Joel closes book on life story

The Piano Man is deciding to stay silent: Billy Joel is cancelling his planned autobiography.

'The Book of Joel', planned for publication in June, was billed as an “emotional ride” that would detail the singer’s failed marriages, including his union with Christie Brinkley, as well as his battles with substance abuse.

Earlier this month, publisher HarperCollins revealed the cover photograph for the book, and Joel’s editor promised it would contain details “he has never revealed before”.

But in a statement last night, Joel, 61, said he had changed his mind.

“It took working on writing a book to make me realise that I’m not all that interested in talking about the past, and that the best expression of my life and its ups and downs has been and remains my music,” he said.

HarperCollins spokeswoman Tina Andreadis said the book was well into the editing process, but Joel had not approved or finalised the text and no copies had been printed. The publisher had planned a first printing of 250,000 copies.

Joel is not the first musician to cancel a book. Mick Jagger backed out of a deal in the early 1980s, saying he could not remember anything of interest. Sean “P Diddy” Combs never turned in a memoir that he was supposed to write for Random House and ended up being sued in 2005 for money the publisher claimed he owed.

Joel is considered one of music’s all-time greats. He is a Rock and Roll Hall of Famer who has sold millions with hits including 'Uptown Girl', 'New York State of Mind' and 'Just The Way You Are', and his deal was widely believed to be worth seven figures.

Other rock stars have had major success with their memoirs, including Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton and, more recently, Keith Richards.