Jon Small, an early bandmate and longtime collaborator of Billy Joel, has passed away.

“RIP Jon Small,” Joel shared on his social media, posting a photo of them together.

Joel and Small began their collaboration in the late ’60s as members of a psychedelic band called the Hassles. After that project ended, they decided to explore a completely different genre: heavy metal. Inspired by bands like Led Zeppelin and Black Sabbath, they increased their volume and formed a new group named Atilla.

“We’re gonna destroy the world with amplification,” Joel recalled in the 2025 documentary Billy Joel: And So it Goes. “We just want to make as much noise as possible.”

However, their music did not resonate well with audiences. They released only one album and performed a few live shows, often driving audience members out of the venue.

“It’s probably one of the worst bands of all time,” Small, who played drums, remarked in the same documentary.

How Did Billy Joel and Jon Small’s Relationship Change?

At one point, Joel and Small’s relationship deteriorated when Joel revealed that he was in love with Small’s wife, Elizabeth.

“Elizabeth was very important to me, but I think I was not the guy she hoped I would be,” Small explained in the documentary. “I kept noticing that Billy was not the same person. Something was wrong. One day, Billy approached me and honestly said, ‘I’m in love with your wife.’ It was devastating for me because these were basically my two best friends.”

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Joel and Elizabeth married in 1973, after which she became his manager. (They later divorced in 1982.) After years apart, Joel and Small eventually reconciled and resumed working together.

Small established his own production company, earning a Grammy nomination for his work on Joel’s Live at Yankee Stadium concert film. He also directed and produced releases for artists like Garth Brooks and Reba McEntire.