What was Lou Reed doing at Pickwick Records in 1964-65?

Lou Reed worked at Pickwick Records as a songwriter writing girl-group songs during 1964-65, when he was just twenty-two years old. This was early in his career before he achieved fame with The Velvet Underground.

Why is Lou Reed's time at Pickwick Records significant?

Lou Reed's work at Pickwick Records represents an important but often overlooked chapter in his musical development. Writing commercial pop and girl-group material at this budget Manhattan label helped him develop his songwriting craft during his formative years as a young musician.

What kind of music did Lou Reed write at Pickwick Records?

At Pickwick Records, Lou Reed wrote girl-group piecework songs, creating commercial pop material typical of the budget record label's output in the mid-1960s. This work showcased his early songwriting abilities before his later experimental and influential rock compositions.

Liner Note · April 27, 2026

Lou Reed at Pickwick Records 64-65

The Foxes (Lou Reed) · 1964–65 Spin it Again - Before the drone and the leather jacket, Lou Reed spent his days writing four songs a day for Woolworth's, and some of them are quietly strange in ways he probably couldn't help.

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