorce From adulterous husband...

2006-09-18T13:37:00.000-05:00

Christie Brinkley Files For Divorce From adulterous husband...

Entertainmentwise - London,UK

... s son Jack, 11, from her marriage to Richard Taubman; Brinkley has another daughter from her relationship with Billy Joel, the 20 year old Alexa Ray Joel. ...

Former model Christie Brinkley has filed for divorce from her husband of 10 years Peter Cook.

Last month it was revealed that Cook had had an affair with an 18 year old employee Diana Bianchi; Brinkley and Cook have one child together, and eight year old daughter, Sailor.

Cook’s lawyer David Aronson, confirmed that divorce papers had been filed, and according to MSN said: "We are told that a divorce action has been commenced in Suffolk County, and we have agreed to accept service of those papers,"

He added that Cook "regrets that this happened. He was hopeful that he and Ms Brinkley would be able to work their way through this problem and put their marriage back together, but obviously she has decided otherwise.

"He has instructed us that we are to handle this matter in as amicable and private a fashion as possible under the circumstances, and he hopes that everyone out there can respect the privacy of Christie and the children.”

Cook adopted Brinkley’s son Jack, 11, from her marriage to Richard Taubman; Brinkley has another daughter from her relationship with Billy Joel, the 20 year old Alexa Ray Joel.

It is as yet unsure hoe Brinkley and Cook will split their property and custody of their children.

Christie Brinkley to File for Divorce

2006-09-18T13:35:00.000-05:00

Christie Brinkley to File for Divorce

The Insider Online - USA

In Brinkley family news, CHRISTIE BRINKLEY is preparing to file for divorce and her daughter ALEXA RAY JOEL reportedly fainted before a concert last Saturday ...

In Brinkley family news, CHRISTIE BRINKLEY is preparing to file for divorce and her daughter ALEXA RAY JOEL reportedly fainted before a concert last Saturday night.

Christie's 20-year-old daughter with BILLY JOEL reportedly wrote on her Internet blog, "I ended up fainting from stress, lack of sleep and just overall exhaustion about five minutes before the show... I woke up to find myself in an ambulance rushing me to a local hospital near the campus, and it was -- overall -- a pretty scary night." She is reportedly now fine.

And just two months after the news broke that Christie's husband, attorney PETER COOK, was having an affair with his 19-year-old assistant, the former supermodel has reportedly begun the process of filing divorce papers against her estranged spouse.

DAVID ARONSON, a lawyer from Peter Cook's attorney's office, said on Thursday that he has yet to see the complaint, but understands that a summons has already been filed.

Aronson also released the following statement regarding the dissolution of Brinkley and Cook's 10-year marriage: "We're trying to keep as low a profile as possible. (Peter) was hopeful that they could work out their difficulties and get on with their marriage. He loves his family. Peter is very saddened that it has come to this point. But he acknowledges that's where they are. His intention (and his lawyers have been instructed to) handle this as amicably and private as possible under the circumstances. We're not looking to get into he said she said. It's just not appropriate."

JOEL'S DAUGHTER PASSES OUT BEFORE COLLEGE SHOW

2006-09-18T12:52:00.000-05:00

JOEL'S DAUGHTER PASSES OUT BEFORE COLLEGE SHOW

PR Inside (Pressemitteilung) - Wien,Austria

BILLY JOEL and CHRISTIE BRINKLEY's daughter ALEXA RAY JOEL has spoken out after passing out backstage before a concert at Marist College in New York last ...

BILLY JOEL and CHRISTIE BRINKLEY's daughter ALEXA RAY JOEL has spoken out after passing out backstage before a concert at Marist College in New York last Saturday night (09SEP06).

Writing on her MySpace.com blog site, the singer admits the stress of her touring schedule and her mother's very public marriage problems left her anxious throughout the day before the show.

And it all came to a head five minutes before she was due to hit the stage at the college with her quartet.

She writes, "I pretty much exhausted myself to the point that I couldn't do the show... I ended up fainting from stress, lack of sleep, and just overall exhaustion.

"I woke up to find myself in an ambulance rushing me to a local hospital near the campus, and it was - overall - a pretty scary night... This has never happened before.

"I guess I was really pushing myself to the limit this week. I was having quite a bit of anxiety in general that day, so I guess this was just my body's way of telling me to RELAX... something I haven't done in a while!" Joel hopes to reschedule the show later this year.

Brinkley Officially Files For Divorce, Daughter Collapses

2006-09-18T10:58:00.000-05:00

Bobby's Alleged Gal Favors Bill

TMZ.com - Glendale,CA,USA

... Elsewhere, the stress of her mother's ordeal and a busy professional schedule may have felled Brinkley's 20-year-old daughter with Billy Joel, Alexa Ray. ...

http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.tmz.com/media/2006/09/6854179.jpg

Brinkley Officially Files For Divorce, Daughter Collapses

Christie Brinkley filed for divorce from Peter Cook earlier this week in Suffolk County Court, two months after Cook admitted to having an affair with a 19-year-old former employee of his architectural firm. One of the philanderer's lawyers tells the AP, "[Cook] regrets that this happened ... He was hopeful that they would be able to work through this problem and put their marriage back together, but obviously she has decided otherwise."

Elsewhere, the stress of her mother's ordeal and a busy professional schedule may have felled Brinkley's 20-year-old daughter with Billy Joel, Alexa Ray. The aspiring singer-songwriter says on her MySpace blog that she fainted Saturday "from stress, lack of sleep and just overall exhaustion about five minutes" before a show in upstate New York. She had to be taken to the ER by ambulance, but is fine now: "I guess I was really pushing myself to the limit this week," says Joel.

Christie Brinkley has had enough

2006-09-18T10:55:00.000-05:00

Christie Brinkley has had enough

SouthFlorida.com - Fort Lauderdale,FL,USA

... firm. Brinkley was previously married to Frenchman Jean-Francois Allaux and singer Billy Joel. Call him the Michael Jordan of rap. ...

NEW YORK -- Christie Brinkley's lawyers have served her estranged husband, Peter Cook, with a summons setting the couple's divorce proceedings in motion, Cook's attorney said.

The former supermodel separated from Cook - her fourth husband - this summer after learning he had an affair with his teenage assistant.

Cook is "saddened by the fact that it's come to this," said Cook's attorney, David Aronson.

"He made it clear to anybody who would listen that he was very, very hopeful that he and Mrs. Brinkley would be able to work through this situation and get through it," Aronson added. "He was hoping they would be able to move forward with their marriage."

Brinkley publicist Elliot Mintz did not confirm nor deny the details of the summons to The Associated Press yesterday.

The assistant to Brinkley's lawyer, Eleanor Alter, declined comment.

Brinkley's 10-year marriage to Cook began unraveling in July, when she learned he had an affair with Diana Bianchi, a then 18-year-old assistant in his Hamptons architecture firm whom he met at a toy store in Southampton in 2005.

Brinkley found out about the relationship from Bianchi's father, who approached her at a Hamptons high school graduation in May.

Less than three months later, on July 31, Brinkley's lawyers filed a divorce documents at Suffolk County Court in Riverhead, and the papers were officially served on Cook Tuesday. Brinkley had 120 days from her court filing to serve Cook.

Brinkley and Cook have an 8-year-old daughter, Sailor, and Cook had adopted her son from a previous marriage, 11-year-old Jack.

Brinkley had been married to Frenchman Jean-Francois Allaux, singer Billy Joel, and developer Richard Taubman.

Aronson said it was too early to discuss how the couple would decide custody and assets, including a reported $60 million in real estate.

"He respects her decision, and has instructed us that this matter is to be handled in as amicable and private way as possible," Aronson said, adding that Cook's legal team would respond to the summons soon.

CHRISTIE BRINKLEY TO DIVORCE CHEATING HUBBY

2006-09-18T10:44:00.000-05:00

CHRISTIE BRINKLEY TO DIVORCE CHEATING HUBBY
Kentucky.com - Lexington,KY,USA
... Adams gossip column. Brinkley also was previously married to Frenchman Jean-Francois Allaux and singer Billy Joel. British author JK ...

Christie Brinkley reportedly is filing for divorce, three months after reports that her estranged husband had an affair with an 18-year-old employee.

Brinkley's lawyer would be delivering divorce papers to Peter Cook, the supermodel's fourth husband, the New York Post reported yesterday, citing anonymous sources.

Brinkley, 52, announced in July that she and Cook, 47, had separated. They were married in 1996 and have an 8-year-old daughter, Sailor. Cook adopted Brinkley's son, Jack, now 11, from her marriage to developer Richard Taubman.

A scandal erupted when Diana Bianchi, now 19, claimed Cook had seduced her shortly after hiring her to work at his architectural firm.

The couple's relationship has become fodder for tabloids, especially in the Post, where Cook published a public apology to Brinkley in a Cindy Adams gossip column.

Brinkley also was previously married to Frenchman Jean-Francois Allaux and singer Billy Joel.

One Million Or Bust

2006-09-18T10:25:00.000-05:00

One Million Or Bust
antiMUSIC.com - CA,USA
... Celebrity and motorcycle enthusiast, Billy Joel, will join Sperling for a portion of the ride, signing Ron's Road Glide bike that will carry him around the ...

PR) This Labor Day, in NYC, producer/director Ron Sperling embarked on a 9000 mile road trip around America in an effort to raise $1,000,000.00 in the fight against Breast Cancer. Sperling is saddling up on a Harley-Davidson Road Glide loaded with an arsenal of video gear, and will chronicle the entire ride. An HD lipstick camera, specially designed and custom made for road safety, will be mounted on the bike, and together with a hand-held camera, Sperling will document the people, the places, and the breast cancer survivors who he visits in hospitals along the way. Ron has vowed not to stop circling the USA until he raises the $1,000,000.00! Celebrity and motorcycle enthusiast, Billy Joel, will join Sperling for a portion of the ride, signing Ron's Road Glide bike that will carry him around the nation's roads and backroads. The Road Glide will later be auctioned off for the charity at the end of the ride.

[Ron will be stopping in at the Cat Club in Hollywood this Sunday night. Entertainment Tonight is expected to cover it and all members of the All-Star Happenin Harry and the Haptones Band will be signing the bike and videos of the band's performance that night are expected to be sold with proceeds going to the charity. (antiMusic sponsors Harry's Sunday night shows at the Cat Club)]

In many major cities, other celebrity riders will join Sperling, all of whom will sign the bike. Each morning, Ron will call-in or appear on morning radio talkshows and television programs to promote the Meet & Greet events and our sponsors. In addition to the extensive media events, Ron Sperling will stop at local hospitals to visit breast cancer patients. Ron hopes to bring them a smile and to let them know that others are helping them in their individual fight with breast cancer.

