He vowed us with numbers like Uptown Girl, We Didn’t Start the Fire, and Vienna he has sold 150 million records worldwide and is a household name. Even today, the amazing Billy Joel never ceases to amaze and at 68, the “piano man” is distinguished in the music industry for having written 33 of his 40 chart-topping hits in the US.
Billy Joel has several awards to his fame including being honored at the Kennedy center annual celebration of the arts, an esteemed title bestowed on him in 2013. Joel has had a fantastic music career with hits in the seventies, eighties, and nineties. In 1992, Joel was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and in 1999, the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. But the most intriguing thing about the singer is why Billy Joel doesn’t allow front row tickets to his concerts.
Image Source: www.billboard.com
Joel is a record holder in the music industry with 36 sellout shows in 3 years which is more than any artist. However, the 68-year-old isn’t young anymore and was recently seen moving slowly backstage at Madison Square Garden in New York. He had both his hips replaced. But when he is on stage, he is his vibrant lively self-transforming the giant stage into his living room.
Image Source: dailymail.co.uk
At his concert you can see fans aged 20 and above which is surprising for a young audience at an aging rock and roll star’s show. Said Joel. "I'd look down and see rich people sitting there; I call 'em "gold chainers." Sitting there puffing on a cigar, "entertain me, piano man."
None of these people stand up or make any noise but will just sit there with their arm candy girlfriends and looking like big shots.
Image Source: www.shared.com
In an interview to Billboard, Joel said he was sick of looking at such people asking “who the hell are these people, where are the real fans?" he found that his best fans were always at the back in the worst seats of the house which is why he decided to make a drastic change to transform the atmosphere of his concerts.
Image Source: smehost.net
Although Joel gives concerts, he hasn’t produced any new music for the last 24 years and has no intentions of making a new album. He says he still writes music but he hasn’t penned any lyrics. He says that after his divorce with Christie Brinkley, he missed his daughter a lot who would visit him temporarily. He was heartbroken and when began writing, all he could write was music but not words. The music he says came naturally to him and was full of emotion “Music speaks to me on its own. But I’ve never closed the door on writing songs."
Image Source: www.wnews.live
Joel has 12 bestselling albums to his credit and is loved by all age groups. Hi song Vienna was also taken as the original soundtrack for the movie 13 going on 30 starring Jennifer Garner and Mark Ruffalo.
Image Source: www.synthetics-magazin.de
He remarked once that it would be boring to make music for just people his own age. Joel spends a lot of time at Madison Square Garden living close by in Oyster Bay Long Island.
Image Source: www.shared.com
He says he doesn’t want to go on road tours anymore as he has a new wife and a child to look after. He does not like living in hotels. For the last 16 years, Joel has toured with Elton John but that ended as a regular feature after his hip surgery. Joel will be seen again on the 28th March, this month 2018 at Madison Square Garden. He also reveals that the last few tours with Elton, he could barely walk on stage and needed canes which he feels aren’t good on stage.
Image Source: www.billyjoel.com
Billy Joel says he is happy playing at Madison Square Garden which is close to his home. Today he is worth almost$180 million and doesn’t really have much to worry about. But returning to the main topic, he feels that genuine fans are extremely important to him. He instructs ticket sales never to sell front row tickets and these are held up at every concert. "For years, the scalpers got the tickets and would scalp the front row for ridiculous amounts of money."
Image Source: smehost.net
Joel does the unthinkable which shows how nice the man is to his fans. At every concert he sends his crew to the back of the hall after the audience has entered and then brings all those at the back to sit in the front rows. He says in this way he gets people who are happy to be at his concerts in the front. These are his real fans he says.
This not only makes fans happy, but Joel too feels satisfied that he hasn’t allowed scalpers get their hands on the tickets.
Image Source: smehost.net
He says he has tried for several years how to get rid of scalpers but was never successful. He would try the wristband method and even hold up tickets but you can’t fight the secondary market.
"We don't want to play to big shots; I want to play to younger people, people who can only afford a low ticket price. They make the best audience, they make the most noise, they're the most enthusiastic," he said. This is why Billy Joel doesn’t allow front row tickets.
Image Source: .smehost.net
This is what makes a performer remembered not just as a performer wanting to make a million but a true performer playing for the love of music for the pleasure of his fans.
Image Source: ameblo.jp