Elton John will release a 50th anniversary edition of his 1975 album Rock of the Westies on Nov. 20 through UMR. The reissue will be available in 2LP, 2CD, 1LP, and digital formats, with expanded versions featuring previously unreleased piano and vocal session recordings.
Originally recorded at Caribou Ranch in Colorado and produced by Gus Dudgeon, the tenth studio album marked a shift toward a looser funk-rock sound. The project featured a newly assembled band, including bassist Kenny Passarelli, drummer Roger Pope, keyboardist James Newton Howard, and guitarist Caleb Quaye alongside Davey Johnstone and Ray Cooper.
The album originally debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 in October 1975, where it stayed for three consecutive weeks. The recording session took place just 33 days after the updated band lineup first formed, following rehearsals in Amsterdam and a performance at Wembley Stadium.
The expanded 2LP and 2CD packages include a bonus disc of stripped-back session tracks, featuring a solo piano and vocal version of Street Kids. Physical releases feature new sleeve notes and archival photos, including a sea blue and electric blue gatefold vinyl set and a tri-color D2C vinyl variant.
The 2017 remasters of the original album will also make their debut on CD and digital platforms alongside the anniversary release. Pre-orders for all physical and digital configurations are currently open.
Click here to pre-order/listen.
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