Yeah, well….. cutting Liberty was a really bad move and I don’t blame Billy, I blame the people around him that let it happen. I mean, how do you not hear the individual genius in that guys drumming, and the synergy it had with Billy? Astounding that that could happen. Imagine this record with Liberty.
In the early '90s, my grandpa visits a friend's farm (Horton's farm) in Glastonbury Connecticut. He hears they're filming parts of the River of Dreams music video inside the barn and goes over there for a visit. He proceeds to chat up Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley. Keep in mind, my grandpa has no idea who they are. He calls my mom, living in New Hampshire at the time, and tells her about the experience. She is understandably livid and asks him, "Dad, don't YOU KNOW who BILLY JOEL is? He says, "No, but his wife was awfully nice!" My mom tells me this story years later, and is shocked at how clueless he is about the cultural zeitgeist. Some people are just in the right place at the right time, I guess.
Which band though? The line up had changed over the years and so what's the difference between new musicians for this album and some of the newer band members on the previous albums who had replaced the original band members? By which time only Liberty Devitto from the original band was left anyway and it's not like his own band had recorded these songs anyway and so you could make comparisons.
@William W. Campbell-Shepherd IX I think the issue with some band members was that Billy was more into the Russia tour than they were. I can see both sides though as Billy will have seen it personally as a chance to break down barriers and a big cultural or historic thing and was even willing to self-fund it, whereas the band had been on a long tour and at the end were probably wanting to get home.
Kind of a weird attitude, I think, to say Billy needed to get out of his comfort zone by playing with different musicians. You wouldn't find a producer saying Bono, you need to sack off the Edge, Larry and Adam to get a different sound. Billy's band was a MASSIVE part of the appeal of the band and gave a great consistency over the years.
Absolutely. Korchmar was a huge egotist who wanted to fix what wasnt broken. Strange how he replaced the band so guess who could play in the album?... Danny Korchmar, himself. The guy was a complete toolbox.
Yeah, the Hired Gun documentary really brought light onto that subject for me. Sadly, this was after the firing incident. Doug was fired around the Storm Front era
Billy here looks EXACTLY like the character of Bruce McGill in 'Out where the Busses Don't Run' of Miami Vice. Heck, it seems clear to me that Mr. Joel totally synced with that part.
That wasn't the reason why though, or else it too Billy about 15 years to work that out. Relationships became strained after the tour of the Soviet Union tour and revolved around money apparently.
Not a female; that is Zachary Alford on drums (handled the skins on all tracks except "Shades of Grey" [Liberty DeVitto], "Lullabye" [no drums, obviously], "Two Thousand Years" and "Famous Last Words" [both handled by Steve Jordan]).
Big mistake not recording most of the album on Shelter Island. The slick studio sound was fine for River of Dreams and Two Thousand Years (maybe All about Soul) but songs like Shades of Grey and Blonde over Blue were almost completely lost in that style of production. Most of the songs would have been better off with some ballz, rawer, and more authentic sounding... But I suppose that was too scary a risk for a middle aged pop star to take on his last album... Bummer for us.
They're all ridding on the shoulders of Billy's success. They're thinking they're going to make another classic. Not so. Billy was sideswiped on this album. Shame.
I think Billy wanted to use Kortchmar bc of his success with other acts, and perhaps more specifically bc he produced Don Henley's "Building the Perfect Beast." Billy is a big Henley fan and friend. I thought the album was decent, although Side Two was somewhat weaker.
6:46 cadence and voice here is very Elton John-like. (I know he hates the comparison, and the final edit doesn't sound like this... just commenting on how he's singing right here)
For some reason I just don’t like Danny Kortchmar! I don’t know what it is about him in this interview but I take an instant dislike to him! I feel like it’s more about him, he doesn’t seem bothered about people! The way he says I’m going to use my own musicians etc. Liberty was an amazing drummer, Russel was a loyal member of the band! It’s like he pushed him in the wrong direction! He could have worked with his existing band and changed things instead of encouraging him to throw them in the bin!
On other interviews Kortchmar said when he showed up the band was just hanging around, lazy didn't want to work or try new things...so they were out. A wake up call for them IMO They got too big for their britches and missed out on a excellent album. The previous band was very good but so were their replacements. The new sound hit the mark.
Billy is a better singer than most people know or realize.
Liberty DeVitto was the best Drummer ever for Billy!
So amazing to see behind the scenes of how Billy works and a look at how one of my favorites songs, River of Dreams, was tracked and produced!
Yeah, well….. cutting Liberty was a really bad move and I don’t blame Billy, I blame the people around him that let it happen. I mean, how do you not hear the individual genius in that guys drumming, and the synergy it had with Billy? Astounding that that could happen. Imagine this record with Liberty.
The only song on the album that Liberty played on was Shades of Grey, which, by no coincidence, is the album's best, most rocking song.
Steve Jordan can flat out play. He is not your guy... I get it...but he is no slouch and did an excellent job
Pocket, groove, and melody are essential and River of Dreams has it in spades.
Sad he hasn't made an album since
Just buzzing out 🤯❤️
In the early '90s, my grandpa visits a friend's farm (Horton's farm) in Glastonbury Connecticut.
He hears they're filming parts of the River of Dreams music video inside the barn and goes over there for a visit. He proceeds to chat up Billy Joel and Christie Brinkley.
