A new anthology celebrating the work of Lou Reed is set for an October release through Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment.
Lou Reed — The RCA & Arista Album Collection is a definitive box set of music the late musician recorded from 1972 to 1986. The collection includes 16 studio and live album titles written, recorded and produced by Reed as a solo artist following the 1970 dissolution of the Velvet Underground. Each of the 16 albums in the 17 CD library was newly remastered under Reed’s direct personal supervision at New York’s Masterdisk in June and July 2013. It was his final project before his passing at age 71 on October 27, 2013.
Laurie Anderson, Reed’s wife and partner for twenty-one years, said the project beautifully captures Reed’s spirit and love of recording. “Lou put his heart into remastering these records,” Anderson says in a statement. “They are not smoothed out. Sometimes remastering revealed their details and roughness in the most exciting ways. They leap out at you with their original energy.”
The set also offers several out-of-print titles and other treats, including an 80-page hardbound book featuring memorabilia from Reed’s personal archives, rarely seen photos and artwork, interviews, and in-depth liner notes.
The set’s available for pre-order now on iTunes and Amazon.com.
Also on tap for fans: The Bells: A Day Long Celebration of Lou Reed, a full day of free events co-curated by Laurie Anderson, has been scheduled for Saturday, July 30 as part of the Lincoln Center Out of Doors festival in New York City.
Here’s the rundown for Lou Reed — The RCA & Arista Album Collection, in chronological order:
1. Lou Reed (April 1972)
2. Transformer (November 1972)
3. Berlin (July 1973)
4. Rock n Roll Animal (live — February 1974)
5. Sally Can’t Dance (August 1974)
6. Metal Machine Music (July 1975)
7. Coney Island Baby (December 1975)
8. Rock and Roll Heart (October 1976)
9. Street Hassle (February 1978)
10. Lou Reed Live: Take No Prisoners (2 CDs — November 1978)
11. The Bells (April 1979)
12. Growing Up in Public (April 1980)
13. The Blue Mask (February 1982)
14. Legendary Hearts (March 1983)
15. New Sensations (April 1984)
16. Mistrial (June 1986)
Copyright © 2016, ABC Radio. All rights reserved.