Lou Reed 's Transformer (50th Anniversary) & Shows # 960, 959, 958, 957, 956, 955

Originally released in November of 1972, Transformer is the second full-length album by Lou Reed. Earlier that year in April his debut and self-titled album was released through RCA Records. Comprised of then unreleased Velvet Underground songs and two new originals, the album didn’t have the reaction that it should have. It did reach #189 on the Billboard top 200 album charts, however, it mostly flew under the radar. The album was made up of session musicians, most notably Rick Wakeman and Steve Howe of the prog rock band Yes. Transformer would be Lou Reed’s commercial breakthrough album. Recorded in London at Trident Studio with (at the time) first time producers David Bowie and Mick Ronson, it is often seen as a landmark album in the glam rock genre.

For the content on Transformer, the lyrics drew on experiences from Reed’s past as part of the Factory scene with Andy Warhol in New York. “Vicious” starts off Transformer. With its razor sharp feedback and jangly guitar, this proto punk classic was written while Lou Reed was still in The Velvet Underground. With lyrics such as “Vicious/You hit me with a flower/You do it every hour/ You want me to hit you with a stick/But all I've got's a guitar pick/Huh, baby, you're so vicious,” Lou Reed offers a critique and attack of the Warhol and Factory scene that he was once a part of. “Andy’s Chest” could also fall into the critique category, however, this song, which was more upbeat when originally recorded with The Velvet Underground, has a different arrangement here. Done with the help of Ronson and Bowie, this more down tempo version of “Andy’s Chest” was originally written following an assassination attempt on Warhol in 1968. Seen as an ode to Andy, it also shows the great appreciation that Lou had for Andy and the impact that Warhol and the Factory scene had on Reed.

“Perfect Day” is a stunning ballad and another one of the strong songs found on Transformer. Featuring piano and string arrangements by Mick Ronson, this song has operated with two potential meanings, one a devotional love song and two and ode to a romanticized attitude towards drug use and addiction. Lyrics such as “Oh, it's such a perfect day/I'm glad I spent it with you/Oh, such a perfect day/You just keep me hanging on,” suggest both and while it has been stated by Reed that it is not about drugs at all, its inclusion in the 1997 film Trainspotting has led people to think otherwise. “Hangin’ Round” is another dirty driving rock song in the vein of “Vicious.” With lyrics such as “You keep hangin' 'round me/And I'm not so glad you found me/You're still doing things that I gave up years ago,” it operates as a send off track about hangers on. Side one of Transformer ends with “Walk on the Wild Side.” This song features a more jazz approach with elements of R&B and doo wop as Lou Reed tells an unfiltered character driven tale throughout its five verses about five different people in the Factory scene in New York. Lyrically, it deals with gender identities as it talks of junkies, drag queens, hustlers, drug use and parts of New York’s underground counter culture. The song with its now iconic double bassline played by Herbie Flowers, had its beginnings as song for a soundtrack to the theatrical adaption of Nelson Algren’s A Walk On The Wild Side. The play never happened. The song has been said to be “a salute to the misfits and hustlers who once surrounded Andy Warhol in the late '60s and appeared in his films.” “A Walk on the Wild Side” became a top ten hit for Reed, becoming one of his signature songs and also changing his status as underground cult musician into international star.

“Make Up” starts off side two of Transformer. A song featuring tuba and an almost jangly, cabaret musical influence, it tells the story of a drag queen and also comments on the glam rock music scene. “Satellite of Love” follows next. Another one of Reed’s well-known songs, it features another excellent arrangement by Bowie and Ronson. A song about jealousy, this song was written in 1969/1970 and was even recorded during the sessions for Velvet Underground’s Loaded album. Around this time period satellites were being sent out into space to Mars as the Space Race amplified and the song features allusions to it, but the character in song watches this technology advancing into space while realizing that his lover has left him. The satellites at the time failed in their lift off to space, which also alludes to what occurs in the song. Additionally, it features one of the strongest choruses Lou Reed ever wrote. “Wagon Wheel” is another proto punk song with some sleazy glam rock swagger, while “New York Telephone Conversation” is a short quirky almost vaudeville song driven by piano. “I’m So Free” is another guitar driven track with soulful backup singers, “Goodnight Ladies” ends Transformer. With a cabaret/big band musical style, it was inspired by the second section in T.S. Elliot’s The Wasteland (“A Game of Chess”).

Throughout Transformer, Lou Reed crafted songs that talked about things just weren’t being talked about at the time and brought them into the mainstream consciousness. It dealt in sexual politics, featured characters inspired by the Factory scene in New York in the 60s, the glam rock music scene at the time and featured a lot of different New York inspired musical styles. Lou Reed once said that each of his records are like a different chapter and that if all his albums were listened to in order, that would be his version of the Great American Novel. Initially, some reviews were mixed for Transformer. However, Transformer’s title has proven to have more meanings than one. For Reed, it cast him in a new light from the shadows of his previous band. It is one of Reed’s strongest albums. The songs, like the words found in a novel can take on multiple meanings. With Transformer, this chapter speaks to the misfits and to the outsiders. It draws on many themes, including calling for them to be themselves, whoever they may be.

