Jeff Bridges gets a first look at his Slow Magic, 1977-1978 collection of unissued recordings released for Record Store Day.
Jeff Bridges – Slow Magic, 1977-1978
All previously unreleased recordings
Transparent Blue Vinyl LP Available Exclusively For Record Store Day (April 12)
Extensive booklet including liner notes by Sam Sweet, new interviews with Jeff Bridges, and never-before-seen archival photos
Featuring Burgess Meredith (Rocky, Batman), members of Oingo Boingo, and assorted characters from the West Los Angeles art and music underground
LP includes 20-page booklet; CD includes 40-page booklet
“Music is the weed that keeps popping out of the concrete in my life. It just seems to want to come out.”– Jeff Bridges
Culled from a single decaying cassette tape labeled “July 1978,” these recordings are a window into the secret musical life of the Dude. Even after becoming one of Hollywood’s biggest stars, Bridges spent all his free time jamming and recording with a trusted circle of musicians composed of childhood friends, artists, and assorted L.A. oddballs.
Imagine The Band playing at CBGB with The Exploding Plastic Inevitable. Or Arthur Russell and the Talking Heads collaborating on a suite of mutant disco. Though Bridges and his friends were brought up around the movie industry, they decided to create their own private musical universe, where they could be as weird as they wanted.
Their music opens a portal to a hidden world of outlandish creativity and camaraderie in 1970s Los Angeles. It’s the missing piece of his musical evolution, revealed here for the first time in all its joyful abandon.
Light In The Attic has collected the songs from Lou Reed's time at Pickwick Records for a new double-LP out October 4th!
Here's the scoop from Light In The Attic...
We are beyond thrilled to reveal our third release in the Lou Reed Archive Series, Why Don't You Smile Now: Lou Reed at Pickwick Records 1964-65.
Produced in partnership with Laurie Anderson & the Lou Reed Archive, this one has been decades in the making! Before Lou Reed fronted The Velvet Underground, he cut his teeth at a 9-to-5 as a songwriter for Long Island City label Pickwick Records. Reed would churn out pop hits du jour, most of which were intended for other singers, but a handful of these sessions would feature a singer with a particularly unmistakable, soon-to-be iconic voice.
His days at Pickwick would leave an indelible mark not only on Reed but on rock ’n’ roll; it was here, as part of The Primitives—a faux-group formed to promote the Pickwick-penned, dance-craze single, ”The Ostrich”—that Lou would meet and first collaborate with his future VU-bandmate John Cale. 2xLP, CD, and merch ship 10/4; digital lands 9/27. "The Ostrich" digital single is out now!
Adds producer/compiler Pat Thomas:
"Several years ago, the call came from Light in the Attic Records (I was no longer a staffer there, having moved over to Fire Records), but I couldn't say no to this offer - "please compile the best of Lou Reed's pre-Velvets recordings for Pickwick Records" - probably the most exciting of these tracks is ‘The Ostrich’ by The Primitives (written and song by Lou). Various friends helped me out with ideas - including something I didn't know - Lou Reed singing on a Beach Boys tribute album that Pickwick released! Other pals supplied original '45s and albums - it was a team effort - the CD / vinyl will be called 'Why Don’t You Smile Now: Lou Reed at Pickwick Records 1964-65' on Sept 27th via Light in the Attic - this project was fully endorsed by the Lou Reed estate and will include some wonderful insider info and photos, I'm honoured to be the reissue producer/compiler of this Lou Reed set."
Have a listen to a few tunes following the tracklisting below.
Why Don't You Smile Now:
Lou Reed at Pickwick Records, 1964-65
The Primitives - The Ostrich
The Beachnuts - Cycle Annie
The Hi-Lifes - I'm Gonna Fight
The Hi-Lifes - Soul City
Ronnie Dickerson - Oh No Don't Do It
Ronnie Dickerson - Love Can Make You Cry
The Hollywoods - Teardrop In The Sand
The Roughnecks - You're Driving Me Insane
The Primitives - Sneaky Pete
Terry Philips - Wild One
Spongy And The Dolls - Really - Really - Really - Really - Really - Really Love
In celebration of Lou Reed's birthday (March 2), Keith Richards just shared his version of "I'm Waiting For The Man."
Writes Don Fleming...
Over the past year I’ve been very fortunate to work with the great team at Mindless Records who oversee the Keith Richards archive. Keith’s amazing manager Jane Rose has been documenting his work for decades and taken a treasure trove of photographs and video. It was a real pleasure to edit together her documentation of Keith, Steve Jordan, Ivan Neville with producer Dave O'Donnell at the Hit Factory recording Lou Reed’s “I'm Waiting For the Man.” It’s coming out through Light in the Attic Records on the upcoming album 'The Power of the Heart: A Tribute to Lou Reed.'
