Musician Lou Reed has died

[mouser]

Lou Reed, one of the greatest rock and roll songwriters and performers of all time, has died.

He was one of the true greats.  His early music with the Velvet Underground is amazing.  His solo work is amazing.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/lou-reed-velvet-underground-leader-and-rock-pioneer-dead-at-71-20131027

[tomos]

this is fairly untypical Lou Reed but seems appropriate:
Lou Reed - See that my Grave is Kept Clean

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Bb-VTyXNDQ

[mouser]

My favorite velvet underground album, Live at Max's Kansas City:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=neKvqtr3M1k - Side A
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bxFjPe6B_1A - Side B

[nosh]

I had never heard of the man until the news of his passing went viral yesterday.  
Spotified a few of his songs and what do you know... he's responsible for writing one of my all time favorites...  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYEC4TZsy-Y

I still prefer the Duran Duran cover but am glad to finally discover his music!

[J-Mac]

I think that most remember his "Walk On The Wild Side" as the first song they heard from Lou. (Not sure but I believe that was his first track that made regular radio play, at least in the US). That was (as I saw it, popularity-wise) followed closely by two Velvet Underground tracks, "Perfect Day" and "Pale Blue Eyes". Of course there is also "Sweet Jane" and its famous secret chord!!

Ah, he will be missed...  Lou was 71 years old??!?  Damn I feel even older than I am now!  (Or.. shit - I guess I am that old!)

Jim

[Vurbal]

As a connoisseur of live recordings Lou Reed's Rock N Roll Animal is among my favorite albums of all time. As a bassist I'm particularly fond of the (oddly Johnny Winters like) performance of White Light White Heat.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zpxMr6J3UHM

I have also always been impressed by his ability to continue making great music for so long. Another favorite of mine is Video Violence, originally written and recorded in the mid-80s.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fNjm3YDL_HI

At some point I'll probably get around to buying the double album he made with Metallica as well. I actually haven't even bothered to check out any of the songs yet, but if their performance together at a Rock and Roll Hall of Sham concert is any indication it should be interesting at the very least.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aoyoBUoy6UI

[wraith808]

Neil Gaiman on Lou Reed: 'His songs were the soundtrack to my life'

[Tuxman]

I love how everyone likes his music now after his death; when he was alive, most people hated it. Hypocrites!

OTOH, Lou Reed will re-enter the charts next month, as always.

[tomos]

I loved some of the 'light' stuff from Velvet Underground - VU Lite

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qK82JvRY5s

"Sunday Morning"


at one stage (long time ago), I had a cassette of outtakes and unreleased stuff from the VU (buying cassettes, such a bad idea) anyways, this one always stuck in my head:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Lqyoq2P7OE

"Coney Island Steeplechase" (keeping the days-of-the-week theme)
probably havent heard that one in twenty years...

edit// there's actually a couple of really nice tracks (imo) on ^that album "Another View" - preview: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNgmAiLi0n4

[Vurbal]

For some reason I never could get into the Velvet Underground studio stuff much. Possibly because it was a little too sophisticated for me when I was younger and I had already been introduced to some of it via Rock N Roll Animal.

I should probably go back and give it a fresh listen. My tastes have expanded much more into the sophisticated and nuanced over the years.

[Tuxman]

edit// there's actually a couple of really nice tracks (imo) on ^that album "Another View"

Yes, but also a lot of boring stuff ("Andy's Chest", "Coney Island Steeplechase", ...). Late VU didn't want to provoke anyone anymore. (Good thing everyone forgot "Squeeze", although I like "Louise" on this one more than some of late '69s Velvets music.)

(Random fact: The last studio recording all four Velvets did together was "I'm Not" from Moe's '91 solo album; finally something that reminded of their 60s work.)

[tomos]

edit// there's actually a couple of really nice tracks (imo) on ^that album "Another View"

Yes, but also a lot of boring stuff ("Andy's Chest", "Coney Island Steeplechase", ...).

yes, "a couple" leaves out, by definition, most of the tracks
But obviously - seeing as I posted it - I didnt and dont find Coney Island Steeplechase boring. It is a minor track, but for me it was an ohrworm and a pleasure to find again. YMOV ('O' for obviously).

[40hz]

PBS featured Lou Reed in one of its American Masters episodes (link here).

It was rebroadcast on Halloween. But seeing as we're moving into another one of PBS's interminable holiday "membership drive" seasons, it's bound to be rebroadcast again in the near future.