Stopping each day in a new city, Sperling will arrive at a local Harley-Davidson dealership for Meet & Greet events to mingle with participants and encourage sponsorship. Individuals can sponsor Ron for as little as one cent per mile, or they can sponsor their own riders. Sperling says, "Anyone with a motorcycle, or anyone who has been affected by Breast Cancer, is encouraged to sign up and ride along for a few miles. Since one in eight women will develop breast cancer in their lifetime, that is a whole lot of people affected!" Sign up forms and rider information can be found on the website at http://www.onemillionorbust.org.

Newsmakers | Brinkley asks divorce from straying hubby

2006-09-18T10:18:00.000-05:00

Newsmakers | Brinkley asks divorce from straying hubby
Philadelphia Inquirer - Philadelphia,PA,USA
... Cook is Brinkley's fourth husband. The connubially challenged infomercial princess was also married to artist Jean-Francois Allaux and singer Billy Joel. ...

Supermodel Christie Brinkley has filed for divorce, three months after reports that her husband, Peter Cook, had an affair with a nubile 18-year-old.

Brinkley, 52, announced in July that she and Cook, 47, had separated. They were married in 1996, and have an 8-year-old daughter, Sailor. Cook adopted Brinkley's son, Jack, now 11, from her marriage to developer Richard Taubman.

The couple's separation provided mucho juice for the gossip sheets when Diana Bianchi, now 19, claimed Cook had seduced her just after hiring her to work at his architectural firm. A seemingly contrite Cook even issued a public apology to Brinkley in a Cindy Adams gossip column.

Cook is Brinkley's fourth husband. The connubially challenged infomercial princess was also married to artist Jean-Francois Allaux and singer Billy Joel.

Model Brinkley Begins Divorce Proceedings

2006-09-18T10:02:00.000-05:00

Model Brinkley Begins Divorce Proceedings

newswire.co.nz - Havelock Nth,Hawkes Bay,New Zealand

Brinkley, 52, was previously married to artist Jean-Francois Allaux, singer Billy Joel and real estate developer Richard Taubman. ...

Supermodel Christie Brinkley began divorce proceedings against her fourth husband, architect Peter Cook.

Brinkley and Cook, 47, announced in July they were separating after 10 years of marriage after Cook had an affair with a teenager whom he had hired to work in his firm.

Brinkley, 52, was previously married to artist Jean-Francois Allaux, singer Billy Joel and real estate developer Richard Taubman.

Her career as an all-American supermodel has spanned more than three decades.

She has appeared on more than 500 magazine covers, in numerous television shows and been a spokeswoman for charitable and activist groups.

Christie Brinkley divorcing husband who had affair with teen

2006-09-14T13:26:00.000-05:00

Christie Brinkley divorcing husband who had affair with teen
WBOC TV 16 - Salisbury,MD,USA
... discuss things like custody. Among the super model's other ex-husbands is Billy Joel, who wrote the song "Uptown Girl" for her.

NEW YORK Looks like Christie Brinkley is getting rid of husband number four.

Peter Cook's lawyer is confirming a report that Brinkley filed for divorce on Long Island, New York, ending a ten-year marriage.

The beginning of the end came over the summer, when it emerged that Cook had an affair with a teenager he'd hired to work at his architecture firm.

The couple has an eight-year-old daughter, and Cook had adopted Brinkley's son from another one of her marriages. Cook's lawyer says it's too early to discuss things like custody.

Among the super model's other ex-husbands is Billy Joel, who wrote the song "Uptown Girl" for her.

Tony Bennett at Age 80 -- an American Classic

2006-09-14T10:30:00.000-05:00

Tony Bennett at Age 80 -- an American Classic
Wall Street Journal (subscription) - New York,NY,USA
... Bennett crooning "Rags to Riches" with Elton John; "Just in Time" with Michael Bublé, "Sing You Sinners" with John Legend and "The Good Life" with Billy Joel. ...

At Heatherette, drag queens, Hiltons

2006-09-14T10:29:00.000-05:00

At Heatherette, drag queens, Hiltons
Newark Star Ledger - NJ, USA
... Katie Lee Joel, the former host of Bravo's "Top Chef" and wife of Billy Joel, sat front and center with Beth Ostrosky, the model and girlfriend of Howard Stern ...

NEW YORK --A Heatherette show means celebrities, spectacle and more drag queens per capita than is typical in Manhattan's Bryant Park. "It's always fun," says Carson Kressley, the fashion guru from Bravo's "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy." "Sometimes it's a better show in the audience than on the runway."

But Heatherette's spring 2007 show Tuesday night did not disappoint, with Paris Hilton boogying down the runway, a light show with pink glow-in-the-dark air traffic controller wands, and hot male models in Florence Henderson wigs. And that was just the first three minutes.

Hilton opened the show -- nearly an hour late -- by sashaying down the runway-cum-landing strip in a black-and-gold giraffe-print halter dress, toting a suitcase on wheels, perhaps for the first time ever. On the return trip, she started dancing, then blew a kiss to the audience before ducking backstage. She returned a few minutes later with dour-by-comparison sister Nicky Hilton, both in striped jerseys and short gym shorts with jeweled stripes down the sides.

Other amateur models included an almost unrecognizable Mena Suvari in a thick blond wig with heavy bangs and an exuberant Kelis, who worked it in a short tulle skirt and heavily embellished bustier.

An intermission of sorts featured dancers in T-shirts and florescent hula skirts, sort of like a Gap commercial in hell, followed by a break dancer. Nicky Hilton returned in a black strapless cocktail dress with a tuxedo front, followed by Heatherette's favorite transsexual, the buxom Amanda Lepore, wearing a black strapless ... bathing suit? undergarment? does it matter at this point? She was clearly playing the role of the officiant, a point hammered home by Paris Hilton as the bride, all dressed in turquoise.

The collection itself managed to make the same trends that look ridiculous from more serious designers -- bubble skirts, knickers, lots of metallics and bling -- young and fun and almost wearable, for the most part. The white shirt dress with the jeweled collar? Cute. The long-sleeved short-all printed with multicolored letters and numbers ... for men? Not so cute. "I am a child of the '80s, so I love all the nostalgia ... except bubble skirts," Kressley says. "Will they just quit with that already?"

There were more famous faces on the catwalk than in the front row. Katie Lee Joel, the former host of Bravo's "Top Chef" and wife of Billy Joel, sat front and center with Beth Ostrosky, the model and girlfriend of Howard Stern, until they were escorted to new seats on opposite sides of the runway. Also spotted: Stylist Phillip Bloch and Jay "Miss J" Alexander of "America's Next Top Model."

Billy Joel Schedules Hawaii Concert

2006-09-11T14:09:00.000-05:00

Great news for Billy Joel fans: after nearly two decades, the "Piano Man" is coming to Hawaii.

Six-time Grammy winner Billy Joel is scheduled to perform December 16th at the Blaisdell Arena. His only show will start at 8 p.m. and feature nearly 30 of his hit songs.

It's his first major solo concert tour in seven years.

Tickets go on sale this Saturday at the Blaisdell Box Office and all Ticketmaster locations. Prices range from $65 to $95.

KGMB9 is a proud sponsor of the concert.

A big idea that might be just the ticket

2006-09-06T14:23:00.000-05:00

A big idea that might be just the ticket
ic SurreyOnline.co.uk - Surrey,England,UK
I ENJOYED the Billy Joel concert - a canter through a catalogue of familiar songs, most of them hits from the 1980s. And I was impressed ...

I ENJOYED the Billy Joel concert - a canter through a catalogue of familiar songs, most of them hits from the 1980s.

And I was impressed by the energy levels of the band - they were on stage for more than two hours without a break.

But I was even more impressed by the overall arena experience - the sight and sound of 11,000 Germans singing the chorus of Piano Man back to Billy Joel in English is something I will remember for a long time.

We arrived as the 12,500-seat Hamburg arena opened, two hours before the concert -the second of Billy Joel's 2006 European tour.

The concourse that surrounds the arena is wide and airy, and peppered with fast-food franchises.

It has blocks of tables and chairs, similar to those in the food court of a shopping mall, where diners can eat in comfort.

There are also two restaurants, one on the second floor, overlooking the arena, and another below ground, offering a more intimate dining experience with candle-lit tables and an extensive buffet menu.

In the first half-hour, as we ambled around the concourse making mental notes, the fast-food outlets gathered a steady flow of customers and the eating areas began to fill up.

We spent the remaining 90 minutes before the show in the downstairs restaurant.

Should we build something similar in Croydon - a 12,500-seat theatre-in-the-round; a flexible, multi-purpose performance and exhibition space?

Why not? We built the Fairfield concert hall in the early 1960s and a world-class art gallery as part of the Clocktower complex in the early 1990s.

We launched the concert hall with a performance from internationally renowned violinist, Yehudi Menhuin, and the art gallery with a collection by a universally acknowledged creative genius, Pablo Picasso.

Lord Menhuin's fiddle playing and Picasso's artistry drew rave reviews from the national press, reflecting favourably on venues and town alike.

An arena could bring equally positive publicity to a place that is now seen as a rundown suburb where drink-induced violence is the norm.

The Hamburg arena was funded commercially and operates without subsidy, so Croydon tax-payers need not fear being burdened financially.

There is a perceived risk that a Croydon arena would remain dark, because concert promoters would give it a wide berth - but why should they?

It would be less than an hour by public transport from anywhere in Greater London and much of southern England.

It would hold more people than the refurbished Wembley Arena (12,000) or the Royal Albert Hall (5,500) - and have better public transport access than either.

And when it wasn't being used for concerts or sports matches a Croydon arena would seat 1,400 in the central area for a formal event.

That would make it the biggest venue south of Birmingham for an awards dinner, or a company presentation, putting Croydon at the heart of commercial life in the south.

If the Hamburg experience were repeated here, a Croydon arena would play a major role in regenerating the borough's economy. Croydon desperately needs a big idea - an arena might be just the ticket.

Katie Lee Joel to teach class about salmon

2006-09-06T08:38:00.000-05:00

Whether she realizes it or not, Katie Lee Joel has become a culinary emissary between Mountain State and the world.

The Huntington native has been all over the globe since she married rocker Billy Joel, and although her palate has evolved through her travels, she still counts food like biscuits and gravy, meat loaf and chicken and dumplings as her favorites.

But what may have seemed like commonplace food to her is downright extraordinary in the uptown world (if you will) in which she now dwells.

"People here have never heard of chicken and dumplings," Joel said from her Long Island home. "They think of a dumpling as something they use in Asian cooking."

