Encore Records Ltd
2LP - Various Artists Why Don't You Smile Now: Lou Reed at Pickwick Records 1964-65 (Lou Reed)
2LP - Various Artists Why Don't You Smile Now: Lou Reed at Pickwick Records 1964-65 (Lou Reed)
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2LP - indie only oxblood and gold vinyl - import on Light In The Attic
- First official anthology of Lou Reed’s work for Pickwick Records 1964-1965
- Features rarities, cult classics (The Primitives’ “The Ostrich”), & previously unreleased material (The Beachnuts' "Sad, Lonely Orphan Boy")
- Produced in partnership with Laurie Anderson and the Lou Reed Archive
- 20-page LP book featuring unseen photos and essays by Lenny Kaye & Richie Unterberger
- Remastered by GRAMMY®-nominated engineer John Baldwin
- Art Direction & Design by multi-GRAMMY®-winning artist Masaki Koike at Phyx Design
- 2xLP pressed at Optimal
Light in the Attic, in cooperation with Laurie Anderson and the Lou Reed Archive, is thrilled to announce the release of Why Don’t You Smile Now: Lou Reed at Pickwick Records 1964-65.
The latest installment in LITA’s critically acclaimed Lou Reed Archive Series is a compilation of pop songs penned by Reed during his mid-60s stint as a staff songwriter for the long-defunct label Pickwick Records. The compilation follows on the heels of Lou Reed’s Hudson River Wind Meditations (2023) and Words & Music, May 1965 (2022).
One of the most original and innovative figures in music history, Reed (1942-2013) first gained recognition as co-founder and frontman of the massively influential Velvet Underground. Over the course of his five-decade career, the two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer brought his singular vision to an eclectic expanse of musical endeavors, including era-defining albums like 1972’s Transformer and wildly experimental works like the 1975 avant-garde noise classic Metal Machine Music. But before establishing himself as an enduringly iconic singer, songwriter, musician, and poet, Reed got his start as an in-house songwriter (and occasional session guitarist/vocalist) for Pickwick Records—a label specializing in sound-alike recordings that emulated the major pop hits of the day. Encompassing everything from garage-rock and girl-group pop to blue-eyed soul and teen-idol balladry, Reed’s output for Pickwick ultimately offers a fascinating early glimpse at his ever-evolving and truly limitless artistry.
The album has been restored and remastered by GRAMMY®-nominated mastering engineer John Baldwin.
A special color vinyl edition is pressed on “Oxblood” wax (A/B side) and “Gold” wax (C/D side). This release marks the first official anthology of Lou Reed’s work for Pickwick Records and features rarities, cult classics (The Primitives’ “The Ostrich”), & previously unreleased material (The Beachnuts’ “Sad, Lonely Orphan Boy”).
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