Music, film, art critics all have their place. Informed opinion proffered is always great. You two, as both of you have noted, were not offering any opinion of worth. As you and he have noted, it basically degenerated into a “who has the biggest quip” contest.
My quoting of Clark was not meant in reference to an informed critic, but rather to folks such as the two of you who started yelling “My music is better than yours.” You summed it up best when you referred to informed opinion vs. that of a twelve year old girl. You were both acting like kids.
Sir
Sir, you’re right. I suppose I’m just a little peeved right now and acting like an ass, which I attempted to admit a few posts back. There has been no informed opinion shared by either of us on Joel’s music, so again I apologize to everyone in this thread for jumping in and attacking Billy Joel’s music and turning this into a pissing match. farmer, I’m gonna drop it and apologize to you personally for the slurs I made. No hard feelings, I hope.
I’m 20 and saw Billy for the second time this past weekend here in Syracuse with Elton John. It was awesome. All my friends went (college age like me), but the vast majority of the crowd was 30-40-50 (my mom went, but so did my 11-year-old brother. Of course, they’re also going to nsync this month). I’ve been into BJ since I was old enough to like music.
Well said, both Sir and woodstock. I too, am sorry for any personal slurs. My intention was not to peeve anyone. As previously remarked, I merely wished to point out that flaming an artist (or poster) has no place on THIS board. There are boards specifically set aside for that, boards upon which I’ll not waste a moment. But I’ll not allow it here.
Hey last time I checked wasn’t this about Billy Joel? Calm down you two, can’t we all just get along?
Hey! You’re not disrespecting Little Feat, are ya? WAITING FOR COLUMBUS (1977) is one a the best live rock albums ever!
Reassure me, or I’ll be forced to stand over here behind this Farmer guy and chivvy you unmercifully.
Me too!
Billy Joel ain’t so bad either.
Minus the venom, I’m afraid I have to second Woodstock’s opinion on billy joel. He had some good songs in my pre-high school years (I was born in 1970 and I thought Glass Houses was a good album), but beyond that, I hope my generation will let me speak for all of us when I say that our parents can have him.
But Woodstock, I’m a-callin’ you out when you slam 70s rock bands. Let’s not forget the Ramones (mourn), Van Halen, and Triumph all came from the 70s.
Shame on you!
I’m curious to know whether you folks who think Billy Joel is “just OK” have listened to his entire albums rather than just his “greatest hits.” Most of his very best stuff never makes it onto the radio, because it doesn’t fit “the mold.”
(I’m apparently fond of quotation marks today)
Joe_Cool and Ukulele Ike - if you guys think I’m gonna come in here dissing any more bands, let me assure you there’s no way in God’s green hell I’m taking the bait. I’d have to be nutty as a squirrel to start another grudge match in this thread. To be honest, I wasn’t referring to Little Feat (not familiar enough with 'em) or the Ramones (love 'em). As for Billy Joel, I don’t mind “The Longest Time.”
Scarlett hit the nail on the head. Billy’s best songs are aired infrequently, if at all. “Miami 2017” (especially LIVE) just rocks. The Russian Concert version of “Big Man on Mulberry Street” is one of the best modern jazz compositions/arrangements going. I could go on and on (“angry Young Man”, “Root Beer Rag”, “A Room of Our Own”) but the point is made: if you’ve only heard Billy Joel on the radio, you haven’t heard Billy Joel.
And, Jeez! Lay off of woodstockbirdybird already!
[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by Scarlett67 *
**I’m curious to know whether you folks who think Billy Joel is “just OK” have listened to his entire albums rather than just his “greatest hits.” Most of his very best stuff never makes it onto the radio, because it doesn’t fit “the mold.”
(I’m apparently fond of quotation marks today) **[/QUOTE
I have almost all of Billy’s albums (I don’t have the Attilla album), and I agree. You have to listen to the whole package, as they have a running theme. I’m a big fan of The Bridge and Storm Front.
My fave album is The Stranger (natch, since I consider “Vienna” my personal anthem), with Turnstiles and 52nd Street being close seconds. On all his other albums, my favorite song(s) are the ones most peopl never heard of: “Leningrad,” “Somewhere Along the Line,” “Root Beer Rag” (how many months did it take me to learn to play that?), and so on and on. Damn, I haven’t actually listened to The Man for a while; I’ve been on a Joe Jackson kick after seeing him live for the first time a few weeks ago. Time for a Billy binge, methinks.
Oh, and since no one’s mentioned it yet – HAPPY 52nd BIRTHDAY, BILLY! Hope you’re having a good one. And thanks again for all the great music (though I already thanked you once, and you thanked me back in a BIG way)!
Yes, Scarlett, I completely forgot today was his birthday! It’s also my niece’s birthday, so I always think of it as HER day.
“The Stranger” is GREAT. “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant” and “Vienna” are the best on that album. Have you heard the 4th CD in the Greatest Hits Collection? He goes on at length about those two songs, and they are GREAT stories.
Mustn’t forget “The Great Wall of China”, a song so dripping with venom it’s delicious.
Have I heard it – does a bear shit in the woods? I also love the “Evening of Questions and Answers” CD recorded at Princeton University. He tells those stories and more. Quite a witty conversationalist and storyteller, and it shows in his songwriting.
I have musical tastes that roughly parallel woodstockbirdybird’s in general; the list of bands he names in this thread roughly parallels my CD collection. (N.B.: woodstock, the new Orange Peels CD is great, no?)
But I have to say, I enjoy Billy Joel (or did, until his most recent few albums), mostly because I first heard him during my formative music-listening years. In fact, the first two LPs I owned were The Knack’s “Get The Knack” and Billy Joel’s “Glass Houses.” I definitely think of him as a late-70s/early-80s artist. And I agree that his album tracks tend to be better than his radio hits, although his singles are always well-chosen. Among my favorites of his: “The Stranger,” “Sleeping With The Television On,” “A Matter of Trust,” “Miami 2017,” “Pressure,” and “She’s Got A Way.”
I’d say he was a songwriter who both moved and moved with the times.
His music has surely influenced those who have heard him and he has undoubtedley been influenced by others.
I’m not familiar with his stuff from around 98 onwards but I tend to look at him as late 70’s through the 80’s.