SoundBard » Odds & Sods

Building the 5.1 Wall: Producer James Guthrie Discusses Pink Floyd and Roger Waters’ Surround Sound Plans at Academic Conference

Mike Mettler — Mon, 14 Apr 2014 22:03:02 +0000

BY MIKE METTLER

Pink Floyd and music academia don’t usually mix. But that didn’t deter Gilad Cohen and Dave Molk from organizing the amazing “Pink Floyd: Sound, Sight, and Structure — Interdisciplinary Conference,” the first ever academic conference devoted to the mighty Floyd at Princeton University on April 10-13. In addition to scholarly discussions and live music, the linchpin was a three-album surround-sound listening session shepherded by Pink Floyd producer James Guthrie on Saturday and his keynote address on Sunday.

I was generously given the central sweet spot seat in the third row for Saturday’s surround-sound sessions at McAlpin Hall at Woolworth Music Center. First up was the world premiere of the 5.1 version of Roger Waters’ 1992 opus, Amused to Death, which was mixed by the symposium’s guest of honor, James Guthrie, the man who’s handled the direction of The Floyd’s sonic legacy since 1979′s The Wall. Amused will be made available on multichannel SACD and 200-gram double vinyl from Analogue Productions. I haven’t seen an official release date from my sources at Columbia/Legacy (Roger’s main label) as I write this, but it may be out by September. Also, the fine folks at Acoustic Sounds are deeply involved with the release and specs of this important project, so stay tuned for updates.

Anyway, back to the listening details. After Amused, we got to hear the SACD 5.1 mixes of The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here. (The entire three-album 5.1 playback was then repeated for an evening session.) The SACDs were cued up by assistant engineer Joel Plante on an all-purpose Oppo player, and all of the music was played back through a full surround array of quite formidable ATC Professional Series monitors and a pair of ATC subwoofers.

But before Plante cued up Amused 5.1, Guthrie spent a few minutes explaining how the mix came to pass. He admitted Amused was the most complicated stereo mix he had worked on when it was first released, and that gathering all of the sonic and sound-effects elements to “rebuild it from scratch” for the new stereo and 5.1 mixes was a daunting process. When he explained the importance of doing Amused in surround sound to Waters, Guthrie said he told Roger that it wasn’t about making money, but that “he had to look at it as an investment in his art.”

Careful With That Axe: Waters on stage. Photo by and copyright Jill Furmanovsky, courtesy Capitol Records Archives and rockarchive.com.

And what an investment it is. The Amused 5.1 mix was as wide, tall, and ambitious as the music itself. Even on first listen, it was clear the amount of detail instantly evident would reveal even more depth and layers upon further review. The full-channel female chorus on “What God Wants, Part I,” the character of Roger’s impassioned, high-centered lead vocals on “Perfect Sense, Part II,” and the dramatic echo-to-fade drum hit that both opens and closes “The Bravery of Being Out of Range” were immediate highlights. Most of the album’s TV/audio chatter emanated from the rear left channel, though some did appear in the rear right as well (but only some). The swooping plane in “Late Home Tonight, Part I” moved from right to left before its super-low-end denouement rumble jarred the room. Jeff Beck’s masterful guitar solo on “What God Wants, Part III” started in the center channel before panning to all all-channel, patented Becko-warble assault.

After the all-channel nature sounds of the title track — a callback to what was heard in the very first track, “The Ballad of Bill Hubbard” — faded away and the gathered audience applauded vigorously, Guthrie observed, “He’s a clever boy, that one.” Couldn’t agree more. Programming note: Once some of the dust settles and we get closer to the actual release date for Amused to Death 5.1, Guthrie, Plante, and I will be discussing the ins and outs of this groundbreaking mix, as well as other Pink Floyd 5.1 recording minutiae, right here on SoundBard, so keep your eyes peeled.

Guthrie tears down The Wall during the April 13 keynote at Princeton.

At Sunday’s keynote held upstairs in room 10 at McCosh Hall, Guthire shared a number of amusing and enlightening stories about his career as a producer, working on The Wall both studio and live, recreating “Money” for 1981′s A Collection of Great Dance Songs with a Linn drum-machine track later added to by Nick Mason, swapping the flight-check sequence on “Learning to Fly” with dialogue from Airplane! as a joke for David Gilmour, and so much more.

