Billy Joel is the latest music star to face a royalties lawsuit. He is being sued by his former drummer who claims he is owed royalties relating to his last ten years working with the singer songwriter. Liberty DeVitto worked with Joel for some thirty years before being kicked out of the band in 2005. The drummer says his dismissal came as a shock, and was possibly caused by his involvement in an intervention in which Joel was challenged about his various addictions. Joel checked into rehab later that year.
DeVitto is clearly bitter, though he claims the lawsuit relates to straight royalty commitments that Joel and his label Sony have failed to fulfil. He is suing to get access to accounts of Joel's record sales, and for any cut of profits he is due.
Confirming the litigation, DeVitto told the New York Post: "Everybody always assumes that you make a lot of money because you worked with Billy Joel. It didn't happen that way. People get fired, they get severance or insurance for a certain period of time. I didn't even get a phone call. It was cold".