Billy Joel says he can’t perform or drive amid brain disorder

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Billy Joel has offered a health update to fans following the revelation he is battling a rare brain disorder.

The 77-year-old musician is selling 70 motorcycles from his personal collection after doctors advised him to stop riding following his diagnosis of normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH).

Joel has also been told not to perform live for now, with his medical team citing the intense sound, lighting, physical exertion and stress associated with touring.

“I can’t drive right now,” Joel told The Hollywood Reporter in a new interview. “I’m not allowed to drive. And I can’t do performances because what the neurologist told me, every time you do a show, it’s like you’re getting a concussion.”

The five-time Grammy winner says he needs to undergo more tests before he’ll know whether he can return to the road.

“I have this thing called hydrocephalus,” he told the outlet. “It used to be called water on the brain, so it affects your balance, it affects your memory, it affects your vision, your hearing. But I’m OK … They have to test me further to see if I can go back and do performing again, which I would like to be able to do.”

As for his bike collection, Joel says he’s selling many of them off because of his age.

“I ended up having over a hundred motorcycles, and the truth is you can only ride one at a time. I’m into my 70s now, and I realized I can’t ride as much as I used to. I don’t want to die like a bug on a windshield,” he said.

Joel remains optimistic about recovery

Last year, Joel announced he was cancelling all of his upcoming concerts in an Instagram post, which read: “This condition has been exacerbated by recent concert performances, leading to problems with hearing, vision and balance.”

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, NPH is a brain disorder in which excess fluid accumulates in the brain’s ventricles, causing thinking and reasoning problems, difficulty walking, and loss of bladder control.

But the Rock and Roll Hall of Famer pledged to return to the stage as soon as he recovered.

“Billy is thankful for the excellent care he is receiving and is fully committed to prioritizing his health,” a statement posted to his Instagram read. “He is grateful for the support from fans during this time and looks forward to the day when he can once again take the stage.”

A music industry source echoed that sentiment while speaking to PEOPLE.

“He is happiest while performing,” the insider said. “Music is, has been and will always be his life. He’s not ready to retire.”

A second source close to Joel said, “He is not retiring and hopes to be able to resume performing as his recovery progresses.”

Last month, Joel revealed that he underwent brain surgery to help with his condition.

Joel said on SiriusXM’s The Billy Joel Channel that his doctors recommended that he have a shunt implanted into his brain.

“I said, ‘Nah, I think I’ll pass on that,’” Joel said, according to USA Today. “I didn’t want to do that, but then I read up on it and realized it can help improve your balance and can help your memory … so I agreed to the shunt and I had a surgery and they implanted the shunt in my brain and it actually improved things.”

Joel said he is undergoing physical therapy and has adopted a low-stress lifestyle.

“I’m OK. I just want people to know, don’t worry about me,” he said. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m still here.”

mdaniell@postmedia.com

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