Guthrie also shared some great advice for budding producers and engineers, advice that all music lovers should take to heart: “Learn how to listen, and learn how to trust your ears.” He championed what I like to refer to as the “personal investment” in listening — that he wants to be transported and taken on a journey by an album or a piece of music. (Me too.) Guthrie summed things up by borrowing a line his wife shared with him from the French poet Baudelaire, imploring us to “be drunk with fascination” and follow our passions, since “passion is infectious.” He concluded by pointing out that being creative and following/sharing those passions get you that much closer to the source. Yeah, I can get behind all of that.

Behind the 5.1 Wall: MM and James Guthrie, post-keynote at Princeton.

During the Q&A portion, Guthrie confirmed he’d like to do more Pink Floyd 5.1 mixes, but that it often comes down to a matter of the time available on his and the band’s collective schedules, so “don’t hold your breath.” That said, he was willing to concede that The Wall seems to be the most likely next candidate in the 5.1 queue, but the album he’d be most interested to do in surround is Animals. When I interviewed Grand Vizier/drummer Nick Mason about the Immersion box sets, live quad, and surround sound back in 2011, I suggested that Meddle would be a good 5.1 candidate, as I’d love to hear “Echoes” in surround. Mason replied, “I think it would be great to do those, yes. Funnily enough, I’ll tell you the other one I’d like to see: A Saucerful of Secrets. There’s some great stuff on that. ‘Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun’ would be great in surround, wouldn’t it?” Can’t meddle with any of that logic. (I’ll be sure to nudge Guthrie politely/accordingly about all of these options when he and I next speak, don’t worry.)

Take it from a true Pink Floyd aficionado: The Interdiscplinary Conference was a rousing success — nothing but high fidelity, first class the whole way. Wot’s next, lads?

What They’re Doing: Rush Set to Re-release Self-Titled Debut Album on 200-Gram Vinyl

Mike Mettler — Fri, 14 Mar 2014 20:02:44 +0000

BY MIKE METTLER

Call them the Re-Working Men.

On April 15, to mark Rush’s 40-year recording career, Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) will reissue the original Moon Records release of Rush as part of Universal’s reDISCovered vinyl series. Some history: In March 1974, Rush released their self-titled debut through the band’s own indie label, Moon Records, in Canada, and sold out of the initial 3,500-copy pressing. Moon Records would soon morph into Anthem Records, which launched in 1977 and continues to serve as the band’s Canadian record company. In the United States, Rush has been on Mercury, Atlantic, and Roadrunner.

The package looks to be impressive. Housed in a sturdy, custom box with a lift-off top, Rush is pressed on 200-gram, audiophile-grade vinyl. The mix comes from the original 1974 analog stereo masters, cut to copper plates using the Direct Metal Mastering (DMM) process at Abbey Road Studios in London. Rush also features the original Moon Records jacket art, complete with the original MN-100-A/B Matrix etching, and will include a 16×22-inch reproduction of the first Rush promo poster, three 5×7-inch lithographs of Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, and John Rutsey, a 12×12-inch Rush Family Tree poster, and a digital download card for a free digital copy of this newly remastered release. (Rutsey, who died in 2008, was the band’s original drummer. Neil Peart replaced him before the band went on tour in July 1974 and also became the band’s signature songwriter with 1975′s Fly by Night.)

I’m very much looking forward to putting the needle down on a 200-gram pressing of Rush. I went to the Rush section of my vinyl collection and found that I own three (count ‘em) copies of that album: two on Mercury (both with the of-era blue-sky/green-tree “skyscraper” label), and one on Anthem, the 1977 pressing with the light-blue “fading” label. (If memory serves, I bought the latter during a trip to Toronto.) All three LPs are in fair enough condition, but, at this point, I wouldn’t put the Blackbird cartridge on my PerspeX ‘table down on any of them.

Rush is essentially a straight-up power-trio rock album, with only hints of the more progressive route the band would travel once Peart joined the group. Each side contains four songs, and both end with 7-minute barnburners. Side 1 finishes with the moody “Here Again,” while Side 2 closes with the instant anthem “Working Man,” still a band favorite to this day. “Working Man” is the track that broke Rush in the U.S., thanks mainly to Cleveland program director/DJ Donna Halper, who championed the band with fervor on legendary radio station WMMS. Halper is given “Special Thanks” on the back cover of the original album, in fact.

