Scope and arrangement
The Lou Reed papers date from 1958 to 2015, and follow Reed's music career from the formation of the Velvet Underground, through his five-decade long career as a solo rock and roll musician. The collection is arranged into eight Series, which includes audio and video recordings; office files from Reed's company Sister Ray Enterprises; documentation of tours and live performances; photographs of and by Reed; art and design files; press clippings; and personal files. The collection documents Reed's musical, visual, and written output, while providing insight into the business and administrative operations necessary to manage and sustain his recording and performance career.
Series I contains audio and video recordings from the entirety of Reed's music career, and includes demos, rehearsals, studio recordings, recordings of live performances, television and film appearances, recordings of radio programs, recorded conversations and interviews, and a selection of recordings by other artists with whom Reed was affiliated. The Series provides a career-spanning in depth document of Reed's musical output that includes a 1965 audio reel containing recordings of Reed's earliest known compositions, and comprises material from each of Reed's official solo studio recordings. There are also hundreds of hours of audio and video recordings from Reed's live shows, performances, and appearances, spanning from Velvet Underground shows in the 1960s shows to Reed's final world tour in 2012.
Series II consists of documentation regarding the business and administrative aspects of Reed's professional music career, and includes fan mail, financial documents, legal files, licensing agreements, and a group of alphabetically arranged subject files. The series contains files originating from Reed's office, Sister Ray Enterprises, as well its predecessors, Oakfield Avenue Music and Transformer Enterprises. These files illustrate the manner in which Reed and his associates managed the legal, financial, and business elements of his career. The Series holds financial documentation from the 1970s to 2000s and agreements related to the licensing of Reed's words and music for commercials, films, television, and covers by other artists.
Documentation specifically related to Reed's touring and live performances comprise Series III. The Series contains chronologically arranged files that chronicle five decades of Reed's tours. Materials found in this Series include itineraries, contracts, agreements, tour riders, receipts, payroll, and laminates. These files also serve as a companion to the live performance recordings in Series I, providing information on the personnel and logistics involved in much of Reed's touring career.
The visual aspects of Reed's career are present in both Series IV and Series VI. Series IV holds photographs of Reed and the Velvet Underground, and includes promotional shots, images of live performances, and a large collection of photographs taken by Reed. Series VI comprises Art and Design files, and features album artwork, book layout files, in-store album displays, posters, handbills, and shirts.
Reed's written works are all compiled in Series V, which holds book manuscripts, liner notes, lyrics, magazine and newspaper articles, notebooks, poetry, sheet music, short stories, and speeches. The Series is primarily typed lyrics from Reed's commercially released music, as well as manuscripts from his published books of lyrics.
The collection also contains press clippings, which comprise Series VII, and Reed's Personal Collection, that encompass the content of Series VIII. The personal items include artwork, Reed's cameras, personal correspondence, his glasses, passports, materials related to his Tai Chi practice, two high school yearbooks, and his personal record collection.
The Lou Reed papers are arranged in eight series:
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1960s-20151.67 linear feet (4 boxes). 2.4 terabytes (31,194 computer files)
Series I consists of audio and video recordings that commence with Reed's 1960s acoustic home recordings, and trace the trajectory of his career through Demos and Rehearsal recordings; Studio recordings; Live recordings; Television and Film appearances; Radio programs; Recorded Conversations and Interviews; and recordings of Other Artists. There is additional paper documentation present, including tracklists, recall notes, production notes, session notes, and song outlines. Reed sometimes traveled with a personal recording device, resulting in recordings that include conversation excerpts and candid chatter among Reed and his collaborators, friends, acquaintances, and members of the press. This Series is arranged into eight Subseries, and further description can be found at the beginning of each section.
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1972-201524.5 linear feet (57 boxes, 1 tube). 27.5 gigabytes (809 computer files)
Series II holds files from Reed's office, Sister Ray Enterprises, and consists mostly of administrative materials. The Series is arranged into five Subseries: Fan Mail; Financial; Legal Files; Licensing; and Subject Files. There is correspondence present throughout the series, but very little of it is written by Reed. The majority of the professional communications and office management was handled by his staff.
The Fan Mail dates from 1988 to 2011, and is primarily from individuals expressing their appreciation for Reed's music. These letters are mostly arranged chronologically, with a selection of items placed into folders labeled by Reed's office staff.
The Financial files date from 1972 to 2003, and contain account ledgers, cancelled checks, bank statements, salary information, and paid bills. There are also materials from the 1970s labeled as pertaining specifically to Oakfield Avenue Music and Transformer Enterprises, which are the predecessors to Sister Ray Enterprises. These materials illustrate the manner in which Reed's financials were managed and dispersed during various points in his career.
The Licensing files contain documentation regarding the licensing of Reed's words and music for commercials, covers by other artists, films, radio, soundtracks, and television. These files include the paperwork and contracts for offers that Reed accepted, as well files for those he refused. There is a selection of files which are arranged chronologically, and others which were arranged into categories by the office staff.
