I've seen the lights go out in Flushing

[Guest Edgy DC]

SteveJRogers wrote: Well considering NYSOM closes out Shea after every freaking game, clearly someone running the boards at Shea, or someone above them wants that to be the Mets "New York, New York"

One, that doesn't equal, "he's OUR Sinatra."

Two, that doesn't equal, "Mets consider him to be their version of Sinatra."

Three, "someone running the boards at Shea," so what?

If he's Sinatra, who is Gene Simmons? Caruso?

[Guest Edgy DC]

SteveJRogers wrote: Okay, maybe in the part you and Cha are in, but its apparantly that is the exception to the rule.

Give me a break. Being a dick is being a dick is being a dick.

[stevejrogers]

Edgy DC wrote: ="SteveJRogers"]Okay, maybe in the part you and Cha are in, but its apparantly that is the exception to the rule. Give me a break. Being a dick is being a dick is being a dick.

Yeah, and my perception, granted its from a fan perspective from reading and watching interviews and the like, but it seems there are more dicks in the entire industry (no matter what genre) than there are good people who will give people breaks, respect those who came before (even if you didn't care for it) and acknowledge whats coming after them.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Great. Enjoy the concert.

[Guest metsguyinmichigan]

Having lived in Flint, Mich. for nine years, I know far more about Grand Funk Railroad than I really should. Some of the band members still live in the area -- as did ? from ? and the Mysterians, but his trailer home burned down some time back.

I like Billy Joel, especially out here when I can use him to flaunt my brash New Yorkedness.

As far as his Yankee fandom, I cut creative people some slack. They're ...different.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Is shallow the word you're looking for?

Sorry about the demolition joke.

[Guest Edgy DC]

SteveJRogers wrote: Grand Funk? Greg, You do realize they are universally named as one of the worst groups in the history of rock & roll. Yeah thats akin to the amount of "pundits" that put Sgt. Pepper as the greatest album of all time despite the Beatles themselves putting Rubber Soul & Revolver above it, but considering the amount of Grand Funk hate that doesn't sound like a real good reason to dislike an artist.

My off-the-top-of-my-head list of 200 bands that are worse than Grand Funk begins with...

[bmfc1]

seawolf17 wrote: Besides, "Some Kind of Wonderful" is one of the best songs ever.

Agreed. As is "Bad Time."

[HahnSolo]

I was at the Billy Joel concert (referenced by Greg above) at the Garden the night the Mets won Game 6 in Houston. I, along with what seemed like about 500 others, stood outside the hotel across the street (the Pennsylvania, maybe?) and watched the final outs on the TV of the hotel bar before heading in.

The concert started late, as no one was entering the Garden while the game was still going on.

On stage, there were Mets hats left at each of the band members spots on stage. Billy apologized for starting late, but they were watching "a ball game." Throughout the show, he gave updates on who was winning the Angels/Red Sox Game 7.

[Guest Edgy DC]

bmfc1 wrote: ="seawolf17"]Besides, "Some Kind of Wonderful" is one of the best songs ever. Agreed. As is "Bad Time."

Little known fact: "Bad Time" was written about cooby.

[Guest sharpie]

It was Ringo and George who liked Sgt. Pepper less because it was such a studio-created album and their involvement (other than Ringo singing "With a Little Help From My Friends" and George's "Within You Without You") was little more than showing up when told to and playing their part. The band was less of a coherent band from that point forward. Paul and John always had good things to say about it. You can make a good argument for it being the best Beatle album, along with the two you cited, Abbey Road and, some would say, The White Album. In any event, it is among the 5 best and any of those choices would be a respectable one.

Billy Joel never approached the heights reached on those albums.

Grand Funk were ok. "Outside Looking In" was pretty good, "We're An American Band" also.

I never see Billy Joel at Mets games. George Thorogood and Meat Loaf are real Mets fans, let them close the place down.

[Guest Edgy DC]

That's more of a response than Steve's red herring of a tangent deserved.

[seawolf17]

Love him or hate him, Billy Joel might be as big a musical icon as Long Island has created. (Apologies to Lou Reed.) The guy has sold eleventy jillion albums, and if he plays fourteen Shea Stadium dates in November 2008, he's going to sell out every single one of them.

So would the Stones, so would Bon Jovi, so would a lot of acts; keep in mind the stadium isn't about the Mets and who's a fan and who's not a fan, it's about selling an extra 800,000 tickets before they blow the place up.

[Guest Kid Carsey]

We're an American Band's drum and cow bell intro reminds me instantly
everytime of middle school dances when a couple of hundred adolescent
heads would suddenly start boppin'.

Gotta be included in a top 100 rock song list somewhere.

I hope Steve has a nice hangover morning.

[Guest sharpie]

]That's more of a response than Steve's red herring of a tangent deserved.

Yeah, I know.

As to Seawolf's point: Of course he would sell out those shows ('cept who does want to go to an outside show in November?) My point was strictly Metcentric.

