Pre-Highway 61 Albums (1972 - 1975)
The Velvet Underground - Satellite of Love
The Velvet Underground's sixth and final album was actually intended to be a Lou Reed solo album, but a phone call with John Cale had prompted Reed to reconsider, eventually resulting in Satellite of Love becoming a full band effort. "What the hell, we might as well go out on a high note," Reed had said when recording began.
The only track not recorded during the sessions was "I'm Gonna Move Right In", an outtake from their fourth album, IV, but four more tracks - "Walk and Talk It", "I Love You", "Wild Child" and "Love Makes You Feel" - had actually been written and performed live in 1970 but never recorded in the studio. Another track, "Satellite of Love" had also been demoed in 1970, along with "New York Telephone Conversation" and "Goodnight Ladies" being played live in the same year as well. "Going Down" and "Berlin" were the only new tracks written for Satellite of Love.
The Velvet Underground's swan song hit #189 in the United States; whilst better than the previous album Loaded (#202), it still didn't achieve the heights that their debut album with Nico did (#171). The title track was also released as a single with "Love Makes You Feel", achieving far greater success in the United Kingdom when released in August (#119 US, #51 UK). But this minor success wasn't enough to keep the Velvet Underground from breaking up and Lou Reed moving onto a solo career, as well as the odd collaboration with Hunky Dory.
Lou Reed - Berlin
Released: April 7, 1972
Recorded: September 27, 1969 and December 1971 - January 1972
Producer: The Velvet Underground and Richard Robinson
Track listing[1]
Side A
I'm Gonna Move Right In
Going Down
Love Makes You Feel
New York Telephone Conversation
Berlin
Side B
Satellite of Love
Wild Child
I Love You
Walk and Talk It
Goodnight Ladies
The Velvet Underground's sixth and final album was actually intended to be a Lou Reed solo album, but a phone call with John Cale had prompted Reed to reconsider, eventually resulting in Satellite of Love becoming a full band effort. "What the hell, we might as well go out on a high note," Reed had said when recording began.
The only track not recorded during the sessions was "I'm Gonna Move Right In", an outtake from their fourth album, IV, but four more tracks - "Walk and Talk It", "I Love You", "Wild Child" and "Love Makes You Feel" - had actually been written and performed live in 1970 but never recorded in the studio. Another track, "Satellite of Love" had also been demoed in 1970, along with "New York Telephone Conversation" and "Goodnight Ladies" being played live in the same year as well. "Going Down" and "Berlin" were the only new tracks written for Satellite of Love.
The Velvet Underground's swan song hit #189 in the United States; whilst better than the previous album Loaded (#202), it still didn't achieve the heights that their debut album with Nico did (#171). The title track was also released as a single with "Love Makes You Feel", achieving far greater success in the United Kingdom when released in August (#119 US, #51 UK). But this minor success wasn't enough to keep the Velvet Underground from breaking up and Lou Reed moving onto a solo career, as well as the odd collaboration with Hunky Dory.
Released: July 20, 1973
Recorded: 1973
Producer: Bob Ezrin
Released: May 10, 1974
Recorded: February - March 1974
Producer: Rupert Hine
Track listing[2]
Side A
Decadence
See You Later/Didn't Feel Lonely Till I Thought of You
It Begins With a Blessing/Once I Awakened/But It Ends With a Curse
Internotional Anthem
Side B
The Confessions of Doctor Dream
Ballbearing Blues
Beware of the Dog
The Confessions of Dr. Dream and Other Stories was Kevin Ayers' first album since 1971's Whatevershebringswesing, as well as his first with Ollie Halsall, who would later go on to become a constant musical partner for Ayers, even on his works with Hunky Dory. Comprised of various holdovers from Melting Pottery and the then-to-be-released The Gouster, Dr. Dream did not chart, but it has been regarded as one of Kevin Ayers' best works.
Released: August 9, 1974
Recorded: March 18 - April 26, 1974
Producer: Steve Katz and Lou Reed
Released: January 17, 1975
Recorded: August - November 1974
Producer: David Bowie and Tony Visconti
Track listing[3]
Side A
We Are the Dead
Sweet Thing
Win
Candidate
Chant of the Ever Circling Skeletal Family
Side B
Somebody Up There Likes Me
Time
Can You Hear Me
Sweet Thing (Reprise)
Like his previous solo albums, David Bowie's Sweet Thing was comprised of leftovers from previous Rolling Stones albums, plus the soon-to-be-released Young Americans. After it was released at the start of 1975, it went on to reach #5 and #3 in the United Kingdom and the United States, respectively. However, although no one knew it at the time, Bowie was beginning to feel that the Rolling Stones were not experimental enough for him to stick around for the long run, which would eventually come to a head in the aftermath of the controversy surrounding his new persona, the Thin White Duke.
