Billy Joel
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iOS 7.1's new shift key icons are rad
"What's the matter with the shift key icon, honey? It's still Rock & Roll to me" -- Surprisingly not actual lyrics by Billy Joel Today, as 7.1 rolled in, major complainage could be heard echoing through the TUAW back channels. "OMG," the afflicted cried, "The world is at an end -- Apple has redesigned the shift key icons!" Our very own Dave Caolo even wrote about the change, saying that "It's a good change overall but will take some getting used to." For comparison's sake, here are the old versions. It's not exactly Malum in se as if Apple committed murder or wore white after Labor Day. And, if you're paying attention, the back delete button also got a little refresh. Me? I rather like 'em. The new shift and shift-lock icons are identifiable at a glance as being engaged and ready. They differ in color, with the lock adding an extra line underneath. And they've finally moved past those Unicode-y feeling outlines. These updates are fine. %Poll-87512%
The CD celebrates its 30th birthday, recalls a time when it was cool to play music with lasers
Like so many other technologies, it's tough to pin down an exact birthday for the compact disc. If we're tracing things back to the world of LaserDisc as a potential commercial product, we're talking years or decades earlier. As far as laboratory testing is concerned for the tech as we've come to know, love and subsequently abandon, the we're going back to the mid-70s in our journey. For the sake of simplicity, let's go with the first commercial record to be released on the format. That would be 52nd Street by one William Martin Joel, a release that came a few years after the album's issuing on vinyl, to coincide with the Sony's CDP-101, which let audiophiles do more than just stare in wonder at the shiny plastic disc they just bought.
Rock Band Weekly: Billy Joel six-pack
The Billy Joel "critic spite machine" rolls on, as next week's Rock Band DLC adds another six of the piano man's legendary songs. Hang out with your bosom buddies and sing "My Life, " or pour a bottle of red, a bottle of white and experience "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant." For those in a more melancholy mood, there's "She's Always a Woman."
Rock Band Weekly: Billy Joel
Gawd bless Long Island boys and their capacity for spite, for without it we wouldn't be graced with Billy Joel's greatest hits as Rock Band DLC next week. The story goes that the piano man had his people open the conversation of being part of the video game after a critic noted such a thing would be a travesty. So, pour a bottle of red, a bottle of white, and rock out to the legend's greatest hits, because only the good die young. Also, just to test if we have Billy Joel powers: Heaven forbid anyone should ever make a new Freedom Fighters or Alpha Centauri, that would be a sin against gaming! Move on out past the break for the full track list.
We Didn't Start the Fire (in World of Warcraft)
In a lot of ways, this WoW video taken in Stormwind by MrZoddiak defies classification -- it's not a music video, nor is it a re-enactment. Regardless of what we all finally agree to call it, one thing is certain: it's damn impressive.
Billy Joel coming to Rock Band 3 out of spite
There are plenty of reasons artists license their music for a rhythm game. There's money, certainly, and notoriety. But what about scorn? For Billy Joel, it was more than enough reason to license a dozen or so of his songs to Rock Band 3. Here's his account from USA Today:"I've never allowed my music to be used in a game before," but an Entertainment Weekly review of NBC's The Office changed his mind. Alluding to an episode in which characters mention a Rock Band featuring Billy Joel, "the critic wrote something like, 'God forbid that ever should happen.' So I called my people and said, 'Get me (on) that Rock Band game.' Then I wrote the critic, saying that every time I get a check, I'll give him a little nod." We're assuming the songs will cost money, but we'd submit that reading the above story and knowing we'll never do anything remotely that cool is a dear enough price to pay. Update: According to a release we just received from Harmonix, Joel's songs will start arriving on Dec. 14, including "Big Shot," "Captain Jack," "It's Still Rock N Roll to Me," "Movin' Out," "Only The Good Die Young," "Piano Man," "Pressure," "Say Goodbye to Hollywood," "The Entertainer," and "The Stranger"
The Queue: The roof, the roof
Welcome back to The Queue, WoW.com's daily Q&A column where the WoW.com team answers your questions about the World of Warcraft. Alex Ziebart will be your host today. I've received a load of e-mails, tweets, whispers, and whatever else since Eliah posted this past weekend's WRUP. Yes, my garage burned down. No, nobody was hurt. No, the house didn't burn down, the siding just melted a little. No, that wasn't my car, it was my neighbor's car. Yes, my office has smelled like someone barbequeing since it happened and I can't get the smell to go away. I appreciate the concern, guys. You are all awesome. I guess I should pick a relevant Song of the Day, huh? How about Billy Joel's We Didn't Start the Fire?Jack Spicer asked..."With each expansion Blizzard seems to be bringing underused talent specs around and making them highly desirable. In TBC, it seemed to be Feral Druids, Prot Pallies, Shadow Priests and BM Hunters. In Wrath, they really brought up Survival Hunters and Retribution Pallies.But I'm curious. From a PvE perspective, which talent trees are still universally lacking and laughable?"
