Billy Joel
ON THE RECORD · 15 verbatim quotes · every quote source-verified
“So they have to test me further to see if I can go back and do performing again, which I would like to be able to do.”
Billy Joel · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-15
Joel expressed his desire to return to performing pending further medical testing.
“You know, I don't want to lose my marbles. It's hard to tell what's age and what's a condition, so I agreed to do the shunt and I had a surgery. And they implanted a shunt in my brain, and it actually improved things.”
Billy Joel · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-15
Joel discussed his decision to undergo shunt implantation surgery and the improvements he experienced.
“I have to take a series of tests before I know, but I can’t drive right now,”
Billy Joel · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-15
Joel said he must undergo testing and is currently unable to drive due to his condition.
“They call it a brain disorder, but it’s not that serious. It’s just something that affects your balance mostly.”
Billy Joel · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-15
Joel downplayed the severity of his hydrocephalus diagnosis, saying it mostly affects his balance.
“I didn't want to do that, but then I read up on it and I realized it can help improve your balance and can help your memory,”
Billy Joel · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-15
Joel explained why he agreed to brain surgery after initially being reluctant.
“And also I have a condition called hydrocephalus, which makes driving a little bit iffy. So I realized it’s time for me to turn it over to somebody else.”
Billy Joel · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-15
Joel connected his hydrocephalus condition to his decision to auction his motorcycles.
“I’m not allowed to drive. And I can’t do performances because what the neurologist told me, every time you do a show, it’s like you’re getting a concussion.”
Billy Joel · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-15
Joel explained he is not allowed to drive and cannot perform because shows cause concussion-like effects.
“Well, I ended up having over a hundred motorcycles, and the truth is you can only ride one at a time. I’m into my 70s now, and I realized I can’t ride as much as I used to,”
Billy Joel · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-15
Joel explained why he is auctioning off his motorcycle collection.
“What the neurologist told me, every time you do a show, it’s like you’re getting a concussion,”
Billy Joel · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-15
Joel explained that his neurologist warned him performing causes concussion-like effects due to his NPH diagnosis.
“I don’t want to die like a bug on a windshield. So I thought I’d put a lot of them on auction.”
Billy Joel · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-15
Joel shared his reasoning for putting his motorcycles up for auction.
“It used to be called water on the brain, so it affects your balance, it affects your memory, it affects your vision, your hearing. But I’m OK.”
Billy Joel · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-15
Joel described the symptoms of hydrocephalus and said he was OK.
“I have this thing called hydrocephalus,”
Billy Joel · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-15
Joel told The Hollywood Reporter about his normal pressure hydrocephalus diagnosis.
“My memory got better. My balance got a little better. My ability to function was better, and I realized, and the doctors told me this, because of my job, which is playing rock and roll music very loud, that it was giving me something like a concussion every time I did a show.”
Billy Joel · said date not stated · reported 2026-10-15
Joel described improvements after surgery and said doctors told him loud rock performances caused concussion-like damage.
“I don’t know how many times I woke up in the morning realizing I was an idiot the night before, felt like hell, had a hungover. You look in the mirror and you go, ‘You had to be a big shot, didn’t you?'”
Billy Joel · said date not stated · reported 2025-07-26
Billy Joel describes the hangover experiences that led him to write the song 'Big Shot.'
“‘Big Shot’ was a hangover song,”
Billy Joel · said date not stated · reported 2025-07-26
Billy Joel explains the inspiration behind his song in a track introduction.