Show 960 (Originally Aired On November 12th, 2022)(Jerry Lee Lewis, Low, Keith Levene, The Beatles Revolver Special Edition):

1.  Jerry Lee Lewis – Great Balls of Fire (Live at the Star Club, Hamburg 1964) 
2.  Jerry Lee Lewis – Long Tall Sally (Live at the Star Club, Hamburg 1964) 
3.  MJ Lenderman - You Have Bought Yourself a Boat 
4.  MJ Lenderman - TLC Cage Match
5.  Skinny Dyck – Jackson Hole 
6.  Daniel Romano – A Pig is a Pig Jig
7.  Public Image Ltd. - Swan Lake 
8.  Sunglaciers - Thought Maps
9.  Private Lives - Get Loose
10. Ancient Shapes - (I’m) Against the Wind
11. Anxious Pleasers - Errand Boy 
12. Low – Rome (Always in the Dark)
13. Low – More 
14. Low – In Metal 
15. American Lips - Waste of Crime 
16. Cursed Arrows - Rebulid As One 
17. No Museums - Silence Will Outlast Us
18. The Jackets - Pie In The Sky
19. Black Angels - Empires Falling
20. Dion Lunadon -Too Hard To Love, Too Young To Die 
21. Special Interest – Cherry Blue Intention 
22. Dumb – Excuse Me 
23. Dumb – Pull Me Up 
24. Gilla Band – Post Ryan 
25. The Beatles - Taxman (2022 Stereo Mix) 
26. The Beatles - Yellow Submarine (Songwriting Work Tape Pt.1)
27. The Beatles - Tomorrow Never Knows (Take 1)
28. The Beatles - Got To Get You Into My Life (Second Version/Unnumbered Mix)
29. The Beatles - Rain (Take 5/Actual Speed) 
30. The Beatles - Rain (Take 5/Slowed Down for Master Tape)

To hear this program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and click the November 12 file to download/stream the episode. 

Show 959 (Originally Aired On November 5th, 2022)(Lou Reed Transformer 50th Anniversary Special):

1.  Lou Reed - Stockpile (1965 Demo) (Words & Music: May 1965 - 2022)

2.  Lou Reed - W & X, Y, Z Blues (1963-64 Home Recording) (Words & Music: May 1965 - 2022)

3.  Lou Reed - Wild Child (Lou Reed - RCA - 1972) 

4.  Lou Reed - Walk It Talk It (Live 1972) (American Poet - Easy Action - 2001)

5.  Lou Reed – Lady Day (Berlin - RCA - 1973)

6.  Lou Reed - Crazy Feeling (Coney Island Baby - RCA - 1976)

7.  Lou Reed - Vicious (Transformer - RCA - 1972) 

8.  The Velvet Underground - Andy’s Chest (1969 - UMe/Polydor Records/Verve - 2017) 

9.  Lou Reed - Perfect Day (I’m So Free: The 1971 RCA Demos - RCA - 2022)

10. Lou Reed - Hangin’ Round (Transformer - RCA - 1972) 

11. Lou Reed - Walk on the Wild Side (Live 1972) (American Poet - Easy Action - 2001)

12. Lou Reed – Make Up (Transformer - RCA - 1972) 

13. The Velvet Underground – Satellite of Love (Demo) (Peel Slowly and See - Polydor Records - 1995) 

14. Lou Reed – Wagon Wheel (Live at Alice Tully Hall Jan. 27, 1973 - 2nd Show - RCA/Legacy - 2020)

15. Lou Reed – New York Telephone Conversation (I’m So Free: The 1971 RCA Demos - RCA - 2022) 

16. Lou Reed – I’m So Free (Transformer - RCA - 1972)

17. Lou Reed – Goodnight Ladies (Transformer - RCA - 1972)

18. Lou Reed - Shooting Star (Street Hassle - Arista - 1978)

19. Lou Reed - Underneath the Bottle (The Blue Mask - RCA - 1982)

20. Lou Reed – Romeo Had Juliette (New York - Sire Records - 1989)

21. Lou Reed & John Cale – Images (Songs for Drella - Sire Records - 1990) 

22. Lou Reed - Nowhere At All (Coney Island Baby - RCA/Legacy - 1976/2006)

23. Lou Reed - Don’t Talk To Me About Work (Legendary Hearts - RCA - 1983)

To hear this program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and click the November 5 file to download/stream the episode. 

Show 958 (Originally Aired On October 29th, 2022)(Halloween 2022 Special):

