EP 106 - Album Retrospective: The Hassles First Album

Billy Joel’s world tour supporting the Storm Front album was a huge success by all metrics. But behind it was a story almost as tumultuous as the album title and front cover portrayed.  The tour was a necessity to earn back millions of dollars that Billy’s former manager, Frank Weber, had stolen from him over the previous few years. It also featured a revamped lineup that saw both bassist Doug Stegmeyer and guitarist Russell Javors out of the lineup for the first time since 1976. Starting in December of 1989, Billy and the band hit the road for more than 170 shows over 16 months in 15 countries. The tour capped off Billy’s 80s run by introducing two new players who would become long-standing band members.  It also featured his landmark Yankee Stadium performances, which were commemorated in a Disney Channel & Home Video release in 1990 and a re-release on Blu-ray, CD and vinyl in 2022.  Join us as we dig deep into the Storm Front Tour. ------   Email us: [email protected]   Glass Houses - A Billy Joel Podcast on the web / social media: Website: https://www.glasshousespod.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glasshousespodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glasshousespod/ Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/glasshousespod  Discord: https://discord.gg/6G6cMRFu7T   Support the podcast: Paypal: https://paypal.me/glasshousespod Venmo: @MGrosvenor   Produced by Michael Grosvenor & Jack Firneno for Glass Houses Media, LLC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

2014 was a renaissance for Billy Joel. It’s almost hard to believe, given all the time he’s spent in the spotlight a decade later. But, he’d been relatively quiet in the late aughts and early 2010s. That made the flurry of activity this year all the more surprising.  Billy kicked off his Madison Square Garden residency in January of 2014, which he supported with a number of high-profile media appearances. The unprecedented run earned him plenty of press throughout the year, and his SiriusXM Radio channel debuted that spring. That all occurred alongside his regular touring schedule and other milestones.  In retrospect, the experiment that was the first year of the residency laid the foundation for the next ten years and Billy’s recent resurgence with new music, television specials, and more.  We’ll cover all that and more in this episode. And, we have a number of firsthand accounts of shows this year. Join us, as we dig deep into 2014. ------   Email us: [email protected]   Glass Houses - A Billy Joel Podcast on the web / social media: Website: https://www.glasshousespod.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glasshousespodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glasshousespod/ Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/glasshousespod  Discord: https://discord.gg/6G6cMRFu7T   Support the podcast: Paypal: https://paypal.me/glasshousespod Venmo: @MGrosvenor   Produced by Michael Grosvenor & Jack Firneno for Glass Houses Media, LLC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What the new compilation Billy Joel Live Through the Years - Japan Edition lacks in new material, it more than makes up for in providing context to 40-plus years of music.  The double-disc set, only released in Japan, features 32 live tracks recorded between 1972 and 2008. Starting with the Sigma Sound radio broadcast and culminating with a limited-release single, it tracks how Billy’s live show evolved through multiple bands and increasingly larger venues and audiences. Join us as we dig deep into Billy Joel: Live Through the Years - Japan Edition.    ------   Email us: [email protected]   Glass Houses - A Billy Joel Podcast on the web / social media: Website: https://www.glasshousespod.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glasshousespodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glasshousespod/ Twitter / X: https://twitter.com/glasshousespod  Discord: https://discord.gg/6G6cMRFu7T   Support the podcast: Paypal: https://paypal.me/glasshousespod Venmo: @MGrosvenor   Produced by Michael Grosvenor & Jack Firneno for Glass Houses Media, LLC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The River of Dreams album was Billy Joel’s introduction to a new generation of fans in the early 90s. With chart-topping songs, a notorious Grammy appearance, and an extensive world tour, it was a landmark in Billy’s career.  But for drummer Zachary Alford, it was one of his first experiences in a major label session, and another step in his quickly-blossoming career.  Hot on the heels of high-profile world tours, Zachary got the call to come in cold to a session at the Hit Factory in New York. That day, Billy and producer Danny Kortchmar were set to record “All About Soul.” Zack tracked his parts, and would go on to record a total of seven songs, 6 of which made the album.  