Latest news with #PianoMan
Perth Now
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Billy Joel 'resisted' making documentaries about his life
Billy Joel has always "resisted" making documentaries about his career. The Piano Man singer explained that he has been hesitant to let the public into his life as he is "sick" of talking about himself before he agreed to the making of the two-part HBO documentary Billy Joel: And So It Goes. In an interview with People, Billy said: "I've resisted this kind of thing for so long. I'm sick of talking about myself. Some of the stupid stuff I did, that's painful to talk about. (But) they asked me for some thematic guidance. I said, 'Just tell the truth.'" The documentary delves into how the Uptown Girl hitmaker has overcome substance abuse, failed marriages and mental health struggles during his lengthy career and Billy found the process "self-revelatory". The 76-year-old singer - who has daughter Alexa, 39, from his marriage to model Christie Brinkley, as well as Della, nine, and Remy, seven, from his relationship with current spouse Alexis Roderick - said: "There was some stuff I found out about myself. There was some self-revelatory stuff." Joel admits that he initially just wanted to get the documentary, which features contributions from his family and friends, "over with" as he is so reluctant to talk about himself. He said: "My goal was to get it over with. "When I do interviews, people just ask you about yourself and you get a little self-conscious about it eventually. It's almost embarrassing. "When you're talking about your personal life detached from the material... I suppose there's a little bit of wariness involved." The We Didn't Start the Fire singer feared that he would "hate" the film as it revisited some of the unhappier times in his life but he didn't feel that way when he watched the finished documentary. Billy - who has reassured fans he is "okay" after being diagnosed with the treatable brain condition normal pressure hydrocephalus in May, which forced him to cancel his upcoming concerts - explained: "You realise sometimes you were a jerk and you did something stupid or you were wrong, or you were mean and you didn't mean to be. Although I always maintain that the only original thing any of us really does is make mistakes. "I was worried, maybe I'm going to hate this thing, because it's a lot to ask of somebody, a lifetime of work. (But) at the end, I didn't hate it, which, to me, is the real compliment."
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
"There was some self-revelatory stuff": Billy Joel opens up on challenges, struggles of his life, career in new documentary
Billy Joel's whose music speaks a lot about him, is all set to open up about his complicated life in a new two-part HBO documentary ' And So It Goes' Billy Joel 's whose music speaks a lot about him, is all set to open up about his complicated life in a new two-part HBO documentary 'Billy Joel: And So It Goes', according to People. "I've resisted this kind of thing for so long. I'm sick of talking about myself," said Joel, adding, "Some of the stupid stuff I did, that's painful to talk about. But they asked me for some thematic guidance. I said, 'Just tell the truth.'" The documentary, directed by Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin, is a rare, revelatory glimpse into the private world of one of rock music's most enduring acts -- and how he overcame substance abuse, mental health struggles and more to find peace and happiness with his wife, Alexis, and his three daughters. "There was some stuff I found out about myself. There was some self-revelatory stuff," said Joel, while Lacy added, "He actually thanked me for connecting the dots of his life, and he said, 'I now understand why I did what I did.' I think it was a revelation to him in some ways as well, this story." Joel's story includes his incredibly successful music career, throughout which he's sold more than 150 million records and won five Grammy Awards thanks to hits like "Piano Man," "Just the Way You Are" and "We Didn't Start the Fire." Though he hasn't released a pop album in 32 years, Joel's cultural relevance has never wavered, thanks in part to his epic, 10-year Madison Square Garden residency that ended in July 2024, according to People. There are also some lesser-known aspects of his life that included the painful absence of his father from much of his life, a complicated beginning to his marriage with first wife Elizabeth Weber, struggles over the years with alcohol abuse and a contentious relationship with the media. "My goal was to get it over with," Joel said about his initial involvement in the film. "When I do interviews, people just ask you about yourself, and you get a little self-conscious about it eventually. It's almost embarrassing. When you're talking about your personal life detached from the material... I suppose there's a little bit of wariness involved." The film features interviews with members of his inner circle, including his sister Judy, daughter Alexa Ray, 39, and others, as well as longtime friends such as lighting designer Steve Cohen and booking agent Dennis Arfa. "Billy has always been a blue-collar guy, a man of the people. He's always been honest. He's funny, he loves to entertain," Cohen, an executive producer on the film, said of what it's like to be friends with Joel behind the scenes. "I think all of that came through in the documentary. I didn't see much of a difference between the Billy I know and interact with every day and the Billy in this film." The film is structured around Joel's iconic song catalogue, as he admits that much of his lyrics are autobiographical. "Big Shot," he says, is a "hangover" song, while "I Go to Extremes" covers the ups and downs of his marriage to then-wife Christie Brinkley , according to People. "Vienna," he explains, is about his father Howard, who left Joel, his mother Rosalind and sister Judy when the star was 8 years old, and eventually settled in the Austrian city, where Joel tracked him down years later. "Co-director Susan Lacy pointed out that a lot of the things I was searching for were my father in my life, and I recognised that in the documentary," Joel said. "I said, 'You know what? I think that's true. I was looking for my dad," reported People.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Billy Joel describes symptom of brain condition as "like being on a boat"