Finding Their Way: From left, Lifeson, Rutsey, and Lee, at your service.

If you want to hear more classic Rush from that era, seek out ABC 1974 (available on CD and LP), which contains the earliest American broadcasts of the band playing in Cleveland on August 26, 1974, not long after Peart joined the band, plus a few bonus live tracks from 1975.

Other choice Rush cuts like the album opener “Finding My Way” and “In the Mood” have found their way into the band’s live repertoire in recent years. Wishful Thinking Department: I would have so loved it if this package included the band’s very first Moon Records single from 1973, a cover of Buddy Holly’s “Not Fade Away,” with “You Can’t Fight It” on the B-side. Neither song ever saw an official on-album release. But, hey, the hour is getting late, and I’m quite in the mood for a fine 200-gram Rush refresher.

Re-Ledded and Reloaded: Led Zeppelin Soars Again With Upcoming Remasters Series

Mike Mettler — Thu, 13 Mar 2014 18:03:31 +0000

BY MIKE METTLER

Led Zeppelin soars again.

An extensive reissue program of all nine of the band’s studio albums will rollout in chronological order from Rhino/Atlantic/Swan Song, commencing with the June 3 release of deluxe editions of Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II, and Led Zeppelin III. Each album has been remastered by Zep founder, guitarist, and producer Jimmy Page. The series will also feature previously unheard studio and live recordings, with each album containing a second disc of companion audio comprised of unreleased music related to that album. In the official press release, Page notes, “The material on the companion discs presents a portal to the time of the recording of Led Zeppelin. It is a selection of work in progress with rough mixes, backing tracks, alternate versions, and new material recorded at the time.”

We Zep fans have been waiting semi-patiently for these releases after they were first discussed seriously around the 2012 release of Celebration Day, the band’s December 10, 2007 tribute concert at London’s O2 Arena for Atlantic Records founder (and early Zeppelin champion) Ahmet Ertegun. At the October 9, 2012 Celebration Day press conference in New York, I asked Page if vinyl was the best way to listen to Zeppelin’s music. “Personally, I never let go of vinyl, even when CDs came onto the scene,” he told me. “But what I would recommend to you is that you don’t listen to Led Zeppelin on MP3s, that’s for sure.” I have to second that. Zeppelin on vinyl has always been my preferred listening choice — though I am also quite partial to the Dolby AC-3 Surround 5.1 mix on DVD-A that producer/engineer Kevin Shirley did for How the West Was Won and the 48kHz/24-bit DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 audio-only Blu-ray mix for Celebration Day.

Here’s what we’ll get. The Super Deluxe Editions will feature the remastered album on CD in a vinyl replica sleeve, and the companion CD in a new sleeve and on 180-gram vinyl. Led Zeppelin features a previously unreleased October 1969 concert from Paris, while II and III feature previously unreleased studio outtakes. The remastered album is on 180-gram vinyl in a sleeve replicating the first pressing. A high-definition audio download card of all content at 96kHz/24-bit (with live tracks at 48kHz/24-bit). A hardbound, 70-page book is filled with rare and previously unseen photos and memorabilia. Also included is a high-quality print of the original album cover, the first 30,000 of which will be individually numbered. Led Zeppelin will also include a replica of the band’s original Atlantic press kit.

The step-down Deluxe Edition CD sets will feature the remastered album plus a second disc of unreleased companion audio. Led Zeppelin features the October 1969 Paris concert, II and III feature the previously unreleased studio outtakes. Deluxe and original edition vinyl, single CDs, and digital downloads will also be released separately.

Will the song remain the same? I’ll let you know as soon as I get a chance to wrap my ears around Zep remastered.

The SoundBard’s Top 25 Albums of 2013

Mike Mettler — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 16:05:25 +0000

Radio Free, You’re Up: Sid and Susie (a.k.a. Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs) oh-so-magically dial in the ’80s at #23. Photo by Drew Reynolds.