Billy Joel and Queen headline SingStore update
Another SingStore update goes live today in Europe. Check out the full list, via Three Speech:English Incubus - Drive Blur - Good Song Sherbet - Howzat Roy Orbison - In Dreams Modest Mouse - Ocean Breathes Salty Trace Adkins - Honky Tonk Badonkadonk Andreas Johnson - Sing For Me Billy Joel - Tell Her About It The Triffids - Wide Open Road Phyllis Nelson - Move Closer Helena Paparizou - My Number One The Fray - You Found Me OutKast - Roses Deep Purple - Smoke On The Water Trace Adkins - You're Gonna Miss This
WoW Moviewatch: Stuck in the World of Warcraft
Yesterday I wanted to impress you all on my first Moviewatch post, so I showed you a very classy, serious movie. Today? Not so much! Instead, today I offer you a good laugh. MTGScreenie brings us his musical and comedy stylings in the form of Stuck in the World of Warcraft. This music video, set to Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start the Fire," but with WoW-specific lyrics, is a comic ode to the game he loves. MTGScreenie's singing isn't going to win any awards, but I think that makes the song even more endearing and funny, especially when he strains to hit the high notes or runs out of breath because the song outpaces him. The visuals won't blow you away, but you'll see lots of amusing reminders of things you love and hate about playing WoW. Seriously, people, who doesn't love lag and ganking! [Thanks, Terrë Yuki!] If you have any suggestions for WoW Moviewatch, you can mail them to us at machinima AT wowinsider DOT com.Previously on Moviewatch ...
Billy Joel catalog sale on iTunes
Attention Billy Joel fans: iTunes has a few things that will interest you. Billy Joel's studio albums are now on sale for $7.99 each (that's 2 buck off for the mathematically challenged out there). For you Billy Joel completists there is also an iTunes exclusive single called 'All My Life' which will cost you the normal $0.99.
New Billy Joel single to hit iTunes on Feb 20
Earthtimes.org reports that Billy Joel will release his first pop single in a decade and a half. "All My Life" will be available for download on the People Magazine website from February 7th, and from iTunes starting February 20th. You can also catch Joel performing the National Anthem at the Superbowl this Sunday, continuing the tradition of inviting older performers who will (probably) not enact any Janet Jackson-style half time moments.
Countdown to Burning Crusade: Lyrics contest winner
Without further ado, the grand prize winner of the Countdown to Burning Crusade lyrics contest: Josh Refenes, aka Ragbar, is going to take home the Belkin N52 gamepad and a Green Linen shirt for his entry, Soon the Crusade is Burning which spoofs "We Didn't Start the Fire" by Billy Joel. Click on to read the rest of the lyrics, and also be sure to check out the excellent runners-up. Thanks to everyone who participated! Soon the Crusade is Burning -- by Josh Refenes (aka, Ragbar)Started out on Launch Day, Couldn't wait, install and play,In Azeroth there's Kalimdor, Eastern Kingdoms tooDarnassus, Durotar, Silithus is very farStranglethorn, Elwynn Forest, don't forget WestfallLevel up, quest grind, AoE will save you timeMove on up, don't delay, South Park just killed boars all dayGanked again in STV, corpse camping, let me beMy class sucks, it's not fair, I'm rolling warlockCHORUS:Soon the Crusade is BurningIn a few more days,We'll waste our lives awaySoon the Crusade is BurningDon't even try to fight itYou know you're gonna buy it
