"A tape of their earliest demos, recorded on 11 May 1965 and kept under lock and key to this day, reveals traces of things rarely associated with The Velvet Underground: Blues and folk, earthy and traditional, uncertain and hesitant - yet imbued with that rusty, caustic Lou Reed spirit. It's a revelation. - Will Hodgkinson, MOJO. Light in the Attic Records, in collaboration with Laurie Anderson, is proud to present the first title in their ongoing Lou Reed Archive Series: 'Words & Music, May 1965'. Released to mark the late artist's 80th birthday, the album offers an extraordinary, unvarnished and poignant insight into one of America's truly greatest poets and songwriters. This previously unreleased collection of songs, recorded by the young Lou Reed with the help of his later bandmate John Cale and sent to himself in the post as a "poor man's copyright", has been kept unopened in an original envelope for almost 50 years. The contents embody some of the most important and groundbreaking contributions to American popular music in the 20th century. Firmly rooted in the folk tradition, the songs clearly demonstrate Lou's lasting influence on the development of modern American music - from punk to art rock and everything in between. A veritable time capsule, these recordings not only capture the first sparks of what would become the nucleus of the incredibly influential Velvet Underground; they also make Reed a true observer with an innate talent for synthesising the world around him and transforming it into pure sonic poetry. With contributions from Reed's future bandmate John Cale, "Words & Music, May 1965" presents in their entirety the earliest known recordings of such historic songs as "Heroin", "I'm Waiting for the Man" and "Pale Blue Eyes", which Reed would later record with the Velvet Underground and leave an indelible mark on. Also included are several previously unreleased compositions that provide additional insight into Reed's creative process and early influences. The album was produced by Laurie Anderson, Don Fleming, Jason Stern, Hal Willner and Matt Sullivan and features remastered audio recordings from the original tape by GRAMMY-nominated engineer John Baldwin. The package is rounded out with new liner notes by renowned journalist and author Greil Marcus and extensive archival notes by Don Fleming and Jason Stern, who oversee the Lou Reed archive, while the release was designed by multiple GRAMMY-winning artist Masaki Koike."