Elton John and Billy Joel: madmen across the piano

Raise your hand if you once owned a "Greatest Hits" CD by Elton John or Billy Joel. Keep it raised if you once got rid of it. Now keep it raised again if you bought it back a few years later.

For nearly 40 years, fans and critics alike have see-sawed on their love for these two adult contemporary piano-rockers, who roll into Philips Arena together on Saturday. The double-billing makes a lot of sense, and invites further comparisons to the up-and-down careers of these two balladeers:

The glorious '70s

Elton: Five multi-platinum albums from 1971-77, including "Madman Across the Water," "Don't Shoot Me I'm Only the Piano Player," and "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" (seven, if you include his first two greatest hits albums).

Joel: Emerged in 1974 with the album "Piano Man." Five multi-platinum albums from 1973-80, including "The Stranger," "52nd Street" and "Glass Houses." Won 5 Grammys from the years 1978-80.

Coming-out moment

Elton: Announced he was bisexual in a 1976 Rolling Stone article. Shocked the world by marrying Renate Blauel in 1984. (They divorced four years later.)

Joel: Shocked the world by revealing that he was in fact bald.

Jump the shark moment

Elton: Dumping songwriting partner Bernie Taupin in 1977. They reunited two years later, but struggled to reach the early-'70s creative heights.

Joel: Probably the 1983 oldies-flavored album "An Innocent Man," which produced the singles "Uptown Girl" and "Tell Her About It."

Rock-bottom moment

Elton: Some would say it was the remake of "Candle in the Wind" dedicated to Princess Di, but we're going with his 2001 duet with Eminem at the Grammy Awards.

Joel: Three car accidents from 2002-2004, two of which left the singer hospitalized, and all of which left the singer embarrassed.

Best tantrum moment

Elton: There are so many to choose from, but his 2004 trashing of Madonna ("Since when has lip-synching been live?") was great fun.

Joel: Pushed a piano off the stage at a 1987 concert in Russia.