Tease from LITA

[rnranimal]

That is a bizarre choice for a 2nd release in this series and has my expectations extremely lowered moving forward and I obviously had the wrong idea of what they meant by an archive series. The mega trove of material in his archive and they do a re-issue of this? I can't even imagine what the thought process was here. Even if they wanted LITA to do a re-issue of this title, why make it #2 in the Lou archive series?

[hkmartin]

That is a bizarre choice for a 2nd release in this series and has my expectations extremely lowered moving forward and I obviously had the wrong idea of what they meant by an archive series. The mega trove of material in his archive and they do a re-issue of this? I can't even imagine what the thought process was here. Even if they wanted LITA to do a re-issue of this title, why make it #2 in the Lou archive series?

I mean I think I get it. In his later years, Lou cared passionately about his Tai Chi practice and very little about his crusty 50-year-old tapes. I think Laurie and Lou's friends are emphasizing what was really important to Lou. Though I'm disappointed like everyone else, I can respect that.

And a lot of what's in the archives is of great interest to us maniacs, but it's hard to see how much of it gets a general release. But sure, there are things in the archives more worthy of release than this.

[rnranimal]

I mean I think I get it. In his later years, Lou cared passionately about his Tai Chi practice and very little about his crusty 50-year-old tapes. I think Laurie and Lou's friends are emphasizing what was really important to Lou. Though I'm disappointed like everyone else, I can respect that.

And a lot of what's in the archives is of great interest to us maniacs, but it's hard to see how much of it gets a general release. But sure, there are things in the archives more worthy of release than this.

I respect that. I just don't get why it's part of the "archive series". It's a re-issue of a previous release. Doesn't even have bonus tracks. Anyway I try to look at it, it doesn't fit. An archive series is for old crusty tapes. Hopefully #3 is something unreleased and interesting. I did like that Tai Chi track from New Sensations sessions that was released digitally.

[hkmartin]

I respect that. I just don't get why it's part of the "archive series". It's a re-issue of a previous release. Doesn't even have bonus tracks. Anyway I try to look at it, it doesn't fit. An archive series is for old crusty tapes. Hopefully #3 is something unreleased and interesting. I did like that Tai Chi track from New Sensations sessions that was released digitally.

I wonder what exactly LITA does and doesn't have rights to. I think they've implied that it's everything in the Lou Reed archives, but I doubt it. The other side of that coin is that the 1971 demos that came out a little while back should have been part of the "archive series," but weren't.

[rnranimal]

I wonder what exactly LITA does and doesn't have rights to. I think they've implied that it's everything in the Lou Reed archives, but I doubt it. The other side of that coin is that the 1971 demos that came out a little while back should have been part of the "archive series," but weren't.

Agreed on the '71 demos. Would've made much more sense to release that as part of the archive series and the Hudson River vinyl as RSD. I also wonder about the details behind these releases. Who choses them, what material is available for choosing, how many volumes are already planned out, etc.

I really wish I could get to NY to visit the library but that doesn't look like something I can put together anytime soon. Also, my wife wouldn't be thrilled about traveling to NY for me to sit in a library listening to music the whole time, which is what I'd want to do.

[iaredatsun]

I dont see the 1971 album demo tape as having had anything to do with the Lou Reed Archive releases. It's released under the Sony/RCA Legacy label. I presume because he was signed to RCA at the point, and they own the rights.

Why they (LTA/LRA) have released the Hudson River is interesting. But I presume everything about it was owned by Lou Reed at that point in his career. Hence it's part of the Lou Reed Archive in terms of rights. And I guess that it was licensed by Lou Reed to Sounds True label for that initial release in 2007.

Following that line of thought, anything in the archive recorded after they (VU) signed to Verve/MGM must now have the rights owned by UMG and I suspect that this will be a hold-up for anything else interesting from that era ever getting a release. Hence Hudson River might just be one of the easiest things to put out right now. And I presume all the other interesting solo material in the archive recorded after 1971 is by default owned by Sony or Warners.

The question is - what exactly do LRA own the rights to? My guess is not much – as for most of his career he was signed to one label or another.

[rnranimal]

Following that line of thought, anything in the archive recorded after they (VU) signed to Verve/MGM must now have the rights owned by UMG and I suspect that this will be a hold-up for anything else interesting from that era ever getting a release. Hence Hudson River might just be one of the easiest things to put out right now. And I presume all the other interesting solo material in the archive recorded after 1971 is by default owned by Sony or Warners.

The question is - what exactly do LRA own the rights to? My guess is not much – as for most of his career he was signed to one label or another.

If that's the case, calling this an "archive series" was really overselling it.

[rnranimal]

I wonder about the Pickwick demo tape. Ostrich is listed as being licensed from Pickwick for the Haynes doc. I wonder if they own the rights to the demo tape or just the released material.

[iaredatsun]

If that's the case, calling this an "archive series" was really overselling it.

It’s possible that they just need to negotiate with UMG, Sony, Warners for releases of material that overlap those contractual periods. It also could be that such material becomes co-releases with LRA and the other rights holders. Whatever way it might happen, maybe it is this that is really holding things up.

[hkmartin]

If that's the case, calling this an "archive series" was really overselling it.

It’s possible that they just need to negotiate with UMG, Sony, Warners for releases of material that overlap those contractual periods. It also could be that such material becomes co-releases with LRA and the other rights holders. Whatever way it might happen, maybe it is this that is really holding things up.

I think that's reasonable. They have certainly hinted they have a number of releases planned. I'm just worried that lack of interest in HRWM might take the wind out of the project (though a Grammy win for Words and Music could help!).