It was a Billy Joel state of mind at the opening night of the Tribeca Film Festival.
The world premiere of the Piano Man’s documentary “Billy Joel: And So It Goes” kicked off the 24th edition of the festival at the Beacon Theatre on Wednesday night.
“But I did.” Joel broke his bandmate’s heart by stealing his best friend’s wife The Piano Man fell in love with Elizabeth Weber, who was Small’s wife at the time.
But he didn’t want to perform under his recording moniker, so the artist born William Martin Joel performed as “Bill Martin at the keyboards” after his first and middle names.
“It just didn’t feel right, it was too mushy,” says Joel.
On the first night of the Tribeca Film Festival, there was a Billy Joel vibe.
At the Beacon Theatre on Wednesday night, the 24th edition of the festival began with the world premiere of the Piano Man’s documentary, Billy Joel: And So It Goes.
Joel’s presence was felt during the first half of the two-part documentary, which will debut on HBO and HBO Max later this summer, even though the 76-year-old music legend was not present on his big night after revealing his shocking diagnosis of a brain disorder two weeks ago.
Here, we dissect some of Part 1’s most significant findings.
His dream job would have been heavy-metal rock.
Joel, who we always consider to be the best piano balladeer, actually wanted to play with an early band with his Led Zeppelin.
In 1969, the young Piano Man and Jon Small split from their early band The Hassles to form the heavy-metal duo Attila (also known as Attila the Hun), which aimed to “destroy the world with amplification.”. “”.
Joel, who appears to Robert Plant in the document as the hair, claims, “I didn’t know one person that liked what we were doing.”. However, I did. “.”.
Joel’s theft of his best friend’s wife devastated his bandmate.
Elizabeth Weber, Small’s wife at the time, was the object of The Piano Man’s affection.
He claims, “I was just in love with a woman.”. And I deserved to be punched in the nose. “”.
However, after Weber served as the inspiration for Joel’s 1971 debut, “Cold Spring Harbor,” Small chose the high road. “”.
On songs like “She’s Got a Way,” Small remarks, “You could tell from the lyrics that he was really in love with Elizabeth.”. “”.
After becoming depressed over the affair, he made an attempt at suicide.
“Dot, I was just in a lot of pain. In reference to his attempt to end his life by taking too many sleeping pills, he says, “I just thought I’d end it all.”.
However, after surviving the attempt, he revealed the kindness he received from his betrayed best friend during the ordeal: “Jon saved my life.” He also cracked, “You can’t even do yourself in.”. “.”.
Joel got the idea for “Piano Man” while he was playing Billy Martin.
Joel became the resident lounge lizard at the Executive Room in Los Angeles after he and Weber relocated across the country to pursue more music.
William Martin Joel, the artist, performed as “Bill Martin at the keyboards,” a play on his first and middle names, because he didn’t want to perform under his recording name.
He claims, “This was a real-life experience.”. And I realized, ‘I need to write a song about this.'” That’s how the ‘Piano Man’ song originated. “.”.
It bothered the Plano Man to be compared to the Rocket Man.
Joel found the idea of using Elton John’s band to be “a terrible idea.”. “”.
“What makes me want to collaborate with the band of another famous pianist?” he asks. It was astounding how little creativity there was. And the fact that they were comparing me to Elton was already causing me serious problems. “”.
For heaven’s sake, the Beatles producer remained faithful to his band.
Joel sought out renowned Beatles producer George Martin to work on what would become 1977’s “The Stranger” after bidding adieu to Hollywood and returning to New York with his now-wife and soon-to-be manager Weber. “.”.
Martin consented, but he had a deal-breaker: Joel should use studio musicians rather than the New York group he had assembled for 1976’s “Turnstiles.”.
“And I declined to collaborate with George Martin,” he states. Love my band and love me. “.”.
Joel considered “Just the Way You Are” to be “too mushy.”.
His wife and then manager Weber served as the inspiration for “Just the Way You Are,” the second single from “The Stranger,” which would go on to become a US Top 10 hit.
“It was too mushy and didn’t feel right,” Joel says.
Weber, along with Linda Ronstadt and Phoebe Snow, encouraged Joel to be a single, but his breakthrough ballad, which won Grammys for Record and Song of the Year, catapulted Joel to a new level of fame.
He was now the star of the arena.
Catholics reacted negatively to his statement that “Only the Good Die Young.”.
“You Catholic girls start much too late,” a line from the song “Only the Good Die Young,” infuriated the church.
“The Catholic church ultimately decided to ban it,” he says. Children then flocked out in large numbers [to purchase it] as soon as the sale was prohibited. “”.
“You May Be Right” and Joel’s marriage ended as a result of his drinking issue.
Joel started riding his motorcycle while intoxicated as his drinking problem grew worse. And the lyrics to his 1980 hit song “You May Be Right,” which read, “You may be right/I may be crazy/But it just may be a lunatic you’re looking for,” were inspired by his drunken bike ride to Weber one party. “”.
However, Joel’s 1978 Harley-Davidson accident destroyed their marriage.
He claims, “I was shocked that I was still alive.”. “In that accident, I should have perished. “”.
