Advertise on podcast: Glass Houses - A Billy Joel Podcast

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: glasshousespodcast@gmail.com   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  

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: glasshousespodcast@gmail.com   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  

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: glasshousespodcast@gmail.com   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  

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: glasshousespodcast@gmail.com   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  

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: glasshousespodcast@gmail.com   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  

If you had to explain why Liberty DeVitto is a great drummer to someone who’d never heard a BIlly Joel record, how would you do it? That’s the question we’re exploring in our 100th episode.    It’s a somewhat tricky proposition. Liberty’s a well-regarded drummer who’s played on dozens of Top 20 records and toured with some of the biggest acts in the world. But he’s not a flashy player, nor is he the most prolific. You can’t point to big showcase songs or a massive discography to illustrate the point.    However, a few close listens to the right songs, the right beats, and the right fills on the right records reveal why he’s such a celebrated musician. And, with us both being lifelong fans and drummers with decades of experience, we’re especially attuned to those moments.    For this episode, we both listed the ten Liberty DeVitto moments that we think are especially accomplished or particularly showcase his talents. Then, we explored the nuances that make them great. Along the way, we touched on the motifs, styles, and approach to the craft that make him stand out.    Join us as we dig deep into the drumming of Liberty DeVitto.   ------   Email us: glasshousespodcast@gmail.com   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  

Every two weeks, Michael and I release a podcast episode where we tell someone else’s stories. Except that’s not quite true. As we discuss every note on an album, or labor over every second of a concert recording, we also talk about ourselves.  It’s one way music becomes more than just art. Billy Joel’s story becomes part of our stories, which becomes part of each other’s, and ultimately a narrative of its own, all told in a language everyone speaks without realizing it. Maybe you’ve heard that musicians hold conversations when they perform. Or consider it this way: Michael and I went decades without knowing the other existed. Then, almost four years ago, we spoke for the first time as if we’d known each other all along. That’s what makes the arts special. They explore ideas too big for our words to contain, in a way we can all understand. And, for my solo episode this year, I’m exploring this idea further.  I’m starting with two songs where I play drums. One is a studio recording of a new work. The other is a live performance from the Great American Songbook. Next, I’m speaking with other podcasters and presenters about the stories they explore in movies and literature.  You’ll hear from Dan Colon and Mike Manzi, the hosts of The Monsters That Made Us podcast. They started off discussing the classic Universal horror films, and are back with new episodes that take the topic a step further.  Finally, I’m speaking with Edward Petit. As the Senior Manager of Public Programs at the Rosenbach Museum here in Philadelphia, he launched the online Biblioadventures series in 2020. Participants from all over the world read a classic novel or body of work in small parts over a few months. Then, each week, Edward leads a curated, and somewhat interactive, online discussion featuring subject experts and artifacts from the Rosenbach’s collection. There’s no great cosmic revelation in all of this. I make no hypotheses and draw no conclusions. That’s the nature of trying to tell a tale this big. The best I can do is present one small part of it and invite others to do the same.    Links:    Della Chase The Blue Chips Band Angry Young Band: The Billy Joel Tribute The Monsters That Made Us  The Rosenbach Museum Sherlock Mondays     ------   Email us: glasshousespodcast@gmail.com   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  

To paraphrase another famous rock band, Billy Joel’s The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 2 goes to 11.    The box set treats fans to 21 years of classic songs with just shy of a dozen records. That’s including an album never released on vinyl before, and a long-awaited expanded version of a fan favorite.    Released November 3, 2023, the collection includes every studio album from Glass Houses in 1980 through 2001’s Fantasies and Delusions, marking the first time Billy’s classical album has ever been released on vinyl.   For many listeners, it’s the first time they’ll get copies of Storm Front and River of Dreams on wax as well - both those albums came out when CDs and cassettes had replaced records as the primary medium.    The set also includes a long-awaited fan favorite: 1982’s Live From Long Island, available not only for the first time on vinyl, but also for the first time with the full tracklisting.    To celebrate this monumental release, we sat down with art director Edward ODowd, and Billy Joel archivist John Jackson, to get the story behind restoring the original artwork, creating new visuals, enhancing and expanding the live release, and much more.  Join us as we dig deep into BIlly Joel’s The Vinyl Collection, Vol. 2.   CLICK HERE TO WATCH OUR FULL UNBOXING VIDEO.   ------   Email us: glasshousespodcast@gmail.com   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  