Read all about it following the video of Keith's version of "I'm Waiting For The Man"
The Power Of The Heart: A Tribute To Lou Reed
The Power Of The Heart tribute is out April 20th
Light in the Attic Records (LITA) proudly announces The Power Of The Heart: A Tribute To Lou Reed. The star-studded album celebrates the pioneering singer-songwriter’s enduring influence—as well as the timeless appeal of his songs—through performances by Reed’s closest friends and biggest fans, including Keith Richards, Rosanne Cash, Lucinda Williams, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, The Afghan Whigs, Bobby Rush, Maxim Ludwig & Angel Olsen, Mary Gauthier, and Automatic. Blending generation-defining hits (“I’m Waiting for the Man,” “Walk on the Wild Side,” “Perfect Day”) with lesser-known gems, the collection spans the artist’s five-decade-long career: from his earliest days with The Velvet Underground to his groundbreaking solo work.
The Power Of The Heart: A Tribute To Lou Reed will be available on silver nugget vinyl exclusively for Record Store Day (April 20) at participating independent retailers. Additionally, the album will arrive on CD and digital platforms on the same day. All physical formats include photos of Reed by Mick Rock and Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, plus extensive liner notes by the album’s producer: writer and record producer Bill Bentley, who worked closely with Reed for over 25 years. You can pre-order a copy of The Power Of The Heart: A Tribute To Lou Reed via Bandcamp right here.
"To me, Lou stood out. The real deal! Something important to American music and to ALL MUSIC! I miss him and his dog." - Keith Richards
"Lou Reed has been gone now for many years. He's one of the few people whom I miss as much now as when he left. There are so many instances where I wonder what he would say or what he would think. His general aura would always lend something really unique to the room. Thank God he left his great music and recordings. His personality is sorely missed. Love you, Lou." - Rufus Wainwright
"I bought Lou Reed's Transformer album after buying the single, “Walk on the Wild Side,” in the mid 70s, wanting to learn more about that wild side. I fell in love with Lou’s vocal style, his descriptive, poetic, real life lyrics, and his song, “I’m So Free.” And I learned something, too, as I wanted to know the meaning of St. Germaine in this context." - Joan Jett
"Lou Reed was a great artist and writer. I feel blessed to be a part of a tribute to him. I'm glad that I was able to contribute "Sally Can’t Dance," as a man that came from a dancing family and background. Most black men and women dance a lot. If Sally can't dance, let me be the one to teach her how to dance. Like the title track of my album from twenty years ago, "Undercover Lover," I want to be the undercover teacher… to teach her to dance underneath the covers. Sally will know how to dance when I get through with her." - Bobby Rush
“It was not easy to find a new way into his song. It evolved one night—an old woman at an old out-of-tune piano and turned a page of her life. The limerick passages of ‘Walk on the Wild Side.’ A nasty schoolboy’s scribble on a wall. I changed the chords, added a bar or two, emphasized the dark conclusion of each verse. That double bass line is not only the most recognizable instrument on the original track, it is the only melodic instrument, so I opted for no bass, only a faint rumor of that mesmerizing line. Mike Dillion came in to play percussion and vibes. I called upon the spirit of James Booker and I, way back in the old days—or rather the old nights—in the French Quarter of New Orleans, singing whatever we wanted, to whoever was listening until the hour we could run off and get high somewhere in solitude. In this version I hear whistles, trains, voices in the night. There is noise. Yes, there, that is where ‘Walk on the Wild Side’ lives, and can be made new, through the evolution of the spirit." - Rickie Lee Jones
"Lou Reed's music was vital to young people like me who felt stranded in the middle of nowhere. A rough urban song poet of astounding vulnerability and brutal honesty, he saw—and described—the world as it was. Pure emotion. Pure reality, immense compassion. I love "talk-singers." That was Lou—his words were raw and real. But there was always melody. And always a (heart) beat. It would be impossible to count the small town dreamers like me who followed his voice to find their own.” - Mary Gauthier
“This song is about sobriety. The same way Lou was able to describe with intense detail, the feeling of doing heroin, he does with this song about the feeling of being sober: the heightened senses, enjoying simple pleasures, experiencing new sensations. This song captures that feeling of heading out on a journey of discovery, whether you’re on drugs or sober, it’s two sides of the same coin.” - Automatic
“Lou seemed fearless to me; like he’d rather die than be a people-pleaser. I took inspiration from that.” - Rosanne Cash
Light In The Attic's reissue of Karen Dalton's It's So Hard To Tell Who's Going To Love You The Best is out Feb 23rd.
Here's the scoop...
“My favorite singer in the place was Karen Dalton. She had a voice like Billie Holiday’s and played the guitar like Jimmy Reed.”– Bob Dylan
Karen Dalton's 1969 Capitol debut is finally back in print! Light in the Attic is thrilled to present a brand new edition of this heart-wrenching & bluesy introduction to the intoxicating world of Dalton and her deep well of musical secrets.
World-weary and filled with the blues, Dalton’s unsurpassed interpretive depth and emotional range were like no other. Recorded for Capitol in 1969, It’s So Hard To Tell Who's Going To Love You The Best spans generations of classic American songwriting–covering classics by Lead Belly, Fred Neil, and Tim Hardin. While no longer with us in the physical, Karen’s growing musical presence is stronger than ever and worthy of re-examination by both the converted and the uninitiated alike.