[AN: Yes, the album is released on Apple Records; I just put it there for chronology's sake.]
Released: May 23, 1975
Recorded: October 1974 - March 1975
Producer: Robert Wyatt and Nick Mason
Track listing[4]
Side A
Sea Song
Alifib
Little Red Riding Hood Hit the Road
Side B
Soup Song
Muddy Mouse
Team Spirit
Ruth Is Stranger Than Richard was Robert Wyatt's first solo release following his accident that resulted in him becoming paralyzed from the waist down in 1973. Shortly after the release of The Gouster, Wyatt returned to the studio with Nick Mason to produce the album, with the first side comprising of art rock, and the second side being adaptations and arrangements of other people's music, much like Wyatt had done for Matching Mole's Little Red Record, Matching Mole's second and final album.
The album received a mixed public response, and it would be another decade before Robert Wyatt released another studio album. Over time, however, it became regarded as a forgotten gem among rock music fans.
Released: July 11, 1975
Recorded: 1975
Producer: Lou Reed
Highway 61 Albums (1976)
Released: June 18, 1976
Recorded: March 1976
Producer: Muff Winwood
Released: October 8, 1976
Recorded: 1976
Producer: Lou Reed
Both Yes We Have No Mañanas (So Get Your Mañanas Today) and Rock and Roll Heart were recorded and released after the members of Hunky Dory (barring David Bowie, already part of the Apple roster) signed up to Highway 61 Records. Kevin Ayers, always trying to stay out of the limelight, didn't bother with any promotion for his album, although it somehow got to #82 in the United States. Meanwhile, Lou Reed had greater success with his own album, managing to do #49 in the United States and an even better #40 in the United Kingdom.
From these albums onward, Lou Reed, Kevin Ayers, Robert Wyatt, as well as Syd Barrett and Iggy Pop would be latched onto Highway 61 Records, even after the break up of Hunky Dory following a tragedy...
Footnotes
- "I'm Gonna Move Right In" is sourced from Another View; the remaining tracks are sourced from Lou Reed's eponymous solo debut album and Transformer.
- Tracks are sourced from Bananamour and The Confessions of Dr. Dream and Other Stories.
- Most tracks are sourced from Diamond Dogs and Young Americans. "Time" is sourced from Aladdin Sane.
- Tracks are sourced from Rock Bottom and Ruth is Stranger Than Richard. "Muddy Mouse" is an amalgamation of "Muddy Mouse (a)", "Muddy Mouse (b)" and "Muddy Mouse (c)/Muddy Mouth".
Author's Comments
And here we go with the final extra scene for Phase Two; the solo projects the Hunky Dory members went through during 1973-1976, plus the final Velvet Underground album in 1972 as a bonus. The Lou Reed albums from 1973-1976 plus Kevin Ayers' Yes We Have No Mananas are all released in their original form, hence the track listings are not listed for each of them. I felt there was no reason to change them up.
The reason I made this the final extra scene to be posted publicly is to serve as a lead in to the first chapter (51st overall) to Phase Three, which will be about the members of Hunky Dory, as well as Syd Barrett's former band, Pink Floyd. And what do I mean by a tragedy taking place with Hunky Dory? Wait and see...
And here we go with the final extra scene for Phase Two; the solo projects the Hunky Dory members went through during 1973-1976, plus the final Velvet Underground album in 1972 as a bonus. The Lou Reed albums from 1973-1976 plus Kevin Ayers' Yes We Have No Mananas are all released in their original form, hence the track listings are not listed for each of them. I felt there was no reason to change them up.
The reason I made this the final extra scene to be posted publicly is to serve as a lead in to the first chapter (51st overall) to Phase Three, which will be about the members of Hunky Dory, as well as Syd Barrett's former band, Pink Floyd. And what do I mean by a tragedy taking place with Hunky Dory? Wait and see...
What would the lineup be for "Satellite of Love" be? And I'm assuming "Squeeze" would be released as a Doug Yule solo album?
ReplyDeleteThe lineup would consist of Lou Reed, John Cale, Doug Yule, Sterling Morrison and Maureen Tucker; same as Loaded, but with John Cale making a return. Squeeze would definitely work better as a Doug Yule solo album.
Delete