The My Lives box set is a curious addition to the Billy Joel discography. The four-CD / one-DVD set, released in 2005, is a mix of unreleased demos, alternate takes, live recordings, cover songs, and a handful of album tracks.    At the time, it was the first glimpse many fans got at unreleased material and songs-in-progress. The first disc, in particular, offers a chronological journey from Billy’s earliest solo compositions through his hitmaking reign in the late 70s.    We’re exploring that first disc in real-time for this episode. You’ll hear our reactions and annotations to the tracks as they play, and get our overall impression of the release.    Join us as we dig deep into disc one of the My Lives box set.   ------   Email us: glasshousespodcast@gmail.com   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  

Unreleased for decades, Billy Joel’s 1972 Sigma Sound Studios concert was arguably the kick-start to his career. With a flop record in Cold Spring Harbor under his belt. Billy and his then-backing band performed live on the air for WMMR in Philadelphia.    The session yielded a version of “Captain Jack” that became the station’s most-requested song for years. It drew the attention of Columbia Records, who went on to sign Billy and release Piano Man in late 1973.    And, as famed as that track is, there’s plenty more to enjoy from this performance, which was included on the November 2011 deluxe Legacy Edition reissue of Piano Man. It’s a rare official recording documenting the pre-Lords of 52nd Street live unit. And, it features tracks that never made it on a record, early versions of now-classics, and songs that Billy permanently dropped from the setlist soon after.    Join us as we dig deep into Billy Joel at Sigma Sound Studios in April 1972.   Invitation and note courtesy of Paul FierroStudio photo courtesy of Sigma Sound Studios website   ------   Email us: glasshousespodcast@gmail.com   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  

With a new album out and a New York-based band in place, Billy Joel was starting to heat up in 1976. His show at the Bottom Line in Manhattan on June 10th of that year is the proof.   The album, Turnstiles, had just come out a few weeks prior. And the orchestra, as Billy was now calling the band, had been on the road for just over two months.    The performance was simulcast on seven radio stations, leaving listeners today with a crystal-clear document of the night. Billy and the band, now featuring Russell Javors and Howie Emerson on guitar, Doug Stegmeyer on bass, Richie Cannata on saxophone and organ, and Liberty DeVitto on drums, was a tight, well-oiled unit.    The night featured a handful of songs from the then-new record as well as concert staples from Piano Man and Streetlife Serenade. Sonically, the band straddled the New York grit of Turnstiles with the west coast feel of the previous two records.    These performances laid the groundwork for The Stranger in 1977, but a listen to this night reveals an energetic, fully-realized sound from a band hungry for success.    Join us as we dig deep into Live at The Bottom Line 1976.    Live remastered audio courtesy of Jamie Tate.   ------   Email us: glasshousespodcast@gmail.com   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  

In 2015, Billy Joel wasn't just selling out shows. He was making headlines across the nation. His songwriting was praised by everyone from George Gershwin to Snoop Dogg. He made an unexpected festival appearance, and journalists were diving into his history, introducing him to a brand new generation of fans.   It's almost hard to believe that just a few years earlier, it looked like Billy was gearing up for retirement. But with his Madison Square Garden residency, launched in 2014, he was firmly back in the spotlight.    Our year-in-review covers it all: The setlists, reviews, feature articles, and awards. Plus, we've got firsthand memories from one of us who attended a Garden residency show that year. Join us as we dig deep into Billy Joel in 2015.   ------   Email us: glasshousespodcast@gmail.com   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