Latest news with #ClaireMercuri
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Billy Joel closing beloved motorcycle shop amid 'scary' brain disorder health battle
is preparing to part ways with a major passion project as he continues to navigate a serious health condition. The legendary musician, 76, will shut down his Long Island motorcycle shop, 20th Century Cycles, in late September and auction off his extensive collection of bikes later this year, his representative Claire Mercuri confirmed to the Associated Press. The decision comes months after Joel revealed he had been diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), a neurological disorder that affects balance, vision, and hearing. Joel first disclosed his diagnosis in May, sharing that symptoms had been 'exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance.' Under medical guidance, he has been undergoing physical therapy and has been advised to step away from performing. As a result, all of his scheduled shows through July 2026 have been canceled. According to the Cleveland Clinic, NPH occurs when excess cerebrospinal fluid accumulates inside the skull and puts pressure on the brain. The condition primarily impacts older adults and is typically treated by surgically implanting a shunt to drain the fluid. Joel's shop in Oyster Bay opened in 2010 and quickly became a destination for motorcycle enthusiasts and tourists alike. The facility served not only as a workshop for restoring and customizing bikes but also as a gallery showcasing his personal collection — which includes more than 75 motorcycles spanning decades and brands such as Harley-Davidson, Triumph, Ducati, Moto Guzzi, Indian, and BMW. Among the most notable pieces is a rare 1952 Vincent Rapide, a model that can command tens of thousands of dollars at auction. In a 2013 YouTube video filmed at the shop, the singer explained his motivation for opening the space. 'It's basically promoting an aesthetic here. I like older style. I like the automotive style from the '30s to the '60s. I wanted to collect a whole bunch of those kinds of bikes, put 'em in one place and let people see what that era of bike looked like. Because it's starting to be a lost aesthetic,' he told fans. Joel added that the venture was also a way to boost the local economy in Oyster Bay, the upscale waterfront community where he grew up just miles away in Hicksville. 'I've been living in this community for a long time,' he said in the video. 'I actually grew up not far from here. And I'd like to get a little interest going into the town and the village.' The town has embraced him in return. In 2023, part of the street where 20th Century Cycles sits was renamed Billy Joel Way. Joel's passion for motorcycles stretches back decades, though it has not been without risk. In 1982, he was badly injured on Long Island when a car ran a red light and struck his bike, leaving him with a dislocated wrist and an injured thumb. He recovered after a month in the hospital and remained an avid rider, often using motorcycles to participate in charity events supporting causes such as 9/11 first responders and breast cancer research. While Joel has been spending more time in South Florida, he still maintains homes on Long Island, including a Centre Island estate currently listed for $29.9 million. A date for the auction of his motorcycles has yet to be announced. Billy's illustrious career as a musician began back in the mid-1960s, which led to the release of debut studio album, Cold Spring Harbor (1971). But it failed to gain any real traction until after the success of his follow-up, Piano Man (1973), that peaked at number 25 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number four on the Adult Contemporary singles chart. Now an established name on the musical landscape, Joel became a million seller with the release of Streetlife Serenade (1974), but his commercial breakout making him a bonafide star came with the release of The Stranger (1977), which featured the hit singles Movin' Out (Anthony's Song), Just The Way You Are, She's Always a Woman, The Stranger, and Only The Good Die Young. He would go on to release a 13th album - Fantasies & Delusions (2001) - that features classical compositions from Joel, a first for him during his career. With over 160 million records sold worldwide, Billy Joel is one of the world's best-selling musical artists, and the fourth-best-selling solo artist in the United States.
