Transformer [Expanded Edition. Remaster]

Rating

Album: Transformer [Expanded Edition. Remaster]
#	Song Title		Time
1)	Vicious	More Info...	0:03
2)	Andy's Chest	More Info...	0:03
3)	Perfect Day	More Info...	0:03
4)	Hangin' 'Round	More Info...	0:03
5)	Walk On the Wild Side	More Info...	0:04
6)	Make Up	More Info...	0:03
7)	Satellite of Love	More Info...	0:03
8)	Wagon Wheel	More Info...	0:03
9)	New York Telephone Conversation	More Info...	0:01
10)	I'm So Free	More Info...	0:03
11)	Goodnight Ladies	More Info...	0:04
12)	Hangin' 'Round (Previously Unreleased Acoustic Demo)	More Info...	0:04
13)	Perfect Day (Previously Unreleased Acoustic Demo)	More Info...	0:05

Tracks

1. Vivious

2. Andy's Chest

3. Perfect Day

4. Hangin Round

5. Walk On The Wild Side

6. Make Up

7. Satellite Of Love

8. Wagon Wheel

9. New York Telephone Conversation

10. I'm So Free

11. Goodnight Ladies

12. Hangin Round

13. Perfect Day

Performer Notes

Originally released on RCA (4807).
Personnel: Lou Reed (guitar); Lou Reed (vocals); Herbie Flowers (tuba, bass instrument); Klaus Voormann (bass instrument); John Halzey, John Halsey (drums); Mick Ronson (guitar, recorder, piano, background vocals); Ronnie Ross (baritone saxophone); Ritchie Dharma, Barry DeSouza (drums); David Bowie, Thunderthighs (background vocals).
Audio Mixers: Lou Reed; Mick Ronson; David Bowie.
Liner Note Author: Michael Hill.
Photographers: Mick Rock ; Don Siebka; Al Quaglieri.
Arrangers: Lou Reed; Mick Ronson; Herbie Flowers; David Bowie.
David Bowie has never been shy about acknowledging his influences, and since the boho decadence and sexual ambiguity of the Velvet Underground's music had a major impact on Bowie's work, it was only fitting that as Ziggy Stardust mania was reaching its peak, Bowie would offer Lou Reed some much needed help with his career, which was stuck in neutral after his first solo album came and went. Musically, Reed's work didn't have too much in common with the sonic bombast of the glam scene, but at least it was a place where his eccentricities could find a comfortable home, and on Transformer Bowie and his right-hand man, Mick Ronson, crafted a new sound for Reed that was better fitting (and more commercially astute) than the ambivalent tone of his first solo album. Ronson adds some guitar raunch to "Vicious" and "Hangin' Round" that's a lot flashier than what Reed cranked out with the Velvets, but still honors Lou's strengths in guitar-driven hard rock, while the imaginative arrangements Ronson cooked up for "Perfect Day," "Walk on the Wild Side," and "Goodnight Ladies" blend pop polish with musical thinking just as distinctive as Reed's lyrical conceits. And while Reed occasionally overplays his hand in writing stuff he figured the glam kids wanted ("Make Up" and "I'm So Free" being the most obvious examples), "Perfect Day," "Walk on the Wild Side," and "New York Telephone Conversation" proved he could still write about the demimonde with both perception and respect. The sound and style of Transformer would in many ways define Reed's career in the 1970s, and while it led him into a style that proved to be a dead end, you can't deny that Bowie and Ronson gave their hero a new lease on life -- and a solid album in the bargain. [This edition adds the acoustic demo versions of "Hangin' 'Round" and "Perfect Day."] ~ Mark Deming

Professional Reviews

Rolling Stone (1/4/73, p.61) - "..Lou Reed is probably a genius..Real good stuff..."Walk On The Wild Side" is another winner.."

Rolling Stone (3/28/02, p.72) - 4.5 stars out of 5 - "...One of the all-time great fake Bowie albums....A glam manifesto as outrageous as Lou Reed himself..."

Q (1/03, p.56) - Included in Q Magazine's "100 Greatest Albums Ever"

Q (5/92, p.103) - 3 Stars - Good - "..bright and sassy.."

Mojo (Publisher) (1/03, p.106) - "...TRANSFORMER boasts four stone classics..."

NME (Magazine) (10/2/93, p.29) - Ranked #55 in NME's list of the `Greatest Albums Of All Time.'

Fishpond works with suppliers all over the world to bring you a huge selection of products, really great prices, and delivery included on over 25 million products that we sell. We do our best every day to make Fishpond an awesome place for customers to shop and get what they want — all at the best prices online.

About Fishpond

You can earn a 8% commission by selling Transformer [Expanded Edition. Remaster] on your website. It's easy to get started - we will give you example code. After you're set-up, your website can earn you money while you work, play or even sleep! You should start right now!

Are you the Author or Publisher of a book? Or the manufacturer of one of the millions of products that we sell. You can improve sales and grow your revenue by submitting additional information on this title. The better the information we have about a product, the more we will sell!

Submit Information