BY MIKE METTLER

Damn the naysayers — I say the album format lives! With that vital declaration out of the way, it’s high time to cite the records that caught hold of my expert ear over the past 12 months — the full-length discs and/or LPs I consider most worthy of purchase, hi-res download, and/or dropping the needle on! Here, in reverse order, are my favorite 25 albums of 2013. Happy spinning!

This Is His Time: Willie Nile gets it in gear and cruises into sweet #16.

Light in the Darkest Corner: Cy Curnin (NOT pictured above!) sinks his teeth into #11.

Illumination Theorists: Dream Theater go forth and immersify, embracing the circle at #7.

The Holy Levitator: Surround-sound guru Steven Wilson easily soared to #1. Photo by Naki.

25. Jim James: Regions of Light and Sound of God. Mind-/soul-/ear-expanding. Amen, J-man.

24. Kings of Leon: Mechanical Bull. Cojones-shaking rawk.

23. Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs: Under the Covers, Vol. 3. Sid and Susie give the ’80s a deep, loving soul kiss. Read my interview with Sid and Susie here.

22. The Rides: Can’t Get Enough. Super Session, Millennial Style: Stephen Stills, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and Barry Goldberg burn on down the crossroads.

21. Ed Kowalczyk: The Flood and the Mercy. Ex-Live frontman does what he does best — and he does it more earnest, more intense, and more direct than ever.

20. Bob Dylan: Another Self Portrait (1969-1971) — The Bootleg Series Vol. 10. When Bob painted a better masterpiece, on wax canvas.

19. Billy Talbot Band: On the Road to Spearfish. Crazy Horse bassman jams on, casting his lifeline ever deeper.

18. Devon Allman: Turquoise. Son of Gregg churns out heaps of hot blues, rock, and soul chops for days.

17. Richard X. Heyman: X. Underground roots rockin’ cauldron of pure pop perfection. D’oh boy! Read my interview with RXH here.

16. Willie Nile: American Ride. Supersongwriter drives hard ’n true right outta the garage.

15. Eric Clapton: Old Sock. The ax-master at work and at play, and best heard on 180-gram vinyl.

14. Atoms for Peace: Amok. Thom Yorke and friends continue pushing soundscape boundaries.

13. The Flaming Lips: The Terror. Underrated, unwavering exploration of strange and raw emotional chords.

12. Nektar: Time Machine. Unsung ’70s prog veterans keep on ticking forward.

11. Cy Curnin: The Horse’s Mouth. Always prescient Fixx-man spreads his wings and reaps sweet aural karma, Mama.

10. Boston: Life, Love & Hope. Smokin’ guitar and heavenly harmonies as only Tom Scholz can do.

9. Levin Minnemann Rudess: Levin Minnemann Rudess. Push-pull beyond-prog experimentation of the highest order.

8. John Fogerty: Wrote a Song for Everyone. As long as JCF can see the light beyond the Mystic Highway, our ears remain eternally blessed by his songwriting acumen. Best shared moments come with Kid Rock, Bob Seger, and My Morning Jacket.

7. Dream Theater: Dream Theater. Continually adventurous post-prog-metal giants hit new benchmark, best experienced via Richard Chycki’s expansive 5.1 surround-sound mix.

6. Rush: Clockwork Angels Tour. Power-prog trio at their live peak; hearing (and seeing) them do “Manhattan Project,” one of my all-time favorite Rush tracks, with a live string section is a continual treasure. “Imagine a time when it all began…”

5. Sound City: Real to Reel Soundtrack. Dave Grohl’s auditory love letter to an amazing recording studio, with ace collaborations galore.

4. The Band: Live at the Academy of Music 1971. Standard-setting live act carries the weight of an epic residency. If you want to be a beyond-great live band, listen and learn.

3. Steve Hackett: Genesis Revisited – Live at Hammersmith. Ace prog guitarist dances on the volcano of his stellar ’70s legacy and proffers many musical boxfuls of rewarding, top-drawer rearrangements.

2. Tedeschi Trucks Band: Made Up Mind. A supreme blend of improv interplay prowess and gutbucket roots rock, best interwoven on vinyl.

