Light in the Attic Records, in cooperation with Laurie Anderson, have announced the first release in a new Lou Reed archival release series. The label opens the Lou Reed Archive with Words & Music, May 1965, arriving August 26.
Words & Music, May 1965 collects 17 previously unreleased tracks recorded by a young Reed to tape with his future Velvet Underground bandmate John Cale. Reed would later mail these early recordings to himself as a "poor man's copyright," leaving the tape sealed in its original envelope for nearly 50 years.
A demo of "I'm Waiting for the Man" is the first track to arrive from the album, and you can hear it below. This particular version is the earliest known recording of the song, and the tracklisting points to the same for songs like "Heroin" and "Pale Blue Eyes," which Reed would go on to record with the Velvet Underground.
Produced by Anderson, Don Fleming, Jason Stern, Matt Sullivan and the late Hal Willner, Words & Music, May 1965 features remastered audio from the original tapes by engineer John Baldwin. The package also includes new liner notes from journalist and author Greil Marcus, plus in-depth archival notes from Fleming and Stern.
Words & Music, May 1965 is now available for pre-order in standard and deluxe editions on vinyl LP, CD, cassette and — yes, really — 8-Track. The day of the album's arrival, a companion podcast about the collection will launch, hosted by TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe.
Later this week (June 9), the first large-scale exhibition from Reed's archive opens at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
Words & Music, May 1965:
1. I'm Waiting for the Man (May 1965 Demo)
2. Men of Good Fortune (May 1965 Demo)
3. Heroin (May 1965 Demo)
4. Too Late (May 1965 Demo)
5. Buttercup Song (May 1965 Demo)
6. Walk Alone (May 1965 Demo)
7. Buzz Buzz Buzz (May 1965 Demo)
8. Pale Blue Eyes (May 1965 Demo)
9. Stockpile (May 1965 Demo)
10. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (May 1965 Demo)
11. I'm Waiting for the Man (May 1965 Alternate Version)
12. Gee Whiz (1958 Rehearsal)
13. Baby, Let Me Follow You Down (1963/64 Home Recording)
14. Michael, Row the Boat Ashore (1963/64 Home Recording)
15. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (Partial) (1963/64 Home Recording)
16. W & X, Y, Z Blues (1963/64 Home Recording)
17. Lou's 12-Bar Instrumental (1963/64 Home Recording)
Words & Music, May 1965 collects 17 previously unreleased tracks recorded by a young Reed to tape with his future Velvet Underground bandmate John Cale. Reed would later mail these early recordings to himself as a "poor man's copyright," leaving the tape sealed in its original envelope for nearly 50 years.
A demo of "I'm Waiting for the Man" is the first track to arrive from the album, and you can hear it below. This particular version is the earliest known recording of the song, and the tracklisting points to the same for songs like "Heroin" and "Pale Blue Eyes," which Reed would go on to record with the Velvet Underground.
Produced by Anderson, Don Fleming, Jason Stern, Matt Sullivan and the late Hal Willner, Words & Music, May 1965 features remastered audio from the original tapes by engineer John Baldwin. The package also includes new liner notes from journalist and author Greil Marcus, plus in-depth archival notes from Fleming and Stern.
Words & Music, May 1965 is now available for pre-order in standard and deluxe editions on vinyl LP, CD, cassette and — yes, really — 8-Track. The day of the album's arrival, a companion podcast about the collection will launch, hosted by TV on the Radio's Tunde Adebimpe.
Later this week (June 9), the first large-scale exhibition from Reed's archive opens at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.
Words & Music, May 1965:
1. I'm Waiting for the Man (May 1965 Demo)
2. Men of Good Fortune (May 1965 Demo)
3. Heroin (May 1965 Demo)
4. Too Late (May 1965 Demo)
5. Buttercup Song (May 1965 Demo)
6. Walk Alone (May 1965 Demo)
7. Buzz Buzz Buzz (May 1965 Demo)
8. Pale Blue Eyes (May 1965 Demo)
9. Stockpile (May 1965 Demo)
10. Wrap Your Troubles in Dreams (May 1965 Demo)
11. I'm Waiting for the Man (May 1965 Alternate Version)
12. Gee Whiz (1958 Rehearsal)
13. Baby, Let Me Follow You Down (1963/64 Home Recording)
14. Michael, Row the Boat Ashore (1963/64 Home Recording)
15. Don't Think Twice, It's All Right (Partial) (1963/64 Home Recording)
16. W & X, Y, Z Blues (1963/64 Home Recording)
17. Lou's 12-Bar Instrumental (1963/64 Home Recording)
