Sad news indeed! RIP Billy!

Oh my.
 
I'll never forget the "Troll" that Billy picked up in the old Coffee House (it was torn down 7 years ago.) This guy was relentless in his pursuit of Billy whenever he posted.  It drove Billy away for a good while, and began the ruin of the CH.
He was always helpful even then.
RIP Billy.
 
Brian

RIP Billy

Thank you Keith. Billy will be missed for sure.  Sad news, indeed.

Well, it does tell us that one Billy Arnell passed away.  But are we sure it's our Billy? 

The man who collaborated w/ Loeb was in his early 20s in the mid-70s.  Meaning he'd be 50 something now. Maybe I have it all wrong, but I imagined Billy a bit younger. I don't know, I'm hesitant to say my goodbyes to our friend before we know for sure.

He helped me out of a few tight situations over the years.  Billy was always one to go out of his way to help people.

So sad..

I don't think it's an age thing. Billy probably is in his 50s (who knows, maybe even 60), and that photo's been up there for a while. We just don't have any definitive proof yet. Anything's possible.

Who is that Billy???

sharke


More like 60. I saw the guy's photo on his website and he doesn't look that old! Plus his music does not sound like that of a 60 year old guy. I wouldn't close the book on this yet, if what you say is true about the deceased man's age. 

It's funny how we imagine people... His music is so full of energy and youthful, so I pictured a guy in his late 30s, early, though wise beyond his years. I remember a post last fall where he'd mentioned staying out late, dancing all night. Surely didn't sound like your average 50 years old guy.


However, when I think of his passion and his enthusiasm, I can't imagine Billy growing older to be boring and renouncing to his creativity, not renewing himself. He could have been 70, as far as I'm concerned - his passion would have fooled us all the same. He had that spark, something that just shined through. 
 
When we moved to New York, I thought it'd be nice if I could get to meet him and chat w/ the guy. It just never happened. Not that I knew him that well or exchanged that much w/ him, but he came across as one genuinely nice and interesting fellow. No bs. Just a nice guy.

Looking at the pics on his site - which I hadn't seen - and his 8 years old pic in particular - I'm starting to think that it it may indeed be our good old buddy. I can't help this very sad feeling that our friend may indeed be gone. 

Wherever you are Billy, this one for you, pal.  

samhayman


I'm new on this forum but I've been following this thread and even though I never knew the guy, I was hoping he'd resurface and tell us that he's ok.

It's never nice to hear that someone passed away; perhaps because he's a fellow musician, perhaps because I somehow already feel part of the CW community, but certainly because of how you guys talk about Billy, if I may say this - I do feel somewhat saddened.

My condolences to you all who knew him on this forum or in 'real' life.

Yeah it's hard not to get sucked in even if you have no knowledge of the guy...internet forum deaths do happen once in a while and I've always found them to be a very strange occurrence. Not only does it bring home the fact that these faceless people you interact with online are actually real people, but their existence is eerily "frozen in time," when you look back at the chronology of their comments. It's especially unnerving on Facebook. A friend of some friends on Facebook, whom I didn't really know, took his own life recently, and it's a truly strange and sad experience to read their status updates that they posted just the day before (in this case, just the usual stuff: funny comments, mild ribbing, "what's everyone doing this weekend" etc). I also went through this a few years ago with a regular contributor to a C++ forum who passed away. 


I didn't know this Billy fellow but he sounds like a very decent sort and it's touching to read all of these tributes to him, also frustrating for everyone I'm sure not to have 100% confirmation. I'm in half a mind to take a walk up to his building on 72nd St and ask the doorman if he knows of anything, but don't know if that would be weird or not given that I don't know the guy, plus if he was there and it was all a misunderstanding I really don't know what I'd say to him!

sharke

samhayman


I'm new on this forum but I've been following this thread and even though I never knew the guy, I was hoping he'd resurface and tell us that he's ok.

It's never nice to hear that someone passed away; perhaps because he's a fellow musician, perhaps because I somehow already feel part of the CW community, but certainly because of how you guys talk about Billy, if I may say this - I do feel somewhat saddened.

My condolences to you all who knew him on this forum or in 'real' life.

