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Hired when Billy Joel wanted “a New York-style drummer,” Liberty DeVitto laid down indelible parts for the singer-songwriter-pianist’s music from 1976’s Turnstiles onward. In part one of a lively two-part conversation, this big-talent, big-personality drummer takes us from his early years, when his and Joel’s teenage bands crossed paths, through their shared success with The Stranger, 52nd Street, Glass Houses, The Nylon Curtain and An Innocent Man. Which Joel song does DeVitto call “the hardest to play and be happy about it”? How did Joel introduce and develop songs with the band? What impact did producer Phil Ramone’s arrival have? On which song did Ramone and DeVitto butt heads over a disco beat? How did the band arrive at the jazz interludes on “Zanzibar”? How much were they listening to the punk/New Wave of the time? Which Nylon Curtain song may be DeVitto’s favorite by Joel? What circumstances drove Joel’s hit throwback album An Innocent Man?
