Billy Joel fans will have a nice box set to celebrate this fall as Columbia Records has announced that a new 9 LP Box set of vinyl records entitled The Vinyl Collection Vol.1 will be released on November 5th 2021. The box set is being released in celebration of the fifty year anniversary of the release of Billy Joel’s first studio album release entitled Cold Spring Harbor which was first released in 1971. It was an album that was initially released mastered at the wrong speed. At the time, there was little attention paid to the album in comparison to what would follow in 1973 when Piano Man turned Billy Joel into a household name. Originally the Cold Spring Harbor album had not even broke into the Top 100 of the Billboard Top 200 albums chart in 1971. It peaked at number 158. Columbia Records reissued the album in 1983 after fixing the mastering speed while also remixing the record. Additionally, without any involvement from Billy Joel, Columbia Records brought in studio musicians to re-record some of the instrumental sections on some of the tracks.
The Cold Spring Harbor LP will be included in the The Vinyl Collection Vol.1 as well as Billy Joel’s other classic 1970’s albums Piano Man which was released in 1973, Streetlife Serenade issued originally in 1974, Turnstiles released in 1976, Billy Joel’s amazing album The Stranger released in 1977, his equally amazing follow up LP 52nd Street which was released in 1978 and the grand live album Songs From The Attic which contained some Cold Spring Harbor material in which many people heard for the first time. “She’s Got A Way,” was the big hit from the Songs From The Attic album.
So how do you get hardcore fans of an artist who own everything an artist has already released usually on multiple formats to buy a box set? Well that’s an easy answer that has been defined by record companies over the years. All a record company has to do is release unreleased music in the box set. There’s not been a lot of unreleased Billy Joel music issued in the past 30 years. Columbia records has decided to release a 2 LP collection of a concert called Billy Joel – Live at The Great American Music Hall – 1975 recorded in San Francisco doing the Streetlife Serenade tour in 1974. This will be the jewel of the box set for a long time Billy Joel fans. It’s an amazing set list with some great early Billy Joel classic including his much underrated spectacular piano instrumental “Root Beer Rag,” which any piano player will tell you is a pretty tough piece to play. The live set also contains Billy Joel having some fun with his imitations of Elton John, Joe Cocker and Leon Russell while playing some snippets of their songs.
A box set is never complete without a deluxe booklet and Columbia Records promises a great one in The Vinyl Collection Vol.1. The box will include over a fifty page booklet with rare photos and comments by Billy Joel about much of the material on the box set. It’s always fun to hear what Billy Joel has to say about those classic songs he composed and recorded.
The day the box set is released on November 5th 2021 will also coincide with Billy Joel’s return to performing at New York’s Madison Square Garden where he holds the record for most performances totaling 76 shows. Elton John previously held the record at 64 shows. We were there for Billy Joel’s last Madison Square concert in February 2020 just before the pandemic shut it all down. Read our review by pressing on the link below. It was an amazing show.
Billy Joel Plays Zep, Eagles, Bruce And More At Last Night’s MSG Show
We are really looking forward to this new box set especially for the new live LP from the 1974 tour. It’s also nice to have brand new vinyl lps of Billy Joel’s classic albums. Our are way worn out. Its wont be cheap though, the box set is expected to retail for $249.00. You can order the box set at the link below.
https://billyjoel.shop.musictoday.com/product/Y4LPBJ002
New Billy Joel 9 LP The Vinyl Collection Vol. 1 Box To Be Released article published on Classic RockHistory.com© 2021
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