1.  The Coffin Daggers - Munsters Theme 

2.  Phono-Comb & Jad Fair - In A Haunted House

3.  Shadowy Men on a Shadowy Planet - Zombie Compromise 

4.  Mac DeMarco - Very Spooky 

5.  Bloodshot Bill - Monsters Everywhere 

6.  The Viewers - Monsters Rule OK 

7.  Slim Twig - Mansion Haunting

8.  Alex G - Heirloom Piano 

9.  La Luz - Spider House

10. Los Straitjackets - It's Monster Surfing Time 

11. Satan's Pilgrims - Spider Island 

12. Los Straitjackets - Ghoul on a Hill 

13. Los Plantronics - T for Terror

14. Los Straitjackets - The Theme from Young Frankenstein 

15. The Surfmen - Ghost Hop 

16. The Mummies - The House on the Hill 

17. The Moontrekkers - The Bogey Man 

18. The Ventures - Twilight Zone Theme 

19. The Black Flamingos - Are You Afraid of the Dark 

20. The Black Flamingos - Devil's Punchbowl 

21. The Garys - Love Potion

22. The Greasy Gills - Frankenstein's Mug 

23. Snake River - Sister Edith's Dream 

24. Matt Ellis - Monster Under My Bed 

25. Weak Signal - Haunting the Halls

26. John Spencer & The HITmakers - Death Ray Spencer 

27. Charlie Clouser - Hello Zepp 

28. Los Straitjackets feat. Southern Culture on the Skids & the Fleshtones - Que Monstruos Son

29. Los Straitjackets - Halloween Theme 

30. Men in Grey Suits - Clickety Snarl Snarl!

31. Urban Surf Kings - Zombie Road Trip 

To hear this program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and click the October 29 file to download/stream the episode. 

Show 957 Playlist (Originally Aired On October 22nd, 2022)(Sloan, Dry Cleaning, Kid Congo Powers, Al Green, Stevie Wonder, Prince):

1.  Sloan – Scratch the Surface

2.  Dry Cleaning – Gary Ashby

3.  Frankie Cosmos – Aftershook

4.  Iceage – Shake the Feeling

5.  Archers of Loaf – Screaming Undercover

6.  Life Stuff - Dance Into The Sun

7.  Private Lives - Private Lives

8.  King Woobs - Break Time 

9.  Wolfmanhattan Project - Silky Narcotic 

10. Kid Congo Powers and the Near Death Experience - Garbageman (Live in St. Kilda)

11. Jesus Lizard – Whirl 

12. Mission of Burma – That’s How I Escaped My Certain Fate 

13. The Libertines – Vertigo

14. Broken Social Scene – Almost Crimes 

15. Alvvays – After the Earthquake

16. White Lung – Date Night

17. Vapid – Take a Walk, Baby 

18. Defektors – Static Age 

19. Les Shirley – Nothing Compares

20. Al Green - I’m Glad You’re Mine 

21. Stevie Wonder – Maybe Your Baby

22. Prince – Free 

23. Bill Callahan – Drainface

24. Julianna Riolino – You 

25. Cass McCombs – Music is Blue 

To hear this program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and click the October 22 file to download/stream the episode. 

Show 955 Playlist (Originally Aired On October 10th, 2022)(Booker T & the MGs, The Milkshakes, Loretta Lynn, The Bell Peppers):

1.  Titus Andronicus – Dead Meat 

2.  By Divine Right – Smokies and Cannonballs 

3.  The Beths – I Want to Listen 

4.  Zoon – Playground

5.  Aversions – Interview 99

6.  The Volebeats - I Needed Someone

7.  Munks - Long Time Waiting 

8.  49th Parallel - You Do Things

9.  The Milkshakes - For She 

10. The Milkshakes - You’re Asking Too Much 

11. Booker T & the MGs – Mo’ Onions 

12. Booker T & the MGs – Comin’ Home Baby

13. Miles Davis – Black Satin

14. Loretta Lynn - Trouble on the Line

15. Loretta Lynn - A Hundred Proof Heartache

16. Loretta Lynn - I’m Shootin’ For Tomorrow 

17. Loretta Lynn - What Makes Me Tick 

18. Daniel Romano’s Outfit - Impossible Green

19. Al Oster - Way Up Alaska Way

20. Bloodshot Bill - Block Party

21. Alvvays – Very Online Guy 

22. LCD Soundsystem – New Body Rhumba

23. The Bell Peppers - Born To Love

24. The Bell Peppers - Soda Pop

25. Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros - Secret Agent Man

26. The Student Teachers - Christmas Weather 

27. Gloin - Work Patrol 

28. Preoccupations - Fix Bayonets! 

To hear this program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and click the October 10 file to download/stream the episode. 

For those keeping track episode #956 was a repeat of episode 954 (from October 1st). You can find that playlist here.

Lou Reed Charley's Girl & Show # 562

In January 1976, Lou Reed released his sixth album Coney Island Baby. Produced by Godfrey Diamond, this album featured a more stripped back approach musically. Several songs featured acoustic guitars, strong melodies, slide guitar licks in some spots in a collection of songs that has drawn comparisons to The Velvet Underground’s Loaded by some fans. A single from the album was also released in 1976, Charley’s Girl/Nowhere At All. The A-side to this single also appeared on Coney Island Baby, but on the single it differs than the album version. The single version of “Charley’s Girl” is more upbeat than the album version featuring more apparent electric guitar slides and maracas, while the album version is comes off with a more laidback feeling and lush arrangement.

