Latest news with #ClubRandom
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Billy Joel likens his neurological disorder to ‘being in a boat,' says he feels ‘good' nonetheless
Billy Joel is sharing a health update months after the cancellation of his tour, which was the result of his being diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), a condition that affects the brain. Joel offered the update during Monday's episode of Bill Maher's 'Club Random' podcast, saying that while the condition is 'not fixed' and 'still being worked on,' overall he feels 'fine.' 'My balance sucks. It's like being on a boat,' Joel said, later adding, 'I feel good. I think they keep referring to what I have as a brain disorder, so it sounds a lot worse than what I'm feeling.' Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus is a 'very rare condition' that 'occurs when a person has too much fluid in the brain,' according to Yale Medicine. Fewer than 3% of adults over the age of 65 are diagnosed with NPH, and it affects men and women equally. Joel announced in May that his tour dates had been canceled so that he could seek treatment for NPH, saying in a statement at the time that the condition 'has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision, and balance.' 'Under his doctor's instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period,' the statement read. 'Billy is thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health.' Joel's announcement in May came after he previously postponed eight tour dates so that he could focus on recovering from recent surgery. Last week, a new documentary about Joel's early years and career debuted on HBO Max. Titled 'Billy Joel: And So It Goes,' the doc covers Joel's beginnings and early musical partnerships, and also goes in depth into some of his personal struggles. (CNN and HBO Max share the same parent company, Warner Brothers Discovery.)


Perth Now
6 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Billy Joel thinks this Beatles album is a 'collection of half-assed songs'
Billy Joel has branded The White Album by The Beatles a "collection of half-assed songs". The Piano Man was clearly not a fan of the legendary rock band's 1968 self-titled double album - which featured classics Back In The USSR, Ob-La-Di Ob-La-Da, Dear Prudence, Helter Skelter and While My Guitar Gently Weeps - and suggested they were "too stoned" or "didn't care anymore" when they recorded the 30-track epic. The songs were penned during a Transcendental Meditation retreat with the band's late guru, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Speaking on Bill Maher's Club Random podcast, Billy said: 'I hear it as a collection of half-assed songs they didn't finish writing because they were too stoned, or they didn't care anymore. 'I think they had fragments and they put them on the album.' He suggested: 'I think John [Lennon] was disassociating at that point. 'I think Paul [McCartney] was carrying the weight. 'Sometimes they were more prolific and sometimes they weren't, and I hear that in some of those things." It marked the first time the wives and partners of the band - which also included Sir Ringo Starr and the late George Harrison - were allowed in the studio, with late frontman Lennon famously quipping that 'the break-up of The Beatles can be heard on that album.' Sir Paul McCartney has previously addressed critics of the album, telling Radio Luxembourg: 'I'm not a great one for that whole, 'Y'know maybe it was too many of that'. What do you mean? It was great, it sold. It's the bloody Beatles White Album, shut up!' Drummer Ringo previously insisted he's always loved The White Album - despite quitting the group for two weeks around then. Speaking as he celebrated his 81st birthday in 2021, he told TMZ: "I've loved the White Album all of my life because we were back to being a band." Producer George Martin also disappeared during the process for an unexpected holiday, and engineer Geoff Emerick quit. Tensions within the group escalated after the chart-topping album's release and they eventually announced their split in 1970. Despite all the drama, The White Album is considered one of the greatest albums of all time. The full interview with Billy Joel on Club Random is available now on YouTube, Apple, Spotify and other platforms.