Yeah it's hard not to get sucked in even if you have no knowledge of the guy...internet forum deaths do happen once in a while and I've always found them to be a very strange occurrence. Not only does it bring home the fact that these faceless people you interact with online are actually real people, but their existence is eerily "frozen in time," when you look back at the chronology of their comments. It's especially unnerving on Facebook. A friend of some friends on Facebook, whom I didn't really know, took his own life recently, and it's a truly strange and sad experience to read their status updates that they posted just the day before (in this case, just the usual stuff: funny comments, mild ribbing, "what's everyone doing this weekend" etc). I also went through this a few years ago with a regular contributor to a C++ forum who passed away. 


I didn't know this Billy fellow but he sounds like a very decent sort and it's touching to read all of these tributes to him, also frustrating for everyone I'm sure not to have 100% confirmation. I'm in half a mind to take a walk up to his building on 72nd St and ask the doorman if he knows of anything, but don't know if that would be weird or not given that I don't know the guy, plus if he was there and it was all a misunderstanding I really don't know what I'd say to him!

Well said Sharke
Obviously we all hope for the best and fear the worse but if you were to walk up to his house and find it had all been a misunderstanding you'd tell him to get his but over here and explain his absence.
Or something along those lines 

Steve

sharke

samhayman


I'm new on this forum but I've been following this thread and even though I never knew the guy, I was hoping he'd resurface and tell us that he's ok.

It's never nice to hear that someone passed away; perhaps because he's a fellow musician, perhaps because I somehow already feel part of the CW community, but certainly because of how you guys talk about Billy, if I may say this - I do feel somewhat saddened.

My condolences to you all who knew him on this forum or in 'real' life.

Yeah it's hard not to get sucked in even if you have no knowledge of the guy...internet forum deaths do happen once in a while and I've always found them to be a very strange occurrence. Not only does it bring home the fact that these faceless people you interact with online are actually real people, but their existence is eerily "frozen in time," when you look back at the chronology of their comments. It's especially unnerving on Facebook. A friend of some friends on Facebook, whom I didn't really know, took his own life recently, and it's a truly strange and sad experience to read their status updates that they posted just the day before (in this case, just the usual stuff: funny comments, mild ribbing, "what's everyone doing this weekend" etc). I also went through this a few years ago with a regular contributor to a C++ forum who passed away. 


I didn't know this Billy fellow but he sounds like a very decent sort and it's touching to read all of these tributes to him, also frustrating for everyone I'm sure not to have 100% confirmation. I'm in half a mind to take a walk up to his building on 72nd St and ask the doorman if he knows of anything, but don't know if that would be weird or not given that I don't know the guy, plus if he was there and it was all a misunderstanding I really don't know what I'd say to him!

I wish I was in your position to do that sharke. If Billy were actually still alive, he'd not find anything weird about it at all. I think he'd be humbled and might even shed a tear that we are all this concerened about him to where people are contacting others and trying to track him down just to make sure he's alive and well. I can't say that I knew the guy very well or anything, but my dealings with him over the years as well as pm's have shown me he was always human, had a sense of humor and appreciated when someone was in his coner or had concerns.
 
I remember after a heated discussion on the board, that I sent him a pm just to let him know I shared his view and was biting my tongue to get involved. He appreciated that so much. I would think something like this would bring the guy to tears knowing the amount of caring here....and then hopefully he'd laugh at the whole thing and at least know that quite a few people on here like him and admire him in spite of what the forum may make us all think sometimes. He's an approachable guy....so if you did go to his building and he was still with us and unaware this was all going on, I sincerely believe he'd thank you, buy you a coffee and then come on here to let us know. :) Like Rain, I'm holding on to some hope here that there just may be a mistake.
 
What has me scared is Bapu and a few others e-mailed Billy and didn't get a response. Unless he doesn't use that account anymore or has a strong spam setting, that part scares me. I still keep watching this thread to see ba_midi posted in it...please God let it happen.
 
-Danny

  Hoping Billy's still with us....... He's one of the good guys

I don't post much anymore but am always lurking. Billy was a GREAT forum member and always seemed like the 'glue' that helped form the foundation of this forum. If it's true he's no longer with us then I'm very sad, that his energy, helpfulness, and kindness will no longer grace these forum pages. If it's not true for some fortunate reason I hope Billy gets to read this thread to see how much he meant (means) to the forum members, me included. God speed.