"There was some self-revelatory stuff": Billy Joel opens up on challenges, struggles of his life, career in new documentary

Washington DC [US], July 23 : Billy Joel's whose music speaks a lot about him, is all set to open up about his complicated life in a new two-part HBO documentary 'Billy Joel: And So It Goes', according to People.

"I've resisted this kind of thing for so long. I'm sick of talking about myself," said Joel, adding, "Some of the stupid stuff I did, that's painful to talk about. But they asked me for some thematic guidance. I said, 'Just tell the truth.'"

The documentary, directed by Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin, is a rare, revelatory glimpse into the private world of one of rock music's most enduring acts and how he overcame substance abuse, mental health struggles and more to find peace and happiness with his wife, Alexis, and his three daughters.

"There was some stuff I found out about myself. There was some self-revelatory stuff," said Joel, while Lacy added, "He actually thanked me for connecting the dots of his life, and he said, 'I now understand why I did what I did.' I think it was a revelation to him in some ways as well, this story."

Joel's story includes his incredibly successful music career, throughout which he's sold more than 150 million records and won five Grammy Awards thanks to hits like "Piano Man," "Just the Way You Are" and "We Didn't Start the Fire." Though he hasn't released a pop album in 32 years, Joel's cultural relevance has never wavered, thanks in part to his epic, 10-year Madison Square Garden residency that ended in July 2024, according to People.

There are also some lesser-known aspects of his life that included the painful absence of his father from much of his life, a complicated beginning to his marriage with first wife Elizabeth Weber, struggles over the years with alcohol abuse and a contentious relationship with the media.

"My goal was to get it over with," Joel said about his initial involvement in the film. "When I do interviews, people just ask you about yourself, and you get a little self-conscious about it eventually. It's almost embarrassing. When you're talking about your personal life detached from the material... I suppose there's a little bit of wariness involved."

The film features interviews with members of his inner circle, including his sister Judy, daughter Alexa Ray, 39, and others, as well as longtime friends such as lighting designer Steve Cohen and booking agent Dennis Arfa.

"Billy has always been a blue-collar guy, a man of the people. He's always been honest. He's funny, he loves to entertain," Cohen, an executive producer on the film, said of what it's like to be friends with Joel behind the scenes. "I think all of that came through in the documentary. I didn't see much of a difference between the Billy I know and interact with every day and the Billy in this film."

The film is structured around Joel's iconic song catalogue, as he admits that much of his lyrics are autobiographical. "Big Shot," he says, is a "hangover" song, while "I Go to Extremes" covers the ups and downs of his marriage to then-wife Christie Brinkley, according to People. "Vienna," he explains, is about his father Howard, who left Joel, his mother Rosalind and sister Judy when the star was 8 years old, and eventually settled in the Austrian city, where Joel tracked him down years later.

"Co-director Susan Lacy pointed out that a lot of the things I was searching for were my father in my life, and I recognised that in the documentary," Joel said. "I said, 'You know what? I think that's true. I was looking for my dad," reported People.

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