Attila (rock band)
| Company type | Rock duo |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Founder | Billy Joel, Jon Small |
| Defunct | 1970 |
| Headquarters | New York City , United States |
| Products | Music albums |
Attila was a rock duo originating from New York City, recognized primarily for including a young Billy Joel in its lineup.
History
In 1969, Billy Joel and Jon Small departed from their previous group, the Hassles, to establish Attila. The pair's sound was defined by the combination of organ and drums, with Joel performing bass parts on the keyboard, a technique reminiscent of the Doors' Ray Manzarek. Their collaboration concluded in 1970 following Joel's marriage to Small's wife, Elizabeth; despite this, they maintained a professional relationship. Subsequently, Small took on production roles for several of Joel's live concert videos and developed a career directing music videos for acts such as Run DMC, Garth Brooks, Reba McEntire, and Travis Tritt.
Attila (album)
The duo released their only album, titled Attila, on July 27, 1970. The record failed to enter the charts and did not produce any singles. Joel later referred to the album disparagingly as "psychedelic bullshit."
The song "Amplifier Fire, Part 1 (Godzilla)" was included in Joel's 2005 box set My Lives. Moreover, two tracks from the album—"Wonder Woman" and "Holy Moses"—were incorporated into the 2025 soundtrack of the biographical film "And So It Goes."
Reception
Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic described Attila as "possibly the worst album ever recorded in rock & roll history — or even in the entire history of recorded music. While rock has seen many poor ideas, none compare to the monumental foolishness of Attila."
Julian Cope characterized the album as "a highly amusing joke that Billy wasn't aware of," adding that it still manages to uplift his spirits.
Track listing
All songs composed by Billy Joel and Jonathan Small.
- Side one
- "Wonder Woman" – 3:38
- "California Flash" – 3:34
- "Revenge Is Sweet" – 4:01
- "Amplifier Fire" – 7:40
- Part I – "Godzilla"
- Part II – "March of the Huns"
- Side two
- "Rollin' Home" – 4:55
- "Tear This Castle Down" – 5:49
- "Holy Moses" – 4:30
- "Brain Invasion" – 5:43
Personnel
- Billy Joel (credited as William Joel) – vocals, keyboards, composer-arranger, production
- Jonathan Small – drums, composer-arranger, production
- Irwin Mazur – production
- Glenn Evans – road manager, technical support (directly connected Hammond organ to Marshall amplifier)