by bill@thephilter.com | Sep 21, 2022 | Pre-VU
The second track on Soundsville! is “Soul City,” which we have already heard as performed by girl group the Foxes. For the album it is redone in a blue-eyed-soul stylee by “The Hi-Lifes.” Again it makes the destination sound pretty appealing, but I figure that once... by bill@thephilter.com | Sep 15, 2022 | Pre-VU
The most ambitious project Lou Reed was involved with during his time at Pickwick International was a concept album called Soundsville! Its 11 songs are supposed to represent 11 different styles of music divided by geography (New York, Philadelphia, England,... by bill@thephilter.com | Sep 7, 2022 | Pre-VU
Because I am a little slow on the uptake, I did not notice at first that the song “Maybe Tomorrow” — which is credited to “Ronnie Dickerson” on the Pickwick compilation LP — is the same one that had been released on a 45 under Robertha Williams’ name. That would... by bill@thephilter.com | Sep 1, 2022 | Pre-VU
Upon reflection, it’s a bit odd that the four “Ronnie Dickerson” songs written by Lou Reed and his team were used as album filler, rather than released as singles. It may be that they were deemed commercially unpromising, though this one is pretty catchy: . The... by bill@thephilter.com | Aug 27, 2022 | Pre-VU
I note that the release date of Light in the Attic Records’ not-entirely-accurately-titled Lou Reed: Words and Music 1965, originally given as August 23, came and went this week. The website now says September 16, though no physical versions are available to ship... by bill@thephilter.com | Aug 17, 2022 | Pre-VU
I wouldn’t say “Ya Running, but I’ll Getcha” is a great song, but it has gotten stuck in my head over the last few days, so I guess you’d have to call it successful in that way at least. The similarity to “Run for Your Life” is really quite striking, but it appears to... by bill@thephilter.com | Aug 12, 2022 | Pre-VU
This faux-dialect phrase is the name of a song on a “Design Records” (Pickwick International) compilation album I just got. In true Pickwick style it is a hodgepodge of miscellany, including two songs each by Johnny Rivers, Neil Sedaka, and the Four Seasons. Each side... by bill@thephilter.com | Aug 8, 2022 | Pre-VU
This one will be short as I am still reeling from having learned that at the Lou Reed exhibit currently running at the New York Public Library, there is a special room where they play Metal Machine Music twice a day in quadraphonic sound. I wonder if they lock the... by bill@thephilter.com | Aug 4, 2022 | Pre-VU
. This strange slice of gothic pop-soul is credited to one “Robertha Williams,” about whom I have found very little information. The YouTube video has exactly one comment: I suppose I could reach out to Tiffiny, but I am at heart a lazy man and is isn’t necessarily... by bill@thephilter.com | Jul 29, 2022 | Pre-VU
[Lou Reed] would come into work stoned every day, because he was the king, as I found out, of pills. I could never figure out what he took. Lou was very bright, and he was taking pills that I think doctors didn’t know about. We used to have to pick him up off the...