A representative for Billy Joel has told EW he did not back out of last week’s American Idol finale. In a blog postyesterday contestant Scott MacIntyre claimed that Joel had been invitedto perform with MacIntyre and Matt Giraud on last Wednesday’s show butthat he "was unable to make it in the end." However, Joel’s repadamantly insists that he "was never invited on American Idol toperform with Scott. He did not pull out. He’s currently on tour."
Meanwhile, Joel’s longtime drummer, Liberty DeVitto, whom Joelkicked out of the band in 2005, is suing the singer for what he claimsare unpaid royalties, according to the New York Post.DeVitto says he’s not sure how much he’s due, as he hasn’t received anaccounting of album sales for about 10 years. The drummer, who playedwith Joel for 30 years and says he had a lot of creative input on thesinger’s biggest albums, told the Post, "This is what I would tellBilly: ‘If you only had talked to me…this probably never would havehappened.’" Joel’s representative said that the artist had no commenton the matter at present.
What happened to the comments page?
Liberty DeVitto hasn’t received ‘unpaid royalties’ because he isn’t entitled to royalties in the first place. He did not write any of those songs and he did not have a recording contract with Columbia Records. This lawsuit is nothing more than a transparent attempt to extort more money from Billy Joel since he squandered the millions he was originally paid by Joel. He deserves to live in a basement, since that is where rats usually live.
I think some producer told this to Scott in order to make him feel better about their song being cut. Or that they were trying, crossing their fingers, whatever to get him to do it. Scott has to get some humility – I mean, Kris won the thing and has more humility than Scott (who really believes his number was the showstopper of the evening when up against the two finalists, Kiss, Queen, Keith Urban, etc???
I remember that Billy Joel was cheated twice in his career by 2 different managers so I’d be surprised if this guy wasn’t paid properly. I would have to think that if payments weren’t made properly that either it was an honest error, or poor management again. I’d be shocked if Billy didn’t pay this guy after having money stolen from him twice. As for Billy’s AI gig, I would imagine that AI told Matt & Scott that they were going to try to get Billy and then told them what they wanted to hear when it didn’t pan out. Scott didn’t get to sing a solo part, and millions rejoiced.
So I guess that means they gave Scott a lame excuse for cutting his number. That would have been more exciting to watch than that out of place Steve Martin bluegrass thing.
You mean that the staff at American Idol actually *lied* to a contestant? *gasp* Repeatedly? *gasp* (Yes, yes, report me to the sarcasm police.)
So what does this mean? What happened?
So what actually happened? It still doesn’t explain Scott’s rather emphatic story.
Something’s a little fishy here. If Billy Joel says he was never invited to perform on the finale, then my gut tells me the Idol producers sold Scott and Matt a cover story to placate them that they didn’t get a duet on the show. They never had the intention of spotlighting them.
Sounds like he isn’t a valid source. Maybe he did back out. Or maybe Idol lied to Scott. ?
Yet another example of Idol putting out false information.
If Billy Joel did not pull out of Idol can someone please explain to me ehy why the great Matt Giraud did not have a performance on the finale but the “who cares” Lil Rounds got her own number????
No Scott prefomces on Idol final i That BJ may sing with him it wolud been great to see BJ ON MY NEW TV as for librety Devito hes finding out it A BUMMER TO BE BILLY JOELS DRUMMER come on play this guy
Wait a minute….Liberty DeVitto took Billy Joel’s money for 30 years and NOW he decides he wrote the songs?
No wonder Billy wouldn’t talk to this jerk. I guess there’s a lawyer for anything……..even extortion.