Billy Joel Talks Dream Supergroup, Writing 1st New Song Since 2007 & More On ‘Howard Stern’

Billy Joel returned to SiriusXM’s The Howard Stern Show for a guest appearance on Wednesday. The fellow New Yorkers discussed supergroups, how Joel came to write his first new song in 17 years, “Turn the Lights Back On,” and more at the SiriusXM Miami Studios.

Stern noted that he thought Joel would have fit right in with supergroup the Traveling Wilburys — George Harrison, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne. Billy responded that he thought about putting together a group together with Sting, Don Henley and John Mayer.

Joel mentioned that he talks regularly with Paul McCartney, who was in the “superist group of all time,” but he didn’t have the nerve to ask him to form a group. “You want me to say something to this guy,” Stern replied. Billy also mentioned Ringo, “favorite guy” the late Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page before playing a snippet of “Kashmir.”

Watch Billy Joel talk about his dream supergroup below:

The conversation also naturally touched on Joel’s new song, “Turn the Lights Back On.” Stern related how he ran into Joel’s co-writer and producer of the song, Freddy Wexler, on Long Island. Joel then explained how he met Freddy and sent him a few sketches, “shit…laying around” as Stern put it, to Wexler. Joel then played what he sent. While Joel danced around the meaning behind the song, the skilled interviewer got his answer. Watch below:

Billy also talked about some of his classic songs, revealing what he considers his “top song” and delves into the songwriting process on other hits like “Movin’ Out (Anthony’s Song).”

Elsewhere in the conversation, Joel told a story about sneaking into a Jimi Hendrix concert at 18, the piano as a percussion instrument, recording the star-studded 1985 charity single “We Are The World” and more.