AttilaDig Billy Joel (on the right) as a fuzzed-out organ puncher, one half of the long-forgotten duo ATTILA, circa 1970. I got pointed this way this morning thanks to
WFMU (again), but I've enjoyed a cheap cassette version of this utterly rare LP for many years and I endorse it mightily. Just Joel on vocals and organ with a drummer, attempting to out-heavy Deep Purple but not quite making it all the way. Still, it's a lot of fun to hear the Pianoman in this setting, and certain sections of the album hit hard ... if they had assembled a full band Atilla might have been on to something. The songs are terrible but I'm never gonna turn down distorted Hammond riffs run through a wah-wah pedal. Apparently Attila only played a handful of gigs and fell apart quickly, leading a depressed Joel to take refuge in the cornball piano bars of Long Island. The rest of the story writes itself.
3 comments:
F.Y.I. Billy Joel never played in piano bars on Long Island. He played in Rock and Roll bands until he recorded his first solo album. He only played in a piano bar in Los Angeles for 6 months while trying to hide out from an onerous record company deal. The rest is history.
Happy Birthday!
F.Y.I. Billy Joel never played in piano bars on Long Island. He played in Rock and Roll bands until he recorded his first solo album. He only played in a piano bar in Los Angeles for 6 months while trying to hide out from an onerous record company deal. The rest is history.
Post a Comment