Keep in mind, my grandpa has no idea who they are. He calls my mom, living in New Hampshire at the time, and tells her about the experience. She is understandably livid and asks him,
"Dad, don't YOU KNOW who BILLY JOEL is?
He says,
"No, but his wife was awfully nice!"
My mom tells me this story years later, and is shocked at how clueless he is about the cultural zeitgeist.
Some people are just in the right place at the right time, I guess.
I have his 15 cd box set on the way!!!...Billy is fantastic!!!!
Learning this guy’s song taught me more music theory than my whole Conservatory studies
He made a mistake on this one! His band was part of his sound!
Agreed. I always wonder what River of Dreams (the album) would have sounded like with his regular band.
Which band though?
The line up had changed over the years and so what's the difference between new musicians for this album and some of the newer band members on the previous albums who had replaced the original band members?
By which time only Liberty Devitto from the original band was left anyway and it's not like his own band had recorded these songs anyway and so you could make comparisons.
@William W. Campbell-Shepherd IX I think the issue with some band members was that Billy was more into the Russia tour than they were.
I can see both sides though as Billy will have seen it personally as a chance to break down barriers and a big cultural or historic thing and was even willing to self-fund it, whereas the band had been on a long tour and at the end were probably wanting to get home.
Kind of a weird attitude, I think, to say Billy needed to get out of his comfort zone by playing with different musicians. You wouldn't find a producer saying Bono, you need to sack off the Edge, Larry and Adam to get a different sound. Billy's band was a MASSIVE part of the appeal of the band and gave a great consistency over the years.
Absolutely. Korchmar was a huge egotist who wanted to fix what wasnt broken. Strange how he replaced the band so guess who could play in the album?... Danny Korchmar, himself. The guy was a complete toolbox.
Poor Doug :-(
Yeah, the Hired Gun documentary really brought light onto that subject for me. Sadly, this was after the firing incident. Doug was fired around the Storm Front era
Billy here looks EXACTLY like the character of Bruce McGill in 'Out where the Busses Don't Run' of Miami Vice. Heck, it seems clear to me that Mr. Joel totally synced with that part.
For some reason I an urge to buy an activated version of avs4you.
He comments on the simplistic rhythm guitar...but then I read he fired Russell Javors years before for not playing "enough".
That wasn't the reason why though, or else it too Billy about 15 years to work that out.
Relationships became strained after the tour of the Soviet Union tour and revolved around money apparently.
If you read Billy's Vulture interview Billy Explains why he let Russell Javors go.
Is the female drummer Cindy Blackman?
Not a female; that is Zachary Alford on drums (handled the skins on all tracks except "Shades of Grey" [Liberty DeVitto], "Lullabye" [no drums, obviously], "Two Thousand Years" and "Famous Last Words" [both handled by Steve Jordan]).
Looked female and Cindy's the bomb
Poor Lib!
Billy should have stuck with his band as these moochers were there for the gravy ride.
They're wearing scarves and thick coats inside that place? Not a very well insulated studio, I take it
Big mistake not recording most of the album on Shelter Island. The slick studio sound was fine for River of Dreams and Two Thousand Years (maybe All about Soul) but songs like Shades of Grey and Blonde over Blue were almost completely lost in that style of production. Most of the songs would have been better off with some ballz, rawer, and more authentic sounding... But I suppose that was too scary a risk for a middle aged pop star to take on his last album... Bummer for us.
Pretty sure “Shades of Grey” WAS from the Shelter Island sessions.
@@cbbates11It definitely was. Along with You Picked A Real Bad Time, first released as the B-side to All About Soul.
They're all ridding on the shoulders of Billy's success. They're thinking they're going to make another classic. Not so. Billy was sideswiped on this album. Shame.
I think Billy wanted to use Kortchmar bc of his success with other acts, and perhaps more specifically bc he produced Don Henley's "Building the Perfect Beast." Billy is a big Henley fan and friend. I thought the album was decent, although Side Two was somewhat weaker.
6:46 cadence and voice here is very Elton John-like. (I know he hates the comparison, and the final edit doesn't sound like this... just commenting on how he's singing right here)
For some reason I just don’t like Danny Kortchmar! I don’t know what it is about him in this interview but I take an instant dislike to him! I feel like it’s more about him, he doesn’t seem bothered about people! The way he says I’m going to use my own musicians etc. Liberty was an amazing drummer, Russel was a loyal member of the band! It’s like he pushed him in the wrong direction! He could have worked with his existing band and changed things instead of encouraging him to throw them in the bin!
He was an arrogant jack off. Funny how he wound up playing on the album too. There's a whole lot to dislike.
On other interviews Kortchmar said when he showed up the band was just hanging around, lazy didn't want to work or try new things...so they were out. A wake up call for them IMO They got too big for their britches and missed out on a excellent album. The previous band was very good but so were their replacements. The new sound hit the mark.
Hard to enjoy video with that thing middle of screen.
“And I finally found what I was looking for…”
What?! What is it?!!
“In the middle of the niight”
Oh ffs 🤦🏻♂️
Danny fucked up his shit. Lib was right. His worst Album.
That arrogant producer screwed it up
My least favorite of his albums.
Mine, too, at first, but I've discovered that it requires deep listening. I'm more and more drawn into it. Keep listening!
The worst album. He should’ve done it his way.