Whether you see Lou Reed as the Godfather of Punk, a Dylan refractor, a cross-dressing provocateur, or an earnest missionary for the cause of literate rock music, you can't deny his influence. Reed's career as one of the most influential songwriters in rock spans more than 35 years, from his seminal role in the Velvet Underground through his reinventions as glam jester, hardcore pre-punk, lovestruck Romeo, and, finally, acerbic rock 'n' roll survivor. Through it all, Reed has towered over most of his contemporaries, redefining the boundaries and potential of rock composition.

Wampus Multimedia released After Hours: a Tribute to the Music of Lou Reed in April 2003. Check out the talented artists who made it possible.

Listen to tracks from After Hours on the Wampus iPod.

$12.99 CD /// /// shirts, etc.

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"Again, Wampus has hit a home run with an inspired disc that justifies the need for tribute albums.... The rare compilation that inspires the listener to go out and buy the back catalog of the artist being feted, After Hours is an amazing disc and Wampus deserves commendation.... It is clear that this is one label that understands what good music is all about." --Groovevolt.com

"Wampus Multimedia is setting a different standard. They are an independent label on a mission to win your mind, heart, and ears, and with this CD, they do exactly that." --Keith Hannaleck, MusicDish

"A highly listenable combination of a baker's dozen-plus performances, and very deserving of your attention." --Joe Viglione, All-Music Guide

"A must-have for any fan of Reed, or for anyone who just likes quality, original music, smartly produced, played very, very well." --Fleabomb.com

"All the interpretations are interesting, and prepared with passion and precision. Production is first-rate and the diversity of songs and styles is top-quality." --Laura Turner Lynch, Kweevak.com

"Simply amazing." -- GuitarNoise.com

Media: download publicity kit here.

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johnny j blair and the cellarbirds sunday morning

"Hearing The Velvets' White Light album at a young age affected me forever-after. For a long season, I bought everything Cale, Nico, and Reed did. My interest in Lou centers around specific albums like Berlin, New York, and a few others. I read the Transformer biography and it really helped me to understand Lou. He's like an objective poetic reporter of the dynamics of living in a subterranean metropolis -- neither approving nor condemning that which he sees. Crawling through the greasy pipe, he somehow sees a light at the end."

Bret Alexander: guitars / Johnny J Blair: keyboards, percussion, all vocals / Ron Simasek: drums / Paul Smith: bass

Produced by Johnny J Blair and the Cellarbirds. Recorded at Saturation Acres, Danville, PA.

Visit: home.earthlink.net/~the3blrs

 

cordalene who loves the sun

"This recording came about as we were finishing up our first album (Stumble and Fall) with some semi-acoustic recordings in my living room, and somehow we hit upon 'Who Loves the Sun.' I think we had been listening to a Teenage Fanclub b-sides comp or something. We never played the song out live, and hadn't intended to even put it on the record, but as we recorded it, it took upon a really warm groove and feel, attributable I think to the fact that we had mics hung around the living room! It's my mom's favorite song on that album, and she never seems to remember that it's a Velvets song -- the other night she called (she's 67) and said, 'I heard that song of yours that I love -- it was in that High Fidelity movie, but I like your version better.'"

Jim McGuinn: bass, keyboards, guitar / Jamie Olson: guitar, vox / James Clark: harmonica, vox / Robert Emmons: drums

Produced by Jim McGuinn at 501 Studios.

Visit: www.cordalene.com

 

radio caroline pale blue eyes

Kirk Philips: acoustic guitar, vocals, backing vocals / Brian Baker: baritone acoustic guitar, bass / Bob Gentilo: Hammond B-3, backing vocals, percussion / Ted Sadowsk: percussion / Steve Windsor: electric guitar, backing vocals

Produced by Bob Gentilo and Kirk Philips. Engineered by Bob Gentilo. Recorded at Right Coast Recording Columbia, PA.

Visit: www.radiocarolineband.com

 

the crowd scene candy says

"Everybody knows the old chestnut about 'everyone who bought a VU album went out and formed a band.' In yet another example of us failing in our bid to defy cliché in every aspect of our lives, we have to raise a hand and join the list. The thing with Lou is that he makes it sound do-able, makes you think 'hell yeah I can play the guitar that well, sing that well.' Turns out you can't."

