Billy Joel has tried heroin.
The 'River of Dreams' hitmaker experimented with the deadly narcotic once, but got so "wasted", he was too afraid to try it again.
Recalling his experience, he said: "This was back in the late '70s I think. We were in Amsterdam, and there was all this stuff going on, so I said, 'Let me see what this is like'.
"It got me so high, I didn't know how to deal with it. You just get way out, just go to another place, and you're into the blues. All you want to hear is the blues. You start drooling, and you get sick."
The 64-year-old singer - who is nicknamed The Piano Man - admitted his decision not release new music has baffled his peers.
Speaking to Howard Stern at The Cutting Room in New York's Midtown, he said: "Everybody has a hard time understanding that: 'Why don't you write new songs?' "Elton [John] would say that to me: 'Why don't you make another album?' And I used to say to him, 'Why don't you make less albums?' "
The 'Billy Joel Town Hall' event saw the 'Uptown Girl' singer answer questions from the DJ and fans including TV stars Rachael Ray and Matt Lauer, and also featured musical guests, with Melissa Etheridge playing a cover of his track 'Only the Good Die Young'.
Billy teamed up with Pink to duet on 'She's Always a Woman', and Tony Bennett closed the show with a rendition of 'New York State of Mind'.

Billy Connolly blew a raspberry when he was diagnosed with both prostate cancer and Parkinson's disease on the same day.
The 71-year-old comedian was at home with wife Pamela Stephenson when his doctor called with the news, and he admits his first instinct was to laugh.
He recalled: "'I remember I went through to the bedroom to answer the phone, and Pamela was behind me - I thought she was going to catch me. She sort of held me, and I went, 'Oh, Jesus...'
"But when we went into the living room I went, 'Phrrhrht'. I think they're very closely related, deep despair and laughing."
Billy - who has been given the all-clear from cancer - doesn't want to rely on medication to control the symptoms of Parkinson's, a neurological disorder which affects the central nervous system and brain, so tries to keep his brain active by doing crosswords every day.
He explained in an interview with Radio Times magazine: "I've put myself on a strict regime of crossword books. They remind me of everything. I have to train my memory.
"I have got a notebook with all the words I tend to forget. It's the same ones cropping up again and again.
"The drugs can increase the signs, give you the Parkinson's face - expressionless, sort of slack."
However, Billy - who doesn't have a will - insists it is currently "early days" with the disease.
He added: "The doctor will put me back on them [the drugs] when the symptoms come back."

Jennifer Aniston had a "torrid affair" with a former co-star.
The 'Horrible Bosses' actress - who is engaged to Justin Theroux - reportedly shared an "extra hot" romance with Charlie Schlatter when they starred together in 'Ferris Bueller', the short-lived 1990 TV adaptation of classic movie 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off'.
GQ editor-in-chief Jim Belson was a writer's assistant on the 13-episode show - which starred Charlie in the title role and Jennifer as his older sister Jeannie - and revealed the "dirt" in a new piece for the magazine.
He wrote: "To Aniston worshipers, I can offer little dirt. She was lovely, kept to herself on the set, smoldering a bit like her outraged character, 17-year-old Jeannie Bueller. She was a brunette then, with none of Rachel Green's (of 'Friends') bob or self-possession.
"GQ can exclusively report that everyone on set thought she was hot, including Schlatter, with whom she had a brief, torrid romance - while playing, it must be said, his older sister. To we immaturions on the show, this seemed extra-hot. Like performative incest."
Four years after their fling, Charlie, now 46, went on to marry Colleen Gunderson.

George Clooney's fiancée beings a "bright light to everything she is involved in", says her colleague.
The 'Monuments Men' star recently got engaged to lawyer Amal Alamuddin - who he was first linked to in October last year after they were spotted out for dinner - and her firm Doughty Street Chambers are delighted for her and believe the pair are well suited.
The company's Chief executive Robin Jackson, said: "I understand George Clooney is involved in international humanitarian work, so I'm sure there is a connection there. Amal has been utterly wonderful since she arrived in Chambers. She brings a bright light to everything she is involved in, and I am so delighted at her happy news".
Joint head of chambers Geoffrey Robertson QC, who has worked with Amal on high profile lawsuits, including the Julian Assange case, gushed about her dedication to her work.
He explained: "Amal Alamuddin is a brilliant and passionate defender of human rights who has put in the enormously hard work necessary to improving them. She is respected and admired by all her colleagues."
Meanwhile, Assange, who is the editor-in-chief of the whistleblower website WikiLeaks which he co-founded in 2006, admires her moral compass.
He told the Evening Standard newspaper: "Amal is a friend and a lawyer with a global perspective who is not afraid to deal with corruption of power or to tackle politicised cases."
The British lawyer previously been linked with Eric Schmidt, director of Google, and hosted a dinner for him at Mayfair nightclub LouLou's following the launch of his book 'The New Digital Age'.
A source has said: "They were very close.
"She organised the dinner and is very smooth, a great hostess. Princess Beatrice and James Middleton were there."