The single’s B-side is the fuzzed up song “Nowhere At All”. This track did not appear on the album and is noticeably different in terms of song dynamics. It is definitely heavier, coming off as a cross between something on Transformer and one of the more ramped up tracks on White Light/White Heat. The song also foreshadows the sounds that would emerge on the 1978 album Street Hassle. Lyrically, the song seems to tap into a feeling of helpless nothingness. With lines such as “Somebody’s got to help me/She makes me feel like/I’m nowhere at all” and “Cause some they likes it hot/And some they likes it cold/And some they don’t like it at/Don’t like it at all”, the song centres around what sounds like a confusing relationship, but it could also be a reflection of Lou’s solo career during that time period. Much of Coney Island Baby (where this single’s A-side comes from) deals with an outsider looking for a sense of integrity. Prior to the release of Coney Island Baby, Lou Reed released the noise collage that was Metal Machine Music. It has been suggested that Coney Island Baby was an attempt at commercial success on 70s FM radio, but many things have been said of Lou Reed and what he was trying to do by press and in reviews. It all goes back to the music, like the song “Charley’s Girl”. Lyrically the song builds on the character sketches that once painted pictures in between the notes of songs such as “Sweet Jane” and “Walk On The Wild Side” that keep us returning for more, much like the words found in between the pages of a classic novel.





Saturday Night Playlist:

1. Fat White Family - Cream Of The Young
2. Cosmonauts - Emerald Green
3. La Lenguas - Love You All The Time
4. Mick Jones - Easy Going Man
5. Black Vincent - Stacy Main
6. Surfer Blood - Island
7. Crocodiles - Do The Void
8. Poughboy - Carl Flipped One In This Market
9. Grounders - Secret Friend
10. Nap Eyes - Dark Creedence
11. James O-L & The Villains - Kissed At The Loop
12. Motivations - Birds
13. The Teen Kings - St. Louis Blues
14. The Mighty Swells - Lone Rhino
15. Luau Or Die - Cold War Cowboy
16. Lonesome Lefty - Stack O’Lee
17. Daniel Romano - Helen’s Restaurant
18. Jay Sad - Stacey
19. Deerhunter - Pensacola
20. The Night And Days - Split
21. The Go - It Might Be Bad
22. Alex Chilton - She Might Look My Way (Live)
23. DMZ - Boy From Nowhere
24. Foo Fighters - Wattershed
25. Carbon/Silicon - I Loved You
26. Lou Reed - Nowhere At All
27. Rock ’N’ Roll Monkey And The Robots - Static
28. Jared Brown - Amongst The Daisy
29. Teenanger - Rats
30. The Dark - Einstein's Brain
31. 999 - No Pity
32. The Adverts - No Time To Be 21

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for May 30. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

Street Hassle & Show # 482

Lou Reed’s 1978 album Street Hassle is often seen as one of the last raw records that he made. The album itself questions, parodies and dives deep into many beautifully ugly narratives that are prevalent throughout its eight songs. Many of the songs contain poignant personalized themes that reflect Lou Reed’s career at that point in time. It also contains what many fans believe to be the finest solo Lou Reed composition recording, which would be the song “Street Hassle.” Street Hassle also was one of the first commercially released albums to utilize the binaural recording technique. This is a recording method that involves a mannequin head and two microphones to create a 3D stereo sound of sorts. By using this technique, listening on headphones are said to have better results than listening over loud speakers. In addition to all this, Street Hassle also featured studio and live recordings (with the audience sound mixed down).

“Gimme Some Good Times” starts off Street Hassle. In the opening lines of the song Lou Reed parodies himself and one of his best known Velvet Underground songs “Sweet Jane.” Lines such as “Hey, if that ain’t the rock ‘n’ roll animal himself/What you doing bro/Standing on the corner,” and “Jack, sweet Jane, I’m in a rock ‘n’ roll band/
Well, I can see that” emphasize this. The chorus also echoes many ugly themes that are to be displayed on this album with the lines “Gimme, gimme, gimme some good times/Gimme, gimme, gimme some pain/No matter how ugly you are/You know to me it all looks the same.” “Dirt” continues next in a sloppy Rock and Roll fashion questions the scene and critics alike, the lyrics “Cheap uptown dirt” seems to take over as the song comes to a close.

The title track Street Hassle, is approximately eleven minutes and is separated into three parts “Waltzing Matilda,” “Street Hassle” and “Slip Away.” Musically, the song is a moving epic, while lyrically it tells a story in a dramatic way that was once done in a similar fashion on the seventeen minute Velvet Underground song “Sister Ray.” The first part of the song tells of a woman paying for a male prostitute, while “Street Hassle” deals with a drug dealer talking of the death of a woman, and “Slip Away” discusses love and death. This last part of the song is also notable because Bruce Springsteen reads the spoken word section of this song. He was uncredited on the album’s liner notes. This was rumoured to be due to legal related issues that he was going through at the time.  

On the 2004 live album Animal Serenade Lou had this to say of the song “Street Hassle”: "I wanted to write a song that had a great monologue set to rock. Something that could have been written by William Burroughs, Hubert Selby, John Rechy, Tennessee Williams, Nelson Algren, maybe a little Raymond Chandler. You mix it all up and you have 'Street Hassle'." As mentioned, many Lou Reed fans declare this song as one of his finest, if not his greatest recorded moment, as a solo artist.

