The primary a part of the brand new Billy Joel documentary, Billy Joel: And So It Goes, premiered at Tribeca Competition in New York Metropolis on Wednesday, detailing a darkish interval within the singer’s life when he tried suicide twice after he had an affair along with his finest good friend and bandmate’s spouse.
As reported by Folks, Joel — who didn’t attend the premiere after not too long ago being identified with a mind dysfunction — and his finest good friend Jon Small had been in a band referred to as Attila whereas he was in his 20s. After Joel moved in with Small, he progressively turned near Small’s spouse, Elizabeth Weber, and their son.
“Invoice and I spent loads of time collectively,” Weber stated within the documentary, describing their affair as a “gradual construct.” When Small suspected one thing was happening between the 2, Joel confessed, “I’m in love along with your spouse.”
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“I felt very, very responsible about it. They’d a baby. I felt like a homewrecker,” Joel recalled. “I used to be simply in love with a girl, and I acquired punched within the nostril, which I deserved. Jon was very upset. I used to be very upset.”
This altercation led to Attila’s disbandment and Weber leaving Small — although Joel and Weber later reconnected and had been married from 1973 to 1982. After the falling out, Joel began consuming closely and entered a deep despair.
“I had no place to reside. I used to be sleeping in laundromats and I used to be depressed, I believe to the purpose of virtually being psychotic,” Joel stated within the movie. “So I figured, ‘That’s it. I don’t need to reside anymore.’ I used to be simply in loads of ache and it was type of like why hang around, tomorrow goes to be identical to at present is and at present sucks. So, I simply thought I’d finish all of it.”
In an try to assist, Joel’s sister, Judy Molinari, gave him sleeping drugs so he may get some relaxation. “However Billy determined that he was going to take all of them… he was in a coma for days and days and days,” she remembered. “I went to go see him within the hospital, and he was mendacity there white as a sheet. I believed that I’d killed him.”
After waking up from the coma, Joel tried to commit suicide once more by consuming the furnishings polish lemon Pledge. Fortunately, Small was round to drive Joel to the hospital and save his life.
When requested concerning the incident, Small responded: “He by no means actually stated something to me, the one sensible reply I can provide as to why Billy took it so onerous was as a result of he beloved me that a lot and that it killed him to harm me that a lot. Ultimately, I forgave him.”
Following the 2 suicide makes an attempt, Joel checked himself into an “commentary ward” and was launched a few weeks later.
As Billboard factors out, Joel addressed this era of his life in 1971’s “Tomorrow Is At present” from his debut album, Chilly Spring Harbor. On the observe, he sings, “Make my mattress, I’m gonna lie in it/ Should you don’t come, I’m positive gonna die in it/ Too late, an excessive amount of giving/ I’ve seen loads of life/ And I’m rattling sick of residing it.”
Co-directed by Susan Lacy and Jessica Levin, Billy Joel: And So It Goes premieres on HBO in July and also will be out there to stream on Max.
Editor’s Observe: Should you or somebody is battling psychological well being, you’ll be able to contact the 988 Suicide and Disaster Lifeline by dialing 988, texting “STRENGTH” to the Disaster Textual content Line at 741741, or chatting at 988lifeline.org.