The Subject Files comprise a large selection of alphabetically arranged papers representing all aspects of the administrative end of Reed's career. There is correspondence, agreements, offers, requests, and files for various projects. During the 1980s and early 1990s, these files were primarily managed and arranged by Reed's second wife, Sylvia Morales. Many of the files were maintained electronically on the office's computers, and the file names created by Reed's staff were retained in this series.
Of special interest are files for Lou's Views, which are glasses that Reed created in partnership with the Italian Company, Tramontano. The Lou's Views files include marketing plans and illustrated prototypes. Reed's personal Lou's Views glasses are located in Series VIII.
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1968-201116.08 linear feet (39 boxes). 40.6 megabytes (344 computer files)
Files related to Reed's tours and live performances are held in Series III. These files are arranged chronologically, documenting much of Reed's solo career, as well as the Velvet Underground reunion. The Series holds tour itineraries, booking documentation, contracts, agreements, accounting, receipts, payroll, and tour riders. There is also a selection of laminates used for backstage access by crew and band members. Additional tour documentation is found in the Series II, Subject Files.
Reed's tours between 1973 and 1976 are particularly well-represented. He retained many files of receipts, agreements, accounting material, and payroll information from this time period. The receipts include everything from restaurant checks, room service bills, and itemized food and drink orders, to toll slips, airline tickets, and music equipment rental contracts. These materials serve as a very detailed document of Reed's travel schedule in this early portion of his career, as well as providing information regarding the individuals with whom he travelled, and the various personnel involved in each tour. There are additional tour related materials and receipts from the 1970s found in the Series II, Legal files.
There are bound tour itinerary booklets dating from 1990 to 2008, which list tour dates, personnel, pertinent contact information, and specific details for each show of the tour. These booklets are useful in order to verify the date of a particular performance, and to determine the specific band members, crew, and management involved in each tour.
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1965-201315.7 linear feet (26 boxes, 1 tube). 48.4 gigabytes (7,209 computer files)
Series IV contains photographs both of and by Lou Reed. The materials are arranged into seven Subseries, which includes Photographs of the Velvet Underground; Professional Photographs of Lou Reed; Performances, Events, and Albums; Photographs With Others; Tai Chi; Personal and Candid; and Photographs by Lou Reed.
The Photographs of the Velvet Underground include prints depicting the band during performances in the 1960s with Nico, as well as some posed promotional pictures. Of note are two photographs of the band with original drummer, Angus MacLise. There are also a number of promotional photographs from the band's 1993 reunion tour.
Professional Photographs of Lou Reed contain images of Reed from the entirety of his career. There is a selection of unlabeled digital and print photographs which are arranged chronologically, the rest are arranged alphabetically by photographer. The Subseries holds many iconic images of Reed by such photographers as Waring Abbott, Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, Louis Jammes, Billy Name, Len Prince, Mick Rock, and Diego Uchitel.
The photographs of Performances, Events, and Albums also encompass the entirety of Reed's solo career and are arranged chronologically. Included are images of live performances, as well as promotional photographs for albums, awards ceremonies, and special events attended by Reed. Tours from 2003 to 2005, and Reed's 2007 Berlin tour are particularly well documented with digital photographs.
Photographs with others primarily depict Reed with other well-known individuals, but also include a few portraits of Laurie Anderson. These materials are arranged alphabetically by name when the individual depicted is known. All other photographs are arranged chronologically.
The Tai Chi photographs depict Reed's Tai Chi practice and seminars the he attended. Additional Tai Chi materials are found in Series VIII.
The Personal and Candid photographs are mostly non-professional prints of Reed's friends and family. There is also a small selection of digital photographs that contains scanned images of Reed and his immediate family.
Photography by Lou Reed contains chronologically arranged digital and print images captured by Reed that date from 1996 to 2013. The prints include photographs of his travels, his parents, and images that appeared in exhibitions, books, and publications. The digital images were organized into folders by Reed, either by location, subject matter, date, or the type of camera he used to take the picture. Reed's original arrangement was maintained. Of special interest are sixty-eight photographs Reed took of Occupy Wall Street in 2011.
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1988-20123.83 linear feet (10 boxes). 14.8 megabytes (1,008 computer files)
Material related to Reed's written works comprises Series V. This includes Books; Liner Notes; Lyrics; Magazine and Newspaper articles; Notebooks; Poetry; Sheet Music and Scores; Short Stories and Drafts; and Speeches.
The Books files contain manuscripts from Lou Reed Words & Music, Pass Through Fire, and a preface he penned for the 2012 edition of Delmore Schwartz's In Dreams Begin Responsibilities.
Lyrics from Reed's commercially released albums as both a solo artist and with the Velvet Underground are present in this series. All the lyrics are typed and most do not contain notes or annotations. Lyrics on Reed's computer were arranged by Reed's staff into folders by album title. There is a small selection of "Other" lyrics, which includes material he labeled as "new," as well as lyrics from Time Rocker, POEtry, and lyrics compiled for The Raven tour. Reed did not retain early drafts of his work, or much handwritten material. Nearly all the lyrics present are in their final form, identical to how they were published in his books and sung in his songs. There is a small selection of typed and occasionally annotated lyrics found in Series I from the Set the Twilight Reeling recording sessions.
