This came out in 2003 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
THE ORIGINAL RELEASE DATES: 1967-2003.
THE BACK STORY: There have been plenty of Lou Reed anthologies over the years — but this new two-disc number is the first to contain remastered cuts hand-picked by the man himself. Which has its pros and cons, like pretty much everything Lou touches.
THE GOODIES: Many if not most of his essentials, including Velvet Underground gems like I’m Waiting For The Man, Sweet Jane and Pale Blue Eyes, along with plenty of ’70s solo standouts such as Walk On The Wild Side, Coney Island Baby, Vicious and Berlin.
THE EXTRAS: Plenty of songs, like the 11-minute Street Hassle, that few besides Lou would think to include; an unreleased number from his recent Poe recordings; plenty of first-person anecdotes that almost make up for the lack of later gems like New Sensations, Egg Cream and Doin’ The Things That We Want To. Bottom line: It shoulda been a box set.
