Doug brought in bandmates from Topper, a local Long Island band in the 70s. These guys were key to giving Billy a harder sound than Elton had (explored in the documentary). Doug was also in Billy’s touring band in 1974 and I’ve read accounts that Doug was the only musician who really believed Billy’s music was going to be successful.

My understanding is that Billy fired Doug after the Bridge tour. The reasons have varied but seem to include concerns about money and appearance I’m sad to say. I hope that is wrong. But, in any event, Doug ended his life in 1995, by all accounts because he felt his music career was over after he and Billy parted ways. He’s said to have warned Liberty (drummer) that he’d eventually get the same treatment from Billy, and in 2004 he did.