Forgotten Lou Reed tapes of first known recordings of 'Heroin', 'I'm Waiting for the Man', 'Pale Blue Eyes' and more to be released

The very first recordings of Lou Reed's 'I'm Waiting for the Man', 'Heroin', 'Pale Blue Eyes' and more have been uncovered after 57 years and will be released on August 26th. Reed had mailed himself copies of the tapes in 1965 as a "poor man's copyright." The envelope was then forgotten about, and remained sealed for 50 years. Now, with Light In The Attic label and Reed's widow Laurie Anderson, the tape is now available for pre-sale on LP, cassette tape, and digital.

In partnership with @lightintheattic and @onlyanexpert, the tape will be released for the first time on Deluxe Edition LP, Standard LP, CD, Cassette Tape, and Digital on 8/26 and are available for pre-order now. pic.twitter.com/IlfzzgzePL

— Lou Reed (@LouReed) June 6, 2022

Lou Reed was an American musician, guitarist, singer, and songwriter for band The Velvet Underground. While the band was not commercially successful or widely appreciated in their time, they have since gotten recognition as an influential force in the alternative rock genre. Following one album with Nico and three by The Velvet Underground on their own, Reed left the band to pursue a solo career. He had an extensive 5 decade long solo career, during which he produced hits 'Walk on the Wild Side' and 'Perfect Day'.

Reed unfortunately suffered from hepatitis and diabetes for many years, and eventually succumbed to liver cancer in 2013. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist one year after his death, honouring his legacy and contributions to the world of Rock and Roll. He has most recently been honoured with a Lou Reed exhibition at the Library for Performing Arts in New York City, which opened this past June and remains until March 2023.

Lou Reed: Caught Between the Twisted Stars is now open at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center through March 4, 2023.
info: https://t.co/YQkknDDSRr

— Lou Reed (@LouReed) June 9, 2022

These tapes will be released as a part of the Lou Reed Archive series, which suggests there will be more projects to come.