Heres the chat transcript from ABC News
Five-time Grammy-award winner Billy Joel celebrated his New Year’s Eve with a few thousand happy fans at New York City’s Madison Square Garden in his final performance of the millennium.
Moderator at 5:37pm ET Welcome Billy Joel! Congratulations - I understand tonight's performance at Madison Square Garden is sold out. We have hundreds of fans waiting to talk to you. Let's begin.
Moderator at 5:39pm ET
Our first question comes from Meredith Stillwell. She asks:In your song, "2000 Years" you sing, "we're on the verge of all things new, we are 2000 years." Since we are on the verge of all things new, what advice do you give to us, the youth, to face the next millennium?
Billy Joel at 5:40pm ET
Wow! That's a loaded question! Number one, I would say learn how to use a computer and I would also say to young people, don't be afraid to be yourselves. When I was younger there was so much pressure to conform and to be like everyone else and not stick out. And I realized that my life as a musician meant that I was going to have to live a different kind of life and stick my neck out, to be different. And I'm glad that I took that chance. So, essentially, I would advise younger people not to be afraid to be different and to be proud to be yourselves. Take chances, be brave and be yourself!
Moderator at 5:40pm ET
Michelle Napoli Schaaf asks: What do you consider to be the greatest musical achievement and/or advancement of this century?
Billy Joel at 5:43pm ET
There were a number of them in this century. Coming to the forefront of American composers such as Aaron Copeland, Leonard Bernstein, and Charles Ives was very momentous for the advancement of music. And we know that this is referred to as the American century because of the development of an original American music form known as jazz, pioneered by such greats as Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Count Basie and obviously furthered by greats like Frank Sinatra, Oscar Peterson, Charlie Parker and many others.
This leads to my next response to the question, which is the birth of rock and roll, which was partly an outgrowth of jazz and blues, and has been what I consider the most vital form of popular music since the middle of this century. Where we go from here is anybody's guess, but it's getting more and more interesting.
Moderator at 5:43pm ET
Dave Schapiro writes: Is there a middle ground between writing pop music and classical? Most artists transition slowly from one style to another. Why such a drastic switch?
Billy Joel at 5:44pm ET
For me it is not a drastic switch. I always wrote the music first, even when I was writing pop songs — so the music spoke before the lyrics did. Now I'm simply writing the music and developing it further without writing lyrics. So for me, it is not a drastic change. It is a natural evolution, and one that I'm enjoying tremendously.
Moderator at 5:45pm ET
Katie Kasdorf writes: Billy- I know that two of your songs will be broadcast this evening on ABC. How good are the chances that tonight's concert at MSG will be made available on CD (like Kohuept) or video (like Live at Yankee Stadium)? Both?
Billy Joel at 5:47pm ET
We are recording the concert. We have a mobile recording truck back stage at Madison Square Garden, so the concert will be recorded digitally. There will also be a visual recording of the show itself because we are using our own stage cameras and monitors which are displayed to the audience. So there will be video and audio recordings made. As far as will this be marketed and become available to consumers, I'm not really sure because that hasn't even been discussed with Sony, the record company. So, that's a very good question. I'll call my accountant right after this new year and find out what's going to happen. Katie, have you ever thought of going into the music business?
Billy Joel at 5:50pm ET
There will be at least 10-15 more songs than we normally do in this show. We're also going to have musicians who used to be in the band coming on stage, such as Richie Cannata, who was our sax player for many years starting in the mid 70's, and he will be playing with an entire horn section on a number of different songs. We will also be bringing on a guitar player who worked with me also in the 70's named David Brown, and we will have a choir on stage singing harmony on a number of songs that we have never been able to do because we needed a lot of voices. We will also be doing some songs live that we have never tried live before — also taking the chance that they may fall flat on their faces. But if there was ever a night to take a chance, tonight's the night!
Mike Costagliola at 5:50pm ET
Billy - Happy New Year. What is your favorite album that you've put out?
Billy Joel at 5:51pm ET
That's a tough one! I would have to say I love all the albums because I love all the songs on those albums as if they were my children. It's very difficult to ask a parent to pick their favorite child. I love them all for different reasons, but I would have to say that I am the most proud of The Nylon Curtain as an album and my last two albums, Storm Front from 1989 and River of Dreams from 1993.
Elizabeth from austin.rr.com at 5:51pm ET
Do you get nervous before performances?
Billy Joel at 5:52pm ET
No. I don't get nervous before performances except for the first opening concert of a tour — usually because I worry that we haven't rehearsed enough because I'm a lazy slob and right before the show begins I always curse myself and say, "Why didn't you rehearse more, you idiot." But then, once I sit at the piano and the crowd yells, I'm back in the saddle again and everything's okay.
Hal Klein at 5:52pm ET
What are your plans for new work in 2000?
Billy Joel at 5:55pm ET
As you may have heard, I have been composing classical piano pieces for the last six years. I'm getting better at it and hopefully I will be able to present some of these works on a cohesive recording some time in the coming year. However, I will not be the artist playing the pieces, as I'm not good enough as a classical pianist to perform these pieces. They are difficult to play, but it will be my music and it will be presented the way I would hope to have my music presented. These pieces are not late 20th century modern atonal 12-tone contemporary style pieces. They are more in the style of mid 19th century composers, such as Schumann, Brahms, Mendelssohn, and Chopin.
Sarah Thorowgood at 5:55pm ET
Do you plan to do any tours in the year 2000?
Billy Joel at 5:56pm ET
No I do not. I do not plan to tour at all any more. However, I may do some "Master Classes," which are a combination of questions and answers, mixed with some song performances and a lot of funny stories about what a crazy job I have. Sort of like Victor Borge goes to college.
Keith Hayden at 5:57pm ET
What are your expectations and hopes for the next 100 years?
Billy Joel at 5:59pm ET
I hope to watch my daughter grow into a happy, fulfilled, successful human being. And I hope to see her wishes and dreams come true. In general, of course, the stereotypical response would be peace and an end to human suffering, but knowing the history of this world as long as we know it, this is a Utopian thought. However, deep down in my heart, I hope we get closer to that Utopia.
Moderator at 5:59pm ET
Billy, thanks for joining us today!
Billy Joel at 6:00pm ET
I'm sorry that I'm unable to answer all of the questions that have been asked. There are time constraints, of course, and I am computer illiterate, so we're going through several layers of people to do this. However, I appreciate all the well-meant thoughts and questions, and I wish everybody a wonderful new millennium.
Moderator at 6:01pm ET
Thank you to everyone in our audience for participating in today's chat. And good luck tonight Billy!
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