Just a random Saturday morning thought.
It’s been around seven months and some days since we lost Lou Reed. Throughout that entire time, I really thought that an honest, celebrative package of some kind would be issued.nbsp; Whether that would be a genuine new remaster of something, or better, a lovingly assembled box of Lou’s musical career, with classic VU work, and his solo years represented, with a beautifully designed book that definitively explored Lou’s life.
I really thought something was forthcoming. I guess I might have been wrong.
Still, I know that there are many fans that would make the creation of such a box worth the time of RCA/Arista/Legacy,nbsp; even though it would be necessary to work with other labels to finish the job. It’s been done before.
What’s the problem, do you think?
Could it be that Lou managed to get back ownership of some of his master tapes and his estate just has not been able to strike a deal with the record company(ies). Or could it be that since his death portions of his catalog have been getting high dollars for new copies and the company is waiting until that cash cow runs it’s course. Possibly Legacy is waiting until Christmas to release a massive box with every thing Lou recorded similar to the recent Johnny Cash and Bob Dylan $200 sets. Maybe someone should ask Laurie Anderson what the future holds for Lou’s fans.
All possible.
I think it’s too soon. I think this Fall we may start to see something.
With the VU, I don’t think we’re done seeing them work through expanded reissues of their works (sic, pun). The last VU I bought was the Peel Slowly Box, having bought all the LP versions as a teen, but no live LPs/bootlegs. I have most of Lou’s LPs and bought the re-mastered/issued The Bells and Transformer on CD, which sound great, but only Trans had any extras. Tune out now if you don’t want to hear be Lou cruel. I’ve seen a couple video performances of Lou–The Bottom Line, a church show, Costello’s Reed/Julian Schnabel show (heartbreaking when Schnabel recounts hi fathers death), and I don’t think he ever took any of his backing band to task onscreen (maybe a glare, but any/everyone–reporter/interviewer/audience member/grandma on the street got that). But I’ll bet the studio would be an explosive place for him and his colleagues. Outtakes/alt songs etc… may be a messy place for Lou to have done much with. Just guessing. I’d ask Laurie (Anderson) or Fernando (Saunders).
The day before yesterday I caught the tail end of a Lou Reed commemorative show on CBC (Canada) I didn’t hear had happened, and was surprised to hear that Kevin Hearn (keyboards for Barenaked Ladies) had been a member AND musical director of Lou’s band since 2009(?). Gord Downey (The Tragically Hip) did How Do think It Feels, and Hearn I think did Satellite at the end.
http://music.cbc.ca/#/blogs/2014/5/Ill-Be-Your-Mirror-Canada-celebrates-Lou-Reed
2 asides:
The Barenaked Ladies came to Halifax early in their career, and I think one/some got roughed up. I think a song about that is on their first release, a cassette (Gordon), and is called Hello Halifax.
The Cowboy Junkies got here to Halifax quite a bit. I think I saw them 3 times touring their first record ‘Whites off Earth now’–at the Flamingo Club. When they brought their second record Trinity Sessions to the re-located/named Pub Flamingo, I whooped out ‘State Trooper’ a couple times (a cover from their only other record). I think the third time I whooped, Margo Timmins replied to me “we don’t do songs from that record anymore”. I have no recollection what other songs got them through two sets and an encore off the one album, that featured their ‘Sweet Jane’, that Lou endorsed.
I’ve picked at guitar since 1986 or so. 2 of the songs I used to listen to to learn were Heroin (when my brother bought a guitar, I’d use his guitar on the floor in front of the amp as a wah-wah/feedback peddle) and The Junkies’ Decoration Day/State Trooper. I love feedback–but not that ‘you plugged it in wrong high-pitched circular saw kind’.
http://www.allmusic.com/album/whites-off-earth-now%21%21-mw0000309525
Matt-At the time of Lou’s passing, a box set of his work from the ’70s & ’80s was being worked on. I suspect it will come out by the end of the year. It was part of the article in Rolling Stone Magazine where they did the cover tribute to him when he died.
And wouldn’t you know it, that is the issue I was denied by the USPS! That is good news to have, Steve.
Life throws the weirdest damned curve-balls.