Billy Joel Greatest Hits 1 &2 on Vinyl

I guess you guys completely missed the Billy Joel boat over there. To me, An Innocent Man was the beginning of the end. It sold well, but the songs lacked the impact of his previous work. Then again, I grew up on Long Island, one town over from Billy, and I guess his popularity there was greater than anywhere else. Not surprisingly, Billy Joel can still sell out Madison Square Garden several nights in a row whenever he chooses.

 

I used to follow the US charts and though Billy had hits here, it was nothing like in his homeland. For example, My Life was the only hit from 52nd Street. It's Still Rock & Roll To Me performing similarly from Glass Houses. An Innocent Man was a smash though. Uptown Girl went to #1 and he had at least 3 more big hits from the LP.

Though it has to be said that albums like The Bridge, Songs In The Attic and The Nylon Curtain did poorly here.

 

I would think Piano Man would have been big in the pubs? Big Shot never charted in the UK either?

 

I don't think Billy had a UK hit single until The Stranger album. Don't recall Big Shot being a hit... It may have scraped the charts but it certainly wasn't a smash.

Edit. Just The Way You Are was the biggest U.K. single from The Stranger. It made #19. Barry White's version of the song did better in the charts the year after!

 

Rob LoVerde, Shawn R. Britton, and Krieg Wunderlich were all doing excellent work for MOFI. I'm not sure if they've hired any additional staff for their mastering team.

 

The price seems high on first blush, I agree. It does look like a really well done release though, extended to 3 LPs and packaged in a box. Limited to 3000. Mastered from the original tapes for the first time (not clear exactly what this means, I understand).

To me, given the outstanding collection of songs here, this makes as much or more sense than the One Step Ultra releases coming out recently. I haven't seen much feedback on the sound so far but I'll be happy to chime in. I have one on the way.

 

Anybody know if there is a single version of You're only Human available on a compilation CD?

 

Mine arrived today, and it isn't numbered. It's just a big empty white spot. Makes me wonder if my sacd - whenever it arrives- will be numbered.

 

Who did you buy it from?

 

Lesbeat, where did you order yours from? Are you outside the US? I have heard of this "blank" edition before. I wonder if it is MOFI breaking their limited run allowance or if because of something else like outside US or non authorized shops or something...

 

Amazon

 

Amazon. 10 August 2017. $89.99. I hemmed and hawed, and mostly heard positive feedback. However, when I went to buy it, everyone was sold out. My local retailer informed me their distributor was sold out. Fearing a one step like fiasco -$100 when it comes out, and $500, the next day after it's sold out - I went this route. Actually though, I've gotten unnumbered Mfsl sacds in the past. I was under the impression unnumbered ones were promos.

 

I'm in the US - about a half hour from the Rock Hall of Fame. Ian Hunter once commented, "Cleveland Rocks!" I've lived near Philadelphia, and also in Canada. So, I'd agree more with Steve Miller, "I went from Phoenix, Arizona all the way to Tacoma, Philadelphia, Atlanta, L.A.,Northern California where the girls are warm, So I could be with my sweet baby, yeah...Keep on a rock'n, rock'n me baby!" My point, everybody rocks, and everybody has rock n roll history!

 

I stopped at Northern California and am here to stay! Of course bay area has lots of songs about it too. lol

 

I'm late to this thread, but my Elusive Disc backorder of the 3-LP box from like a year ago just arrived! I got 933/3000. Sound quality is incredible! Best I've ever heard these songs and this is now probably one of the best sounding releases in my collection!

 

Songs In The Attic is THE perfect Billy Joel album. And in my top 5 fave live records of all time.

 

An Innocent Man and River of Dreams are by far his most common albums found in the CD used bins. Storm Front isn't far behind. His other album, especially the early ones, are far less common. And yet, he must have sold plenty because CBS requested CDs from the DADC plant in the US and JVC in Japan, and they don't do that for every artist.

Yes, I have the original fat box CD set. If the SACD set was reasonably priced and well reviewed, then I would probably buy it. But I'm not enough of a Billy Joel fan to pay over the odds for it.

 

The thread title refers to the vinyl, but it appears that I am the only person who has actually received and listened to the vinyl. Right? Anyone else?

 

I have the MFSL triple vinyl. It sounds great and is worth every penny, IMO.

 

Agreed. It sounds phenomenal!

 

These are up for preorder again at Elusive Disc for anyone interested.

 

This title is in stock again at MD and Acoustic Sounds. I just bought two