When I was a young musician, the only option available to pursue secondary education in music was to attend a classical conservatory. Billy Joel More Quotes by Billy Joel More Quotes From Billy Joel I said I love you and that's forever Billy Joel anniversarylove-youfriendship Maybe this won't last very long but you feel so right and I could be wrong. Maybe I've been hoping too hard. I've gone this far and it's more than I hope for. Billy Joel happy-lovegonelong You've got to be hard, like the rock in that old rock & roll. Billy Joel old-rockhardrocks Every child had a pretty good shot, to get at least as far as their old man got. But something happened on the way to that place. They threw an American flag in our face. Billy Joel flagsmenchildren Even when I stop performing or stop making records I won't stop being creative. Songwriting is a good outlet. Billy Joel outletsrecordscreative We're on the verge of all things new. Billy Joel vergeall-things-newall-things There's an old man sitting next to me, making love to his tonic and gin. Billy Joel drugalcoholmen I believe that all important matters have to be settled here, not in the clouds somewhere after we kick off. Billy Joel importantcloudsbelieve It's alright, you can afford to lose a day or two Billy Joel alrightlosestwo More than art, more than literature, music is universally accessible. Billy Joel music-isliteratureart They say there's a heaven for those who wait, some say it's better I say it ain't. Billy Joel evilwaitingheaven I have a theory that the only original things we ever do are mistakes. Billy Joel originalstheorymistake Musicians now find themselves in the unlikely position of being legitimate. At least the IRS thinks so. Billy Joel irsmusicianthinking People pay a lot of money to go see shows now, they don't wanna know about your technical problems, or if you're not feeling good, they don't wanna know we have a glitch. It's their night, you better do something to earn that money. Billy Joel feel-goodnightpeople Twyla Tharp put it together from the material I wrote and recorded over my whole career. I thought it was pretty good, but how objective could I be? Billy Joel materialscareerstogether Most people you'd tell "I'm gonna be a musician," they'd say, "you're crazy, you're gonna starve, you're gonna be poor, a drug addict, go to jail, you'll never make it, there's too much competition, it's a terrible business," etc. But my chorus teacher in high school said, "you've got what it takes to be a really good professional musician, you should consider it." That was an epiphany for me. So I thought, well, maybe I can help somebody, too. Billy Joel crazyteacherschool I always hated my hair, so now it's going away. Billy Joel hatedgoing-awayhair Those who have expressed doubts and misgivings about their ability to live this kind of life shouldn't try, because being a musician is not something you chose to be, it is something you are. Billy Joel musiciandoubttrying I was drawn to boxing because I got beat up as a kid. I was the kid with the piano books in a New York neighbourhood. Billy Joel new-yorkkidsbook People always think I was just playing in a piano bar, but I only did that for about six months. The rest of the time I was playing in bands. Billy Joel pianopeoplethinking