Part Two

I loved this two-part documentary and I have to say I have continued to think about it since watching it. I was a fan from the 1980 when his songs first intrigued me as did his songwriting ability. The storytelling is just amazing as is the stories behind the songs. The story of how Billy's career takes off and then slows, the goes stratospheric is interesting and interlaced with the story of his early life, relationships, family and family history. Then there is the stories of his marriages, children and the great loves. Honest and touching. Billy Joel has provided the soundtrack to my life. This is a must see!

Billy Joel reminds me of Al Pacino's Vincent Hanna character in the Michael Mann movie "Heat." A man married to his work above all else, he's on the downslope of his third marriage. When his partner Justine tries, once again in vain, to reach his inscrutable core, he explains that he has to hold onto his angst. "It keeps me sharp," he says, "where I need to be." And no one else is allowed to go near there.

That same sort of angst is both muse & curse for someone like Billy Joel. After all his excruciating efforts through his professional journey led to numerous & predictable pitfalls, he must've asked himself many times, "Is that all you get for your money?"

He's very lucky to have found Alexis at the point in life, age- and career-wise, which he did. Most of us don't get that many chances. Only the view in our rearview mirrors of what we missed.