Grahame Davies: vocals, guitar, Wurlitzer / Anne Rogers: bass guitar, vocals / Dr. Who: drums

Produced by Grahame Davies at 60 Cycle Hum Studios, Alexandria, VA.

Visit: users.erols.com/schmutz/

 

okapi guitars vicious

"We've always been VU/Lou fans, as much for the guitars as for the DIY attitude. We wanted to bring together our love of Lou with our experiences playing African and Latin music, and find what they had in common. As well as being a great guitar song, the lyrics of 'Vicious' always appealed to us: sticks and guitar picks. And there was one vicious person we couldn't stop thinking about."

John Laidler and Bernhard Huber: acoustic and electric guitars, bass guitar, percussion and saxophone

Produced by Okapi Guitars. Recorded at the RatShed, St. Peters, Sydney, Australia.

Visit: www.okapiguitars.com

 

tvfordogs how do you think it feels

Neil Luckett: guitar and vocals / Mark Homer: bass / Paul Jarrett: drums / Sarah Freestone: strings

Produced by Neil Luckett. Recorded at The Back Room, London, England.

Visit: www.tvfordogs.com

 

kowtow popof satellite of love

"'Satellite of Love' has always been a favorite of mine, but what cinched doing a cover of this song for me was the Mystery Science Theater 3000 tie-in. The dark humor and melancholy of the original gets an interesting new twist in the context of Mike, Servo, and Crow. And yes, I'm in the Mike camp."

Janna Audey: backing vocals / Scott Goodrick: programming, keyboards, samples / Eamon Loftus: guitars, bass, theremin, samples / Rob Santos: guitars / Kowtow Popof: vocals, programming, keyboards, samples

Produced by the Manchego Bros. Recorded at Brick House Recording, Fairfax, VA.

Visit: wampus.com/artists/kowtow

 

silent4 I love you

"'I Love You' is a leftover morsel from the golden days of the Velvet Underground, a tongue-in-cheek love song that began life as a scratchy demo on the 'Loaded' sessions and should have blossomed on Lou Reed's first solo album. I never felt that version really worked, and that's partly why we chose it for our small homage to a great songwriter."

Alan Edwards: vocals and guitars / Gordon McLean: percussion

Produced by Gordon McLean. Recorded at Claremont Studios, Edinburgh, Scotland.

Visit: www.silent4.co.uk

 

music for viola going down

"I first heard (and saw) Lou Reed when I spent many a lonely Friday night watching MTV. I was intrigued by this somewhat older man clad in black leather singing about his 'red joy stick' in sexy, deadpan voice. Interviews with my favorite band at the time, REM, cited a group called the Velvet Underground as a main influence. After buying a stack of VU records, I spent my Friday nights with the videos off and the record player on digging the simplicity and depth of this band. For this compilation we wanted to do a Lou Reed solo song, but arranged more like the Velvet Underground."

Ceci: guitar, vocals / Jenny: vocals / Greg: guitar, keyboards, vocals / Barry: bass / Jim: drums

Produced by Greg. Recorded at Blue Goo Studio, Richmond, VA.

Visit: mp3.com/musicforviola

 

the underhills turn to me

"'Can you sing like an angel,' I asked? It was a rhetorical question. Between me and the other three Underhills, I was confident that exactly none could come close to honoring - even approximating - the more than likely obese gospel choir that lays down the back-ups on Lou Reed's 'Turn to Me.' Despite the fact that the Underhills have, over the past fifteen years, been through more members than Spinal Tap, we've never had one - not a single one - that could sell it like a songbird. That was a problem. In 1989 we used to cover 'Turn to Me.' We were all pretty young then, generally unaware of our own mortality, and the thought of Lou hovering nearby, at least in spirit, every time we smoked our way through an American Cancer Society commercial, well, that resonated. So, when this album came about, we decided to assemble our original line-up - Joe Scinta strummin', Scott Doyon singin', Stuart Moser poundin', and Brian Bland thumpin' - and recapture the idiocy. Albeit with fewer smokes. Which brings us back to the gospel issue. It wasn't happening. So, to make a long story short, we brought in a ringer: Jen Titus. Not only can Jen sing every conceivable harmony, if pushed I'll bet she could sing 'em simultaneously. So it all worked out. We polished ourselves up with the sound of angels because, like the original, that's what the song needs. Hell, can't argue with Lou."