Arab Times
6 hours ago
- Health
- Arab Times
'Piano Man' dismisses health fears: 'I'm not deathly ill'
NEW YORK, July 22, (AP): Bill Joel is doing much better, the 'Piano Man' singer wants fans to know. In May, Joel canceled all his upcoming concerts across North America and England after being diagnosed with fluid buildup in his brain that has affected his 'hearing, vision, and balance.' The condition is called Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, 'a brain disorder that can affect brain-related abilities, including thinking and concentrating, memory, movement, and more,' the Cleveland Clinic says. 'I know a lot of people are worried about me and my health, but I'm OK,' Joel said in an interview with People magazine. 'What I have is something very few people know about, including me, no matter how much you try to research it. I'm doing my best to work with it and to recover from it.' 'It was scary, but I'm OK,' Joel, 76, says. 'I just wanted to let people know, don't worry about me being deathly ill or anything.' He also discussed his health in an episode of comedian Bill Maher's Club Random podcast, telling the host he feels 'fine,' adding that, 'My balance sucks. It's like being on a boat... They keep referring to what I have as a brain disorder, so it sounds a lot worse than what I'm feeling.' He added that his health issues are not 'fixed,' but 'it's still being worked on.' A representative for Joel declined additional comment. In March, the 'Uptown Girl' singer announced that he underwent surgery and had to undergo physical therapy. A statement at the time said doctors expected him to make a full recovery. It is unclear if his medical issues at the time were related to Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus. The condition can cause problems with walking, bladder control and thinking, with symptoms worsening if left untreated. It's relatively rare and can be hard to diagnose. It can be treated successfully with surgery to install a tube to drain excess fluid. Patients may need physical therapy in addition to surgery.
Yahoo
15 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Billy Joel likens his neurological disorder to ‘being in a boat,' says he feels ‘good' nonetheless
Billy Joel is sharing a health update months after the cancellation of his tour, which was the result of his being diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), a condition that affects the brain. Joel offered the update during Monday's episode of Bill Maher's 'Club Random' podcast, saying that while the condition is 'not fixed' and 'still being worked on,' overall he feels 'fine.' 'My balance sucks. It's like being on a boat,' Joel said, later adding, 'I feel good. I think they keep referring to what I have as a brain disorder, so it sounds a lot worse than what I'm feeling.' Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus is a 'very rare condition' that 'occurs when a person has too much fluid in the brain,' according to Yale Medicine. Fewer than 3% of adults over the age of 65 are diagnosed with NPH, and it affects men and women equally. Joel announced in May that his tour dates had been canceled so that he could seek treatment for NPH, saying in a statement at the time that the condition 'has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision, and balance.' 'Under his doctor's instructions, Billy is undergoing specific physical therapy and has been advised to refrain from performing during this recovery period,' the statement read. 'Billy is thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health.' Joel's announcement in May came after he previously postponed eight tour dates so that he could focus on recovering from recent surgery. Last week, a new documentary about Joel's early years and career debuted on HBO Max. Titled 'Billy Joel: And So It Goes,' the doc covers Joel's beginnings and early musical partnerships, and also goes in depth into some of his personal struggles. (CNN and HBO Max share the same parent company, Warner Brothers Discovery.) Solve the daily Crossword


New York Post
16 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Billy Joel tells Bill Maher he's over what ‘woke' people think of him and his music
Legendary musician Billy Joel told Bill Maher he doesn't care if the far left complains about his statements or music anymore. During the latest episode of Maher's 'Club Random' podcast released Monday, the two discussed the 'woke' left's reaction to anything it disagrees with, with Joel admitting he is over being concerned about what that group thinks of him. Advertisement 'At this point… I'm inured to it,' Joel said in reply to Maher asking if he doesn't care if woke people criticize him any longer. Maher brought up woke outrage while talking to Joel about his 1976 song, 'Angry Young Man.' In the song, Joel sings, 'I believe I've passed the age, of consciousness and righteous rage, I found that just surviving was a noble fight. I once believed in causes too, I had my pointless point of view, and life went on no matter who was wrong or right.' 4 During an episode of Maher's 'Club Random' podcast, the two discussed the 'woke' left's reaction to anything it disagrees with. Getty Images Advertisement With help from Joel, Maher recited the lyrics and commented, 'I feel like that is the message of the age, even though some people will hear that and say, 'Look at these two a——-!'' 'Boomers,' Joel chimed in, mocking an insult often lobbed online at older generations. The host continued, noting how mad leftists get when people don't declare, ''Trump's the worst.'' 4 Maher brought up woke outrage while talking to Joel about his 1976 song, 'Angry Young Man.' Youtube / Club Random w/ Bill Maher Advertisement The HBO host then brought up Joel's Vietnam War-era song, 'Goodnight Saigon' and its lyrics, 'And who was wrong? And who was right? It didn't matter in the thick of the fight.' 'Do you still feel that way?' he asked the singer, regarding the lyrics. 'Yes,' he replied. 'And you don't care what they say about you – the woke?' Maher asked. Advertisement 4 The host continued, noting how mad leftists get when people don't declare, ''Trump's the worst.'' Youtube / Club Random w/ Bill Maher 'At this point, no,' the musician replied, though he noted how he tries to understand the point of view of people who disagree with him. 'On the other hand, I'm always trying to find out the other point of view. What's, you know, not my point of view – somebody else's point of view. Okay, I'd like to understand why they think that way.' 'It's so difficult in this day and age,' Maher replied. 4 'At this point, no,' the musician replied, though he noted how he tries to understand the point of view of people who disagree with him. Youtube / Club Random w/ Bill Maher Maher continued, 'I mean it is what I am always trying to do on my show. It is, look, this is one safe space for everybody and I will take the heat from either – both sides. I mean I do feel like the left, who, ironically I'm more actually aligned with, is more snippy about it, and has a worse attitude about it, and makes me viscerally not like them more sometimes.' Elsewhere, the two discussed how social media makes political outrage worse. Advertisement 'People say things all the time on [social media] they would never say, if they had to say it to your face,' Maher said. 'It just always surprises me how people, they express this hatred,' Joel responded. 'It's like, you hate a musician because he wrote something?'