Elton John and Billy Joel are the best piano-driven rock stars in the history of the genre. Other greats, such as Little Richard, are iconic, but all others pale in comparison to the commercial success of John and Joel. They became friends eventually, until they weren't.
The issue appears to stem from Joel's struggle with dependency on alcohol. John had battled drug problems as well, but he had come out clean on the other side, and he knew the help that one must seek in order to achieve sobriety.
In 2011, Elton John gave an interview to Rolling Stone, part of which was about Billy Joel. Specifically, John addressed that Joel's rehab stint was not exactly what John would have expected. John thought Joel needed some tougher love than the laid-back atmosphere that John saw.
Elton John's tough talk miffed Billy Joel
The English pianist said, "When I went to rehab, I had to clean the floors. He goes to rehab, where they have TVs. I love you, Billy, and this is tough love. Billy, you have your demons, and you’re not going to get rid of them at rehab light. You’ve got to be serious. People adore you, they love you, and respect you. You should be able to do something better than what you’re doing now."
In the recent HBO Max documentary about the American pianist, Billy Joel: And So It Goes, Joel says he was taken aback by John's statement. For a long time, the two didn't get along, and the problem stemmed from the Rolling Stone interview.
Joel said, "Wait a minute. Don’t you know me better than that? There was bad blood for a little while. There was a dovetailing of things that happened during that time."
Still, for a long time after the interview, the American still battled alcoholism. Not until after COVID and 2023 did Billy Joel finally get clean. This, despite two previous rehab stints that, if they helped at all, only helped temporarily.
Billy Joel's battle now is with a brain disorder called Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (NPH). He is currently not able to perform, and there is no guarantee he ever will again. The condition can cause cognitive decline, difficulty walking, and other issues. The reason Joel was not at the premiere of the HBO Max documentary was because of NPH.
The positive part is that Billy Joel and Elton John have made up and are back to being friends. Sometimes, a friend telling another that they need to be more serious about a problem is a good thing. Hurt feelings are logical, too. In the end, it appears to be one friend simply caring about the other, though airing the grievance in public.