Recommendations of the Editorial team
Billy Joel caused a stir in an interview when he described the Beatles’ “White Album” as the “Collection of Half -Found Songs”. In the Podcast series Club “Random” by Bill Maher, Joel surprisingly critically spoke about the double album published in 1968. A work that is generally considered a masterpiece among Beatles fans and music critics.
“Too know or indifferent”: Joel’s hard words about the album
When Bill Maher brought the “White Album” into play in the discussion about classic double albums, Joel reacted with an unusually clear rejection: “I am not a big fan of the white album, although some people love it,” he said. “I only hear a collection of semi -finished songs that they didn’t finish. Because they were too well -known or they just didn’t care.”
Joel continued to say that the songs sound more like “fragments” that were only “thrown together”. For him it seems as if the band no longer had the necessary creative energy or the inner cohesion to make a coherent album.
John distant, Paul takes over: An analysis of the Beatles dynamics
Joel was particularly concerned with John Lennon. In his view, Lennon was already absent internally during the development of the album “I think John was at that time to dissociate himself.”
“I think Paul wore most.”
This observation is not new, but is emotionally charged by Joel’s personal assessment. It fits into the history that the Beatles were increasingly plagued by internal tensions during the time of the album. Both musically and personally.
“Rights and depths” – Billy Joel about the creative descent
Joel, in his opinion, explains the fluctuating quality on the album with the natural phases of creativity, which also lies through a band like the Beatles: “Sometimes they were more productive, sometimes not – and you can hear that on the plate.” This differentiated view relativizes its criticism a bit, but underlines the fact that Joel feels the “White Album” rather uninspired and fragmented.
Health and personal insights
In the further course of the podcast, Joel also spoke about his health. In May he was diagnosed with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) – a rare form of brain water disorder. As a result, he canceled all planned tour dates. “It sounds worse than I actually feel. I actually feel good, but my sense of balance is bad – like on a boat,” said Joel.
When asked about the cause of the disease, he answered self -ironic: “Nobody knows. I thought it would come from drinking. I no longer drink, but I used to drink like a fish in the past.”
New documentary format: insights into Joels abysses
At the same time, Joel’s two -part documentary “Billy Joel: And So It Goes” celebrated. In it he speaks openly about his depression – and even reveals two attempts at suicide after he had an affair with his best friend’s wife. The documentary shows a deeply vulnerable artist who speaks about his personal crises today with amazing openness.