She received her culinary calling being practically raised in her grandmother's kitchen, and Joel's love of food has since been the driving force of her career. Her love of food has taken her to Florence, Italy, to study at the British Institute, and to the Hamptons, where she served as the house fishmonger at a popular dining spot as well as contributing to Hamptons Magazine.

She also traveled to San Francisco, where she was introduced to much of American as the host of Bravo's cooking reality show "Top Chef."

Joel's picked up a lot in her globetrotting, but she's also spent a lot of that time educating the masses about some of the food that she grew up with.

"In Hamptons Magazine, I mentioned Jim's Spaghetti House," Joel said. "My mom was really excited."

This week, she'll be returning the favor to the Appalachian home that gave her culinary roots, teaching a class to benefit the Marshall Artists Series as part of their "Kindred Spirits" fundraiser.

Her session will be called "Spawning New Ideas about Salmon," a subject that's close to her heart. When she was still in high school, her mother would often have her prepare the fish, and it's still a favorite at her dinner parties.

Once Joel returns to Long Island, she'll have a full plate, writing her columns and working on various projects, including her Web site, www.oliveandpeach.com. Whatever the medium, it's all about education, both learning about the world's cuisine and giving the world a little taste of her home.

Billy's girl strikes all the right notes

2006-08-28T09:10:00.000-05:00

The headliner was Bruce Hornsby & The Noisemakers, but the nearly sold-out crowd showed up early to catch the opening act, introduced simply as "a girl from Long Island." As if everyone didn't know, the girl was Alexa Ray Joel, daughter of that most famous local musician, Billy Joel.

In the audience were her mother, Christie Brinkley; her half-sister, Sailor Lee; and the Piano Man himself. The 20-year-old singer-songwriter announced that the one-hour concert was her "first hometown gig" and the longest she'd ever played, making it a coming-out party of sorts - albeit one reportedly shadowed by paparazzi and documented by the "Today" show.

Joel is not a total rookie: She's been touring clubs and colleges and posting demos on MySpace (her star-studded friends list includes Fiona Apple and Butch Walker). Her six-song EP, "Sketches," was on sale at the show. Throughout the concert, she chatted easily with the audience, sang with conviction and appeared poised and confident at her electric piano.

Like her father, Joel takes inspiration from early pop, even pre-pop. "The Heart of Me" rolled along on a doo-wop cadence; "Say Goodbye" borrowed from Tin Pan Alley; "The Sapphire Night," which Joel wrote as a teenager, sounded like a 1950s teen ballad. As a lyricist, Joel is still developing - many of her songs seem to be about writing songs - but her clever, ever-shifting chord progressions are unfailingly catchy.

Dad's influence ends when Joel begins to sing. Her distinctive voice has a speedy, almost chipmunkish vibrato, but it also has grit and brass. Perhaps through osmosis, Joel has soaked up the R&B and gospel influences that define the current sound of female pop.

At the show's end, Joel moved away from her keyboard to join her three-piece band for two numbers, the slow-burning "Song of Yesterday" (dedicated to her mother) and a straight-up funk tune, "Not Alright," that brought the audience to its feet.

Clearly, someone has taught Joel how to control a crowd. "Thank you," she said sweetly. "That's all for today, folks."

ALEXA RAY JOEL. The nonprofit Friends of the Arts brings some local talent to its summer concert series. Friday at Planting Fields Arboretum State Historic Park, Oyster Bay.

Only Christie Brinkley Would Know for Sure

2006-08-22T12:59:00.000-05:00

I’m a reluctant traveler. Not because I’m afraid of flying or weary of being prodded and wanded by Transportation Security Administration screeners.

I don’t like to leave L.A. because I’m a dead ringer for Billy Joel.

Traveling back east — especially to New York — is the worst. I can’t make it through the terminal at J.F.K. or LaGuardia without an incident. Usually, people just stare at me. But sometimes they go to extremes, coming within inches of my face.

“I’m not him,” I’ll say.

And then they usually leave me alone, because even though I’m Billy Joel’s doppelgänger, I don’t sound anything like him.

I’ve tried disguises, like wearing a baseball cap or sunglasses. That only worsens the problem, because people expect a famous singer to be traveling incognito.

Getting through the airport isn’t the most difficult part. It’s the pressure of being stuck on a plane with other passengers who think I’m You-Know-Who.

Flight attendants look puzzled when I walk back to the economy-class cabin, but there’s no time to explain that I’m not the Piano Man, I make independent films. Seatmates will spontaneously begin talking about music, or more often, their favorite Billy Joel album.

“I’m not him,” I’ll say. And it’s enough to convince a seatmate, but not the rest of the passengers who are out of earshot.

I’ve only been asked to sing once. I was waiting to meet some friends at a restaurant called Luna in Little Italy in New York. A couple walked in and did a double take when they saw me. But they didn’t stay star-struck for very long.

“Will you play something for us?” one of them asked.

By now, I was tired of being mistaken for someone else. “For a hundred grand, I will,” I said.

Silence.

“OK,” I said. “Fifty grand?”

More silence.

“All right, show me the piano and I’ll sing for free.”

But by then, they already knew I was someone else. The jig was up.

If I shaved my goatee, I might be able to travel anonymously.

But while I was waiting for a flight from Los Angeles to Pittsburgh recently, I met someone who helped put my similarities with the musician into perspective. The woman told me something I’d heard hundreds of times before: “You look just like Billy Joel.”

And I repeated the answer I’ve given a hundred times: “I know. I get that a lot.”

“You don’t understand,” she continued. “I was at Billy’s house just last week. You really do look like him. In person.”

It turns out she was related to Billy Joel.

“Well, next time you see him,” I said. “Please tell him to stop impersonating me.”

Joel drops in on town concert

2006-08-22T12:23:00.000-05:00

Unlike his dozen Madison Square Garden dates earlier this year, Billy Joel's appearance onstage Friday night wasn't sold out. That's because there were no tickets sold for the evening of piano at Heckscher Park in Huntington. The headline soloist? That was Richard Joo, a British-Korean virtuoso and composer playing "The Classical Music of Billy Joel."

During the second half of the free concert, Joel unexpectedly strolled onto the Harry Chapin Rainbow Stage. He had hand-picked Joo to arrange and record his classical pieces for "Fantasies and Delusions," an album that topped the Billboard charts for 18 weeks in 2001. Several of the pieces were performed by Joo during the show.

Joel quickly tried to let the audience know that Joo, although impressing the crowd, deserved better than the baby grand piano in the center of the stage.

"I'm known for my philanthropy," Joel told the crowd, ticking off a few small organizations, "and I'm going to buy them a new piano." Then he smiled about his gift for the Huntington Arts Council. "I guess I'm on the hook for this now."

Diana Cherryholmes, executive director of the co-sponsoring arts council, was surprised by Joel's announcement. "I didn't know anything about it," she said.

After introducing a medley of Joo's arrangements, Joel interspersed amusing commentary during a romantic song, explaining his thoughts while writing the music about love won and lost.

Joel then thrilled the crowd of about 300 when he walked across the stage and sat on a stool behind a small electronic keyboard facing Joo, who has toured with Joel.

"Here he is, the great composer Billy Joel, the Piano Man - he lets me play this baby grand while he just plays that little keyboard," Joo said. "I am humbled."

After a classical duet, Joel's poignant rendition of "Baby Grand" was a big hit with the audience, which included Joel's mother, Rosalind, and John Lennon's son Sean.

Joel and Joo had discreetly rehearsed and performed sound checks during the afternoon. "It was a well-guarded secret," said an arts council spokesman.

In the 41 years that the arts council has been coordinating free summer entertainment, this is the first time Joel has performed at Heckscher, Cherryholmes said. "We didn't know until today that he would play here," she said. "We had been talking about it."

And after the concert, so was everyone else.

Brinkley Faces Philandering Hubby

2006-08-22T10:45:00.000-05:00

Nothing quenches a hot day quite like a popsicle and a visit to your philandering ex. Though not necessarily in that order.

Christie Brinkley met up with her estranged hubby Peter Cook Tuesday for the first time since reports of his extramarital affair with a teenager hit the headlines.

"I'd rather not comment," the erstwhile CoverGirl told the New York Daily News. "I just don't want to fuel this anymore."

According to the paper, Brinkley arrived at the $22 million Hamptons home she shared, until recently, with Cook to engage for a family-friendly pow-wow. In Brinkley's corner was daughter Alexa Joel, whose father is Piano Man Billy Joel, while Cook was accompanied by his elderly parents.

Not present for the get-together were the duo's children Sailor Lee, 7, and 11-year-old Jack, whom Cook adopted upon tying the knot with Brinkley in 1996. Also not present: Brinkley's wedding ring. (Cook on the other hand has been photographed wearing his band several times since the split.)

While the parties arrived to the home separately, they stayed inside for just 15 minutes, the Daily News reported, before Brinkley, in a Lexus SUV, led the caravan to another unknown location.

An hour later, the 52-year-old model and Alexa returned to the beachside compound sans her estranged spouse.

Upon leaving the estate for the final time, Brinkley made a model move, likely ingratiating herself to Daily News photographers for years to come.

The paper reports that the professional poser took pity on their lone cameraman stationed in the sweltering heat and offered him a box of popsicles.

"Here, this is a little gift for you," she told him. "I want you to take this. It's very, very hot out."

Inside the box was a note reiterating her sympathy for the lensman, with the message: "Sorry you have to do this on such a hot day!" Brinkley also included two leather bracelets embroidered with stopglobalwarming.com, a cause supported by the model.

Brinkley's no comment policy on the situation--aside from her thoughts on the weather, that is--is in keeping with her reaction to the split from Cook.

Brinkley's sole remarks came last month when she announced plans to separate after 10 years of marriage, a statement that preceded revelations about Cook's extramarital activities and which simply asked that "people will be kind enough to respect her privacy."

A week after issuing the announcement, 19-year-old Diana Bianchi stepped forward claiming to have carried on a yearlong affair with the architect and threatened to file a sexual-harassment suit against her former employer.

Bianchi claimed Cook met her at a toy store when she was just 17, and quickly hired her as an assistant at his firm. She claimed the married man seduced and wooed her with extravagant gifts, including jewelry and a down payment on a car, before she called it off.

Two days later, '90s pop singer Samantha Cole also stepped forward, claiming to have been another teenage paramour of Cook's. Her tale closely resembled that of Bianchi, claiming she met Cook 11 years ago when she was just 18 and that Cook gave her a job in his firm. When she called off their affair, he proposed to her. She refused and a month later, he was engaged to Brinkley.

For his part, the 47-year-old finally fessed up to the reports last week, issuing an apology to the Uptown Girl and making it clear he hoped for a reconciliation.

"This is an aberration," he said at the time. "I'm sorry. I'm contrite. I'm stupid. Foolish. No excuse."

