After Joel's first album, Cold Spring Harbor, he moved to L.A. in an attempt to be part of the then-growing singer-songwriter scene; he took on a steady job as a lounge pianist (whence "Piano Man" came), but after a limited success and growing frustration with the city and the music biz, he had had enough. He decided to "say goodbye to Hollywood" and move back to New York--notice that the Turnstiles cover is of the infamous subways of NYC, and the album features a song called "New York State of Mind."
(condensed from Allmusic.com)
After Joel's first album, Cold Spring Harbor, he moved to L.A. in an attempt to be part of the then-growing singer-songwriter scene; he took on a steady job as a lounge pianist (whence "Piano Man" came), but after a limited success and growing frustration with the city and the music biz, he had had enough. He decided to "say goodbye to Hollywood" and move back to New York--notice that the Turnstiles cover is of the infamous subways of NYC, and the album features a song called "New York State of Mind."