The Velvet Forum

bleach wrote: ↑13 Aug 2024 17:01 The compilation collects pop songs written by Reed during his mid-60s stint as a staff songwriter for the record label:

https://thequietus.com/news/light-in-th ... k-records/

Great photo of the Pickwick staff:

Yes great photo!

bobbydriver wrote: ↑14 Aug 2024 13:59

Mark wrote: ↑14 Aug 2024 13:31 Sounds a lot brighter than what we're used to but I'm ok with that. Maybe we're hearing the difference between the original master and cheaply pressed 60 year old vinyl. Or maybe they've just re-EQed it for the modern ear.

I'd say it's almost unthinkable that any original masters exist for these recordings, given the nature of how Pickwick operated

These all sound like they are mastered from needle drops on original vinyl, but using modern techniques to clean up the sound

Turd polishing territory unfortunately when your source is 1960s 7" singles

They should have asked me - I have a sealed copy of the Maxine Brown lp.

Sounds a lot brighter than what we're used to but I'm ok with that. Maybe we're hearing the difference between the original master and cheaply pressed 60 year old vinyl. Or maybe they've just re-EQed it for the modern ear.

I think it's interesting that the Ostrich was recently officially re-released on the Todd Haynes documentary soundtrack. It sounds very different on the soundtrack. Noisier for sure, but also more like the bootlegs (I don't own an original press). I don't like how the LITA release make the snare drum so loud.

Who came up with this demented sequencing?

I know it wasn't actually released at the time but they've really missed a trick by not ending this collection with the version of Heroin that Lou recorded at Pickwick, as a signpost to what was to come...

Indeed. That May 1965 Reed and Cale tape should had been released on this.

In ideal world on second CD with Primitives rehearsal and that one.

Next CD should be Scepter acetate from masters they found last year.

Sounds horrible

Yes, torture. Worse than the worst versions heard.
This is where we also learn that the fabulous 'Hudson River Wind Meditations' was/is part of the archives.
& on 'Coke Bottle Clear wax'. It's not sold out...

I am the table! wrote: ↑15 Aug 2024 10:22 I know it wasn't actually released at the time but they've really missed a trick by not ending this collection with the version of Heroin that Lou recorded at Pickwick, as a signpost to what was to come...

My thought exactly. All of the Pickwick tracks could have fit on 3 sides, leaving side 4 for the Heroin demo(s).
First side of record 1 should have been all the Primitives / Roughnecks / etc. stuff that we care about
Second side, all the cowrites that are decent and/or interesting
Leave all the really crappy stuff for side 3 that no one will ever play a second time.

Original copies of Soundsville are still easy to find cheap. I'm sticking with the Dickwick City Ostrich boot, sounds fine to me. I prefer the Downliners Sect version of the title track...

Having picked this up and weeding out the downloaded boots which are now upgraded, and there are a few tracks missing from the Anthology maybe?

On the boots we have

Your Love / Merry Go Round (Lewis Reed)

Don't Put All You Eggs in One Basket (The All-Night Workers)

So Blue (the Jades)

The last two have the other side of their respective 7"s included, so are we to assume Lou wasn't involved on the flip and therefore omitted from the Anthology ?

The first two - looks like these never got an official release but are out there in the wild somehow