CTV News
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- CTV News
Billy Joel closing beloved New York motorcycle shop after brain disorder diagnosis
Billy Joel's beloved motorcycle shop on Long Island, New York, is closing down after nearly 15 years of offering fans a free peek at his personal collection of dozens of bikes. The music icon will be shuttering 20th Century Cycles in Oyster Bay in late September and auctioning off his collection later this year because of a brain disorder he has been diagnosed with, according to a spokesperson, Claire Mercuri. In May, Joel announced that he was cancelling upcoming concerts after learning he has Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, a fluid buildup in his brain that can affect thinking, concentrating, memory, movement and more, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The 76-year-old singer, composer and pianist was having trouble with his balance but otherwise felt good, he said in an interview last month on Bill Maher's Club Random podcast. Joel, who grew up in nearby Hicksville, opened 20th Century Cycles in late 2010 as a place to maintain and repair his motorcycles, restore and customize ones he bought and showcase his collection for the public at no charge. 'It's basically promoting an aesthetic here,' he said in a 2013 YouTube video filmed at the shop. 'I like older style. I like the automotive style from the '30s to the '60s. I wanted to collect a whole bunch of those kinds of bikes, put 'em in one place and let people see what that era of bike looked like. Because it's starting to be a lost aesthetic.' He said he also wanted to bring foot traffic and business to downtown Oyster Bay — a ritzy waterfront community about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of midtown Manhattan — where part of the street that includes 20th Century Cycles was renamed Billy Joel Way in 2023. 'I've been living in this community for a long time,' he said in the video. 'I actually grew up not far from here. And I'd like to get a little interest going into the town and the village.' Joel's nearby home in Centre Island is listed for $29.9 million, and he has been living in South Florida, while keeping a home in Sag Harbor on Long Island. The shop became a popular stop for motorcycle enthusiasts and tourists. It was home to Joel's collection of more than 75 bikes, dating back all the way to the 1940s and including Harley-Davidsons, Triumphs, Ducatis, Moto Guzzis, Indians and BMWs. One of the most valuable, he said, was a 1952 Vincent Rapide, which can sell for tens of thousands of dollars and sometimes more, according to auction sites. 'I think everybody in Oyster Bay would agree that it's a big loss,' said Ted Bahr, who owns a vintage rock poster gallery next to 20th Century Cycles. 'Billy's place is visited on weekends by dozens and dozens of people, typically on motorcycles but also people in cars,. People come up and look at the window all the time. I mean it's a real destination. Billy Joel is a real superstar, and he is a hometown boy, so it's really unfortunate.' The motorcycles that were in the shop have already been moved out. But it has been open on recent weekends selling new, used and vintage motorcycle parts that were still in stock there. Joel's enthusiasm for motorcycles dates back decades. In 1982, he was riding a motorcycle on Long Island when he was struck by a car that ran a red light, injuring his left thumb and dislocating his right wrist. He spent about a month in the hospital. He has also ridden motorcycles in various benefits for 9/11 first responders, breast cancer and other causes over the years. A date for the auction of his collection has not been set. Dave Collins, The Associated Press
Washington Post
7 days ago
- Automotive
- Washington Post
Billy Joel closing beloved New York motorcycle shop after brain disorder diagnosis
Billy Joel's beloved motorcycle shop on Long Island, New York, is closing down after nearly 15 years of offering fans a free peek at his personal collection of dozens of bikes. The music icon will be shuttering 20th Century Cycles in Oyster Bay in late September and auctioning off his collection later this year because of a brain disorder he has been diagnosed with, according to a spokesperson, Claire Mercuri.
The Independent
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Billy Joel closing beloved New York motorcycle shop after brain disorder diagnosis
Billy Joel 's beloved motorcycle shop on Long Island, New York, is closing down after nearly 15 years of offering fans a free peek at his personal collection of dozens of bikes. The music icon will be shuttering 20th Century Cycles in Oyster Bay in late September and auctioning off his collection later this year because of a brain disorder he has been diagnosed with, according to a spokesperson, Claire Mercuri. In May, Joel announced that he was canceling upcoming concerts after learning he has Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, a fluid buildup in his brain that can affect thinking, concentrating, memory, movement and more, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The 76-year-old singer, composer and pianist was having trouble with his balance but otherwise felt good, he said in an interview last month on Bill Maher 's Club Random podcast. Joel, who grew up in nearby Hicksville, opened 20th Century Cycles in late 2010 as a place to maintain and repair his motorcycles, restore and customize ones he bought and showcase his collection for the public at no charge. 