Billy Joel's 'Turnstiles' coming out in 50th-anniversary edition

Billy Joel’s watershed album, "Turnstiles," celebrates its 50th anniversary this year with a special edition that includes unreleased recordings, alternative mixes, live performances and a concert film.

The package will be available Dec. 11 but can be preordered for $69.98 at shop.billyjoel.com.

Billed as the "definitive" version of "Turnstiles," the five-disc set features 67 audio tracks, 54 of which are previously unreleased. Disc One contains demos and early versions of such tracks as "All You Wanna Do is Dance" and "Say Goodbye to Hollywood." Disc Two features the original album plus previously unreleased alternate mixes and a 1976 radio interview with Philadelphia DJ Ed Sciaky. Disc Three contains a recording of Joel live at Manhattan’s Bottom Line nightclub in June 1976, barely a month after the album’s release. Disc Four is the soundtrack to "Billy Joel Tonight," a concert film taped live at the Palmer Auditorium at Connecticut College in December 1976. The fifth disc features both a Blu-ray version of that film and a Dolby Atmos mix of the original album.

Also included is a 40-page hardcover booklet with previously unseen photographs, a new essay by music journalist David Fricke and historical notes from Joel's archivist, John Jackson.

A special vinyl version of the album, pressed on "subway token gold," will be available Oct. 16 and can be preordered for $28.98.

"Turnstiles" marked Joel’s return to New York following a stint in Los Angeles that produced the career-launching "Piano Man" but otherwise left the singer-songwriter feeling dissatisfied. Seeking a tougher, grittier sound, Joel assembled a band of fellow Long Islanders — including drummer Liberty DeVitto, saxophonist Richie Cannata, bassist Doug Stegmeyer and guitarist Russell Javors — and produced the album himself at a number of New York City-area studios, including Ultrasonic Recording Studios in Hempstead. The resulting album, released May 19, 1976, includes fan favorites such as "Miami 2017 (Seen the Lights Go Out on Broadway)," "Angry Young Man" and the now-iconic anthem "New York State of Mind."

By Rafer Guzmán

rafer.guzman@newsday.com