Other songs include “Real Good Time,” which is a re-worked version of the Velvet Underground song “We’re Gonna Have A Real Good Time Together,” “Shooting Star” seems to recall sounds found on Transformer, with dominant horn sections and an overall sloppiness, “Leave Me Alone” is a more fast paced dirge of a Rock track, while “Wait” ends the album on an offbeat upbeat note musically and lyrically compared to the rest of the recordings found on Street Hassle.

Street Hassle has been analyzed by many critics and contains many diverse elements, which in essence is the reason people have and continue to talk about it. The album at the time of its release can be seen as a reaction to punk, which was taking place at the time. Lou Reed’s Street Hassle is deliberately sloppy, poignant, and raw. Lou Reed was never one to do what was expected. He went against the grain many times in his career with Metal Machine Music being an example of this. Street Hassle had all the attitude and sloppiness that influenced punk, but done by one of the people that helped influence it. Right down to the album’s cover which features a seemingly uninterested Lou Reed in a leather jacket and sunglasses and album font which exudes attitude. That could be argued to be one of the most “punk” thing of all.

This Week's Play List:

1. The Rolling Stones – Dear Doctor (Alternate Version)
2. The Folk Implosion – Waltzin’ With Your Ego
3. Real Kids – Common At Noon (Live)
4. Holy Wave – The Pass
5. Obits – Spun Out
6. Invasions – Rosy
7. Silent Movie Type – Pickpockets
8. Daniel Romano - Chicken Bill
9. James OL – Sk8 Or Die
10. Twin Library – They Have No Fallen
11. U.S. Girls – 28 Days
12. The Mo-Dettes – White Mice
13. TV Smith’s Explorer’s – I Live For Everything
14. Paul Jacobs - Frustration
15. Brazilian Money – Long Black Veil
16. Famines - TWA Flight 553
17. Lou Reed – Average Guy
18. Lou Reed – Don’t Talk To Me About Work
19. Lou Reed – Gimme Some Good Times
20. Lou Reed – Street Hassle

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for Novenber 12. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

Wild Child ... Lou Reed 1972 & Show # 346

In June of 1972, Lou Reed released his first solo album. The self titled album featured ten songs, several of which were unreleased songs that he had previously written with Velvet Underground. At this point in 1972, Velvet Underground were not as renowned as they now are and the songs that are found on Lou's first solo album were not released in any form yet. The album was recorded in December of 1971 and January 1972 at Morgan Studios in London, England with Richard Robinson in the producer seat. The album featured five songs that were recorded during the Velvet Undergrounds Loaded album sessions (“Walk and Talk It”, “I Love You”, “Love Makes You Feel”, “Ride Into The Sun”, and “Ocean”) and “I Can’t Stand It”, “Lisa Says”, which would later surface on Velvet Underground outtake compilation album VU. There are also songs such as “Going Down” which is one of the two new compositions created for this album, and the song “Berlin” both of which would later be re-recorded for the Lou Reed album Berlin. One of the clear highlights found on Lou Reed, is the song “Wild Child”. This raucous track is done in the spirit of Lou’s influential Rock music style.

The album cover for Lou Reed was done by UK artist Tom Adams, who has a large body of work, but is perhaps best known for his work designing the covers for novels. He has created covers for the novels of Raymond Chandler, Agatha Christie, John Fowles, and many others. On Tom Adams website (http://www.tomadamsuncovered.co.uk) he had this to say of working with Lou Reed:

"It was good to meet Lou Reed and talk about his brilliant music and poetic lyrics. I'm not sure I did them justice but it was great to be involved in his first UK album."


The album as a whole has often been said to be an album that the record company Lou was on at the time, didn’t know what to do with. If you look at the studio musicians recruited for the album, among the ranks you will find Steve Howe and Rick Wakeman of the Prog Rock band Yes, which is perhaps an indication of the reason for the album sounding the way it does. But if you listen to the album closely, it is simply an album of discovery, Lou Reed is exploring several songs structures and arrangements within the songs found on Lou Reed. There are of slower, sparsely spaced song arrangements, but there are also upbeat Rock songs that rise and fall with the album. It was at the time a highly anticipated release, when Lou Reed was released it went to number 189 on the Billboard 200 album charts. The album, while it is often forgotten about, is a historical document of where Lou Reed would take his music and an indication of a musician in transition. Lou Reed’s next release Transformer, would be in December of the same year (1972) and was produced by Mick Ronson and David Bowie. Transformer had both greater critical and commercial acclaim.

The Play List:

1. The Spys - Welcome to the Cruel World
2. Prehistoric Cave Strokers - Urine You're Out
3. The Gories - I Think I've Had It
4. C'Mon - Mirrors
5. Papermaps - Exit
6. The Modernettes - Teen City
7. Dirty Looks - 12 O'Clock High
8. Jemmy Leggs - Fireworks
9. The Leisure Units - Best Way
10. The Raveonettes - Recharge & Revolt
11. The Wolfmen - The Cowboy's Dream
12. The Mekons - Abernant 1984/5
13. Ghost Wave - Sunsetter
14. Sun Wizard - Golden Girl
15. My Son The Hurricane - Honour Among Thieves
16. Peter Case - Round Trip Stranger Blues
17. The Mods - If You Got To Go
18. Elvis Costello & The Imposters - No Hiding Place
19. REM - Aligator_Aviator_Autopilot_Antimatter
20. Hater - Downpour At Mt.Angel
21. Lou Reed - Walk And Talk It
22. Lou Reed - Wild Child
23. The Damned - New Rose
24. The D4 - What I Want

