Before I started to hang around with one or two reprobates, I managed to focus my efforts on doing something useful in life – things like learning to play the piano. Ultimately, having a pint with my mates and listening to popular music became a more attractive proposition than being able to play Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No 1 in B flat Minor. That said, the knowledge I gained from being able to play a musical instrument has enabled me to appreciate the abilities of people whose talent I could never match – people like Billy Joel. Now, if only he had been my piano teacher.