KEY POINTS:
Auckland musician Deryn Trainer is "absolutely fizzing" about the upcoming concert by the man he channelled all the way to the top spot in the high-rating look'n'sing-alike contest Stars In Their Eyes, with his rendition of Joel's classic Piano Man. Joel is playing Vector Arena on December 14.
Have you seen Billy before?
Yep. In the mid to late 80s on the Leningrad Tour, the Russian Tour that he was famous for, at Mt Smart Stadium. John Farnham did support which was at the height of the Whispering Jack album.
So why are you excited this time round? Because you haven't seen him in ages?
Well, I see him often. I put the live DVDs on. But actually seeing the modern-day Mozart up close and personal, yeah, absolutely fizzing for it. And realistically how many times between now and when he dies is he going to come back to New Zealand? It might be the last chance we get to see him.
Do you think you paved the way a little bit for Billy Joel's visit?
Oh, I would severely doubt it. World tours don't happen overnight [laughs]. In saying that, if it's raised the awareness of Billy's name in the public's eye after what I did on Stars then that's great.
You'll surely be angling for a couple of tickets considering the promotion you've given him?
Nah, I'm not in it for freebies, mate. I'd pay any amount of money to see him live because he's just that good.
From a fan's perspective what was his last great album?
Um, I like all of them really. Even the ones he said flopped. My favourite ones, be it CDs or DVDs, are the live concerts ... Leningrad one in Russia, Yankee Stadium, and the River of Dreams. There's just so much good stuff, and the guy has got 30-odd years of back catalogue and great songs to choose from. It's just a crowd-pleaser, especially considering what he does, he is just a guy who sits at a piano and plays and sings. He doesn't have the dancers, the AV productions, and the huge lighting rigs a la Madonna. It's about the music for him and that's ultimately what I respect about him - that he doesn't need all the disco toys to make him look good.
He admitted in a recent interview that he hated his biggest hit, Just the Way You Are.
When you've written a song about a certain person, or a certain feeling 30 years ago, and so much time has passed, and I saw an interview with him when he was talking about [singing the big songs], you do sometimes zone out. Because it's like, you can do your shopping list in your head you do it so often. You can get sick of doing one or two particular songs at a gig.
Why did you choose Piano Man?
Because it's one of the better-known, if not best-known Billy Joel song, with the exception of Uptown Girl which he doesn't do now for obvious reasons. And it also showed I could sing, play a piano, and play a mouth organ all at the same time. So I thought showing people what I could do, and what he could do was probably the best example.
So why is there a harmonica solo on a song called the Piano Man?
I have no idea. You will have to ask him.
I may not get a chance.
Well, if you get a chance I'd like to be there. I've never had the pleasure of meeting the maestro but I'd love to.
JOEL'S BEST SONGS
According to avid fan and impersonator Deryn Trainer: "I'm actually a fan of the obscure stuff, not the hits that everyone knows."
1 Angry Young Man, from Turnstiles (1976)
2 Leningrad, from Storm Front (1989)
3 The Ballad Of Billy the Kid, from Piano Man (1973)
4 Scenes From An Italian Restaurant, from The Stranger (1977)
5 Goodnight Saigon, from Nylon Curtain (1982)
