Freddy Wexler Interview | Writing “Turn The Lights Back On” with Billy Joel

Freddy Wexler Interview | Writing “Turn The Lights Back On” with Billy Joel
Freddy Wexler caught up with Rob Herrera at the MUSICARES Person Of The Year Carpet in Los Angeles to talk about
writing new single “Turn The Lights Back On” for Billy Joel
I manage my channel with TubeBuddy
www.tubebuddy.com/FrontRowLiv...
Earn cash back while shopping with Rakuten
www.rakuten.com/r/IAMROB42?ee...
/ robertherrera3
/ frontrowliveent
FrontRowLiveEnt.com
Check out my gear in my Amazon Influencer page!
if you purchase something through my affiliate links I may earn a small commission which helps my channel.
www.amazon.com/shop/frontrowl...
[INTERVIEW GEAR]
Busy Box - shop.busyboxsign.com/ROBERTHERRERA3
Sony A7iv - amzn.to/3q5qgvK
Sony 20-70mm F4 - amzn.to/3mXS32A
Sony 28mm - amzn.to/2zRQgxG
Sony 24-105 - amzn.to/2XKlVTF
DJI RS 3 Mini - amzn.to/3kTepkR
Manfrotto Video Tripod - amzn.to/3fgoBRQ
Manfrotto Xpro Aluminum Monopod - amzn.to/2CqSI1d
Camera Light 1 - amzn.to/2Xzl0oC
Aputure Light - amzn.to/3s2kUlI
Rode VideoMic NTG - amzn.to/2ZEm2RZ
Audio Recorder - amzn.to/3lHCbNo
Sennheiser ew 100-ENG G3 Wireless - amzn.to/2xzZ37y
Sennheiser MD46 ENG Mic - amzn.to/2wL5KWN
Camera Case - amzn.to/3tTySX6
[VLOGGING GEAR]
DJI OM5 Gimbal - amzn.to/3EM8mUv
Mini Slider - amzn.to/3M7Esg2
Canon M50 - amzn.to/33mjq9U
Canon G7X Mark II - amzn.to/2iJp4hy
Sennheiser XSW-D - amzn.to/2Xw1Fm4
Joby Gorilla Pod - amzn.to/2U7Wu9T
Lights - amzn.to/3zrGfpK
#FreddyWexler #BillyJoel #FrontRowLiveEnt

[@frontrowliveent]

Freddy Wexler got Billy Joel out of retirement! What did you think of "Turn The Lights Back On?"

[@brucetowell3432]

It's a great number, sounds like a complete Billy Joel number...if we didn't hear that Freddie wrote half or more, I could have been easily fooled to believe billy wrote the whole song.

[@brucetowell3432]

I've never heard of Freddie until this event, so surely Billy is helping his career without saying.;-)

[@brucetowell3432]

Is Freddy related to the WEXLER of Atlantic Records fame?? have forgotten his first name , but he was a giant force in the record industry many decades ago....with Aretha Franklin and others...Oh his name was Jerry.

[@jamesdamico9284]

I think it’s amazing

[@jonaskromwell4464]

He's right. It's very hopeful to have Billy Joel back.

[@Flint92]

And so it goes. Sounds like there may be an album flying under the radar!

[@jamesdamico9284]

Thank you Freddy. Please release those old records. We need them

[@Robert_Presto]

That song & a.i. video blows my mind !

[@marcopolo-xj4yw]

This guy’s damn smart.

[@pfazza19]

This kid literally cold started billy Joel after 40 year block in which he couldn't write or perform new material. Which required something transcendent and more than hustle, talent or influence

[@Sassy4826]

It's beautiful.❤

[@julieding6505]

Good on you for helping Billy, he is my second favorite band, first favorite Bon Jovi 🎉🎉because of your help , l saw Billy Joel in my country NZ great concert 😊❤❤

[@riccardoangeli802]

Bon jovi sicuramente più carino di Piano Man ... Ma musicalmente nettamente inferiore 😜

[@larkefedifero]

Wow! You really must appreciate the logo on the back wall of this video, then!! 😉

[@lanznawy7542]

Welcome back to the family, with a new 'side dish' Billy Joel!!! New Music, with trust is everything!!!

[@brucetowell3432]

Hey Freddie ...love the song, God Bless you for working with Billy.....any chance you might get Brian Wilson to turn a light on?....God Bless

[@user-pm9pn7im7c]

Love Billy Joel.

[@jonspengler5891]

His last name got him there more than anything

[@christopherallen9580]

trudat

[@kevinnelson66]

New album coming?

