Billy Joel "glass houses"

The song "it's still rock and roll to me" triggers a very distinct memory for me.    In 1981 I was nine years old riding in my parents ford bronco on transit road in Clarence, NY.  We had just eaten at a Swiss Chalet restaurant and were heading back home.  I remember loving this song and the amount of lyrics even though I didn't understand all the references.  It didnt hurt that his last name was the first time i had heard the name Joel outside of my own name.  We drove past the green-blue glow of Child World toy store and I fantasized about all the G.I.Joe treasures within.  I sang along and felt like I was "in" on the whole rock n ' roll thing.  Like I was part of the gang, I belonged with all the voices on the radio.  I was in a car full of people but was so absorbed in the song I felt alone.  I distinctly remember that feeling.  Escapism.   I didn't know that it had a name, that it was the intention of rock n' roll.  I thought I stumbled on some magical feeling only I could experience.  It became an obsessive pursuit in later years.  I've caught #billyjoel live four times in my life.  I'd go catch the current old curmudgeon version of him again.  The soft spot I have for him stems from that epiphany with a belly full of chain restaurant ribs.  I recently had a discussion with a client about how I cannot relate to people who don't love music.  I think I've just realized that actually I specifically cannot relate to people who don't crave the escapism that music offers.  You can love edm, hip hop, power metal, etc.  As long as you crave the shelter of abstract patterns of sound we will be able to get along just fine.  To quote Billy: "it's still rock and roll to me."
Unless it's second tier grunge.  Bleccchh. (Just seeing if d.m.t. is paying attention)