Lee Hazlewood 13

"Pimps… whores… pushers… dopers… gangsters… and bottom of the human chain shit-heels. Now you’re probably thinking I'm writing about major record companies and their unscrupulous executives… and lawyers. You could be right… but this time… YOU'RE WRONG! I'm describing the characters in my album "13"…some I knew… some I invented … some are true… some are false… some i liked… some i didn't. But they all had a story to tell and I told it…none of 'em seem to care… and I don't either… have fun…" - Lee Hazlewood
"13 was never supposed to be a Lee Hazlewood album. It is perhaps the strangest record in one of the most varied discographies in music. The bombastic brass heavy funk, deep blues and soul paired with Hazlewood's subterranean baritone would be best enjoyed with a tall Chivas in an off-strip seedy Vegas lounge. It also features one of Hazlewood’s greatest lines ever “One week in San Francisco, existing on Nabisco, cookies and bad dreams, sad scenes and dodging paranoia.” - Larry Marks
By 1972 Lee Hazlewood had settled in his new homeland of Sweden. His days were spent carousing, making movies with Torbjörn Axelman and releasing albums. To keep up his prolific recorded output, Lee began to mine the recently defunct LHI Records archives for material. One such gem, was an unreleased album by Larry Marks.
In what became the final days of LHI, staff producer Larry Marks’ sonic fingerprints were on nearly everything; songwriting, producing, arranging, and singing. His most profound contribution was steering the creative direction of the label towards soul and R&B, arranging the downright funky LHI singles by Barbara Randolph and Jon Christian. Larry’s concept was to take Hazlewood’s strongest compositions and arrange them in a soul vibe. An album was completed, but with no distribution in America and no funding, Lee had no vehicle to release Larry’s record. The tapes were taken to Sweden, Larry’s voice was wiped and Hazlewood’s was dubbed….13 was born.
This release includes a Lee Hazlewood comic strip, telling the story of “13” through original artwork by Jess Rotter. The record contains a previously unreleased session outtake of “Cold Hard Times” plus never before heard Hazlewood compositions “Drums” & “Susie”. The LP is housed in a deluxe gatefold Stoughton tip-on jacket, comes with additional liner notes by Hunter Lea including interviews with Larry Marks, Joe Cannon, Torbjörn Axelman & Suzi Jane Hokom and download card for complete “13” sessions including Larry Marks unreleased album, session outtakes and acoustic demos, 29 tracks total.