Now, 30 years after the album’s release, Zachary shared his memories of those sessions and much more. His journey from working with multiple bands in Manhattan, to touring the world with B-52s, Bruce Springseen, David Bowie and others, and his memories of developing his style and skill set are a master class for aspiring musicians and anyone looking for an honest peek behind the curtain.  Join us as we dig deep into the River of Dreams sessions, and the mindset of an acclaimed professional musician.   ------   Email us: [email protected]   Glass Houses - A Billy Joel Podcast on the web / social media: Website: http://www.glasshousespod.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glasshousespodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glasshousespod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/glasshousespod  Discord: https://discord.gg/6G6cMRFu7T   Support the podcast: Paypal: https://paypal.me/glasshousespod Venmo: @MGrosvenor   Produced by Michael Grosvenor & Jack Firneno for Glass Houses Media, LLC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Before Billy Joel was a household name, and before he was even a solo recording artist or known as a piano player, he released his first album on United Artists Records in 1967.  That album was The Hassles, by the band of the same name. Billy, still a teenager, wasn’t in the spotlight. Rather, he was the organ player who contributed a few original songs and vocals.    For this album episode, we’re reviewing the deluxe re-release from 1992. It contains the entire first album, plus 8 additional bonus tracks of b-sides, demos and alternate takes.    This generous serving of blue-eyed-soul and Long Island rock and roll provides Billy’s first step into the music industry at large. And, it reveals a few germs of the melodic instincts, arrangement styles, and vocal prowess that Billy would cultivate into his signature sound just a few years later.    Join us as we dig deep into The Hassles’ self-titled debut album.    ------   Email us: [email protected]   Glass Houses - A Billy Joel Podcast on the web / social media: Website: http://www.glasshousespod.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glasshousespodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glasshousespod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/glasshousespod  Discord: https://discord.gg/6G6cMRFu7T   Support the podcast: Paypal: https://paypal.me/glasshousespod Venmo: @MGrosvenor   Produced by Michael Grosvenor & Jack Firneno for Glass Houses Media, LLC Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s easy to write off the lyrical content of love songs. They’re often fairly simple, and are more emotional than thought-provoking. But a good love song, like any song, reveals something about the writer, and, often, the listener.    For our Valentine’s Day episode, we’re discussing our favorite Billy Joel love songs. But, we ended up doing more than discussing the lyrics and music.    We also found ourselves reflecting on how the songs we heard in our youth shaped our perspective on relationships. And, how Billy’s perspective gave us insight to our own personal dynamics.    Join us as we skim the surface of our own love lives, as we dig deep into our favorite Billy Joel love songs.   ------   Email us: [email protected]   Glass Houses - A Billy Joel Podcast on the web / social media: Website: http://www.glasshousespod.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glasshousespodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glasshousespod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/glasshousespod  Discord: https://discord.gg/6G6cMRFu7T   Support the podcast: Paypal: https://paypal.me/glasshousespod Venmo: @MGrosvenor   Produced by Michael Grosvenor & Jack Firneno for Groove Music Marketing   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Although Disc Two of My Lives kicks off with a live version of a classic 70s song, the rest of the track list features Billy Joel B-Sides and early versions of songs from the 80s along with a few album tracks.    While it seems random initially, there’s a light narrative running through the selections. Here, you can compare work-in-progress tracks to the final versions, along with hit songs from the same era. Together, they provide insight into Joel’s writing style.    We see the benefits of saving riffs, ideas, and whole songs for the right moment. And how he often begins by imitating other artists before finding his voice in a composition.    Join us as we dig deep into My Lives Disc 2.    ------   Email us: [email protected]   Glass Houses - A Billy Joel Podcast on the web / social media: Website: http://www.glasshousespod.