The meeting in the Hamptons was Brinkley's first time back in the neighborhood since word of the affair broke. The model had temporarily left the area with her two younger children in order to protect them from the intense media coverage.

Longtime Billy Joel drummer headed to MU

2006-08-22T10:42:00.000-05:00

For three decades, Liberty DeVitto toured the world as the drummer for superstar singer-songwriter Billy Joel. Next week, he'll visit Marshall University to give the public an up-close look at his drumming skills, which are more accustomed to rocking arenas than classrooms.

Inspired by The Beatles to start playing drums in 1964, DeVitto took up backing Joel in the mid-1970s, playing on several of his classic albums like "The Stranger," "52nd Street" and "Glass Houses." He's also set the beat for the piano man all over the world. Joel's current tour is the first known not to include DeVitto since the two began working together.

Now he's looking to share some of that experience with the younger set, a tool that the completely self-taught DeVitto never had in his musical gestation.

"When I was younger, I wanted to learn how to play like Ringo Starr, I wanted to learn how to play rock 'n' roll music, but it was just coming out of the jazz phase," DeVitto said. "The instructors at the time were a lot of jazz snobs, they didn't want to know about rock 'n' roll. It's totally different today, because rock 'n' roll is absolutely an accepted form of music."

DeVitto has not only managed to learn how to play rock music, but to become an innovator of the genre, said Ben Miller, a Marshall music professor instrumental in bringing the drummer to the campus.

"If you listen to the Billy Joel recordings, and there certainly are many of them over a large period of time, you really don't hear too much of the same thing from song to song or album to album. And that takes a great deal of creativity for a drummer not to just go into 'Well, here's my standard drum beat number one' and play that on every song," Miller said.

"So Liberty has had the creativity and musicianship to fit the many different tunes Billy Joel has had over his career."

DeVitto will be lecturing at Marshall on Monday and Tuesday at several music appreciation classes at the school. He'll also be opening the lessons up to the public at 7 on Monday night in the Choir Room of Smith Music Hall. He'll be playing along with some of his most well-known tracks, giving an intimate look at how he created the rhythm for some of the most beloved pop songs in history.

"Instead of being in the 300th row of a civic center somewhere, folks will just be 10 feet away," Miller said. "They'll be able to watch his hands and watch his feet, and see exactly how he makes the sounds he makes."

An admission of $5 will be charged at the door of the public drum clinic.

JOEL'S DAUGHTER'S SHOCK AT DAD'S YOUNG WIFE

2006-08-17T12:56:00.000-05:00

Musician ALEXA RAY JOEL was furious when her father BILLY JOEL first started dating his current-wife KATIE LEE, because the cookery host was only three years older than her.

Alexa, 21, whose mother is Joel's second wife CHRISTIE BRINKLEY, eventually came round to the idea and soon formed a close friendship with 24-year-old Lee.

Alexa says, "To be honest, when I first found out I gave dad a hard time about it. Then I got to know her. "She's really intelligent, sweet and warm, and she's a really good cook - which is great for dad and me!

"Because she's young, we can relate on a lot of levels so she's like a really good friend."

Peter Kay Steals Joel's Thunder...

2006-08-06T10:51:00.000-05:00

Legendary Uptown Girl singer Billy Joel attracted an amazing 47,000 punters to his Croke Park gig on Saturday but Peter Kay had them in fits before he even walked on stage...

It's one of the oldest rules in ShowBiz and something a veteran performer like Billy Joel should be well aware of: never have a support act that's gonna upstage the main show!

Well the comic in question was the genius creator of the hit show Phoenix Nights, Peter Kay, and managed to have Mr. Joel's capacity crowd rolling in the aisles with nothing more than a dry commentary over some songs he had recorded on his personal stereo!

Such was the response from the crowd Billy went out on the main stage to thank Peter personally and must have been thinking in the back of his mind: "How am I gonna follow that?"

But with legions of loyal fans eager to sing along to his greatest hits the US singer hardly had a mountain to climb on a warm Saturday evening in Dublin...

Par for the course the aging rocker delivered in style his tried-and-tested routine although some fans did suggest he could have played more of his better known tracks.

Meanwhile, across town the sight of Peter Stringfellow's neon sign still aglow after the club went into liquidation some weeks ago was a sad reminder of what could have been - the lights are on but there's no lap dancers at home!

Billy Joel, Bryan Adams perform free show

2006-08-04T10:24:00.000-05:00

Billy Joel, Bryan Adams perform free show
San Jose Mercury News - CA, USA
ROME - New York songwriter Billy Joel and Canadian rocker Bryan Adams took the stage just outside the Colosseum and performed classic hits to the delight of ...
See all stories on this topic

It's still rock'n'roll to Billy Joel

2006-08-03T12:21:00.000-05:00

Six-time Grammy Award-winner Billy Joel will be bringing his world tour to South Africa in October, Big Concerts said on Thursday.

The tour by Joel and his eight-piece band -- including a four-piece horn section -- will start on October 26 at the Coca-Cola Dome in Johannesburg. It then moves on to Cape Town's Bellville Velodrome on November 1.

His first performance in South Africa will see him performing hits such as River of Dreams, We Didn't Start the Fire, New York State of Mind, Just the Way You Are, It's Still Rock'n'Roll to Me, Piano Man, Tell Her about It and Uptown Girl.

Joel has sold more than 100-million records worldwide and was the first artist to have five albums past the seven million mark.

According to Big Concerts, the current Billy Joel tour recently set a world record for selling out New York's Madison Square Garden for 12 consecutive nights, beating Bruce Springsteen's record of 10 nights.

Tickets will go on sale on Saturday at 9am and will be priced from R250. -- Sapa

Billy Joel's Mzansi jol

2006-08-03T12:13:00.000-05:00

One of the greatest songwriters of the 20th century, Billy Joel, is coming to South Africa for the first time.

Accompanied by an eight-piece band, he will be appearing at the Coca Cola Dome on October 26 in Johannesburg before heading off to the Velodrome in Cape Town on November 1.

Billy Joel has sold over 100 million records in a career spanning four decades. He is known for hits like Just the Way You Are and It's Still Rock '* Roll to Me.

His massive hit, Uptown Girl, was famously inspired by '80s supermodel and all-American gal, Christie Brinkley who he married and then divorced in true Hollywood style.

But Joel is perhaps best known for his song, Piano Man. The name Piano Man is to him what Material Girl is to Madonna. Tickets for the shows start at R250 and are available at Computicket.

Billy Joel coming to SA

2006-08-03T12:05:00.000-05:00

Billy Joel, the piano man, will be bringing his hugely successful world tour to South Africa this October.

Beginning in Johannesburg’s Coca-Cola Dome on the 26th, the tour will see Joel and his eight-piece band (including a four-piece horn section) move on to Cape Town’s Bellville Velodrome on November 1.

A six-time Grammy award winner, Billy Joel has sold in excess of 100 million records worldwide and was the first artist to have five albums past the seven million mark.

Having not performed in SA before, Joel is heading south to perform hits from his massive repertoire, including 'River of Dreams', 'We Didn’t Start the Fire', 'New York State of Mind', 'Just the Way You Are', 'It’s Still Rock n’ Roll To Me', 'Piano Man', 'Tell Her About It' and 'Uptown Girl'.

Joel's tour recently set a world record for selling out New York’s Madison Square Gardens for twelve consecutive nights, beating Bruce Springsteen’s previously held record of 10 nights.

He's being brought to South Africa by BIG Concerts, 94.7 Highveld Stereo and Kfm 94.5.

Tickets go on sale Saturday August 5 at 9am.

Tickets are priced from R250 (excluding booking fees), and are available from Computicket on 083 915 8000, www.computicket.com and all outlets countrywide.

Tour Itinerary
Thursday 26 October: The Coca-Cola Dome, JHB
Wednesday 1 November: The Bellville Velodrome, CT

Billy Joel impresses at Roman Coliseum

2006-08-02T10:44:00.000-05:00

ROME, Aug. 1 (UPI) -- A half-million Italians packed the Roman Coliseum for a concert by New York rocker Billy Joel and Canadian Bryan Adams, ANSA reported Tuesday.

Although he's hardly a household name in Italy, Joel, 54, garnered high praise from the Italian press and entralled the audience with his piano/rock at the annual Telecom Italia-organized event, ANSA said.

The Roman daily, La Repubblica, marveled at Joel's two hour set with nary a "dud" song while the daily Il Messaggero dubbed him "Uncle Billy."

Rome Mayor Walter Veltroni summed up the experience as "marvelous" with "great musical quality and intensity."

Observers were overheard ranking Joel's concert higher than last year's show by Elton John and the 2004 concert by Simon & Garfunkel, ANSA said.

Organizers were leaning toward Italian artists for next year's fifth annual "Telecomcerto" concert with the name of Vasco Rossi mentioned, ANSA said.

Billy Joel, Bryan Adams perform free concert outside Rome’s Colosseum

2006-08-01T10:37:00.000-05:00

ROME (AP) - Rocker Bryan Adams and New York songwriter Billy Joel took to the stage just outside the Colosseum and performed classic hits to the delight of hundreds of thousands of fans.

Organizers put the number of people who turned up for the free concert Monday night at half a million.

Adams, opening the concert with the Colosseum lit up with purple and yellow lights, performed classics such as Run to You.

Joel sang old favourites like New York State of Mind, Honesty and Just the Way You Are.

While introducing one song he joked in shaky Italian, "This song is as old as the Colosseum."

Giant screens were set up along Via dei Fori Imperiali, the large boulevard that leads to the Colosseum and is lined with ancient Roman relics, for the throngs of people who could not see the stage.

The concert in front of the Colosseum has become a fixture of recent years in Rome. Previous performers include Paul McCartney and Simon & Garfunkel.

Billy's 88 ways to woo a goddess

2006-07-31T11:54:00.000-05:00

Billy's 88 ways to woo a goddess
The Sunday Times - UK
... Can we do a Cream song tonight?” Three hours before the first show of this greatest hits tour, Billy Joel sounds out anyone within earshot about the ...

Billy's 88 ways to woo a goddess

How did Billy Joel get Elle and Christie? By being the Piano Man, Pete Paphides learns

“Birmingham — it’s an R&B town, right? Didn’t Cream come from Birmingham? Can we do a Cream song tonight?” Three hours before the first show of this greatest hits tour, Billy Joel sounds out anyone within earshot about the possibility of a last-minute cover version.

“I don’t think Cream came from Birmingham,” suggests his guitarist. “How about Black Sabbath?” Looking more like a member of the road crew in his baseball cap and khaki shorts, the 55-year-old singer pads off to the dressing room doing a surprisingly good impression of Ozzy Osbourne on War Pigs. Joel is in ebullient form. His only palpable vice since last year, when he checked out of the Betty Ford Centre after being treated for alcohol addiction, is an occasional cigarette.

He won’t be joining his band for the soundcheck, which means that while a stand-in gives his piano a thorough workout he can ponder the thorny subject of tonight’s set list. Tonight, apparently, sees the first performance of Uptown Girl for two decades. It’s not a prospect that Joel sounds overly excited about. “Do I want to sing it again? No, I can’t say I do. It was sort of a novelty song. I mean, that whole album An Innocent Man was a homage to The Four Seasons. Frankie Valli sings as though someone’s squeezing him in the corleones, you know. It’s supposed to sound like you’re in pain. But that’s easier to do in the recording studio than night after night on tour.”

Still, I suggest that, as a memento of his early courtship of the supermodel (and mother of his daughter, Alexa Ray) Christie Brinkley, it must hold a special place in his heart. Judging by the reaction on Joel’s face, it’s not the heart that springs to mind. “You want to know what that song’s about?” he smiles. “I had recently gotten divorced (from his first wife, Elizabeth Weber). And now, here I was, a rock star who was suddenly single.

I made the most of it. I dated Elle Macpherson half a year before Christie. So the original song was called Uptown Girls. I was like a pig in s***.”

There’s no delicate way to approach this inquiry, but it’s worth a try. How does a short, “schlubby” ex-amateur boxer from Long Island pluck up the courage to hit on Elle Macpherson? Joel’s answer? With a piano you don’t need to. Holidaying in the Caribbean, he found himself at a hotel where Macpherson, Brinkley and a yet-to-be-famous Whitney Houston were staying. “Whitney was a model then, and there was a photoshoot. I went to the piano in the bar and started to play As Time Goes By. I looked up and there were these three gorgeous women looking at me from the other side of the piano. I looked back down at the piano and just said: ‘Thank you!’

” If Joel evinces the Zen candour of a millionaire in retirement, then it’s not altogether surprising. It’s been 13 years since he abdicated the singer-songwriter mantle with River of Dreams. Since then, and mostly for his own pleasure, he composes the odd classical piece. With the exception of It’s a Good Life — an anniversary present in 2005 for his current wife, the food writer Katie Lee — he has written only one pop tune since 1993.

Once in a while he takes to the road and bashes out a set of his most well-loved songs. But, save for a live CD, entitled 12 Gardens, and another compilation (this time entitled Piano Man) there’s nothing new to promote.

Joel is visibly amused by the quandary in which this leaves his record company. When he first served notice of his withdrawal from the recording process, Columbia’s response was disbelief. “Actually, they thought I was just negotiating — and this was the start-off point.”

Since then, Joel’s profile has been kept high by a procession of compilations. “It’s ridiculous,” he says, “If it’s not The Ultimate Billy Joel, it’s The Essential Billy Joel or Really and Truly the Very Best of Billy Joel." The lion’s share of his disdain though, is reserved for My Lives, the 2005 box set that gathered together four CDs of outtakes spanning his entire career. “The idea as it was presented to me was: ‘OK, we’re going to take everything you left on the cutting room floor, we’re going to put it in a box and charge people 50 bucks.’

“It’s not like I had a choice — they own it all. I read in the liner notes that I personally ‘curated’ all this stuff, which is a crock of s***. I didn’t curate a single thing.”

If there’s no love lost between Joel and the music business, perhaps it’s not so surprising. By the time he scored his first hit with Piano Man in 1973 — the song inspired by his six-month stint playing a Los Angeles bar — he had already accrued first-hand experience of the industry’s shady underside. When he was 20 he famously signed away his publishing rights to the (now defunct) Family Records in order to record his 1971 debut album Cold Spring Harbor. By the time the record appeared, a mastering error meant that Joel appeared to be on helium for all ten songs.

All things considered, it’s little wonder that this was also the year he attempted to end his life. Unable to pay the rent, he was forced to take a job in a factory. His girlfriend had left him. It was, as he tells it, a Woody Allen kind of suicide — death by furniture polish. “What does furniture polish taste like? It tastes like s***. I looked in my closet and it was a straight choice between chlorine bleach and furniture polish. They both had a skull and crossbones on, so I that was promising. I thought, ‘Hmmm, which one will taste better?’ “Well, the polish said that it was lemon-scented, so I figured it had to be that one. I didn’t die, obviously. I just farted furniture polish.”

He says that checking himself into an observation centre directly afterwards “was probably one of the best things that could have happened to me, because I met people who had real problems”.

Though Joel got better, his cynicism never quite dissipated. One notable outtake on My Lives is Oyster Bay, a 1973 vignette about a rock star who yearns simply to escape his punishing schedule and go out fishing off the picturesque Long Island coastal town. Tellingly, the song was written when he had yet to score a hit single. Even when Piano Man finally arrived, Joel followed it with The Entertainer, which suggested that his ultimate fate was “to get put in the back at the discount rack/Like another can of beans”.

His outsider’s perspective has served him well, though. At the show later on, the bestreceived songs are Movin’ Out and Allentown, journalistic paeans to the travails of ordinary people. Unlike Bruce Springsteen, Joel sees no innate virtue in their workaday struggles. “What Bruce does,” he ponders, “is consciously write about a working-class guy. I don’t set out to write about any particular life. It’s just how it comes out.”

Except, of course, that it no longer comes out — a fact that seems to cause Joel no discernible heartbreak. Now clean for over a year and free of the album/tour cycle, he says his life is better than it has ever been. Following the success of Twyla Tharp’s Movin’ Out — the Broadway show based around his music — he has fielded further ideas for musicals. If he is to get involved, though, he says it has to come from within.

An idea for a possible book suggests that Joel has some distance to go before he moderates his thoughts on the industry that brought him to prominence. Entitled A Good Career Move, the plot is predicated, Joel says, on the record industry's belief that established rock stars are much more useful dead than alive. If he gets around to writing it, then he’ll come up with some songs to go with it.

Right now though, music is just one of a range of outlets available to Joel. In 1996, seeking to buy himself a yacht “that didn’t look like a penis extension”, he reawakened his childhood interest in technical drawing and took his design to a Long Island boatmaker, who made the craft. The ensuing interest in Shelter Island Runabout — a modern version of the yachts used by wealthy New Yorkers for commuting to Manhattan in the 1930s — prompted Joel to go into business. Since then he has sold 42 of them at $500,000 a throw.

Then there’s his motorcycle design company, which takes new Harley-Davidsons and “soups them up to look like 1946 Knuckleheads. But you know, these things don’t take up a whole lot of my time. I probably spend more time with my wife or walking my two pugs around Oyster Bay.”

So he really did end up in Oyster Bay? Just like the guy in the song? Joel shows momentary surprise, as though the thought hadn’t occurred to him. “I did. But let me tell you, that’s where the similarity ends. I’m always on my f***ing boat.”

Billy Joel and Bryan Adams delight fans in Rome's Colosseum

2006-07-31T10:32:00.000-05:00

Rome - Rome's Colosseum provided the dramatic backdrop for the meeting of two grand masters of the international music scene Monday evening.

Piano Man Billy Joel and Canadian rock musician Bryan Adams delighted a singing and dancing mass of fans, who thronged the avenue in front of the imperial forum.

The concert was the musical highlight of the summer and what's more it was completely free.

Draped in the atmospheric light over the 26-metre stage, 46-year- old Adams belted out his greatest hits including Summer of 69 and Run to you.

Then it was the turn of New York super star Billy Joel, 57, who had not performed in Italy for more than 10 years.

Hits such as Innocent Man, the ballad-like Honesty, or the rollicking We didn't start the Fire lit up the hot, Roman summer night.

To cool the fans down, volunteers distributed free bottles of water in their tens of thousands.

For those who couldn't get as far as the Colosseum, 10 enormous screens brought them a view of the action.

Over the last few years, Paul McCartney, Simon & Garfunkel and Elton John have given free concerts at the Colosseum. The events have traditionally been sponsored by Italian telecom.

BRINKLEY'S DAUGHTER SPEAKS OUT ABOUT AFFAIR

2006-07-31T09:13:00.000-05:00

LATEST:

ALEXA RAY JOEL, supermodel CHRISTIE BRINKLEY's daughter with musician BILLY JOEL, has spoken out in support of her mother after she was cheated on by husband PETER COOK.

Earlier this month (JUL06) it was revealed that Brinkley's architect husband had an affair with his 19-year-old assistant, DIANA BIANCHI.

Joel, a professional singer like her father, told the New York Post, "I love my mom and I'm behind her 100 percent. She's doing very well considering everything that's happened." Joel refused to discuss her opinion on her stepfather Cook telling the publication, "Don't even go there. We don't need to fan the flames."

In a nod to her mother's current crisis, Joel dedicated her new song JADED to her mother at her concert in Toms River, New Jersey Friday (28JUL06), telling concert-goers the song was for "all the ladies who've been burned by their men - or should I say boys?'"

Christie Brinkley's husband Peter Cook publicly apologizes for adultery

2006-07-26T10:38:00.000-05:00

Supermodel Christie Brinkley's fourth husband architect Peter Cook has issued a public apology to her for an extramarital affair with his 19-year-old assistant Diana Bianchi. The model had recently announced she was separating from her husband of 10 years. In a statement, the 47-year-old architect said, “I love my wife, I have loved her since the day I met her…for a lifetime I've tried to prove how much I love her. This is an aberration. I'm sorry. I'm contrite. I'm stupid. Foolish. No excuse.” Bianchi and Cook's affair spanned a year, during which the teenager worked as his assistant.

According to Cook's legal counsel Norman Sheresky, the architect is hoping that the matter does not reach divorce. “He hopes there's no divorce. If she wants one, and he certainly hopes this doesn't happen, but if (it does), it will not be nasty. She can have whatever she wants,” Sheresky said. She pointed out that with the exception of this one incident, Cook had proved to be a good husband.

“He adopted one of her other children. He's been a great husband. He wants this to go away...To beg her forgiveness. For her to take him back. He says he's married to a terrific woman,” his lawyer said, adding that so far, divorce proceedings have not been initiated by Brinkley. “Christie Brinkley has not sued her husband,” she said.

But Bianchi might be considering a sexual harassment lawsuit. According to sources, she has alleged that the relationship wasn't consensual and Cook took advantage of his professional power to involve the teenager into an affair. Bianchi said she hadn't thought their light flirtation would turn into something serious and her parents have slammed Cook for 'abusing' their young daughter. Sheresky, however, said Cook 'denies that any relationship with that person was nonconsensual'. “As he told it to me, quote, 'I took no advantage'. The idea that the other person involved didn't knowingly consent to this relationship is garbage,” she said.

Meanwhile, Brinkley's publicist Elliot Mintz said that the 52-year-old model was 'completely preoccupied with the protection of her children, trying to isolate them from all of this coverage, and trying to heal'.

After being married to artist Jean-François Allaux, singer Billy Joel, and estate developer Richard Taubman, Brinkley tied the knot with Cook in 1996. She is the mother of three children, daughter Alexa Ray, son Jack Paris and daughter Sailor Lee. Jack, the son of Taubman, was adopted by Cook when the two married while Sailor is the couple's biological child. Alexa Ray is Billy Joel's daughter.

Take a break and check out some Videos

Billy Joel: "Your questions, my answers"

2006-07-26T10:13:00.000-05:00

Billy Joel is the first big name to have a blog on our website.

Hundreds of newspaper readers sent in questions for Billy before his Australian tour - questions they had always wanted to put to the Piano Man.

Over the weekend, Billy, on tour in Europe, reached for his laptop and answered as many as he could between engagements in Manchester and Ireland.

Readers wanted to know how songs had come about, whether Billy wrote the words or music first, why he never performs The Stranger at live shows and whether he still wears red socks.
===========

From: Julie S

Billy - what comes first when you write songs? The tune or the lyrics?

A- melody and rhythmic phrasing usually come first.

===========

From: Belinda Greenwood

In River of Dreams, you talk about searching for something - have you found it? And if so, what was it?

A-Yes, it was what I was singing about

===========

From: Coralee.

Hi Billy, I really enjoy your music and have done for a long time. It seems to show, even in your eyes, that you enjoy yourself and what you're doing. The question I would like to ask is "What is your favorite thing you do to relax away from all the hype and publicity?".Thanks again for all the great music. Stay well and keep safe.

Love Always
Coralee.

A-I enjoy boating and motorcycling as a way of being anonymous. Mostly I enjoy being with my wife and my pugs at home

===========

From: Joe Giuliani
hi Billy. could you please tell me your inspiration for innocent man. which i rate as top three bj songs also its a tough one to karaoke do you have any advice. regards joe. good luck with the up coming tour.

A-the music was inspired by the songs of Leiber and Stoller, which were recorded by Ben E. Fing and “The Drifters”. The words come from personal experience. Advice about singing it? Good luck - you’ll need to use ‘falsetto’

===========

From: Billy Bridge
As a singer/songwriter there are three writers who always inspire me. Your songs along with Paul McCartney's and Neil Finn's have always been my favourite tunes. You have such beautiful melodies and powerful lyrics.Always a woman, is one of my all time favourites.Is there a chance you would be able to have a writers session while in Melbourne. I would love the opportunity to hear you thoughts on writing up close.I will be at the November show, wouldn't miss it for the world.
Cheers Billy
http://www.billybridge.com

A-While I enjoy Q and A workshops regarding songwriting, I don’t think I’ll have much time while in Australia to do any.

===========

From: Karl D.C
Hi Billy,

How are things? Hope all is well.I've been to a number of your Australian concerts in the past (Storm Front, River of Dreams & Face to Face tours). What are you planning to perform for the Australian public this time around? One of my all-time favourite songs is "Angry Young Man". Can you please explain how this song came about?All the best for the upcoming tour.

Regards,Karl D.C.

A-I don’t yet know what our setlists will be. “Angry Young Man” is a combination of musical fragments and the lyrics are from personal experience.

===========

From: The McDonald Family
Hi Billy J

I first saw you in Portland,Oregon 1974 you were the warm-up act for Fleetwood Mac. WOW. I have lived in the land of OZ for 13yrs and wife and kids are Aussie. Could I ask you a favor even though we have never met? Two of my 4 kids are stuck in wheelchairs with cerebral palsy and my wife works her tail off. If we could just get away for 1 evening and maybe we could meet you for 1 minute it would be great for morale if you know what I mean. Anyway Thanks for all of the Beautiful music that makes the world have a sweeter sound.

Love,The McDonald Family

A-please contact the promoter's office with this request.

===========

From: Megan
Hi Billy, I have been a big fan since the seventies. I understand you now produce/create classical music. How do you find this different from pop and writing lyrics (I was always especially drawn to your lyrics).Will you be playing any of your classical music in Australia?

A-I always wrote music before lyrics, so writing thematic pieces isn’t that different for me. I won’t be performing any classical music on our Australian tour(except for some hidden Beethoven motifs)

===========

From: Cate
Can you tell us more than you've told us already; are there any updates on Brenda and Eddie?...Do you play 'Scenes from an Italian Restaurant' at your concerts? - I believe it's one of the greatest songs ever written and would love to see it performed live in Australia...Fingers crossed!

A-For an update on Brenda and Eddie-see the show “Movin’ Out” It continues the story of their lives. We usually include ‘Scenes from an Italian Restaurant’ in our setlists.

===========

From: Lloyd Poole
The song "Just The Way You Are" is my favourite song of all time. The drums on this track are strange or should I say quite different. How did you decide on using the drums this way?

A-The drum pattern on that recording was actually suggested by our producer at the time-Phil Ramone.

===========

From: Inga Binga
I really liked your classical album. Do you have any plans for some more?

A-I don’t have any recording plans at this time. I do plan to continue composing music until I kick off.

===========

From: Geoff Triplow
Dear Billy, I have been playing piano for many years but one song I love to play regularly is ‘just The Way You Are. It is a superb song with great chord progressions and melody. So simple but effective e.g mm –mm Am7 – D7. My question is – how did you write this song and how did you start it off. To me it is up there with some of the best songs ever crafted. I look forward to your reply.

A-I dreamt the melody and chord progression and wrote the lyrics over a few days after the dream reoccurred to me

===========

From: Glenn Leslie
Dear Billy

I have admired your work for a very long time. Two songs in particular are treasured favourites. One is Streetlife Serenader. What was it like working with Emory Gordy and Wilton Felder back in the mid 70's ? The other song is And So It Goes, from Storm Front, a very moving composition. Is this a song you sing very often? It sensitively addresses how people must sometimes feel. In your view, is it up there with your best achievements? Look forward to seeing you later in 2006. Regards, Glenn Leslie

A-Emory Gordy and Wilton Felder were inspiring musicians to work with. I perform “And So it Goes” now and then in concert. I have a great affection for that song.

===========

From: Glenn Drodge
Hey Billy.

Been a huge fan of yours since around 1977 and I think one of the best songs you've ever written was "The Starnger" i.e. the song, not the album. Just wondering what your opinion of that song is. Do you like it? Are you bored of it or does it drive you crazy like Uptown Girl and Just The Way You Are? You never play it live anymore and I was just wondering why. I think it's an amazing song! Glenn

A-I like the piano theme and I still like the lyrics, but song never played well in a live setting. I don’t know why

===========

From: Dave
I remember listening to a BBC Radio interview you did with your brother Alex many years ago. You were asked what your own favourite song was, and you said it was Laura. Which song that you have written is your all time favourite, and why?

A-I have a love/hate relationship with all the songs I have written. I can’t single out one above the others anymore.

===========

From: Dog
I love your music and look forward to your tour, but haven't caught up with any of your music of recent times.Do you plan to play new material during your concerts here, and if so what do you expect will be the percentage mix of old and new material?

A-What new material? My last album of new songs was released in 1993 “River of Dreams” I will be doing material from that album as well as all others

===========

From: Pam
Just hoping that Billy is going to sing "Summer Highland Falls" on his tour - and if not, please why not? This song speaks to so many people, and I would dearly love to hear it live once again.

A-I’ll keep it in mind-but I can’t possibly play every song requested

===========

From: Mark
With the likelihood of your shows selling out very quickly in Australia, can you offer fans extra shows to meet with demand? I for one would hate to miss out.

A-We have limited time to be in Australia. We’ll be in South Africa just before and in Japan right after

===========

From: Andrew
As well as your musical ability, your strong lyrics about personal experiences and feelings are obviously a great and important part of your songs. Is there a particular song over your career that you are most proud about lyrically, and if so, for what reason?

A-Right now I have the most pride in the lyrics to the songs on the ‘River of Dreams’ album. I feel I made the biggest stretch of my career writing the words on that album.

===========

From: Bill Muller
I saw your show in Southampton in England last week which was fantastic. I thought it was interesting you did some of the really early stuff even Zanzibar a lesser known song off 52nd street. Will all the songs you have to choose from, how do you decide which of 22 or 23 make it the play list?

A-It’s pure guesswork, experience, self-indulgence and luck

===========

From: Deano
Hi Billy! Love your music! Saw the musical, "Movin' Out" in San Francisco in 2004. Any plans to tour it in Australia? Was spectacular and would see it again. Thanks for coming Down Under again, can't wait to see you live!Dean

A-I hear there are plans to bring ‘Movin’ Out” down under soon

===========

From: JB
Hi Billy,I really love the song "We Didn't Start the Fire", and I sing along to it every time I hear it on the radio. However, I've always wondered what "the fire" is. Could you tell us please ?JB

A-‘The fire’ refers to the blazing mess the world is always in

===========

From: Amanda
Do you still wear red socks?

A-no

===========

From: Neil Andrews
Billy just wanted to ask you of the time you spent in boxing who were your heros and do you still follow the sport do you have a favorite boxer now

A-My hero was Sugar Ray Robinson. I no longer follow boxing

===========

From: James
Hey Billy,Thrilled that you're touring again. Can you tell us, which of Elton John's songs is your personal favorite?
A-“Goodbye Yellowbrick Road”

===========

From: Anthony Bergin
Hi Billy, Since "We didn't start the fire" was a huge world wide hit, would you ever consider re-releasing it based upon your reflection of what has happened in the last, say 20 years ?. I ask because a lot has happened for the good and bad since you penned the song.

Regards Anthony

A-Been there, done that…………It’s actually a capsulization of the ‘cold war’ years

===========

From: Andrew
With your songs such as Big Shot, Tell her about it, The longest time etc, did you write this from a broad experience perspective, or do you usually write them with a specific person in mind?

A-yes and yes

===========

From: Craig Wright
Hi Billy,

Very excited to hear you are coming to Australia! I have so many questions, but will limit them to two:- I recently read that you have a love of show music, and I was curious how the Movin' Out concept was pitched to you and your reaction to it? Did you have any creative input to the script or were there any ideas you had they ended up using in the end? Are you going to check out any venues in Australia to recommend to producers so that the tour production of Movin' Out comes further south than Japan?-

You have had a great rapport with so many artists, and in the recent past, Elton John. I've also noticed you have released an album based on your classical influences. Elton has previously done a tour and a live album with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. Would you consider something similar to compliment you?

