Freddy Wexler already had profession going lengthy earlier than he co-wrote and produced “Flip the Lights Again On” with Billy Joel. Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Put up Malone, P!nk and Lil Wayne had been among the many artists who had recorded tunes by the Grammy-nominated songwriter.
However writing along with his musical hero, who had way back stopped writing pop songs, fulfilled an unimaginable dream for Wexler and introduced Joel again onto the Sizzling 100 this week for the primary time in additional than 25 years.
The unlikely story of how the pair met and, in the end, over the course of greater than a 12 months crafted the track, co-written with Arthur Bacon and Wayne Hector, appears too fantastical to be true, however Wexler tells Billboard the way it occurred and the way each their lives have modified.
In an interview carried out through e-mail, Wexler tells Billboard in regards to the circuitous path that led him to Joel, what the Piano Man thought when he first met Wexler and if there are extra songs within the works.
You have got been an enormous Billy Joel fan. How did you get in the identical room with him?
For my thirty fifth birthday, my unbelievable spouse Olivia made it her mission to get me a gathering with Billy Joel. He’s principally the rationale I grew to become a songwriter, and in my intestine, I all the time knew I’d meet him — I simply didn’t know the way or when. However Billy was onerous to get to. Olivia tried going by means of the music enterprise — she was an important music supervisor and former A&R exec — however nobody appeared to have an in. So, she seemed exterior the standard channels — and even the weird channels — and ultimately discovered {that a} Lengthy Island physician good friend of ours used to know Billy. After many months, I obtained the assembly.
Was he acquainted with any of your hits?
No, he thought he was assembly a “child” and signing an autograph. He knew nothing about me, and it was clear he wasn’t actually trying to “dine” when he ordered his BLT to go! I had 10 minutes to alter the course of that meal, so I simply obtained into it. No small speak. We had been two individuals having an actual dialog, and we discovered that we had loads in frequent, significantly in our method to songwriting. It was the type of connection that doesn’t occur day by day, and 10 minutes became two hours.
Billy advised Audacy Test In that you just introduced him a melody that rapidly resonated with him. Had you written it with him in thoughts?
Sure. I’m continually considering “What would Billy do right here” after I’m writing — however on this case, I actively channeled him. I needed to principally write a Billy Joel track.
The place did the theme about attempting to rekindle a misplaced love come from?
It got here from my statement that even the best {couples} undergo highs and lows, and generally it takes too lengthy to understand they’ve misplaced “sight” of 1 different.
How lengthy did it take to put in writing and had been you in the identical room the entire time with Billy, Arthur and Wayne?
I began the track with Arthur and Wayne. Billy and I met a while later in Sag Harbor, New York. We grew to become shut associates, and we began quietly engaged on his unfinished materials from through the years. This era was a few 12 months and a half throughout which Billy, unbeknownst to almost anybody, began to dip his toe into writing once more. I travelled with him to lots of his exhibits and, ultimately, I confirmed him “Flip the Lights Again On.” He helped me end it at a studio and, as I think he does with something, he made it a lot better.
What’s it prefer to be in a room with Billy Joel to put in writing?
Slightly intimidating. Not as a result of he’s doing something to intimidate, however as a result of he’s Billy Joel. He’s actually one of many best songwriters of all time. So, yeah, I’ve had some hits, I’ve had No. 1s, however with Billy, I’m like a highschool tennis participant hitting with Federer. Regardless of how good he’s, the bar he’s set is simply intimidating, but it surely’s additionally inspiring. As Olivia Rodrigo stated at Grammy rehearsals, he’s the “blueprint.”
Have you ever been in contact with Billy since you bought the chart information that “Flip the Lights Again On” got here on the Sizzling 100 at No. 62, marking his first time on the chart since 1997?
In fact. The entire thing type of seems like a film.
Did you and Billy write the rest collectively?
Sure. There are a handful of concepts we’ve labored on, and so long as he’s having enjoyable, I feel we’ll hold writing extra. However for now, we’re each type of taking on this second.
Billy stated you made writing enjoyable for him once more. How does that make you’re feeling?
Billy has given me a lot pleasure by means of his music. His songs have helped me by means of the hardest durations of my life. All I needed was to assist him rediscover a few of that pleasure once more. So, watching this entire factor unfold has been fairly wonderful. And yeah, I needed the world to get one other Billy Joel track. However I didn’t count on to be a part of it. That’s simply icing on the cake.
What did you be taught from Billy that you just’ll take ahead as a songwriter?
I’ve been learning Billy’s track craft my entire life. However from working with him personally, funnily sufficient, what I discovered was that even the best artists and songwriters of all time can neglect how nice they’re. The lesson is rarely give your interior critic an excessive amount of energy.
They are saying by no means meet your heroes. Do you’re feeling you’re residing proof that the saying is flawed?
Completely — although the very first thing I stated to Billy was, “They are saying it’s best to by no means meet your heroes, so I’ve very low expectations for this.”