Ed Sheeran has hit out at the Backstreet Boys for playing new music at their reunion shows instead of classic hits.
The 'Sing' hitmaker slammed the 90s US boyband - made up of Brian Littrell, A.J McLean, Howie Dorough, Nick Carter and Kevin Richardson - for letting their fans down by performing new material during their 20th Anniversary Tour.
Ed told The Sun newspaper: "I study how other people perform and that is unacceptable, as the Backstreet Boys have so many hits. Do not do that ever again, that is not fair."
After hearing frontman Brian also played an acoustic set to open the band's show, the 23-year-old singer was particularly upset.
He said: "No mate - do that if you have your own gig, Brian. I played the Royal Albert Hall and did two new songs, but I know that's what people want. The Backstreet Boys, what are they doing? Play your hits.
"If you're a proper muso and people go to your gigs to witness your musicianship, a la Eric Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan, do it. But if you're a pop star play your pop songs."
Ed insists he is a fan of the 'I Want It That Way' hitmakers, but claims he wouldn't go to a gig if they didn't play the hits.
He added: "That would really annoy me. Like when I saw Justin Timberlake, it was one of the best shows I ever watched as it was back-to-back hits, people need to do that much more.
"I went to see Paul McCartney and I knew every song, hit after hit."
Meanwhile, the Backstreet Boys will kick off the North American leg of their tour on May 3, followed by another European leg a month later before wrapping up the gigs in Poland in July.

Little Mix stars Jade Thirlwall and Perrie Edwards have been seeing a voice coach ahead of their US tour.
The 'Wings' group - also made up of Jesy Nelson and Leigh-Anne Pinnock - are set to perform their first North American headline tour later this year but Jade and Perrie, from South Shields, North East England, are worried people won't be able to understand their strong regional accents and have been working on their pronunciation of certain words.
A source told The Daily Star newspaper: "The girls have been having voice coaching as their bosses are worried that the Americans won't understand Perrie and Jade."
The band previously spoke about leaving interviewers Stateside baffled during promo and they will be on TV and radio again during the upcoming tour.
Jade said: "I hope they can understand me. I've had to slow down my talking a bit and sound a bit more proper - even my name they don't understand.
"At radio stations they call me Jeed because they can't get Jade."
The group's 'Salute' tour kicks off in Florida on September 10 and the announcement puts paid to speculation Little Mix will support One Direction - which features Perry Edwards' fiance Zayn Malik - on their 'Where We Are' tour.
Jade described the 16-date tour as a "dream come true" when the news was announced.
She tweeted: "So glad the #SaluteTourUSA is out there,couldn't hold it in any longer! #dreamcometrue thanks to our mixers for makin it possible! Xxjadexx.(sic)"

S Club 7 are reportedly reuniting.
The seven-piece pop band - who had a string of hits including 'Bring It All Back' and 'Never Had a Dream Come True', as well as their own TV series, in the late 1990s and early 2000s - are getting back together for a big reunion tour next year.
A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "The band are even open to the idea of making new music."
The colourful group - which consists of Tina Barrett, Paul Cattermole, Jo O'Meara, Hannah Spearritt, Jon Lee, Rachel Stevens and Bradley McIntosh - topped the UK singles chart on four occasions and had one number one album.
At the height of their pop reign, S Club spawned three hit TV series set in the US, their own line of dolls, a movie called 'Seeing Double' and spin-off group S Club 8, which consisted of young singers including future The Saturdays stars Rochelle Humes and Frankie Sandford.
Paul left the group in 2002 and the band eventually broke up in 2003 after the release of a greatest hits album.
In recent years, Paul, Jo and Bradley have toured universities up and down Britain as S Club 3.
In December, Rachel - who recently gave birth to her second child - ruled out a reunion due to becoming a devoted mother.
She told BANG Showbiz: "I've got baby number two on the way now, so I can't imagine we'll be doing 'Reach for the Stars' any time soon.
''We've been in touch and everyone obviously has such fond memories of the band. If it was for the right thing and a celebration of what we had, I don't see why not at some point.''

Adam Sandler's 'Pixels' will be released on May 15, 2015. The 47-year-old hunk will star opposite Michelle Monaghan who has been cast as his love interest in the film which follows the characters as they try and save the planet after aliens misinterpr...

Duchess Catherine has been voted Britain's most stylish celebrity.
The 32-year-old royal - who was reportedly advised by her husband Prince William's grandmother Queen Elizabeth on her fashion choices for her recent tour of Australia and New Zealand - beat off competition from the likes of Holly Willoughby, Cheryl Cole, Emma Watson and Kate Moss to take top spot in the poll with a huge 21 per cent of the vote.
Nick Chalkley, Head Fashion Buyer at QVC, who commissioned the study, said: "When it comes to style it's clear to see the queen's opinion reigns supreme.
"Under Her Majesty's careful guidance, Kate has managed to top the style stakes with more women preferring a longer-length style."
Catherine - who was known as Kate Middleton before her marriage to William three years ago - was advised by the queen to wear longer hemlines and a more "regal" look for the official visit, and it seems the monarch's advice has been heeded by many other women, with a third of respondents saying they have embraced longer hemlines as it makes them feel more classy and grown up.
Meanwhile, over half of women - 51 per cent- said they dressed more conservatively when visiting relatives in order to create a good impression.

