Lewis Allan “Lou” Reed
(March 2, 1942 – October 27, 2013)
Lou Reed best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal
songwriter of The Velvet Underground died yesterday from what AP reported as “liver-related ailment”. After the breakup of the band his solo career spanned several decades.
The Velvet Underground was produced by Andy Warhol in the late 60s and Lou, John Cale and the other band members were frequent visitors at “The Factory”. Their debut album “The Velvet Underground and Nico” has been quoted as one of the most influential works for the rock and punk music and he group has gained a considerable cult following in the years since its demise.
After his departure from the group, Reed began a solo career in 1972. He had a hit the following year with “Walk on the Wild Side“, although he subsequently lacked the mainstream commercial success its chart status seemed to indicate. In 1975, Reed released a double album of feedback loops, Metal Machine Music, upon which he later commented, “No one is supposed to be able to do a thing like that and survive.”
Reed was known for his distinctive deadpan voice, poetic lyrics and for pioneering and coining the term Ostrich guitar. In 2008, Reed married performance artist Laurie Anderson.
A little note from Mart Kawaii:
“I met Lou at a bookstore a little over a year ago – he was presenting his latest book and I approached him. I remember how excited I felt to meet him, shake his hand and exchange few words with him. I’ve been a Velvet Underground fan since I was 13 and back then I listened to their whole first album, without “Venus in Furs”, because, by irony, it scared me. Later it became one of the quintessential songs of my life. You left a bright trace in rock music that will shine after you’re gone. You will be missed Lou.”
