The 64-year-old musician mentions past drug use in an interview with Howard Stern, saying that the experience was the inspiration behind song 'Scandinavian Skies'.
- Apr 29, 2014
AceShowbiz - Billy Joel revealed past drug use at a recent event. In an interview with Howard Stern on Monday, April 28, the 64-year-old singer said that he once tried heroin, but then he got "scared." As reported by Rolling Stone, he said, "This was back in the late '70s I think. We were in Amsterdam, and there was all this stuff going on, so I said, 'Let me see what this is like.' "
"It got me so high, I didn't know how to deal with it. You just get way out, just go to another place, and you're into the blues. All you want to hear is the blues. You start drooling, and you get sick," he added. The experience with drugs then inspired song "Scandinavian Skies" from his 1982's album "The Nylon Curtain".
At the event, Joel also talked about his career and family. He mentioned forming a super band with Sting, Don Henley and "another guitarist." He explained to the 150-member audience, "I liked being in a band. Someday we might put together a silly supergroup."
He then answered a question about his daughter Alexa Ray Joel who started her career as a singer in 2006. "She's really good. Everyone thinks dad set it up... she did it on her own," he told the guests, which included Rachael Ray and Matt Lauer.
In addition to the Q&A session, the 3-hour event which was broadcast live on Stern's SiriusXM radio show, included performances from many stars including Tony Bennett and Melissa Etheridge who performed "Only the Good Die Young". Joel performed a duet version of his song "She's Always a Woman" with Pink who walked down the aisle with the song in 2006.
According to The Associated Press, Joel played the piano when Idina Menzel sang "Honesty" and enjoyed the show when Boyz II Men sang "The Longest Time". The show was closed with Bennet's performance of "New York State of Mind".