Two months after canceling his tour due to a brain condition diagnosis, Billy Joel says the health issue is not fixed, but that he feels good. Joel, 76, revealed in May he had been diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, a condition when fluid builds up in or around the brain, disrupting brain function. "It's not fixed, it's still being worked on," Joel told Bill Maher on the latest episode of Maher's podcast, "Club Random." The "Piano Man" singer said the condition has affected his balance, a common side effect. "My balance sucks. It's like being on a boat," he said. "It used to be called water on the brain." Joel said "nobody knows," when Maher asked what causes the condition. About half of cases of normal pressure hydrocephalus are idiopathic, or happening for unknown reasons, according to the Cleveland Clinic. "I feel good," Joel said. "They keep referring to what I have as a brain disorder, so it sounds a lot worse than what I'm feeling." Joel also told fans not to worry in an interview with People. "It was scary, but I'm okay," he told the magazine. "I just wanted to let people know, don't worry about me being deathly ill or anything." Normal pressure hydrocephalus is usually treatable, health experts say. It is relatively uncommon, but is more likely to occur in people over the age of 65. Detroit lawnmower gang still going strong after 15 years Speaker Johnson says Epstein files can't be released to public in a careless way How automakers are being affected by Trump's tariffs Solve the daily Crossword
CBS News
a day ago
- Health
- CBS News
Billy Joel describes symptom of brain condition as "like being on a boat"
Two months after canceling his tour due to a brain condition diagnosis, Billy Joel says the health issue is not fixed, but that he feels good. Joel, 76, revealed in May he had been diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus, a condition when fluid builds up in or around the brain, disrupting brain function. "It's not fixed, it's still being worked on," Joel told Bill Maher on the latest episode of Maher's podcast, "Club Random." The "Piano Man" singer said the condition has affected his balance, a common side effect. "My balance sucks. It's like being on a boat," he said. "It used to be called water on the brain." Joel said "nobody knows," when Maher asked what causes the condition. About half of cases of normal pressure hydrocephalus are idiopathic, or happening for unknown reasons, according to the Cleveland Clinic. "I feel good," Joel said. "They keep referring to what I have as a brain disorder, so it sounds a lot worse than what I'm feeling." Joel also told fans not to worry in an interview with People. "It was scary, but I'm okay," he told the magazine. "I just wanted to let people know, don't worry about me being deathly ill or anything." Normal pressure hydrocephalus is usually treatable, health experts say. It is relatively uncommon, but is more likely to occur in people over the age of 65.
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Billy Joel Speaks Up About Brain Disorder For The First Time
Billy Joel has a positive health update for his fans. The 'Piano Man' singer assured everyone he was doing his best in a People magazine interview published Monday, about two months since he announced he had been diagnosed with a neurological condition called normal pressure hydrocephalus. 'I know a lot of people are worried about me and my health, but I'm OK,' he told the 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.' Normal pressure hydrocephalus is a treatable brain condition caused by a buildup of excess cerebrospinal fluid. The condition can cause pressure inside the head and on brain tissue, leading to neurological complications that affect hearing, vision and balance. For Joel, it was balance issues that first alerted him something was off. 'It was like being on a boat all the time,' he said. While the singer-songwriter called his diagnosis 'disturbing,' he emphasized he wasn't dealing with anything life-threatening. 'It was scary, but I'm OK,' Joel said. 'I just wanted to let people know, don't worry about me being deathly ill or anything.' The 'Uptown Girl' crooner struck a similarly optimistic tone while appearing on Monday's episode of the 'Club Random' podcast, where he told host Bill Maher, 'I feel good. They keep referring to what I have as a brain disorder, so it sounds a lot worse than what I'm feeling.' Back in May, Joel's team announced he was canceling all upcoming concert dates on the advice of his doctors but shared he was 'undergoing specific physical therapy' for his health issue. 'Billy is thankful for the excellent care he is receiving from fans during this time and looks forward to the day when he can once again take the stage,' the statement went on. Related... Billy Joel Cancels Upcoming Tour Amid Lingering Health Issues Christie Brinkley Shows Ex Billy Joel Love As Health Puts His Tour On Pause Billy Joel Says His 'Health Must Come First' As He Postpones Tour