1. Steven Wilson: The Raven That Refused to Sing (and Other Stories). Wholly original, envelope-pushing, mind-blowing, mind-expanding music realized to perfection in the 96/24 LPCM Blu-ray 5.1 mix. The breadth and scope of Raven represent Steven Wilson at the height of his creative powers, where surround-sound music and mixing has reached a heretofore unheard aural apex. My full album evaluation is posted here in High Resolution Reviews.

The SoundBard’s Top 25 Songs of 2013

Mike Mettler — Tue, 31 Dec 2013 15:50:31 +0000

Engineer Men: Roanoke, Virginia’s Young Sinclairs can toot their collective horn for chugging in at #3.

BY MIKE METTLER

It’s that time of year: Time to cite the tunes that caught hold of my expert ear over the past 12 months — the ones I consider most worthy of purchase, hi-res download, and/or dropping the needle on at 45 rpm! Here, in reverse order, are my favorite 25 songs of 2013. Happy listening!

Where Did All of the Workmen Go: Houndmouth put a twang-jammin’ bite on #17.

Vix Humana: Jenn & Reeves are absolutely, seductively transcendent at lucky #13.

Live and Yearn: Amy Gore & Her Valentines go for the jugular valve at #9.

Lightning in My Pocket: The Bayonets ensnare the real deal at #2.

25. Joan Jett & The Blackhearts: “Any Weather.” Forecast calls for her continued reign. Co-meteorologized with Foomaster Dave Grohl.

24. U2: “Ordinary Love.” As in, “Extra-” and “This Is No.” And Mandela smiles from The Great Beyond.

23. Michael Monroe: “Ballad of the Lower East Side.” Punkin’-A NYC luv letter. Sneer perfection.

22. Baby Woodrose: “Bubblegum.” Flip your tongue like… super-chewy Euro-garage pop!

21. Palmyra Delran: “Some Day Soon.” Hopeful, wistful, wonderful: Yes, please. Stick it out — rewards ahead.

20. Radio Days: “Love and Fun.” Beach-blanket underground-pop rabble-rouser.

19. Charles Bradley: “Hurricane.” New millennial soul brother, all aswirl.

18. Kurt Baker: “Weekend Girls.” Bouncy, jouncy, hello-ladies kinda singalong.

17. Houndmouth: “Ludlow.” Spot-on down-home jammin’ and jukin’. Tight futures.

16. Lorde: “Everybody Wants to Rule the World.” Evocative Tears For Fears cover, and perhaps the one thing we have running in our blood common with those ruddy luxe “Royals.”

15. Mark Lindsay: “Show Me the Love.” Killer hook ’n riffs, to be Revered and Raided accordingly.

14. The Launderettes: “Cold Cold Hearts.” A solemnly cool ’n seductive blast of Norwegian love.

13. Jenn Vix & Reeves Gabrels: “Speed of Light.” Wholly auralgasmic electronic guitar mashup in 9/4 time.

12. Jake Clemons: “You Must Be Crazy.” The sax man’s bloodline runs strong ’n true, and grows anew.

11. Daft Punk Featuring Pharrell Williams: “Get Lucky.” More like Daft Funk, especially with main Chic-man Nile Rodgers on guitar.

10. John & Brittany: “Start Sinning.” How to bash out raw sentiment with abandon, drive, and verve.

9. Amy Gore & Her Valentines: “Send Me a Postcard.” Perfect post-garage-punk kiss-on/kiss-off. Mwah!

8. Robin Thicke Featuring T.I. and Pharrell: “Blurred Lines.” Ubiquitously catchy honeydripper. (You know you want it…) The late Robert Palmer woulda simply made it even more irresistible.

7. The Anderson Council: “Gardening Man.” Perfectly tilled garage-rock seeds. Listen how they grow.

6. Ryan Bingham: “Until I’m One With You.” Haunting theme to FX’s The Bridge resonates deep and wide.

5. Paul McCartney, Dave Grohl, Krist Novoselic & Pat Smear: “Cut Me Some Slack.” They so heavy. (Dun-dun-dun!)

4. Tedeschi Trucks Band: “Calling Out to You.” Mournful, foot-tapping acoustic quiet prayer, the perfect end to a brilliant album.

3. The Young Sinclairs: “Engineer Man.” Infectious garage riff and spot-on harmonies mesh 1965 vibe with 2013 reality. “He does all of the work around here.”