Produced by Scott Doyon. Engineered by Joe Scinta and Scott Doyon. Recorded at puppyface sound, Decatur, Georgia.

Contact: scott doyon

 

joe scinta temptation inside your heart

"'Temptation Inside Your Heart' is probably my favorite Lou/VU song. That or 'Heroin.' I'm weird like that. It's always either the one that takes you on a trip and scares the shit out of you or the cute & clever one that gets stuck in your head and won't let go. I always liked the interaction between Lou and John in this tune and thought that the best way to emulate it was to have my wife and her best friend get drunk and berate me while I sang the lead vocal. I met Lou once after a show on the New York tour. I couldn't think of anything to say that didn't sound like 'wow man, I really dig your music.' So I got an autograph and a handshake and escaped with my tail between my legs. I mean, what the hell are you supposed to say to Lou Reed."

Joe Scinta: vocals, rhythm and lead guitar, bass, drums, and Casio congas / Danger Twins (Natalie Scinta, Laura Abbott): dooo-do-doots, prolonged jibber-jabber

Produced and engineered by Joe Scinta. Recorded at The Bad Place at Diecast Studios, Doraville, GA.

Contact: joe scinta

 

lee rude cremation

"I'm a Lou Reed fanatic. A friend suggested naming the band Lee Rude as a tribute to the great one. It seemed like a great idea."

Lee Zukor: guitar and vocals / Volney Hendrix: bass / Jason Swensen: guitar

Produced by Jason Swensen and Lee Zukor. Recorded at Indiumdisk Studio, Minneapolis, MN.

Visit: www.leerude.com

 

the special agents all tomorrow's (beach) parties

"Lou Reed: New York poet... okay, so let's remove the words and take 'All Tomorrow's Parties' on a trip to Surf City. Perverse? Yes. That's the way we like it! What costume shall the poor girl wear? How about a leopard-skin bikini and sun-tan lotion! Let's go trippin'!"

Agent Geoff: twangy guitar / Agent Rod: tremolo guitar / Agent Chris: bass rumble / Agent Scott: surf drums

Produced by Geoff P. Russell. Recorded at Special Agents Mobile, Sheffield, England.

Visit: www.geocities.com/thespecialagents

 

brook pridemore after hours

"'After Hours' is as good an example as any in the Lou Reed/Velvets catalog as to Lou's relevance on the list of great American songwriters. Like Dylan and Woody Guthrie, Tom Waits and Gordon Gano, Lou's words and music are as relevant now as they ever were. And, for the purposes of this compilation, 'After Hours' seemed like a much less cumbersome song to attempt than 'Sister Ray.'"

Brook Pridemore: vocal and guitar

Engineered by Ian Gorman. Recorded at Big Green Lamp Studio, Kalamazoo, MI.

Contact: Brook Pridemore

 

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executive producer mark doyon

"This project brought out scads of interesting artists, people who knew the Lou Reed catalog backwards and forwards. There was stuff from all over the world. Choosing the tracks was, realistically, impossible, so we dug right in. It was less about 'merit' than it was about creating a narrative, weaving a story. We said some things through the selection and sequencing of the songs. The downside was having to leave great things off. The upside was watching it become more than the sum of its parts."

Edited, sequenced, and pre-mastered at Wampus Sound Studio, Clifton, VA.

Contact: mail5@wampus.com

 

mastered by eamon loftus

Mastered at Brick House Recording, Fairfax, VA.

Contact: Eamon Loftus

 

packaging designed by r.e.d. design

Contact: R.E.D. Design

After Hours: a Tribute to the Music of Lou Reed

Questions? Contact Wampus Multimedia.

Media: download publicity kit here.