LOU REED – TRANSFORMER LP – Nr MINT UK ORIG 1972 VELVET UNDERGROUND

Lou Reed – Transformer
(RCA Records  1972  LSP4807)
Matrix No’s: BPRS 7038-1E  A1AAT/BPRS 7039-1E  A1AP – UK Pressing

Sleeve in Excellent condition
– some wear to edges, some light ringwear and 2 small discolouration marks at bottom

Vinyl in Nr MINT condition
(there are some light surface marks visible on the vinyl when held up to the light but they don’t affect the sound quality)

Lewis Allan “Lou” Reed (March 2, 1942 – October 27, 2013) was an American musician, singer and songwriter. After serving as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of the Velvet Underground, his solo career spanned several decades. The Velvet Underground was a commercial failure in the late 1960s, but the group has gained a considerable cult following in the years since its demise and has gone on to become one of the most widely cited and influential bands of the era – hence Brian Eno’s famous quote that while the Velvet Underground’s debut album only sold 30,000 copies, “everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band.”

After his departure from the group, Reed began a solo career in 1972. He had a hit the following year with “Walk on the Wild Side”, but subsequently lacked the mainstream commercial success its chart status seemed to indicate. Reed’s work as a solo artist frustrated critics wishing for a return of the Velvet Underground. In 1975, Reed released a double album of feedback loops, Metal Machine Music, upon which he later commented, “No one is supposed to be able to do a thing like that and survive.” Reed was known for his distinctive deadpan voice, poetic lyrics and for pioneering and coining the term ostrich guitar tuning.

In 2008, Reed married performance artist Laurie Anderson. In May 2013, Reed underwent a liver transplant in Cleveland. Afterwards he claimed on his website to be “bigger and stronger” than ever, but on October 27, 2013, he died from liver disease at his home in Southampton, New York, at the age of 71.

Transformer is the second studio album by American rock musician Lou Reed, released in November 1972.

Track listing

All songs written by Lou Reed.

Side one

1. “Vicious” – 2:55
2. “Andy’s Chest” – 3:17
3. “Perfect Day” – 3:43
4. “Hangin’ ‘Round” – 3:39
5. “Walk on the Wild Side” – 4:12

Side two

6. “Make Up” – 2:58
7. “Satellite of Love” – 3:40
8. “Wagon Wheel” – 3:19
9. “New York Telephone Conversation” – 1:31
10. “I’m So Free” – 3:07
11. “Goodnight Ladies” – 4:19

Personnel

• Lou Reed – guitar, vocals
• Herbie Flowers – bass guitar, double-bass, tuba on “Goodnight Ladies” and “Make Up”
• Mick Ronson – lead guitar, piano, recorder, backing vocals, string arrangements
• John Halsey – drums

Additional personnel

• Ronnie Ross – baritone saxophone on “Goodnight Ladies” and “Walk on the Wild Side”
• The Thunder Thighs – backing vocals
• Barry DeSouza – drums
• Ritchie Dharma – drums
• Klaus Voormann – bass

Production

• David Bowie – production, backing vocals
• Mick Ronson – production
• Ken Scott – engineering