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glasshousespodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glasshousespod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/glasshousespod  Discord: https://discord.gg/6G6cMRFu7T   Support the podcast: Paypal: https://paypal.me/glasshousespod Venmo: @MGrosvenor   Produced by Michael Grosvenor & Jack Firneno for Groove Music Marketing   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Since his days playing clubs and theaters in the early 70s, Billy Joel was always known for his passionate, high-energy concerts. That reputation only grew, literally and figuratively, as he graduated into arenas and stadiums after 1977’s The Stranger.    That makes his stop at the Spectrum in Philadelphia on The Bridge tour a unique evening. Billy and the band were in fine form on October 13, 1986. But Billy seems to be in a much different mood than usual.    He’s relaxed, but not subdued, calm, but still passionate. As a result, even the songs most familiar to regular concertgoers sound just a little different here. They’re often more relaxed, or more thoughtful than usual. At other times, Billy adds bursts of intensity and grit in sections of songs he usually doesn’t highlight.    That makes this concert a special treat for fans: It’s a solid show overall, but one with a slightly different approach– to great effect.    Join us as we dig deep into Billy Joel live at the Spectrum in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. October 13, 1986.   ------   Email us: [email protected]   Glass Houses - A Billy Joel Podcast on the web / social media: Website: http://www.glasshousespod.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glasshousespodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glasshousespod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/glasshousespod  Discord: https://discord.gg/6G6cMRFu7T   Support the podcast: Paypal: https://paypal.me/glasshousespod Venmo: @MGrosvenor   Produced by Michael Grosvenor & Jack Firneno for Groove Music Marketing   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

1993 was both the kickoff to a new album cycle and the end of an era for Billy Joel. River of Dreams came out in August, and was certified three times platinum by the end of the year. It was preceded by what was now a well-oiled publicity machine, and followed immediately by a world tour.    But, the album was his last release of new pop songs. As such, it would be the last time Billy would run this playbook. Fortunately, we remember it well. This was the one album where we both were old enough to hear about it before its release, buy it the day it came out, follow the media hype and television appearances, and even see him on tour promoting the album.   For us, then, exploring this year in Billy history is also an opportunity for us to remember our own experiences with the album -- and how different the media landscape was 30 years ago.    So join us as we dig deep into Billy Joel's 1993.     ------   Email us: [email protected]   Glass Houses - A Billy Joel Podcast on the web / social media: Website: http://www.glasshousespod.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glasshousespodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glasshousespod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/glasshousespod  Discord: https://discord.gg/6G6cMRFu7T   Support the podcast: Paypal: https://paypal.me/glasshousespod Venmo: @MGrosvenor   Produced by Michael Grosvenor & Jack Firneno for Groove Music Marketing   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With 2023 coming to a close, we’re taking a look back at our year of podcasting and what’s happened in the world of Billy Joel. As always for our last episode of the year, we’re bringing some leftovers to the table: Odds and ends that didn’t quite make it into other episodes.    Don’t worry, they’re just as tasty as our main courses. And you don’t even have to microwave them.    You’ll hear excerpts from our interview with Edward ODowd, art director for the Vinyl Collection box sets and many other Billy Joel projects from the past decade or so. After that, we’re doing things a little differently.    We’ve got an extended mailbag with some extra trimmings. And, a bonus clip of music from Edward’s band, Scorpion Tea. So join us, as we dig deep, one last time, into 2023.   ------   Email us: [email protected]   Glass Houses - A Billy Joel Podcast on the web / social media: Website: http://www.glasshousespod.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/glasshousespodcast/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glasshousespod/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/glasshousespod  Discord: https://discord.gg/6G6cMRFu7T   Support the podcast: Paypal: https://paypal.me/glasshousespod Venmo: @MGrosvenor   Produced by Michael Grosvenor & Jack Firneno for Groove Music Marketing   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices