Lou Reed & Kris Kristofferson - The Bottom Line Archive Series: In Their Own Words With Vin Scelsa (2017/2018) [Hi-Res]

The Bottom Line Archive Series presents its next release: the once-in-a-lifetime live performance by Lou Reed and Kris Kristofferson at the height of their craft, set for release September 15. Recorded at the legendary Bottom Line club in Greenwich Village, the album presents an evening of music, songwriting and storytelling – intimate, acoustic, historic. The Bottom Line Archive label is distributed via BFD/Red; BFD is a division of Bob Frank Entertainment.

Lou Reed and Kris Kristofferson: In Their Own Words with Vin Scelsa is the only time these two master songwriters performed together. Over the course of one night (2/2/94) with noted radio personality Vin Scelsa leading the conversation, Reed and Kristofferson swap stories and songs. The evening and two-disc set includes Reed performing eight songs including Sweet Jane, Romeo Had Juliet, Legendary Hearts; Kristofferson’s seven include Me and Bobby McGee, Sunday Morning Coming Down, Help Me Make it Through the Night; and each performing a cover (Kristofferson does Bird On A Wire, Reed performs Tracks of My Tears).

This singular meeting – Reed from the jungles of New York City and Kristofferson from the heart of the South – was rock history, says Bottom Line co-founder/curator Allan Pepper. “It was very rare that we could present two giants on the same stage on the same night, especially artists of this caliber and impact. With this release, people who weren’t there that night can experience that special night with these true music legends talking about their process and craft, cracking a few jokes along the way.”

According to the liner notes penned by series producer Gregg Bendian, who performed frequently at The Bottom Line with his band, The Mahavishnu Project, “both artists were much-beloved Bottom Line regulars. Kris played a total of 42 shows at the club, while Lou played no less than 54 shows there. Many will recall that Lou recorded his famous Take No Prisoners live album over the course of five nights at club, in May of 1978. That level of relaxed comfort and spontaneity so evident on this recording is no accident. It’s the sound of artists who indeed feel quite comfortable and at home on the stage of what was clearly their New York venue of choice. The playful banter of camaraderie and mutual admiration between Kris, Lou and Vin heard on this document bears this out beautifully, and the Bottom Line audience can be heard laughing, gasping, chiming in, and hanging on every note.”

This release is the 12th in a planned rollout of titles over the next few years, including classic live performances by Jack Bruce, Ralph Stanley, the Brecker Brothers, Pete Seeger & Roger McGuinn, Harry Chapin and Kenny Rankin, among others.

Bottom Line co-founder/curator Allan Pepper has recordings of more than 1,000 shows from Greenwich Village nightclub, which always booked an eclectic mix of rock, jazz, blues, folk and other forms of music during its 30-year run. Pepper and the label are currently in conversation with representatives from many of the acts.

All music from The Bottom Line Archive was mixed and mastered at The Magic Shop, an award-winning state-of-the-art studio in New York.

Lou Reed, guitar, vocals
Kris Kristofferson, guitar, vocals

Recorded February 2, 1994 at the Bottom Line in New York

Digitally remastered