2. The Bayonets: “Whatcha Got.” Slinky ’n sultry and slunky ’n funky in all the right places. “Casanova was a lightweight, Valentino was a clown … You wanna sweet talk? You can take a walk … So what so what, show me whatcha got.”

1. Steven Wilson: “Luminol.” 12 minutes of hard-charging transcendence, ranging from post-prog pummeling to layered harmonic elegance, fully realized in the mulitchannel king’s own envelope-pushing surround-sound mix. Officially my personal favorite benchmark 5.1 demo track.

R.I.P. Lou Reed: The Great American Aural Novelist

Mike Mettler — Mon, 28 Oct 2013 17:00:43 +0000

BY MIKE METTLER

The garage-punk poet laureate has closed his eyes and passed thru fire. Lou Reed died in Amagansett, New York on October 27, 2013, at age 71, from complications following a liver transplant back in May. As rightfully lauded as Reed is for his confessional, envelope-pushing songwriting and overall groundbreaking punk aesthetic, he was also a pioneer in manipulating, harnessing, and experimenting with sound. One quote that has cropped up fairly often in a number of the initial tributes and obituaries is Lou having said that when you put all of his written work together, you come up with the great American novel. But that’s only part of this tried-and-true NYC Man’s story. I submit that Lou Reed was one of the rock era’s first great American aural novelists. To borrow one of his best lines, he was a master at creating music that delineates the moments between thought and expression.

Vox in Furs: An early Velvet Underground publicity still. Reed is in black (of course), top left. Photo courtesy the Universal Music Archives.

“We worked hard at getting accuracy and truth in the control room so that we could accurately reproduce the tone that left our hands and pickups as purely as possible,” Mike Rathke, Lou’s right-hand guitar man and producer for much of his later career, told me when we were discussing Magic and Loss, Lou’s brilliant 1992 14-track song cycle about coping with the deterioration of loved ones facing death, for Guitar Player magazine. “There’s a real honesty in Lou’s approach,” Rathke replied when I asked him about Lou’s guitar sound. “I’ve never met anyone who loves the guitar the way he does. And I enjoy hearing the reactions from people: ‘You know, I never really thought about it before, but Lou is really a great guitar player.’ I take great pride in that, because I feel I’ve helped make that kind of lead space available to him.” Lou demanded studio precision, and his cutting Pensa-Suhr guitar work is all over late-period albums like Set the Twilight Reeling (1996) and The Raven (2003).

As with many of you, Lou’s music remains a major part of the soundtrack of my life. In high school in the ’80s, my friend John and I would listen to albums like 1982′s The Blue Mask and 1984′s New Sensations on vinyl, very much digging the ’80s sounds of Fernando Saunders’ burbling bass lines, Fred Maher’s minimalist drums, and Lou’s and Robert Quine’s punishing guitar leads, especially Quine’s all-out assault on “The Gun,” “Waves of Fear,” and “The Blue Mask.” While those albums have a decided of-era feel to them, Reed’s artistry and wordplay placed him a cut above many mid-’80s records that sound dated today.

Not long after I had gotten to college in the fall of 1985, I found a vinyl copy of 1967′s seminal The Velvet Underground & Nico record on the blue Verve label at a record show in Des Moines, and I played it incessantly. (Alas, someone had taken Andy Warhol’s “Peel Slowly and See” instructions to heart, leaving the pinkish banana husk underneath the yellow skin exposed on the album cover.) That record literally scared me with its intensity, production, and subject matter. The sonic choices fascinated me. The more I listened, the more I discerned how each song had been given its own character. The dreamy “Sunday Morning” was more trippy SF than seedy NYC. The insistent “I’m Waiting for the Man” made you feel as antsy as the song’s protagonist awaiting his score. I loved the way Lou overenunciated words like “hand” (“hay-and”) and “Lexington 1-2-5.” The guitar flush-wash breaks on “Run Run Run” was unlike most of the radio-friendly riffs I had grown up listening to. And while it was evident the alluring German chanteuse Nico was no great singer, she brought deep pathos to “Femme Fatale” (balanced by Lou’s spot-on echo-drenched response vocal), “All Tomorrow’s Parties,” and especially “I’ll Be Your Mirror,” one of my favorite songs ever. (“Please put down your hands/’cause I see you.”)