This new re-release serves as the definitive, all-analog version of Dalton’s stunning debut, featuring remastered audio from the original Capitol master tapes by Kevin Gray at Cohearent Audio, the original 1969 artwork in an expanded gatefold jacket, unseen photos by album photographer Joel Brodsky, and an essay by Brian Barr interviewing Karen’s friends and music collaborators, from album producer and bassist Harvey Brooks to musician Peter Stampfel of the Holy Modal Rounders.
Light In The Attic's reissue of Karen Dalton's 1969 debut album It's So Hard To Tell Who's Going To Love You The Best is slated for reissue on February 23. Pre-order a copy directly from the label right here. Have a listen to a few songs below.
Nancy Sinatra's Keep Walkin': Singles, Demos & Rarities is out October 20. Check out "Something Pretty" below.
Writes Nancy...
"I am thrilled to announce Light In The Attic's Nancy Sinatra Archival Series continues with Keep Walkin': Singles, Demos, & Rarities 1965-1978. You know the song about boots, now dig deeper! The first single, "Something Pretty," is now streaming on the platform of your choice.
"I'm also happy to announce the trade edition of Nancy Sinatra One For Your Dreams by David Wills & Amanda Erlinger is available for preorder. Orders place through Nancy's Bootique come w/ a limited ed. 7" single of Something Pretty b/w You Only Live Twice on white vinyl.
"Preorder vinyl, CD, books, exclusive merchandise and bundles, and signed items now using the link https://bootique.nancysinatra.com for an October 20th release date.
"A few years ago I thought no one knew who I was anymore. Thank you to my daughters, AJ Lambert and Amanda Erlinger, Light In The Attic, and to you most of all, friends, for proving me wrong!
"Whether you've been with me from the beginning or come on board at any point in the past 62 years (!!!) – I am so appreciative of the unending love and support you have given me through the years. I truly love you all from the bottom of my heart."
Listen to "Something Pretty" followed by Keep Walkin' release info and tracklisting below.
Light in the Attic continues to celebrate the influential career of singer, actress, activist, and icon Nancy Sinatra with a captivating new collection, Keep Walkin’: Singles, Demos & Rarities 1965-1978. Exploring the lesser-known gems from Sinatra’s rich catalog through 25 B-sides, rare singles, covers, demos, and previously-unreleased recordings, Keep Walkin’ was remastered by the GRAMMY®-nominated engineer John Baldwin and available in a variety of formats, including vinyl, CD, 8-track, and digital.
The 2-LP set, pressed at Record Technology, Inc. (RTI), is presented in an expanded gatefold jacket and accompanied by a 24-page booklet (also included in the CD edition as a 40-page booklet), featuring an array of photos from the artist’s personal collection, as well as a new in-depth Q&A with Sinatra, conducted by the reissue’s GRAMMY®-nominated co-producer, Hunter Lea. The booklet also contains a fascinating interview with keyboardist Don Randi (The Wrecking Crew), who recently spoke to Lea about his hit-filled career and his 50 years of work with Nancy. In addition to the classic black vinyl pressing, a selection of colorful variants can be found exclusively at NancySinatra.com, LightInTheAttic.net, independent record stores, and select online retailers, while limited-edition merchandise, including apparel, accessories, and more are also available at Nancy’s Bootique at NancySinatra.com.
Keep Walkin’: Singles, Demos & Rarities 1965-1978 serves as a companion to the widely-acclaimed 2021 career-spanning retrospective, Start Walkin’ 1965-1976, and marks the latest release in LITA’s ongoing Nancy Sinatra Archival Series, a partnership with the legendary artist, which honors her musical legacy through lovingly curated reissues (including her 1966 debut, Boots and the 1968 classic, Nancy & Lee), limited-edition merch, and other special releases.
The expanded reissue of Nancy & Lee comes with two bonus tracks, including a hipshakin' rip through "Love Is Strange."
Here's the scoop from Nancy...
"I am thrilled to announce the first ever reissue of Nancy & Lee, my first duet album with Lee Hazlewood, on May 20, 2022. The album is newly remastered by John Baldwin and features two bonus tracks, including "Love Is Strange," which is streaming now on your platform of choice. The 20-page booklet contains photos from my personal collection, as well as an all-new interview with co-producer, Hunter Lea. Darryl Norsen worked his usual magic on the album cover. It’s never looked better!
"I love this record and I know you do too! Immodesty aside, Nancy & Lee is one of the best albums to come out of the '60s, and it pleases me greatly to finally see it back in print, courtesy of our friends at Light In The Attic Records. Thank you LITA and thank you all for still caring! Special thanks to our friends at Record Technology Inc! Thank you for hosting us during our visit a few weeks back. It was so fascinating to see the record making process.
"Pre-order Nancy & Lee on CD, vinyl, cassette tape and 8-track as well as limited edition merchandise & signed items in my Bootique now at the link right here: https://bootique.nancysinatra.com"
