Within the two-part HBO docuseries “Billy Joel: And So It Goes,” administrators Susan Lacy (“Spielberg”) and Jessica Levin delve into how the singer’s complicated and infrequently tumultuous life impressed songs that turned him right into a rock legend.

Joel, a six-time Grammy winner and Rock & Roll Corridor of Famer, initially wasn’t interested by making the 248-minute documentary. However in response to Lacy, Joel’s administration satisfied him that “it was the best time.” It seems his staff was proper. Final yr, Joel’s 10-year residency at Madison Sq. Backyard ended, and in Might 2025, the singer, 76, was identified with a mind dysfunction referred to as Regular Strain Hydrocephalus.

Regardless of his preliminary reluctance to make the doc, Joel doesn’t draw back from the darkish elements of his private life and profession within the movie. His three failed marriages, cash mismanagement, and the singer’s checkered previous with alcohol are all mentioned in depth, making the collection a refreshing reprieve from the glut of shiny music docs being launched lately.

Lacy and Levin weave collectively archival footage, efficiency clips from Joel’s live shows, and interviews with Bruce Springsteen, Paul McCartney, Pink, Nas and all 4 of the singer’s wives to inform the story of a boy from Lengthy Island who by no means dreamed about being a rock star on the extent he grew to become.

Whereas the vital response to Joel’s pop success was damaging, within the doc, the singer’s collaborators and friends clarify how his music and distinctive expertise had been usually ignored by the media. Joel’s inventive items are highlighted all through the movie when he discuss his craft, which incorporates the creation of varied hit songs equivalent to “Piano Man,” “Simply the Means You Are,” and “We Didn’t Begin The Fireplace.”

Pre-fame suicide makes an attempt, Joel’s estranged father, his single mom’s melancholy and alcohol habit, and the singer’s Jewish grandparents are all additionally a part of the candid two-part documentary that can attraction to Joel’s followers and non-fans alike.

Selection spoke to Lacy and Levin about “Billy Joel: And So It Goes,” which premieres on HBO on Friday.

How did this documentary come about?

Lacy: I got here to this movie on the request of Playtone – Tom Hanks’ firm. I didn’t know that a lot about Billy Joel. So for me, this movie has been about studying and discovering all these unimaginable issues.

Jessica, you have got been producing Susan’s documentaries for the final 25 years. Why did you resolve to co-direct this one together with her?

Levin: The origin of the undertaking was with Susan, and it was very a lot based mostly on her repute as a very masterful filmmaker of artists. I used to be lucky that Susan noticed that my data of the music was an asset on this explicit movie. We share actual inventive shorthand as a result of we all know one another so effectively. This movie was a beast to deal with. I imply, it’s an enormous, lengthy profession so, it was very nice to have two minds to use to it as a result of there was loads to determine.

Did Joel produce this movie or have any say over the ultimate lower?

Lacy: No. We got full and utter independence. Once I first requested him about whether or not there have been any sensitivities, he mentioned, ‘Inform the reality.’ He was hands-off on this movie, and he didn’t see it till it was completed. 

One subject that comes up all through the doc is Joel’s points round alcohol. His ex-wives talked about it, however he didn’t appear to wish to elaborate that a lot on the subject. Was {that a} delicate subject for him to discuss?

Lacy: I might say alcohol was troublesome to speak to him about. I don’t assume we’re pretending that he didn’t have an alcohol downside. He did have an alcohol downside. It’s fairly evident, and he does say he drank an excessive amount of, and he talks about rehab. He didn’t wish to go to rehab, however he did. So, it was a delicate topic, however I really feel like we dealt with it as actually as we might.

All 4 of Joel’s wives are featured within the movie, together with Christie Brinkley, Katie Lee, and his first spouse and supervisor, Elizabeth Weber, who performed a pivotal function in serving to Joel turn into a star. Was it troublesome to persuade the ex-wives to take part within the movie?

Lacy: We knew we wished to interview all of them, however the powerful one was Elizabeth. She spent 40 years not speaking about Billy Joel – not mentioning his identify. I imply, her son, who was with Billy for the primary 16 years of his life, had girlfriends who didn’t even know that he ever had a connection to Billy Joel. That’s how separated they had been from that life.  So, it was not simple to get Elizabeth to take part. I needed to actually work arduous on that. I advised her that I wished to inform her story. I mentioned, “I believe your story hasn’t been advised. I believe you’ve been misrepresented on social media. I believe you’re an enormous a part of why Billy grew to become Billy.”

Numerous well-known musicians like Pink and Bruce Springsteen discuss Joel and his musical affect all through the docuseries. Why was it essential so that you can embody these interviews?

Lacy: Bruce Springsteen is somebody that Billy has all the time been in comparison with. Each are from the working class and are bridge and tunnel artists however (Springsteen) has all the time gotten extra consideration and much more approval from the critics than Billy. So, to have any individual like Bruce Springsteen tackle that and say, “I believe that they missed a number of Billy’s actually good work as a result of he didn’t match a specific mould” mattered. Musicians know musicians, and so they perceive how good Billy was. So, I assumed that it was essential to incorporate.

The movie will get political whenever you inform the story of Joel sporting the yellow Star of David on his lapel at a 2017 live performance at New York’s MSG following the lethal white-nationalist protest in Charlottesville, Va., and Donald Trump’s controversial remarks following the incident. Was there any hesitation within the edit about together with Trump, a polarizing determine, into the movie?

Lacy: The minute that I noticed the footage of Billy strolling on stage sporting that Yellow Star, I knew we needed to get that story into the movie. I did wonder if Billy, when he noticed the movie, would say, “I don’t need (Trump) attacking me,” however Billy didn’t say a phrase.