Our Lives Were Saved: The Velvets in color. Photo via Pictorial Press/Cache, courtesy the Universal Music Archives.

The centerpiece track for me was, and always will be, “Heroin.” Brutally stark and unapologetic, the tone of Reed’s matter-of-fact vocal delivery that rises and falls with the perils of his trip (his gleeful two-syllable chuckle through the word “and” at 6:22 is beyond priceless), with John Cale’s screeching electric viola and Maureen “Mo” Tucker’s insistent tom-tom work only propelling the drama. While I had no interest in the drug itself, I was very much addicted to “Heroin,” and would often put the needle down on it again and again to get another cacophonous fix.

The Velvet Underground & Nico is full of revelations that I revisited like audio talismans: The dirgelike quality of “Venus in Furs,” with Lou and Sterling Morrison’s guitar janglings countered by Mo Tucker’s tom-taps and tambourine. The vocal blend on the title phrase to “There She Goes Again” (later covered so beautifully by R.E.M., among others). Cale’s furious viola carrying the melody (if you can call it that) on “Black Angel’s Death Song.” The distorted, breakneck, overdriven guitar freakout frenzy of “European Son” — I’d never heard anything like it before. The Velvet Underground & Nico is a permanent fixture in my personal Top 10 Albums of All Time. To enjoy it to its fullest, I would suggest you invest in the limited-edition six-disc 45th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition box set released in 2012.

I also looked forward to the aural treats that awaited on other Velvets and Lou solo albums, beyond the obvious tracks we all love and know inside out. If I’m feeling feisty, I revel in the unbridled caterwaul of White Light/White Heat‘s punishing “Sister Ray” (1968). I marvel at the dueling left-channel/right-channel stories and lessons being told in The Velvet Underground‘s “The Murder Mystery,” and then, for a palate cleanse, I turn to the delicate “Pale Blue Eyes,” and “Some Kinda Love,” and “Jesus” (1969). And I relished discovering unreleased tracks — such as the propulsive drive of “Foggy Notion” and the delicate balance on “Ocean” on VU (1987).

In his solo career, Lou semi-playfully reminds us he was the one of the first to master flow on Mistrial‘s “The Original Wrapper” (“Hey pitcher, better check your batter”; 1986). The beyond-furious riffage and rage in effect on New York‘s “There Is No Time” and “Busload of Faith” (1989). His spitting, echoed vocals countering the viola frenzy on his Warhol-tribute collaboration with John Cale, Songs for Drella (1990). And, yes, even Metal Machine Music (1975), from which you can hear the through-line from La Monte Young‘s experimental drones to Neil Young & Crazy Horse’s abrasive feedback symphony, Arc.

Magic and Lots: Just a few items in my personal Lou Reed library, including two books of collected lyrics and poems. Photo by Mike Mettler.

I saw Lou live three times. The first was a true treat: his and John Cale’s performance of the Songs for ’Drella song cycle at the Opera House at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on December 3, 1989, a few months before the album came out. Next was the Magic and Loss tour at Radio City Music Hall on May 26, 1992. The last was his presentation of The Raven at Town Hall in New York on June 10, 2003. I also saw Lou at The Writer’s Voice series at the West Side YMCA in New York on November 7, 1991, where he read lyrics and poems from his book, Between Thought and Expression. (Somewhere in my files, I have a tape I made of that reading.)

And, yes, I met him once, quite briefly, at a 2011 listening party for his controversial collaboration with Metallica, Lulu. I had been talking with Metallica guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo in the main (and quite loud) room, and Reed finally emerged from the back room where he had been ensconced most of the night, doing interviews and talking with VIPs. He was instantly surrounded by fans and got that “This is a bad idea” look on his face. His handlers began moving him back toward the green room, and we were momentarily face to face, practically nose to nose. We locked eyes, and I gave him “The Nod” — the “I know who you are, I love your work, but now is not the time to bug you about it” nod — and he returned it with a terse, tight-lipped smile before being whisked away. A perfect New York Lou Reed story, I think.

Rest in peace, Brother Lou. The light on your door has finally showed you home.