Is a DVD of your Australian tour a possibility??Looking fwd to seeing you in November.Craig

A-yes

Take a break and check out some Videos

Billy Joel blogs on our site

2006-07-26T10:10:00.000-05:00

THE Piano Man has shared his thoughts ahead of his upcoming Australian tour, on The Courier-Mail's website.

Billy Joel is the first big name to have a blog on our website.

Over the weekend, Billy, on tour in Europe, reached for his laptop and answered as many questions as he could between engagements in Manchester and Ireland.

Readers wanted to know how songs had come about, whether Billy wrote words or music first, and why he never performs The Stranger at live shows.

He has one show in Queensland on November 21 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

Take a break and check out some Videos

Joel Heads Under

2006-07-26T10:04:00.000-05:00

Currently in the midst of a European summer tour, Billy Joel has added a four-date Australian arena trek to his fall calendar.

Joel will play Perth, Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane on the visit, which will run from November 7-21. His remaining U.K. and Euro dates include a free concert at the Colosseum in Rome July 31.

Earlier this year, the piano man embarked on a sold-out tour of the U.S., including a full 12 nights at New York City's Madison Square Garden Arena. A 32-track live album was compiled from the NYC shows and released in June as 12 Gardens: Live.

Prior to this year's shows, Joel had not toured as a solo act since 1999, focusing instead on a number of co-headlining collaborative tours with Elton John.

Take a break and check out some Videos

EXCLUSIVE: SUPERSTAR BILLY JOEL ON LIFE WITHOUT MUSIC

2006-07-26T09:55:00.000-05:00

MUSIC legend Billy Joel yesterday told how his songs saved his life.

The piano man from New York beat the odds and a tough up-bringing to sell more than 100 million records around the world.

Billy fears only his music prevented him from ending up in jail, addicted to drugs, or insane.

The straight-talking musician - born in New York's notorious South Bronx - says his life would have been very different if he'd not written a string of classic hits.

"Going to jail would definitely have been a possibility for me. That and drug addiction. I'd also have been homeless or ended up in an insane asylum," said Billy.

"I think I would have been a real desolate soul had I not been a musician."

Advertisement

And the star revealed the person most shocked by his global success is himself.

He said: "My success is pretty bizarre - because I don't think I'm all that great.

"I think I'm just competent about what I do. I know how to write, play, sing, perform and record. There's a lot of people out there who can't do that stuff."

The 55-year-old star is heading for Scotland to play two shows at the SECC in Glasgow, tomorrow and Thursday.

He's also planning a trip to his favourite watering hole, the Horse Shoe.

"I love that bar. I had a few beers last time I was in town and I'll be back if I can."

Billy has chalked up millions of sales, won a clutch of Grammy Awards and has his own Hollywood Walk of Fame star.

No mean feat for a guy whose dreams of becoming a history teacher were dashed when he failed to graduate at high school.

I met Billy backstage at the Hallam FM Arena in Sheffield on his first major UK tour in almost a decade.

He reflected on a rollercoaster 35-year career which has included two failed marriages and a spell in the Betty Ford Clinic for alcohol addiction.

Billy looks more like a car mechanic than a superstar - but it hasn't affected his way with the ladies.

He's romanced some of the world's most beautiful women.

Billy married first wife Elizabeth Weber in 1971 but they divorced after 12 years. He dated supermodel Elle Macpherson - before marrying catwalk rival Christie Brinkley in 5. The couple had a daughter, Alexa Ray who is now 20. But his marriage to Christie - who inspired one of his biggest hits, Uptown Girl - ended in 1994.

Billy wed his third wife - beautiful US TV presenter Katie Lee - in 2004.

He told me: "In the early days, I'd go to a party and there would be better "1 looking guys with smooth, suave chat-up lines. I'd go into the corner, play the piano, look up and there would be - girls.

"I thought, 'This is great'. That's how I met women. I didn't think I'd be a big star. My main goal was just to make a living.

"I'm a working guy. It's just that I make a lot more money than most other people. But I still know where I came from."

Billy was bullied at school when kids discovered he was taking piano lessons.

To defend himself, he took boxing lessons and could have made the grade as a prize fighter.

"I had to walk down the street going to piano lessons with my music books under my arm," said Billy.

"My teacher also taught ballet so you can imagine the reaction of the other kids. They'd hit me in the face or knock my books out of my hands.

"I took up boxing so I could take care of myself. I went back to my school, walked up to the biggest guy who used to pick on me and clocked him pretty good. Nobody bothered me after that."

Billy's father Howard was a Jewish Holocaust survivor from Germany. He split from the singer's mother Rosalind when Billy was 10 years old and moved back to Eastern Europe.

"My dad wasn't around so I never saw him much," revealed Billy.

"I had friends who said, 'You'll never make it as a musician, you're gonna starve'.

"But my mum used to sing in an operatic company so she encouraged me.

"When I didn't graduate, I said, 'I'm NOT going to Columbia University, I'd rather go to Columbia Records'. That's what I did." Several of Billy's hits were inspired by growing up inNewYork. How did he feel about the September 11 terrorist attack?

"I grew up 25 miles from Manhattan and as a kid the first chance I got I'd jump on a train and go into the city," he said.

"There were bright lights, great stores and pretty girls. New York coloured my life so much. When the city came under attack I went into a deep depression. It was so hard to fathom that kind of monstrous hatred for humanity.

"I'm still not over it. I think New York has changed. There's a sadness there which didn't used to exist. When I go by Ground Zero, it's very moving and emotional." At the last count, Billy had scored 33 Top 40 hits since releasing his first album Cold Spring Harbor in 1971, includ ing Just The Way You Are, Piano Man, Tell Her About It and An Innocent Man.

He was inducted into the Rock 'N' Roll Hall of Fame in 1999 and despite flunking high school he's been awarded honororary doctorates.

The star now funds the Billy Joel Endowment a scholarship to encourage kids to pursue a music path.

"There wasn't anything like that when I was a kid. My family didn't have any money to help me further my music education and I wasn't good enough to win any scholarships," he said.

"I just figure, the more opportunities there are out there for kids to learn to write and play, the better."

At 55, Billy has no plans to retire.

"I'm looking forward to playing in Glasgow again. The last gig I played in the city was in 1998 when I was sick with a terrible sore throat.

"So if anybody who was at that gig is reading this - I don't really sound that bad. This time, I'll sing a whole lot better."

'I think that I would have been a real desolate soul had I not been a musician'

Take a break and check out some Videos

Samantha Cole, Diana Bianchi & Christie Brinkley: A Cooked Up Mess

2006-07-26T09:27:00.000-05:00

Diana Bianchi, a 19-year old wannabe singer is telling anyone that will listen that she has been having an affair with Christie Brinkley's hubby Peter Cook for the last year. Samantha Cole a 29-year-old singer told the New York Post in Wednesday's editions that she and Cook had a relationship when she was 19 years old as well - ten years ago.

Meanwhile Christie Brinkley is devastated by the whole 'Cooked" up mess.

"She is totally shocked and just devastated," a close friend of Brinkley's tells PEOPLE of Cook's yearlong relationship with now 19-year-old Diana Bianchi.

"She has been extremely concerned about the impact of this situation on her children and felt it was very important to protect them and take them away for a little bit."

***

Samantha Cole revealed to The NY Post that Cook has a bad habit of bedding aspiring teenage singers from Southampton who work for him.

She speaks from experience.

"I laugh at this, because our story is exactly the same," Cole told The Post, referring to bombshell news that Cook, 47, seduced 19-year-old budding singer Diana Bianchi last year at his Southampton firm. "It's very odd."

"My mother's the one that pointed it out. She said, 'This is you, this is you 10 years ago.' It's definitely weird, it's really weird."

Sad is probably the appropriate term and Cole added that she was shocked to hear that Cook had allegedly cheated on Brinkley. "I never thought he would do something like that, being married, with his family so important to him."

***

Diana Bianchi said that Cook aggressively wooed her while she was working for him and assured the teen that his famous, 10-year marriage to supermodel Brinkley was already on the rocks.

"We started talking about things, and he was telling me that he was unhappy and that he was having problems at home," Bianchi told the Post.

The New York Post reports that they soon began sleeping together - although, she said, "We were not out dating [in public]. We didn't do anything like that."

Still, "I felt uncomfortable," the teen admitted. "I had never been with anyone who was married. I was always on the right track. This was all new to me."

Eventually, the strain of sneaking around with Cook got to be too much, Bianchi said, and she broke up with him in April.

"I just . . . it was uncomfortable for me," the teen said with a heavy sigh.

Brinkley found out about the affair from Bianchi's step-father and confirmed it by looking through through steamy e-mails that Cook and Bianchi had sent to each other.

***

This story just keeps getting layers piled on by the hour and one can't help but feel for Christie and the kids.

Bianchi is dangerously close to be dubbed a home wrecker and probably would be wise to lay low. Samantha likely figured she might as well come forward as she was outed with Fox 411 columnist Roger Friedman's really good decade old memory.

Cook has zero sympathy from observers. Christie Brinkley's mom called him "a no-good SOB" for allegedly cheating on his supermodel wife with his teenage assistant.

"He is the guilty man here. She is fine - she is doing great," Marjorie Brinkley told Star magazine in an exclusive interview. "He's a no-good SOB. We are all completely devastated, as Christie is. It is shocking how this could happen."

***

Cook appears to have gone into hiding as every major outlet mentions that he has not returned calls for comment.

PEOPLE reports that Christie has left the Hamptons and the model mom has taken her son Jack, 11, and daughter Sailor, 8, to L.A. to be with her parents. (Her other daughter, Alexa Ray, 20, with ex-husband Billy Joel, is a musician playing gigs in the New York City area.).

Meanwhile all the press for now is being pumped at the two former teen lovers of Cook. Expect this story to continue, as long as they keep talking.

And then some.

Check out some Videos

Billy Joel @ M.E.N. Arena

2006-07-26T09:26:00.000-05:00

WITH 16,000 sweaty souls eagerly awaiting his arrival, Billy Joel didn’t exactly need a cheerleader.

But he got one anyway in the cuddly shape of Peter Kay, the Bolton funnyman making good on his promise to attend all of Joel’s first UK dates for 12 years.

Advertisement your story continues below
It was Kay - sitting just yards from the stage - who urged the crowd to their feet, clapping enthusiastically and mouthing the words to every song.

“Peter Kay’s here,” Joel declared. “Whaddya got, a private jet? How do you get to all these gigs.”

Kay yelled back that he only lived 20 minutes away.

Joel never was much of a pop star in the usual sense. Songs like Angry Young Man, My Wife, and The Entertainer seem as if some stubby bloke in a stage musical has just leapt up to tell you his life in song.

