LIBERTY: Life, Billy, and the Pursuit of Happiness

I'm going to say this up front. I know that Liberty is a human being like the rest of us, but to me, he is as golden as Ringo or any of the other drummers I have worshiped in my lifetime. As a bit of background, I was a Billy Joel fan long before the world knew about him, and when I first saw Liberty with Billy, I knew that I had to change my jazzy, Danny Seraphine-inspired drumming style right then and there. From that first Nassau Coliseum Billy Joel show in 1977 when the lights went up and Liberty owned the stage, I morphed into a straight rock and roll, bash-the-heck-out-of-the- snare-drum player, and it led to very memorable gigs for me at Madison Square Garden, Radio City Music Hall, and some of the top recording studios in New York. Every beat I played, however, was me copping Liberty, which I did well, but not as well as Liberty did. I even played with some of Liberty's Billy Joel band mates over the years, and while I think they appreciated my playing, none of them ever said "Hey, you sound just like Liberty!"The point is that the man is a one-of-a-kind drummer, which is why this book should be mandatory reading for anyone who wants to get into the business of laying down the beat. It's never enough to be able to copy the licks that someone else invented, unless you plan to spend your career playing in tribute bands. You've got to craft your own sound, know your technical strengths and weaknesses, and always keep your ears open for what's happening in the music you are creating. Liberty has done this all his life, and reading his story has given me an even greater appreciation for what he has accomplished in his 70 years.If you know Liberty's public personality, you might not think he would write as articulately as he does. That's not a dig; it's just a generally accepted "fact" that drummers are not typically engaging authors or speakers. Perhaps I haven't given him enough credit over the years, or perhaps he had a ghostwriter, but I have to say that the story- telling in this book brought me to both uncontrollable public laughter and blubbering tears. I watched, from the audience, over the years as Liberty went from the top of his game to "Hmm, he doesn't seem right tonight" without realizing what was happening behind the scenes. In the pages of this book, you will see that life as a rock star doesn't exempt ANYONE from the usual challenges and pains along the way.As captivating as this book is, I get the feeling Liberty had some reservations about including certain things. For one thing, I could have read at least another hundred pages worth of backstories behind each individual recording session, and I would like to have gotten a better taste for what it felt like that first time he played to a sold-out Nassau Coliseum, just a stone's throw from where he grew up, or even what it feels like to be playing in a Billy Joel "cover band" while someone else is playing with Billy and not even coming close to driving Billy's band the way he did (sorry, Chuck). Still, I really, really enjoyed hearing the stories about touring with Russel, Doug, and Richie in the early days, playing wedding gigs to keep the money coming in, and traveling to Russia on what seems like the worst airline ever. I also particularly enjoyed the standalone pieces about "My Drum," which were a highlight of the book for me.Liberty is a hardcover book at a paperback price. When you open it up, you will probably notice that the layout is kind of funky, with words splashed all the way into what is known as the "bleed zone." At first, it bothered me, but I got used to it quickly, and eventually appreciated that Liberty and his publishers had filled each page to the brim just to be able to pack as much into the book as possible. My only other "complaint" (and the reason I gave the book 4 stars and not 5) is that the photos are a little grainy.Buy this book NOT for any kind of dirt or deep insight into Billy Joel, but for a deep, brutally honest snapshot of the man who made Billy's music rise to heights Billy could not have reached without him. And in a world where everyone is looking for a shortcut to fame and success, buy it to see what it takes to achieve REAL greatness; greatness with staying power; and greatness that shows whether you are at the top or the bottom of your career.

I eagerly anticipated reading this book and was not disappointed.You don't have to be a Billy Joel fan or a musician to appreciate the story of this Brooklyn boy's journey to the top of the music world. Once I saw that Billy Joel had written the Foreword, I knew that whatever acrimony had existed after the band separation had been resolved and that the book would not be an angry, finger-pointing, “tell-all” expose’ . But I did wonder "what happened"?Liberty DeVitto tells his story, beginning with the immigration of his grandparents, early childhood memories, and musical influences that inspired him to pursue "his drum", right through his fascinating life as one of the world’s most famous drummers, soaring to the pinnacle of rock-and-roll success, playing (and creating) some of the most recognized music ever recorded, and performing on the biggest stages in the world. Indeed, DeVitto has lived the life almost every musician in the world dreams of.He describes the creative processes that led to many songs on the Billy Joel albums, and the contributions to the finished tracks that the band members added to Joel’s lyrics. Liberty writes about some of the business dealings behind the scenes, and some of the managers, producers, other musicians and agents with whom he has worked.This book is from-the-heart . . . the story of a talented musician and his rise to fame; he tells it with passion, candor, and humor.

Read it in one sitting because it was so interesting. I’m a pianist and published composer, but I still think this should be mandatory reading for any musician or someone coming up in the field. The best part of the book in my opinion is the very end with Liberty’s Music Business. He lays out some very succinct advice and give you the down and dirty lowdown. The only thing he didn’t include, and after reading about his life it probably would have helped him earlier on, is that you should NEVER sign anything without your own lawyer present who knows the business. Your best friend in the band you’re in who you might trust with your life will screw your over in a heartbeat if it means they can get rich and famous.If you’re looking for a lot of dirt on Billy and hearing every detail of his life, you won’t find it here. After reading Liberty’s interview with Rolling Stone, it sounds like a lot of that got cut out of the book when they made up as friends before the book came out. I’m a huge fan of Billy Joel’s music and can literally play every son on the piano, but I’ve really been on the fence about Billy for years. He just doesn’t seem like the nicest dude, and some TV appearances seem to reflect that. This book didn’t help my opinion, as he didn’t communicate with the band very well when making personnel decisions. The way he acted toward others and his wives seems pretty selfish. Liberty readily admits his own mistakes in life and has a lot less narcissism I think than Billy. However, one thing is made quite clear in this book: being a rocker has its price and takes its toll. Your family, your health, hell everything, will suffer.My only have two gripes: some of the content in the sections with Billy seem a little incongruent because I wonder if just all of the stuff that was negative got stripped out and the rest left as is without giving us a point a reference. The other thing is that it’s poorly edited (life this review, lol). Lots of extra spacings here and there, words divided in two, etc. because it needed another extra set of eyes on it. Regardless, it’s captivating.Thanks Liberty for the book. I’m praying one day you guys are on the stage together again. It was great meeting you and your family along the way through this book and to see you go from 13 and dreaming about screaming girls to now. 😉

This was a for a present and was well received

I've been a fan of Billy Joel's music since I was a child and finally purchased Liberty's book. Most chapters are fairly short, but still some good insight into Liberty's life and time with Billy Joel. I felt like it could have done with more detail in places, but it was still an enjoyable read.

As a drummer and Radio host I have loved Billy Joel for years and Liberty's drumming on all the hits. I read the entire book in 2 days as Liberty fills you in on all song writing details and stories. Some touch chapter's about his brothers passing and Doug's as well. Awesome Job! highly recommend this book.

I'm always interested in the musician's long and winding journey to the top of their game. Liberty's did not disappoint.