The top ten most stylish British women:
1. Duchess Catherine (21%)
2. Holly Willoughby (13%)
3. Cheryl Cole (9%)
4. Emma Watson (5%)
5. Michelle Keegan (4%)
6. Myleene Klass (4%)
7. Kelly Brook (4%)
8. Kate Moss (4%)
9. Pixie Lott (3%)
10. Millie Mackintosh (3%)

Tamzin Outhwaite has been granted a divorce from Tom Ellis.
The 'New Tricks' actress filed for legal separation from the 'Miranda' star last September after he admitted to cheating on her, and District Judge Liza Gordon-Saker issued their necree nisi yesterday (28.04.14) after accepting their union had irretrievably broken down because of the actor's adultery.
Neither Tamzin, 43, nor Tom, 35, were in attendance for the 110-second hearing.
The former 'EastEnders' star - who has daughters Florence, five, and Marnie Mae, 20 months, with Tom - filed for divorce last September amid claims the actor had cheated on her while filming TV movie 'Gothica' in the US.
And despite their separation, Tom insisted shortly afterwards he and Tamzin were "moving forward" and doing fine.
He said: "Everyone is OK. We are all good. Work is a good focus."
The former couple had initially tried to work on their marriage before separating for good.
One pal said after news broke Tamzin had filed for divorce: ''Tamzin desperately tried to make it work.
''Tamzin has cited adultery, so she will have a huge advantage when it comes to negotiations. Tom's a reasonable bloke and as it's pretty cut and dried they could be divorced within months.''
The pair were introduced by mutual friend James McAvoy in 2005 and married a year later.

George Clooney's father is "thrilled" about his engagement.
Broadcaster Nick Clooney has praised the 'Monuments Men' star's new fiancee Amal Alamuddin as a "wonderful young woman" and couldn't be happier that his son - who was married to actress Talia Balsam from 1989 to 1993 - is to walk down the aisle again.
Nick, 80, told Us Weekly: "We are thrilled. We have had an opportunity to interact with this wonderful young woman and these are two great people.
"We are thrilled at their decision and we hope for them the best."
However, Nick refused to be drawn on any further details about George's proposal, insisting it is information that should come from the 52-year-old star.
He added: "This is his time, not ours."
Nick's wife Nina Warren previously said she is "extremely happy" that her son is to tie the knot with the British human rights lawyer.
She said: "You can say I'm extremely happy, Amal's a lovely girl."
Nina admits she and her husband, who met Amal over a year ago, weren't surprised when they found out the couple had got engaged because they are well suited, due to their similar interest in international affairs.
She explained: "We weren't at all surprised when they told us they were engaged, and we couldn't be happier for them. On an intellectual level, they are equals. That is very important to him. Amal's world couldn't be more different from the Hollywood lifestyle."
Nina also believes Amal, 36, is completely different from George's previous girlfriends - including Stacy Keibler, Lisa Snowdon, and Renée Zellweger - because she has budding career and is very intelligent.
Asked if Amal is similar to other woman who have dated George, 52, she replied: "Heavens, no! She's a lawyer, she is brilliant, she is a very bright woman and at the very top of her career."
The couple first sparked rumours they had got engaged when the brunette beauty was spotted showing off a diamond sparkler on her ring finger as they indulged in sushi at Nobu in Malibu last Thursday (24.04.14), and her law firm later confirmed the news.
The pair were first linked after a dinner date in October and their romance has been getting increasingly more serious in recent months.

Harry Styles has a rota of friends and family to join him on tour.
The One Direction hunk - whose group kicked off their 'Where We Are' concerts in Colombia last week - will be on the road until October and wants to avoid homesickness, so he and his bandmates are planning to have as many visitors as possible across the globe.
A source said: "The boys got so homesick last time and wanted to make sure they had friends and family with them during this tour.
"They find hotel rooms so lonely.
"Harry has divided up dates between his parents, sister and friends so that he isn't by himself for much of the tour. Harry's dad Des and mum Anne will fly out separately during the American leg."
Harry's father Des has already revealed when he will be going on the road with the 'Little Things' stars.
He tweeted: "We're doing Manchester, London, Dublin, Milan, Madrid and the US leg from Nashville to Dallas."
Meanwhile, Niall Horan has a group of friends who want to join him on tour, Zayn Malik will try to fit in visits with fiancée Perrie Edwards as often as possible, and Louis Tomlinson and Liam Payne will spend much of their time with girlfriends Eleanor Calder and Sophia Smith.
The source added to the Daily Star newspaper: "Niall has a close-knit group of mates from Ireland and he wants to them to be there.
"Louis and Liam also hope to have their girlfriends travelling with them for most of the time. And Zayn will see his fiancée as much as possible.
"They all just want a bit of home with them."