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for April 5. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

Rock n' Roll Animal...The Story of Lou Reed ....Show # 290

Lou Reed exited The Velvet Underground in 1970, prior to the release of their fourth album Loaded.  He did not immediately return to music, upon quitting The Velvet Underground Lou Reed moved back home with his parents and took a job as a typist at his father's accounting firm.  In 1971, things changed when Lou Reed signed a contract with RCA.  He then headed to London in the UK and began work on his first full length solo album.  Titled Lou Reed, the album featured ten tracks, eight of which were re-recorded versions of songs that were written while he was still in The Velvet Underground (those eight songs which were recorded with The Velvet Underground would be released on the Peel Slowly and See box set).  The other two songs were new compositions, "Going Down" and "Berlin".  The song "Berlin" would later be re-recorded for an album of the same name in 1973.  Despite the great interest in Lou's first solo effort, the album was overlooked by most critics.  The album was recorded with a series of session musicians such as members of the Prog Rock group Yes, Steve Howe, and Rick Wakeman.  Lou Reed was released in 1972. 

Lou Reed's next album would be produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson.  Transformer featured primarily new compositions, but also featured a few songs that can be traced back to his days with The Velvet Underground, most notably "Satellite of Love", and "Andy's Chest".  The music reflected more of a Glam Rock direction than Lou's previous solo effort.  The first single released from the album was "Walk On the Wild Side", despite it's subject matter (which was edited and even caused the song to be banned in some countries) the song did very well.  The song is said to have many origins, it has been said that the characters featured in the song were influenced by real people in Lou's life and to stem from the novel Walk On the Wilde Side by Nelson Algren.  The single was backed by another Transformer album track titled "Perfect Day".  This Pop song was one of the songs that featured an arrangement by Mick Ronson, and it comes out beautifully.  Mick Ronson plays guitar and many other parts on this album, while David Bowie helps out with some backing vocals. 

"Vicious" opens the album and is said to date as far back as when The Velvets were working with Andy Warhol.  Apparently Warhol suggested that Lou Reed write a song about someone that vicious, when Lou inquired about what he meant by that statement Andy replied "Oh, you know, vicious like I hit you with a flower".  Another song on the album that has a similar demeanor to "Vicious" is "Hangin' Round".  All the songs on this album (which relfect Lou Reed's Pop and Rock song writing abilities) help to make it unique and with the help of Bowie and Ronson, Lou Reed finally recieved commerical success in the UK.  The now iconic image of Lou Reed that dawns the albums cover was taken by photographer Mick Rock. 

Berlin followed Transformer in 1973.  The album addressed drug use, depression, and a darker subject matter in general.  The album also featured more of an orchestral production style and featured numerous session musicians that included the likes of Steve Winwood, and Jack Bruce.  The album has been called Lou Reed's most ambitious project, people were excpecting another album similar to the uptempo Rock of Transformer.  The albums title track, was re-recorded differently for this album (previously it was recorded for the album Lou Reed) and the songs "Oh, Jim", which was a re-working of a song done with The Velvets titled "Oh, Gin", and "Caroline Says (II)", which was a reworking of the the Velvets song "Stephanie Says" were also featured on Berlin.  This album produced by Bob Ezin, was recieved badly by critics and US fans, it went to # 7 on the UK album charts. 

In 1974, Sally Can't Dance was released.  This album was a return to a more Rock based sound, it was also a huge commericial success reaching the top ten.  The album was also the first to feature all original compositions (none were perviously done or written while Lou was in the the Velvets), and the song "Billy" featured former Velvet Underground bandmate Doug Yule on bass.  Lou has said that he was unhappy with the production on this record and when his record company asked for a quick follow up album, he responded with Metal Machine Music in 1975.  This double album recorded in Lou Reed's New York apartment, was an Avant-Garde, Electronic, Noise filled album.  There is also said to be classical music hidden amongst the feedback and noise.  Some people claim that this album was an ultimate artistic statement, while other claim that it could have been to fulfill his contract, or just a an attempt to alienate fans.

Lou Reed's next album Coney Island Baby, would feature more of a stripped back approach to music and more traditional song structures and lyrics.  The albums title is said to have come from a 1962 Doo Wop song by The Excellents and a barbershop of the same name.  The songs on the album such as "Crazy Feeling", "Nobody's Business", and "Ohh Baby" are not over produced and have the classic song structure that has made Lou Reed so well appreciated.  The album also features the song "She's My Best Friend", which was originally a Velvet Underground song.  When Coney Island Baby was re-issued in 2006, it came with six bonus tracks, all of which reflect a Hard Rock nature similar to early Velvet Underground material, they also feature former Velvet Underground member Doug Yule on all six tracks.  Lou Reed's fisrt album on Arista Records was Rock and Roll Heart was also released in 1976.  A greatest hits compilation was released on RCA in 1977 titled Walk On the Wild Side: The Best of Lou Reed.  In 1978, Lou Reed released Street Hassle, a raw, uncomprimising album, that was released at the time of the 70's Punk scene.  On the album Lou at times parodies himself (opening the album with a parody of "Sweet Jane"), and it also features an eleven minute piece titled "Street Hassle".   A double live album titled Live: Take No Prisoners, was also released in 1978.  On this album Lou gives many explanations about songs (such as "Walk On the Wild Side") and even rants against music critics.  The Bells (1979), was recorded in Binaural sound and features some songs that were composed with Nils Lofgren.  It features songs such as "City Lights", a song paying tribute to Charlie Chaplin, "Disco Mystic", a funky track with only two words repeated through out.  The album also featured Jazz musician Don Cherry. 

