Billy Joel was recently asked by the Los Angeles Times what he thinks about bands continuing to tour following the death of a key member.
Billy said, "Depends who it is. I’d go see the Eagles even without Glenn [Frey] because their material is so strong. They’ve been together so long, they’re a hard-working band."
When he was asked about The Rolling Stones continuing following the death of drummer Charlie Watts in 2021, Billy said, "The drummer they were using, Steve Jordan, he’s great. But I would have wanted to see Charlie, honestly. I mean, when [bassist] Bill Wyman left [in 1993], I sort of felt like that was it for the Stones. But they don’t stop. I think it’s an English thing. Scotsmen have a reputation for being tight with a penny, but the English give them a good run for their money."
Billy also said that when it's time for him to stop touring, he won't announce it as a farewell tour.
He said, "At the end of every tour, I feel like that’s it for me: 'OK, I’m done.' And then some time goes by and it’s like, 'Let’s go out and play.' I have a disdain for capitalizing on [farewell tours] that: 'Let me threaten that it’ll be the end, and then I’ll make a lot of money.' I’ve seen bands so many times announce their farewell tours and then they never go away. I’ve seen a couple of The Who farewells at this point."
At age 73, Billy said he knows his days of performing alongside many of his peers are dwindling down. He said, "There’s gonna be a lot of attrition. I had an idea for a tour [of mine]: The poster has illustrations of a bunch of dead insects, and the name of the tour is Dropping Like Flies. I say to my agent, 'Look, go ahead and be as grim as you want.' We’re all aware of it."
[Source: Classic Hits Today]