Elton John and Billy Joel not only have one of the longest and most lucrative relationships in the music business, they’re also close friends. Â That friendship has been intermittently strained over the years due to issues with drugs and alcohol. Â Elton cleaned up his act years ago and has remained sober, but Billy still struggles, to the point where Elton and Billy have had to cancel tour dates to accommodate Billy’s relapses.
Elton told Rolling Stone magazine that he thought Billy should take his rehab more seriously and go to a facility with strict rules and regulations, but Billy has decided to blow the whole thing off – he claims that the concerned comments were just “Elton being Elton,” and has not mentioned anything about taking the advice to heart.
Just because Elton John decides to throw Billy Joel under the bus, that doesn’t mean any of what he says is true. This is all speculation and specious reportage. Billy Joel has the right to ignore a well-known blowhard like Elton John. Elton’s remarks are arrogant and self-serving.