[@riccardoangeli802]

Nel fantastico repertorio di Piano Man questo nuovo pezzo... Al massimo... Può stare dopo il 60esimo posto 😜

[@davidkyle2073]

As much as Freddy started this song, he clearly borrowed from Billy’s Piano Man, enough that it appealed to Billy upon first hearing.

[@jimilove7773]

Now I know why I liked it but did not love it.....

[@brucetowell3432]

Actually the only part of the tune I don't like, is it's abrupt ending. Something is not right with that.

[@larkefedifero]

Exactly. Nor with the cold opening. Nor with the 15+ second, Columbia teaser instrumental piano intro dropped last week before the song's release... *which appears nowhere in the song!* (Try clipping it onto the start of the song - it's a perfect match!). Instinct tells me that his is a single / radio edit of the song, as 4+ minutes is already extremely long for airplay! I suspect there's a full, longer, album version waiting to be heard. But where do album versions go? *On an album!* So I HIGHLY anticipate an album in the works, forthcoming at some point! Of course, as just another fan, this is only speculation. But it would be quite unfortunate if Billy's "reawakening" collaboration with Freddy, with all of his input, inspiration and INTENT, didn't bear more fruit!! 😊👍😉

[@frantark2535]

Agreed. The abrupt ending took away from the song as a whole, maybe Billy was thinking it was going to be completed after he finished....but, hope to hear what else they worked on of Billy's

[@frantark2535]

​@larkefedifero good comment and observation , I noticed that too...whats missing sounded better than what's on record..yeah let's hope there's more than just this, and maybe they rework this one as well a little more

[@brucetowell3432]

@@frantark2535 Yes good point...I'm not familiar with his other compositions, maybe this is a trademark of his writing? Maybe this is a trademark of all the new under 40 years of age writers, who just willy nilly end a song? He said climbs Billy bright over all his unfinished songs, there has to be 14 songs in there for an LP, I cannot imagine this is a one and done. I've only written a few and about half of mine have fade outs, and the other half have instrumental endings. Then again Im an old fart 72, and do not know how these new young writers finish songs. PS Imagine hearing "Yesterday" without Paul's 2 bar humming to close the tune out!??

[@brucetowell3432]

@@frantark2535 Well thanks, yea the missing piano intro, someone posted, might be the version that will be on an LP? This cannot be a one and done for Billy??

[@John-du6ec]

When Billy felt his writing wasn't up to scratch,he couldv got with Bernie taupin..all those wasted years on his unheard talent

[@elizabethwitt2621]

Like Frank, he did it his way. Everything in perfect timing. Thank you Freddy Wexler! We owe you big time! 😎🎹❤️

[@elizabethwitt2621]

All things in perfect timing. Thats not what he wanted for himself then.

[@danielmarra1555]

Billy was on The Howard Stern show. He cleared up this misunderstanding. It’s Billy’s original song, Wexler gave Billy some ideas and helped him finish his song. Thats why Billy agreed to record it, it’s an old unfinished original Billy Joel song.

[@elizabethwitt2621]

He didn't say that on Howard Stern. I watched that interview and he wouldn't have because it simply isn't true. This is how it went Freddy wrote this song with 2 other writers. He wrote it with Billy Joel in mind. Freddie brought the song to Billy to get help with it. Billy made some changes to the song but Billy did not come up with the original idea or do the majority of the writing. Listen to the Freddie and Billy interviews on KZbin to confirm this.

[@BrooklynMusicForum]

Four guys mediocre tune.

[@brucetowell3432]

Disagree, a teacher once told Burt Bacharach, "Never be afraid to write a tune, that folks can remember, whistle to.." of course this is not verbatim.....but you should get the point. I can't get this number out of mind, when I wake un the morning, it's there, replaying, ...and if tunes do that ...then it's a darn good song. God Bless Keep a Song in your heart.

[@BrooklynMusicForum]

@@brucetowell3432 yeah that's true, but I heard it's 60 times and I haven't whistled it once, sounds more like a mediocre Elton song

[@brucetowell3432]

@@BrooklynMusicForum Elton has written MANY of those;-)...the tune has been playing over and over in my brain like a 24 hour juke box.....Macca has said one of the best feelings a writer can have, is when ordinary folks are whistling it... one morning he heard the milkman whistling "From Me To You" and he knew he had arrived!!:-)

[@larkefedifero]

​@@brucetowell3432 Macca - don't you mean FAUL / the *other* Billy?!? I mean, c'mon! 🤷‍♂

[@brucetowell3432]

@@larkefedifero I'm a 1st generation Beatles fan, since seeing them on the sullivan show 60 years ago to the day. Mike says the boys didn't have time to record and write Rubber Soul. I say when did William have TIME to switch to being a southpaw? He cherries picks way too many things....

[@Aspartamebraintumor]

if you have pockets, they'll find a way in