Danny - Billy Joel Archivist

Guys I want you to trust me when I say this: I haven't uploaded in 4 months but trust me I'm not dead, just busy.

11 months ago | [YT] | 13

Danny - Billy Joel Archivist

It is with great sadness to report that David Brown has unfortunately passed away today at the age of 68. David served as Billy's lead guitarist from 1978-91 and as a guest in 1999 and 2022. Rest easy, David ❤️

1 year ago | [YT] | 14

Danny - Billy Joel Archivist

Coming May 9th!

1 year ago | [YT] | 26

Danny - Billy Joel Archivist

Who else is watching Billy's 100th MSG Residency show tonight, at 9/8c?!! I will be recording it!

1 year ago | [YT] | 20

Danny - Billy Joel Archivist

Top 10 performance of 2006-on https://youtu.be/Wn4QXsKhsBg?si=3Ykih...

1 year ago | [YT] | 2

Danny - Billy Joel Archivist

Let me ask some Billy Joel questions to get to know you a bit better (PA is personal answer, for me BTW). Go in depth if you want!

What is your favorite Billy Joel album(s)?

PA: The Nylon Curtain and An Innocent Man. The Nylon Curtain was such a passion project for him and I can see why it's his favorite. An Innocent Man is simple but he clearly had a good time making it. For a casual listener, I'd recommend Greatest Hits I + II, as well as Volume III.

What is your favorite Billy Joel live album(s)?

PA: Songs in the Attic. It's unlike any other live album. Yankee Stadium is another, and 12 Gardens has one of the best track listings of all time.

Are there any unreleased projects you would like released from the archive?

PA: Video release of Live from Long Island, whenever those tapes are located, as well as a Record Store Day release on pink and yellow swirl vinyl, and a digital release with nothing cut (if you've heard the vinyl, you know parts of Movin' Out and Souvenir are missing). More 70s' stuff is always awesome, particularly from the Streetlife era. Innocent Man tour is a must-do, considering the only officially released material from that tour is "Leave a Tender Moment Alone" from the London show, this is also the case with the 52nd Street tour where no officially released media exists.

What is your favorite B-side (or really anything of Collected Additional Masters)?

PA: You're Only Human speaks to me, I personally prefer it to The Night is Still Young. I also dig Elvis Presley Blvd. and House of Blue Light. The Hey Girl cover hits hard.

What is your favorite Billy Joel song(s)?

PA: Leningrad or All About Soul (it honestly can change depending on my mood)

How many times have you seen Billy? If so, where? If not, do you intend to see him soon?

PA: I saw Billy in Detroit in July 2022, following a 2 year wait due to the pandemic. Maybe I'll make the drive to Cleveland in September.

Who is your favorite Billy Joel band member (can be past or present)?

PA: David Brown (I play guitar BTW)

Minus Liberty, what former band member would you like to see take a guest spot at a Billy show?

PA: Russell Javors (besides Lib, he's the only one of the Glass Houses band not to sit in with Billy, minus once in 2014)

What are your thoughts on Freddie Wexler working with Billy on new music going forward?

PA: I think the idea of Billy mailing Freddie a CD full of unfinished songs to work on is a great idea. I think the new batch will be better than "My Lives", considering most of that stuff (minus Cross to Bear, Money or Love, etc.), was demos for the most part that Billy never wanted to be released. Freddie is a very accomplished producer, I think he did a great job with "Turn the Lights Back On" (despite auto-tune), I can't wait for what's next, maybe "Pieces of Action" will be next.

What is your favorite piano, keyboard, guitar, drums, etc. part in a song?

PA: for piano, Lullabye hits me in the feels. Keyboard wise, what goes on in Pressure is unmatched. Guitar-wise, either This is the Time or A Matter of Trust (anything David Brown touches is amazing. The Clean-Up Woman-like riff done by Russell in Keeping the Faith is amazing. For drums, Angry Young Man is the song I'm going with and it sounds best with Lib pounding those drums. For sax and bass, definitely Scenes or Only the Good.

Are there any artists besides Billy that you listen to?

PA: Steve Miller Band is amazing, with some tasty licks, riffs and solos there - Les Paul was a great guide and godfather to him. The Beatles are great too, same with The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin. Huey Lewis and the News is amazing for their very 1980s sound, but has some great musical stuff going on. John Fogerty and his time with Creedance is amazing as well. Cream is a very talented trio, as well as Clapton when he's solo. A lot of guitar-heavy stuff is stuff I love to have on, but I also love doo-wop, such as The Four Seasons.

1 year ago (edited) | [YT] | 9

Danny - Billy Joel Archivist

A VHS rip of mine that I uploaded a few days ago and is now clear to watch! https://youtu.be/VcMCWXlclXA?si=r1sxk...

1 year ago | [YT] | 0

Danny - Billy Joel Archivist

Come join this awesome Discord server centered around Billy Joel, set up by my friends Michael and Jack! discord.com/invite/6G6cMRFu7T?fbclid=IwAR1uJQbict_…

1 year ago | [YT] | 2

Danny - Billy Joel Archivist

Happy Holidays! We are close to December, so I think I will give you all an update of what's going to be happening over the next few weeks.

This post is going up on Tuesday, November 28 at 7am, and at that time, the Tokyo show is going public. Following that, will be a new show from the "In Concert Tour", for the remainder of the weekdays. Every Friday until the 22nd, a new December MSG show will go up. Following December 3rd, uploads will not be daily but there will be something new every week - I will try to get a new show put together for the other days if possible. On December 25th, a special video will be going up!

Since these videos can't be monetized, I have been thinking about starting a Patreon. You don't have to pledge money if you don't feel but you can donate to the channel if you please.

Thank you for a great year for the channel
- Danny

1 year ago | [YT] | 3

Danny - Billy Joel Archivist

So today, the September 2019 MSG show went public on my channel, and I brought up in the description of that video how Billy and the team had two different sets printed up and rehearsed and how on the spot the audience got the choice on if they wanted the hits set or the album tracks/obscurities set (the former won unsurprisingly). The attached images show the obscurities/album cuts set, which included Storm Front, Shades of Grey, and the like (first image), the first draft of the hits set, which included songs like Keeping the Faith and The Longest Time (second image), and the finalized hits set (third image). I am kind of upset the hits set won but at the same time I very much understand where the audience was coming from as the majority of the audience are casual fans who know the hits and some deep cuts, rather than being the die-hard fans who know all the songs and every corner of the catalog. Had some of those obscurities been pulled out, then it would've marked the first appearance of stuff like The Great Wall of China and Shades of Grey and stuff during the 2014-present "In Concert" tour (the latter was done during a 2021 soundcheck).

Skip the Carousel

1 2 3

1 year ago | [YT] | 6