Broadway

Little wonder that 24 of those songs have already been recycled into a Broadway show.

That stubby bloke is still well in touch with his history has a lounge pianist.

The songs were always a bit too polished, a bit too cabaret.

But they are for Joel to critics’ praise as well as the 100 million record sales.

It’s just that timeless, old fashioned sound, which means that Joel’s songs scrub up so fresh for 2006.

Just The Way You Are

Not that he is precious about his repertoire, wise-cracking that he will ’throw up’ if he has to sing one more ’mushy’ song Just The Way You Are. (‘written for my first ex-wife’).

The Entertainer is dripped with cynicism for the entertainment business Joel had only just entered when he wrote it in 1974. But he was wrong on one score.

“And I won’t be here in another year if I don’t stay on the charts,” he sang.

The truth is, he is packing them in like last night having delivered not a single new pop song to a waiting world since 1993.

You suspect that many of last night’s crowd had waited almost that long for this gig.

In June 1998, Joel cancelled an appearance at Lancashire County Cricket Club because of a respiratory infection. It’s taken this long for him to get back to the city.

On the hottest night of this and many other years, the Piano Man was making good on one of the longest rainchecks in rock history.

Take a break and check out some Videos

Uptown Gig for Billy Joel

2006-07-26T09:24:00.000-05:00

Multi-superdooper-platinum selling megastar Billy Joel is returning to Australia for his first tour in eight years, and good ol' BJ has locked in a Perth date. Flip your diary pages to Tuesday, November 7, and pen in that Billy Joel will be raising the roof off the Burswood Dome. Then flick back a few pages and note that tickets go on sale at 9am on Monday, July 31. Tickets can be purchased from all Ticketek outlets, including ticketek.com.au or by calling 132 849.

Take a break and check out some Videos

Billy may sing about coal fight

2006-07-26T08:28:00.000-05:00

PIANO man Billy Joel's next big hit could be about the gritty plight of South Yorkshire's former pit families.

He's reading up on the closure of Grimethorpe Colliery, as our exclusive photo reveals backstage at Sheffield's Hallam FM Arena..

Joel has sung about the demise of the Pennsylvania steel industry in Allentown and the struggle of Long Island's fishermen, in The Downeaster Alexa.

Now he's planning to read Energy Is Coal - Grimethorpe Pit Closure, written more than 10-years ago by former Barnsley miners, families and school children.

The book, amongst presents sent backstage by fans, struck a chord with the music legend, who is regarded as one of the greatest social observation songwriters of all time. "I'm a history buff and I'll certainly look forward to reading this. My wife is from Virginia, which is also a coal mining area,'' said Joel, who is keen to explore his UK roots. His mother, Rosalind, was born in England and his father, Howard, was a Jewish holocaust survivor from Germany.

Mel Dyke, the former Willowgarth High School deputy head, was behind the Grimethorpe book-in-a-day project. She said: "Billy's hit, Allentown, inspired what we did. He's the greatest songwriter since Cole Porter.

"I don't know if anything will come of the present, but he sings about social issues in his homeland so it's just great to share our history with him.''

Take a break and check out some Videos

Christie Brinkley’s Hubby Always Liked Teens

2006-07-18T10:15:00.000-05:00

Dear Readers,
When I awoke yesterday to stories that Christie Brinkley’s hubby had cheated on her with a 19-year-old, I thought I’d entered Rocky and Bullwinkle’s Way Back machine.

That’s because exactly 10 years ago, I wrote a similar story about architect Peter Cook. He was 37 years old at the time and newly engaged to Brinkley.

I had the ignominious distinction of breaking the news that throughout the spring of 1996, whilst courting Brinkley, Cook was seriously dating a beautiful 19-year-old singer named Samantha Cole. She was from Southampton, N.Y., and her mother worked at the local police station. Neither she nor Christie knew anything about each other.

Twice that spring, Cook went to Los Angeles and asked Cole to marry him. The now 29-year-old model and singer refreshed my memory yesterday.

Here are some Videos

Joel demanding bike customer

2006-07-18T10:13:00.001-05:00

There is something inherently funny about Billy Joel volunteering to be part of a special two-hour episode of American Chopper.
The veteran musical performer has had his share of run-ins with the law regarding his tendency to, well, allegedly enjoy a few alcoholic beverages before taking the wheel.
Joel is the centre of attention tonight on Discovery as the guys from American Chopper are commissioned to build him a custom motorcycle.
If you're unfamiliar with the American Chopper reality series, which has been running since 2003, suffice it to say it's a weird show.
Orange County Choppers is a custom-bike company in Montgomery, N.Y., owned by tattoo-adorned, no-nonsense boss Paul Teutul Sr. Among the staff are Teutul's two sons, Paul Jr. and Mikey, along with employees Vinnie and Rick.
At the heart of the show are the crude, blue-collar versions of office politics that can be applied universally. Paul Sr. is the bullying dad. Paul Jr. is the lazy heir. Mikey is the goofy one. Rick is the sensitive one. The verbal battles are as predictable as they are vicious.
The 57-year-old Joel, a lifelong motorcycle enthusiast, has decided he wants a "bobber," a.k.a., a "Billy Bob." He's a demanding customer, asking for something that looks like it was made in the 1930s or 1940s, then was modified in the 1950s, but with updated technology to make it purr like a 21st-century kitten.
There's a funny scene early in the show when Joel, the Piano Man, is asked if he wants any signature artistic touches on his bobber, like, say, some painted piano keys.
"Deliver me from piano keys," Joel barks. "People are always sending me frickin' scarves . . . I hate piano keys."
That, of course, gives the OCC guys the idea of making up a spoof bike, complete with a working keyboard and a microphone just in case Joel wants to break into song while he drives.
Joel's reaction when the spoof bike is unveiled is not quite as demonstrative as the producers might have liked, but it still is an amusing moment.
As work on the real bike progresses, there are problems, of course.
Joel doesn't like the way things are going. That annoys Paul Sr., who at one point says, "(Joel) has to do more concerts. He has too much free time."
There is some butt-kissing. At one point, a voice-over from Mikey states, "(Joel's) first album was released back in 1972 and he's pretty much been at the top of the charts ever since."
Well, not the charts we've been checking lately.
There really was no reason for this to be a two-hour episode. An hour would have sufficed. Some of the bits when they actually are building the bike could have been edited, but supposedly that's what keeps the gearheads happy.
The finished product is presented to Joel on stage during a concert at the Carrier Dome in Syracuse, N.Y.
Joel announces to the crowd and to the guys from American Chopper, "I'm gonna go home, I'm gonna bring this bike back, I'm gonna ride it, man!"
Uh-oh.
IF YOU WATCH
What: American Chopper Celebrity Build: Billy Joel
When: Tonight, 8 p.m.
Where: Discovery

Billy Joel, legendary American singer/songwriter, plays Croke Park on Saturday, the 29th of July.

2006-07-18T10:13:00.000-05:00

Billy Joel had a busy year in 2005 releasing a box set My Lives, performing a series of concerts at Madison Square Garden and recording a live album, 12 Gardens Live with the singer in his best form in nearly two decades.

Having wowed audiences on his sold out American tour, Billy Joel now comes to Ireland performing pop anthems including "Piano Man", "Only The Good Die Young", "We Didn't Start the Fire" and "River of Dreams" at a special performance at Croke Park.

Over the last three decades, Billy Joel has scored 33 Top 40 hits, sold 100 copies of his 16 albums and received 5 Grammy Awards as well as induction of Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame.

Having played in a number of different New York line-ups, Billy Joel broke out as a solo artist in the early '70s merging the melodies of The Beatles with Broadway classics and scoring his first big hit with "Piano Man".

Billy Joel followed up on the success of "Piano Man" with a string of hit singles like "New York State of Mind", "Just the Way You Are", "She's Always a Woman" and "Uptown Girl" and a host of hit ablums like Streetlife Serenade, The Stranger and Glass Houses.

The singer's musical evolution from his early 60's Long Island bar bands to his biggest hits to his most recent classical composition is documented in his new box set, My Lives, the first Billy Joel collection to explore the entirety of the artist's career.

A veritable treasure throve for Billy Joel fans, My Lives brings together rare demos and alternate takes from all phases of the artist's career, live performances and Joel's covers of songs by Bob Dylan, Brian Wilson and Leonard Cohen.

A night of classic rock anthems, Billy Joel plays Croke Park on Saturday, the 29th of July.

Billy Joel To Tour Australia

2006-07-18T10:10:00.000-05:00

July 17 2006

Billy Joel is to return to Australia for the first time in eight years.

Joel holds the record for having sold more tickets to Australians than any other American performer.

His last Australian tour eight years ago was with Elton John/ His last solo tour of Australia was the River of Dreams tour in 1994.

Most recently, the 'Piano Man' performed 12 consecutive sold out shows at Madison Square Garden in New York. It was a first for any performer. The event was captured for his new album '12 Gardens Live'.

Tickets for Billy Joel in Australia go on sale on July 31st.

Dates are:
Tuesday 07 November Burswood Dome, PerthFriday 10 November Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne Wednesday 15 November Acer Arena, SydneyTuesday 21 November Brisbane Entertainment Centre

Billy Joel returns

2006-07-18T10:08:00.000-05:00

THE Piano Man is set to return to Australia for his first concert tour here in eight years.

With the recent release of his greatest hits album, 12 Gardens Live, Billy Joel will do one show in Queensland on November 21 at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre.

The last time he performed on his own was in 1994 with his River of Dreams tour. In 1998 he toured with Elton John on the Face to Face tour.

Joel has entertained more Australians than any other American artist, selling more than a million concert tickets in Australia during his career.

According to Pollstar's annual Top 100 Tours report, he has sold more tickets to his shows in the last 12 months than any other artist in the world, including Madonna and U2.

Joel will also perform in Perth, Melbourne and Sydney. Tickets will go on sale 9am on Monday, July 31.

Piano Man Billy Joel to play here

2006-07-18T10:02:00.000-05:00

PIANO Man Billy Joel is coming to Australia for his first tour in eight years.

The singer, songwriter and pianist extraordinaire last played in Australia with Elton John in 1998, but the show at Rod Laver Arena on November 10 will be his first solo Melbourne show since 1994.

Although Joel retired from writing pop music after that tour, the past year has been something of a renaissance for the 57-year-old.

A report yesterday said Joel had sold more tickets in the US in the year ending June 30 than any other artist -- including Madonna, U2 and the Rolling Stones. While Joel sold more than twice as many tickets as top-earner Madonna, she and the Stones earned more because of much higher ticket prices.

Tickets to Joel's Melbourne shows will cost $128 to $189. Joel's tour will be his first since a stint last year at the US Betty Ford Centre to treat alcohol abuse.