In the 80's, albums were released such as Growing Up Public (1980), Blue Mask (1982), Legendary Hearts (1983), and New Senations (1984).  Songs from these album are said to contain some of the best love songs written by Lou Reed.  1982's The Blue Mask and 1983's Legendary Hearts both featured Robert Quine on guitar (who was previously in Richard Hell & The Voidoids).  In 1989, Lou Reed released New York an album that features literate interwoven lyrics and a Rock basics sound.  Many people have said that this is one of, if not Lou Reed's best solo works.  Lyrically the album addressed issues in New York at the time, in a conceptual form.  Another interesting fact is that the album features percussion from former Velvet Underground drummer, Maureen Tucker. 

Lou Reed continued to make music in the 90's even collaborating with former Velvet Underground bandmate John Cale following the passing of Andy Warhol.  The Velvet Underground reformed briefly and even released a live album in 1993, but they would not stay together long.  In 1995, Sterling Morrison (Velvet Underground guitar) passed away from cancer.  When The Velvets were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 (Lou Reed has not been inducted despite the fact that he has been nominated in 2001/2002), the original members played on stage and performed a song in tribute to Sterling Morrison titled "Last Night I Said Goodbye To My Best Friend".  Lou continued to release albums in the 2000's, in 2003 he released a double CD collection titled The Raven.  This album is a concept album that relate to the stories and poems of Edgar Allen Poe.  The album features guest vocals from David Bowie, Laurie Anderson, Steve Buscemi, and Willem Dafoe.  In 2007, Lou Reed released Hudson River Wind Meditations, a four song sound collage.

A post that I did on The Velvet Underground can be found in my What Went On post.

The Play List:

1. Nick Lowe - So It Goes
2. Some Action - Some Action
3. The Primitives - The Ostrich
4. Lou Reed - Underneath the Bottle
5. Lou Reed - Romeo Had Juliette
6. The Barracudas - Barracuda Waver
7. Young Rival - Dead End Scene
8. The Gruesomes - What's Your Problem?
9. Painted Ship - And She Said Yes
10. The Caesars - Out of My Hands
11. The Fieros - To Pieces
12. Bob Dylan & Johnny Cash - Big River
13. Lonesome Lefty - Millionares
14. Boxcar Guitars - The Ballad of Mad Ave
15. Black Rebel Motorcyle Club - Ain't No Easy Way
16. Tyranna - Back Off Baby
17. Albert Hammond Jr. - Call An Ambulance
18. Simply Saucer - Bullet Proof Nothing
19. Harlem - Caroline
20. Velvet Underground - We're Gonna Have A Read Good Time
21. Velvet Underground - She's My Best Friend
22. Boomtown Rats - Straight Up
23. Big Audio Dynamite - The Bottom Line (Rick Rubin Remix)

To download this weeks program, visit CJAM's schedule page for Revolution Rock and download the file for March 9. Or subscribe to Revolution Rock as a Podcast.

Attack of the Killer B-sides...Show #190

A B-Side refers to the second side or track on a single. In the days of singles and when there was no such thing as Compact Discs or digital downloads, bands would release singles on records. The single would be comprised of an A-side and a B-Side. The A side was the song that was meant to be played on the radio and the B-side was the second song on the other side of the single that was not usually on the bands full length album, or LP.

When CD's dominated the music market, the B-Side became less important. Now while records are still available a B-Side refers to any song that is on an an album, or a song that is unreleased or even rare. That being said, this weeks show was comprised entirely of B-Sides. I have even listed for your convenience which single or where the particular B-side came from.

The Following are some interesting B-sides:



The I'm Stranded single was first released in September of 1976. It was first released on the independent label Fatal Records, but it would also be named single of the week by Sounds magazine in the UK. The single was responsible for getting the band a three album deal with EMI. The B-side "No Time" can also be found on the bands first full length album titled, I'm Stranded.

The Kinks - You Really Got Me/It's Alright (1964)

You Really Got Me was the third single by the UK band The Kinks, it was also their first number one hit. The song itself was one of the first songs to feature distorted guitar, which would change rock music forever. The B-side of the single was a song called "It's Alright", a bluesy rock song. It can be found on the re-issue of the bands first album, The Kinks.

Lou Reed - Satellite of Love/Vicious (1972)

Satellite of Love is one of Lou Reed's most known songs. It was actually written and recorded while Reed was in Velvet Underground. A version of the song by Velvet Underground appears on the Peel Slowly box set. The B-side was the song "Vicious" is a song that has clean guitar chords with heavily distorted garagey guitar riffs through out it; It also opens Lou Reed's 1972 album Transformer.