Also included in this Series are typed manuscripts from pieces Reed authored for newspapers and magazines, a small selection of original poetry, a few drafts of short stores, and two speeches.
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1968-2013365 megabytes (155 computer files). 19.68 linear feet (37 boxes, 23 tubes, 6 oversize folders)
The Art and Design Series holds items related to the artistic and visual elements of Reed's career. The series includes album artwork; book layout and design files; calendars; in-store album display photographs; a Metal Machine Music installation design; postcards and handbills; posters; promotional items; and shirts.
Included in the albums are LP and CD covers, and a small amount of proofs and prototypes for Magic and Loss and Ecstasy. There are additional proofs present for Reed's books, including Between Thought and Expression, Emotions in Action, Pass Through Fire, The Raven, Romanticism, and Berlin, which was done in collaboration with Julian Schnabel.
The In-Store Album Displays files include photographs of the New York and Songs for Drella albums depicted in record stores all over the United States. The images were arranged and sent to Reed by the record company to showcase the manner in which store merchandisers displayed Reed's albums. These photographs also portray posters and merchandise related to the albums' promotion. Most pictures are captioned with a date, location, and store name, and are typically arranged by geographic region. These files not only serve as a means to illustrate the manner in which Reed's albums were promoted and displayed, but also serve as a document of many American record stores between 1989 and 1990.
Postcards and Handbills are arranged chronologically, as are the Posters. They feature small and large-scale prints to promote Reed's albums, appearances, concerts, exhibitions, and performances. These items include a selection of Velvet Underground shows from the 1960s, Reed's solo career, the 1993 Velvet Underground reunion, and advertisements for items Reed endorsed. Of special interest are three banners from the 2010 Coney Island Mermaid Parade. The banners were painted by the artist Marie Roberts, and depict Reed as King Neptune, Laurie Anderson as Queen Mermaid, and their dog, Lola Belle as the Royal Mer-Dog.
The series also holds a few shirts promoting Reed's albums and tours. Included are shirts for New Sensations, Mistrial, New York, Set the Twilight Reeling, and NYC Man.
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1973-201418.33 linear feet (39 boxes)
Press clippings, photocopied articles, press kits, and a few full magazine issues make up the contents of Series VII. Most press items are arranged chronologically, however some were also organized by album or event by Reed's staff. While there are clippings from the 1970s, most of the press materials date from the mid 1980s onwards. Among the content are reviews of albums and performances, interviews, and profiles of Reed.
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1958-2010s16 linear feet (16 boxes, 2 oversized boxes). 21 gigabytes (162 computer files)
Series VIII consists of items related to Reed's personal life. This includes artwork he collected or received as a gift; Reed's cameras; personal correspondence with friends and family; a Halloween costume; gifts; his glasses; items associated with his meditation practice; passports; shirts; Tai Chi materials; two yearbooks; and Reed's personal music and video collection.
The Artwork is arranged alphabetically by artist. Pieces by unknown artists are all arranged together. The bulk of the artwork appears to have been gifts by the artists. The Series includes artwork by Edward Bateman, Nick Bubash, Ronnie Cutrone, Tony Fitzpatrick, and Mick Rock.
The Correspondence contains a mixture of personal letters and greeting cards. Reed saved many letters from his parents, as well as greeting cards from his Velvet Underground bandmate, Moe Tucker, who always addressed him as "honey bun." There is also a personalized astrological chart created for Reed by Billy Name, and a signed 1997 letter from Paul McCartney which accompanied an advance copy of his album, Flaming Pie.
The Costume was a gift to Reed from Hall Wilner. It is a costume shop replica of the Loyal Order of the Raccoon Lodge hat and jacket worn by The Honeymooners character Ralph Kramden.
The Tai Chi items include a 2009 notebook, magazines signed by Master Ren Guang-Yi, and a number of videos. The videos feature Reed practicing Tai Chi, some of which he filmed to share with instructors, and others which depict him working with various individuals. There are additional photographs related to Reed's Tai Chi practice in Series IV.
The Series also holds Reed's Syracuse University diploma, and two yearbooks from Freeport High School. The yearbooks include notes and signatures from Reed's classmates, as well as a picture of Reed's Track and Field team.
Reed's Music and Video Collection includes his commercially released solo albums, most of the Velvet Underground's releases, compilations he appeared on, and records by other artists in which he had writing credits or appeared as a guest artist. Reed retained a collection of bootlegs of his own live performances. There is also a group of 45s that consist of an assortment of Doo Wop records and copies of Reed's earliest releases with the Jades and the Primitives. Additionally, there is a selection of records Reed received as gifts, including a copy of the Byrds' Eight Miles High/Why that was sent to him by Jimmy Page, and the copy of McCartney's Flaming Pie. Among the videos present are Reed's commercially released video albums, the 1998 documentary, Lou Reed: Rock and Roll Heart, an assortment of commercially released films, and Doc Pomus' collection of boxing tapes, which Reed inherited after Pomus' death in 1991.