I think Paul Simon, from Queens, might argue with the point that Billy Joel is a bigger musical icon.

[seawolf17]

I think Long Island, from Long Island, would argue that Queens doesn't count.

[Guest Edgy DC]

="seawolf17"]Love him or hate him, Billy Joel might be as big a musical icon as Long Island has created. (Apologies to Lou Reed.) The guy has sold eleventy jillion albums,

All true. Don't care.

="seawolf17"] and if he plays fourteen Shea Stadium dates in November 2008, he's going to sell out every single one of them.

Not unless the tickets are under $40. I think he'd be more likely to play two dates (with a third date reserved if ticket sales are quick) and charge $280 for everything on the field, $140 for lower level. $110 for mezz, and $88 for the upper deck.

Maybe they'll be that affordable.

="seawolf17"]So would the Stones, so would Bon Jovi, so would a lot of acts; keep in mind the stadium isn't about the Mets and who's a fan and who's not a fan,

The stadium is largely about the Mets. I'd say mostly about the Mets. It's 71.4% about the Mets.

Table 1: What Shea Stadium Is About

Mets	71.4%
Jets	12.6%
Beatles	8.0%
Pope John Paul II	1.8%
Police	1.5%
Who	1.4%
Rolling Stones	1.3%
Simon & Garfunkle	1.1%
Grand Funk	0.9%

="seawolf17"]it's about selling an extra 800,000 tickets before they blow the place up.

How is the stadium about selling 800,000 ticketes? I realize the booking of a concert largely is. But he's apparently making a point about cynically linking his legacy to history. And it's history I like, and I'd rather resist it.

[soupcan]

Edgy DC wrote: If he's Sinatra, who is Gene Simmons? Caruso?

I'm assuming you are referencing 'New York Groove'?

Always thought that was an Ace Frehley solo project, am I wrong?

And put me on record as saying I prefer that song at the end of Met victories to 'New York State of Of Mind'.

[Guest Edgy DC]

seawolf17 wrote: I think Long Island, from Long Island, would argue that Queens doesn't count.

Queens is more Long Island than East Hampton. Long Island has exactly the same claim on the Mets that they have on Paul Simon and his bald head.

Let's, as Long Islanders, stop stroking ourselves. Long Island has been flyover country to Billy Joel for 25 years. Probably for Paul Simon just as long.

[Guest Johnny Dickshot]

Table 1 doesn't know wtf it's talking about.

Shea Stadium is 94% about the Mets. 96% maybe.

[bmfc1]

Off the top of my head, references to the MFYs in Billy Joel songs:

Zanibar: "Rose, he knows he's such a credit to the game,
But the Yankees grab the headlines every time."

Miami 2017: "They sent a carrier out from Norfolk-
And picked the Yankees up for free."

Also, on the back cover of one of his albums, I think it was "The Nylon Curtain", the NY Times was on the table and there is an article about a Mets loss.

Having said that, I'm a big fan and if Shea has to close, and there is going to be a last concert, then he's an appropriate headliner.

[Guest Edgy DC]

soupcan wrote: ="Edgy DC"]If he's Sinatra, who is Gene Simmons? Caruso? I'm assuming you are referencing 'New York Groove'? Always thought that was an Ace Frehley solo project, am I wrong? And put me on record as saying I prefer that song at the end of Met victories to 'New York State of Of Mind'.

Of course it was Ace. Please forgive me and my madness.

[bmfc1]

Edgy DC wrote: Let's, as Long Islanders, stop stroking ourselves. Long Island has been flyover country to Billy Joel for 25 years.

Mr. Joel still has a house in The Hamptons. While that's not exactly Levittown, it still is on LI.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Point missed.

[Benjamin Grimm]

He doesn't still have a place in Oyster Bay where he drives his car into trees?

[Guest Edgy DC]

="bmfc1"]Off the top of my head, references to the MFYs in Billy Joel songs: Zanibar: "Rose, he knows he's such a credit to the game, But the Yankees grab the headlines every time." Miami 2017: "They sent a carrier out from Norfolk- And picked the Yankees up for free." Also, on the back cover of one of his albums, I think it was "The Nylon Curtain", the NY Times was on the table and there is an article about a Mets loss. Having said that, I'm a big fan and if Shea has to close, and there is going to be a last concert, then he's an appropriate headliner.

Isn't it telling that he identified himself so nobly with the guy who toiled honorably only to lose credit to the more glamorous and self-centered, and that guy turned out to be a world-class phony? He's deeply invested in frontrunning Yankee culture.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I think I'd rather see a musical quartet of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Joe Namath, and Pope Benedict.

THAT would be an interesting (and offbeat) nod to the stadium's non-Mets history.

[Guest sharpie]

Sad thing is that Paul McCartney has been to several Yankee games lately, including one during the last Boston series. He was sitting with Lorne Michaels.

[soupcan]

Can't find am image on-line but I believe also that on the back cover of 'The Stranger' one of the band members is wearing a Yankees jersey.

[Guest Edgy DC]

Sad and un-shocking.