'It's basically promoting an aesthetic here," he said in a 2013 YouTube video filmed at the shop. "I like older style. I like the automotive style from the '30s to the '60s. I wanted to collect a whole bunch of those kinds of bikes, put 'em in one place and let people see what that era of bike looked like. Because it's starting to be a lost aesthetic.' He said he also wanted to bring foot traffic and business to downtown Oyster Bay — a ritzy waterfront community about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of midtown Manhattan — where part of the street that includes 20th Century Cycles was renamed Billy Joel Way in 2023. 'I've been living in this community for a long time,' he said in the video. 'I actually grew up not far from here. And I'd like to get a little interest going into the town and the village.' Joel's nearby home in Centre Island is listed for $29.9 million, and he has been living in South Florida, while keeping a home in Sag Harbor on Long Island. The shop became a popular stop for motorcycle enthusiasts and tourists. It was home to Joel's collection of more than 75 bikes, dating back all the way to the 1940s and including Harley-Davidsons, Triumphs, Ducatis, Moto Guzzis, Indians and BMWs. One of the most valuable, he said, was a 1952 Vincent Rapide, which can sell for tens of thousands of dollars and sometimes more, according to auction sites. 'I think everybody in Oyster Bay would agree that it's a big loss," said Ted Bahr, who owns a vintage rock poster gallery next to 20th Century Cycles. 'Billy's place is visited on weekends by dozens and dozens of people, typically on motorcycles but also people in cars,. People come up and look at the window all the time. I mean it's a real destination. Billy Joel is a real superstar, and he is a hometown boy, so it's really unfortunate." The motorcycles that were in the shop have already been moved out. But it has been open on recent weekends selling new, used and vintage motorcycle parts that were still in stock there. Joel's enthusiasm for motorcycles dates back decades. In 1982, he was riding a motorcycle on Long Island when he was struck by a car that ran a red light, injuring his left thumb and dislocating his right wrist. He spent about a month in the hospital. He has also ridden motorcycles in various benefits for 9/11 first responders, breast cancer and other causes over the years. A date for the auction of his collection has not been set.
Associated Press
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
Billy Joel closing beloved New York motorcycle shop after brain disorder diagnosis
Billy Joel's beloved motorcycle shop on Long Island, New York, is closing down after nearly 15 years of offering fans a free peek at his personal collection of dozens of bikes. The music icon will be shuttering 20th Century Cycles in Oyster Bay in late September and auctioning off his collection later this year because of a brain disorder he has been diagnosed with, according to a spokesperson, Claire Mercuri. In May, Joel announced that he was canceling upcoming concerts after learning he has Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, a fluid buildup in his brain that can affect thinking, concentrating, memory, movement and more, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The 76-year-old singer, composer and pianist was having trouble with his balance but otherwise felt good, he said in an interview last month on Bill Maher's Club Random podcast. Joel, who grew up in nearby Hicksville, opened 20th Century Cycles in late 2010 as a place to maintain and repair his motorcycles, restore and customize ones he bought and showcase his collection for the public at no charge. 'It's basically promoting an aesthetic here,' he said in a 2013 YouTube video filmed at the shop. 'I like older style. I like the automotive style from the '30s to the '60s. I wanted to collect a whole bunch of those kinds of bikes, put 'em in one place and let people see what that era of bike looked like. Because it's starting to be a lost aesthetic.' He said he also wanted to bring foot traffic and business to downtown Oyster Bay — a ritzy waterfront community about 25 miles (40 kilometers) east of midtown Manhattan — where part of the street that includes 20th Century Cycles was renamed Billy Joel Way in 2023. 'I've been living in this community for a long time,' he said in the video. 'I actually grew up not far from here. And I'd like to get a little interest going into the town and the village.' Joel's nearby home in Centre Island is listed for $29.9 million, and he has been living in South Florida, while keeping a home in Sag Harbor on Long Island. The shop became a popular stop for motorcycle enthusiasts and tourists. It was home to Joel's collection of more than 75 bikes, dating back all the way to the 1940s and including Harley-Davidsons, Triumphs, Ducatis, Moto Guzzis, Indians and BMWs. One of the most valuable, he said, was a 1952 Vincent Rapide, which can sell for tens of thousands of dollars and sometimes more, according to auction sites. 'I think everybody in Oyster Bay would agree that it's a big loss,' said Ted Bahr, who owns a vintage rock poster gallery next to 20th Century Cycles. 'Billy's place is visited on weekends by dozens and dozens of people, typically on motorcycles but also people in cars,. People come up and look at the window all the time. I mean it's a real destination. Billy Joel is a real superstar, and he is a hometown boy, so it's really unfortunate.' The motorcycles that were in the shop have already been moved out. But it has been open on recent weekends selling new, used and vintage motorcycle parts that were still in stock there. Joel's enthusiasm for motorcycles dates back decades. In 1982, he was riding a motorcycle on Long Island when he was struck by a car that ran a red light, injuring his left thumb and dislocating his right wrist. He spent about a month in the hospital. He has also ridden motorcycles in various benefits for 9/11 first responders, breast cancer and other causes over the years. A date for the auction of his collection has not been set.
