Piano Man Sued
Filed under: Music Minute > Legal Matters
Billy Joel needs to pony up some very overdue dough to his longtime drummer, Liberty DeVitto, the drum main claims.
Joel kicked his 30 year long bandmate out in 2005, and now DeVitto says that the singer owes him unpaid royalties.
DeVitto confesses he isn't sure how much he's due because he hasn't been shown an accounting of album sales for about 10 years. But the drummer commented that if Billy had taken the time to talk to him, the whole lawsuit could have been avoided.
Joel's reps said he had no comment at the present time.
Guess you have to be a big shot, didn't cha Billy?
[Image via WENN.]
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bummer
Never cared for this prick anyways!!! MOVE ON!!!
I wonder if he's circumcised and if its short but very thick.
Yum!
BILLY JOEL ONCE CALLED MICHAEL SCHUMACHER STUCK UP CAUSE THE 6 TIME F1 CHAMP WOULDN'T MEET HIM IN GERMANY YEARS AGO. JOEL IS A DOUCHE BAG. NOT EVERYONE DROPS THEIR SHIT JUST TO MEET YOU BRUTHA. DEFINITELY HAS GONE TO HIS HEAD. HOPE DEVITTO WINS.
Old fucking news….real old
this has been ongoing since 2005
www.quynnianlaw.com
please visit www.quynnianlaw.com
Call the accountants to the table. If there's ponying up to do, the accounting will tell the tale. Follow the royalties.
T_T NEEEEXXXXTTT
who is this??? stop talking about people nobody knows.
Hey, keeping a trophy wife is expensive, Billy needs the $
Wow I feel sorry for people who don't know who Billy Joel is. Anyways, Liberty DeVitto got very greedy and Billy does not owe his band mates the cash, his accountants do. So if Liberty was not compensated properly that is his and Billy's accountant's fault completely. I hope if he is owed money, he gets it, but I highly doubt it. After their fallout Liberty is bitter…
To Billy Joel or anyone who actually knows him- I listen to his albums (on record) ALl the time and they are amazing. Every time I listen to them I say to myself- this guy is a saint, a genius. His music inspires me and makes me feel so good. He is truly fabulous so I just have to put that out there to him - Billy, I love your music! So forget about all the trivial bull- you are a true sacred musician who inspires and spreads love and thank you for that! I will listen to and enjoy your music all my life. Every single time I hear it I feel inspired and amazed.
Ah, the plight of rock musicians who play back-up to the singer\songwriters. They play their parts, sometimes actually making up their own parts, but in the end, the song is still written by Joel, or John, or Browne, et al! Imagine Davy Johnston suing Elton for royalties over all the guitar parts he's played since 1972! From what I know from pals in NY, Billy and Liberty were friends from way back, he played in Joels touring band before producer Phil Ramone had the brilliant idea of bringing the touring band into the studio to capture the energy of their onstage magic. The result was "The Stranger" which outsold all of Billy's previous studio albums (which were lifeless in comparison). Why Billy let Liberty go in 2005 is a mystery to me; but I imagine there had to be a good reason. This suit sounds like sour grapes.
look, you don't automatically get royalties if you are a drummer or in the band. royalties are given for the songwriter and publisher. unless they had some sort of separate agreement where billy agreed to cut the drummer in on his royalties, then he is not due any. period.
If Liberty DeVitto was smart- he would drop this.
He was fired because of deeply personal reasons between him and Billy Joel.
It was a matter of betrayal — and something DeVitto did to cause a family rift.
He is aware of this and if he thinks he can use this lawsuit as a type of emotional blackmail, he is wrong.