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Elton John Vs Billy Joel
- Thread starter MAJOR METAL
- Start date
Same number of letters in their first name... same number of letters in their last, both starting with the letter 'J'...
Coincidence? I don't think so...
Coincidence? I don't think so...
I actually did a test last night with my wife and found I could name 50 Elton John songs from memory.
I bet I could only do 25 Billy Joel songs if I really tried hard.
Reginald Dwight wins again.
I bet I could only do 25 Billy Joel songs if I really tried hard.
Reginald Dwight wins again.
Yeah, I also feel very differently about Billy Joel after watching Hired Gun. But even if I hadn't seen that film I would have still voted for Elton John.
No, I haven't named certain body parts after pop stars... Just sayin' that in either case, choosing one or the other is not clear-cut.... you actually have named the 'boys' after pop stars... Who's the headliner?
Maybe the headliner should be Peter Gabriel; or Richard Marx?
I voted carrots.
Musically, they've both got some really great work behind them. Elton probably more so than Billy, but I'd rate Billy's best just above Elton's.
That Hired Gun documentary surely lowered my opinion of Billy.
Not so much for breaking up his original band, but for how it was done.
I've always had the notion that Dee Murray and Nigel Olsen were hired on as touring sidemen, and in fact Elton forced his record company to use them more over time.
That said, short of actually being there at the time, who really knows what exactly was said to who and when?
Maybe I'm just being cynical, but it's rare that a documentary really gives an unbiased non-sensationalist look at anything.
Musically, they've both got some really great work behind them. Elton probably more so than Billy, but I'd rate Billy's best just above Elton's.
That Hired Gun documentary surely lowered my opinion of Billy.
Not so much for breaking up his original band, but for how it was done.
I've always had the notion that Dee Murray and Nigel Olsen were hired on as touring sidemen, and in fact Elton forced his record company to use them more over time.
That said, short of actually being there at the time, who really knows what exactly was said to who and when?
Maybe I'm just being cynical, but it's rare that a documentary really gives an unbiased non-sensationalist look at anything.
Apples and oranges to me. I like them both.
Joel has that scrappy kid from the Bronx makes it big kiknd of thing going. I like the lense through which he views life in his songs. The every man yankee lense. His songs speak to me more. Just a guy throwing it out there with his heart on his sleeve.
But you can't deny the sheer talent of Elton and Bernie. Polished and well-written songs. Elton is the consummate pro performer. The showman. Sometimes heart-warming and sometimes ridiculously fun. Incredible player and singer. I admire his raw talent more.
Both being pianists and singers is where the similarities end for me. Totally different artists and both great at what they do.
Is the carrot free range organic responsibly sourced fair trade hippie verified?
Joel has that scrappy kid from the Bronx makes it big kiknd of thing going. I like the lense through which he views life in his songs. The every man yankee lense. His songs speak to me more. Just a guy throwing it out there with his heart on his sleeve.
But you can't deny the sheer talent of Elton and Bernie. Polished and well-written songs. Elton is the consummate pro performer. The showman. Sometimes heart-warming and sometimes ridiculously fun. Incredible player and singer. I admire his raw talent more.
Both being pianists and singers is where the similarities end for me. Totally different artists and both great at what they do.
Is the carrot free range organic responsibly sourced fair trade hippie verified?
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Elton John was an important artist for a few years in the early to mid 1970s. He was greatly assisted by his collaborator and a top-notch band with a superb bassist. Then suddenly he was just another pop star. We'll always have "Madman" and Tumbleweed," though.
Here are some covers I did of Billy:
Here are some covers I did of Elton:
Elton is the better piano player, and Billy has said so. For me, Elton is harder to sing, and has a ton of nuance. His voice radically changed over time, going from tenor to baritone, and he has put in more time behind the mic than Billy, and has a lot more songs. Billy was a big jerk when he fired his players, as was Elton, but both men are stars, who wrote and performed excellent songs, and I know bigger jerks than either of them who did a lot less.
I re-iterate that Billy is no Elton, but that's not much of a knock. Nobody is Elton, and to be fair, Elton is no Billy.
Here are some covers I did of Elton:
Elton is the better piano player, and Billy has said so. For me, Elton is harder to sing, and has a ton of nuance. His voice radically changed over time, going from tenor to baritone, and he has put in more time behind the mic than Billy, and has a lot more songs. Billy was a big jerk when he fired his players, as was Elton, but both men are stars, who wrote and performed excellent songs, and I know bigger jerks than either of them who did a lot less.
I re-iterate that Billy is no Elton, but that's not much of a knock. Nobody is Elton, and to be fair, Elton is no Billy.
I should add that almost no artist, even Dylan, has consistently maintained high quality throughout a long career. But I think Elton sabotaged himself by firing his band and succumbing to rock-star attitudes and excesses. I liked his early stuff a lot, though. And that Dee Murray bass work!
I'm thankful that both of them had long distinguished careers and contributed so much to my musical youth.
I figure a high percentage of superstar level people are a POS as human beings. That's why I tend to just enjoy their music and avoid delving too deep into the details.
I figure a high percentage of superstar level people are a POS as human beings. That's why I tend to just enjoy their music and avoid delving too deep into the details.
