Billy Joel says he is barred from driving and performing while he awaits further medical testing.
The 77-year-old singer, in a Hollywood Reporter interview published Thursday, explained that his diagnosis with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus has forced sweeping changes to his daily life and career. The Grammy winner said he must complete a series of neurological evaluations before doctors will clear him to return to the stage.
Joel revealed that his neurologist delivered a stark warning about live performance. “Every time you do a show, it’s like you’re getting a concussion,” he said. The physician attributed this risk to the punishing sensory environment of rock concerts.
“Rock and roll is loud, man,” Joel continued. “Rock and roll made me deaf already. So it’s the lighting, the sound, the stress of the show, the audience, the energy of the performance.”
He added, “There’s a lot going on when you’re on stage. And they said, ‘Well, you really shouldn’t be doing that right now.’ So 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.”
The condition, which occurs when cerebrospinal fluid accumulates inside the skull and presses on the brain, disrupts cognitive functioning according to the Cleveland Clinic. Joel received his diagnosis last year and publicly announced it in May 2025 when he canceled his remaining tour dates.
The cancellation followed a fall at his March performance at Mohegan Sun Casino in Montville, Connecticut, which had already prompted several postponements. Last month, Joel disclosed on SiriusXM’s The Billy Joel Channel that he had undergone brain surgery to implant a shunt, a procedure he agreed to in hopes of improving his balance and memory.
“I don’t want to lose my marbles. It’s hard to tell what’s age and what’s a condition, so I agreed to do the shunt, and I had surgery, and they implanted a shunt in my brain, and it actually improved things,” he said on the satellite radio channel.
Joel confirmed post-surgical gains in memory, balance and overall “ability to function.” He noted that he continues physical therapy and follows his doctors’ guidance closely.
The driving prohibition has prompted Joel to liquidate a substantial personal collection. He is auctioning more than 70 motorcycles, a decision he explained with characteristic bluntness.
“I ended up having over a hundred motorcycles, and the truth is you can only ride one at a time,” the “Uptown Girl” singer said. “I’m into my 70s now, and I realized I can’t ride as much as I used to.”
He added, “I don’t want to die like a bug on a windshield. So I thought I’d put a lot of them on auction.”
Joel described his attachment to the machines in the interview. “I love motorcycles. I love biking. I love driving. I love the anonymity of it,” he shared. “And I love the customization of these bikes, the modifications, the messing around with things. I was not a collector. I was actually a rider. So I figured it was just time to let it go.”
The NPH diagnosis “makes driving a little bit iffy,” Joel noted, leading him to conclude that “it’s time for me to turn it over to somebody else.”
Despite the cascading restrictions, Joel struck a defiant tone about his overall prognosis. “I’m not going anywhere,” he stated. “I’m here. I’m still here.”
Joel’s medical team has not yet established a timeline for when the additional testing might be completed or when he could potentially resume performing.