Lou Reed appreciation

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24697765

I was never a cult follower, but it saddens me to see another icon's demise.

He was said to be the greatest lyricist of rock n roll.

Its not easy to estimate his overall influence on music considering his pioneer band "The Velvet Underground" ,,,,,,er... its emotional for me but not sad 🙂

The Velvet Underground @ Nico (the first album and produced by Andy Warhal) has been my favourite album since I was a teenager.

Seen him live. And I saw him with the Velvet Underground in the early '90's.

He was brilliant!

I could never be sad over the passing of a great icon as their work will live on forever. Lou lived to over 70 and that's probably 20 or 30 more years than he thought he'd ever have. A great lyricist. A pioneer in rock music whose influence is seen and respected everywhere. Always challenging and never complacent. You listen to a song like Street Hassle and you can honestly say they just don't make 'em like that anymore. Godspeed, Lou Reed.

Originally posted by karoly aczel
He was said to be the greatest lyricist of rock n roll.

Its not easy to estimate his overall influence on music considering his pioneer band "The Velvet Underground" ,,,,,,er... its emotional for me but not sad 🙂

That's a slender Reed to cling to.

Originally posted by divegeester
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24697765

I was never a cult follower, but it saddens me to see another icon's demise.

I thought this cover was terrific:

YouTube

until I heard the original:

YouTube

But Lou Reed said Mitch Ryder's cover was better than his own original.

BTW you can hear 20 tracks at

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/20-essential-lou-reed-tracks-20131027

Jenny said when she was just five years old
There was nothin' happenin' at all
Every time she puts on a radio
There was nothin' goin' down at all,
Not at all
Then one fine mornin' she puts on a New York station
You know, she don't believe what she heard at all
She started shakin' to that fine fine music
You know her life was saved by rock 'n' roll
Despite all the amputations you know you could just go out
And dance to the rock 'n' roll station

It was alright
It was allright
Hey baby
You know it was allright
It was allright

Jenny said when she was just bout five years old
You know my parents are gonna be the death of us all
Two TV sets and two Cadillac cars -
Well you know it ain't gonna help me at all
Not just a little tiny bit
Then one fine mornin' she turns on a New York station
She doesn't believe what she hears at all
Ooh, She started dancin' to that fine fine music
You know her life is saved by rock 'n' roll,
Yeah, rock n' roll
Despite all the computations
You could just dance to that rock 'n' roll station

And baby it was allright
And it was alright
Hey it was allright
It was allright
Hey here she comes now!
Jump! Jump!

Like Jenny said when she was just bout' five years old
Hey you know there's nothin' happenin' at all
Not at all
Every time I put on the radio,
You know there's nothin' goin' down at all,
Not at all
But one fine mornin' she hears a New York station
She doesn't believe what she heard at all
Hey, not at all
She started dancin' to that fine fine music
You know her life was saved by rock 'n' roll
Yeah rock 'n' roll
Ooh, Despite all the computations
You know you could just dance to the rock 'n' roll station

Allright, allright
And it was allright
Oh, you listen to me now
And it was allright
C'mon now
Little better
Little bit
It was allright
It was allright
And it was allright, allright
It's allright, allright
Baby it's allright, now
Allright, baby it's allright, now
Baby it's allright, allright now
Baby it's allright
Baby it's allright now
Oh baby,oh baby
Oh baby, Yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah
It's allright, now
Ooh, it's allright now
All, allright.

The second most important member of The Velvet Underground, and as such, one of the most influential rock musicians of all time.

Originally posted by KazetNagorra
The second most important member of The Velvet Underground, and as such, one of the most influential rock musicians of all time.

#1 is John Cale? Andy Warhol?

Originally posted by KazetNagorra
The second most important member of The Velvet Underground, and as such, one of the most influential rock musicians of all time.

We have a musicologist! Please say more.

"And something flickered for a minute
But then it vanished and was gone"

Originally posted by KazetNagorra
The second most important member of The Velvet Underground, and as such, one of the most influential rock musicians of all time.

How do you know that?

Izzy Stradlin of Guns n Roses wrote most of those riffs for Appettite for Destruction, but by many uninformed Gunners fans he was seen as the fifth most important member, when really he was the 1st.
Without those choice riffs, right from track one, that would've just been some ordinary music punctuated here and there with a flashy solo or some Axel Rose whiney average waxing lyric ...pffft

Originally posted by KazetNagorra
The second most important member of The Velvet Underground, and as such, one of the most influential rock musicians of all time.

I think his solo career is brilliant and should be respected by all artists whether they like him or not.
If VU was all he did then he would have just been a rock trivia question's answer, and nothing more.

Originally posted by rwingett
That's a slender Reed to cling to.

I had to stop. I would've typed for hours about why Lou Reed was one of the most influencial musicians.
I never saw a gig, but I bet you had to be there as exerts from his live footage doesn't seem to do him much justice.

Not to mention he was a smart guy like Van Morrison by surrounding himself with some great musos.

Lou Reed was indeed awesome and deserved better commercial success! I hope he gets a nice tribute!

Listening my way through the VU/Lou Reed discography ... Currently in the mid 70s ... "amphetamine Lou" ... to the accompaniment of Lester Bangs' interviews ... describing Reed's "anti-charisma" ... Metal Machine Music, any takers?