B-Side Playlist:

1. Magazine - My Mind Ain't So Open (B-Side of Shot by Both Sides 1978)
2. Saints - No Time (B-Side of I'm Stranded 1976)
3. The Damned - Sick of Being Sick (B-Side of Stretcher Case Baby 1977)
4. Ugly Ducklings - I Can tell (B-Side of Nothin' 1966)
5. Gruesomes - Things She Does to Me (B-Side of Jack the Ripper EP 1986)
6. The Kinks - It's alright (B-Side of You Really Got Me 1964)
7. Rolling Stones - Off the Hook (B-Side of Little Red Rooster 1964)
8. Lou Reed - Vicious (B-Side of Satellite of Love 1972)
9. Iggy Pop - The Passenger (B-Side of Success 1977)
10. The Clash - Stop the World (B-Side of The Call Up 1980)
11. Elvis Costello & the Attractions - Clean Money (B-Side from Armed Forces 1979)
12. The Strokes - Hawaii (B-Side of Juicebox 2005)
13. Hot, Hot, Heat - Apt.101 (B-Side of Bandages 2003)
14. The Diodes - We're Ripped (B-Side of Red Rubber Ball 1977)
15. The Demics - Blueboy (B-Side of New York City 1980)
16. Forgotten Rebels - Rhona Barrett (B-Side of Tell Me You Love Me 1982)
17. Teenage Head- Teenage Beer Drinking Party (B-Side of Some Kinda Fun 1982)
18. Buzzcocks - Lipstick (B-Side of Promises 1978)
19. Generation X - shakin' All Over (B-Side of Valley of the Dolls 1979)
20. Young Canadians - No Escape (B-Side from Hawaii EP 1979)
21. Queens of the Stone Age - Who'll Be the Next in Line (B-side from Songs For the Deaf 2004)
22. Rage Against The Machine - Darkness of Greed (B-Side of Killing in the Name 1992)
23. Nirvana - Oh, the Guilt (B-Side of Jesus Lizard Split Single Puss 1993)
24. The D4 - North Shore Bitch (B-Side of Ladies Man 2000)
25. The Hives - Hell No! (B-Side of Tick Tick Boom 2007)

Monkey Puzzle..Show # 132

I played some more obscure stuff this week. First off the song "Simple Love" is a song by The Saints, but not the normal Saints I usually play on my show. This song was taken from their 1981 album Monkey Puzzle. This album is NOT like the other Saints albums.  Chris Bailey (the lead singer) took the band in a different direction, but all the other band members were also different on this release. Ed Keupper (original guitar player) left to pursue a career in Laughing Clowns, a band that fused jazz with punk rock (I also played a song by them on my show). Monkey Puzzle is an average album, it is rock but very, very different; It also features a cover of the song "Dizzy Miss Lizzy" originally by Larry Williams.  The song has also been covered by bands such as The Beatles. The song I played by the Laughing Clowns was "Winter's Way". The song starts off with a pretty good rock riff, but then adds a crazed jazz horn section.  I found this song and played it from the 2005 release Cruel, But Fair which is a 3 CD box set containing all of the Laughing Clowns material.  It is definitely something very different to hear.

I also played a song by Lou Reed titled "Nowhere At All". It is a bonus track from the 2006 remaster of Coney Island Baby. This was the album that Lou Reed made after Metal Machine Music, an album of odd noises and feedback. This was a back to rock basics album for Lou, and it sounds a lot like Velvet Underground. It was originally released in 1976. "Kingdom of Doom" is a song from the band The Good, The Bad & The Queen which I played on the show as well. The album of the same title, is a band put together with Damon Albarn (Blur), Simon Tong (The Verve), Paul Simonon (The Clash), and Tony Allen (Africa 70). The band sounds nothing like the Clash, Blur or even Damon's other side band, Gorillaz. It is melodic rock and an interesting listen. If you liked what you heard you can go buy their album or visit their myspace page to hear more tracks.

Here's the play list:

1. The Jam – a bomb in wardour street
2. Undertones – Jimmy, jimmy
3. Generation X – trying for kicks
4. Teenage Head – picture my face
5. Diodes – Blonde fever
6. Buzzcocks – promises (bbc session)
7. Ramones – danny says
8. Ramones – high risk insurance
9. The Saints – simple love
10. Laughing Clowns – winter’s way
11. Young Canadians – Hawaii
12. The Gruesomes – leave my kitten alone
13. The Police – bombs away
14. The Clash – magnificent dance
15. Big Audio Dynamite – I turned out a punk
16. Magazine – a song from under the floorboards
17. Elvis Costello & The Attractions – radio, radio
18. Lou Reed – nowhere at all
19. Tricky Woo – fly the orient
20. The Ride Theory – parking ticket
21. Sloan – seems so heavy
22. The Good, The Bad & The Queen – kingdom of doom
23. Futureheads – help us out
24. The D4 – savage
25. Albert Hammond Jr. – everyone gets a star
26. The Love Me Nots – mine
27. The Hives – missing link