<p>I don’t know if “lucky” is the right word to use, but I feel lucky to have hugged Mr. Lou Reed (on 2 separate occasions) and even make him smile the broadest smile, and become childlike as he attempted to “hide” an all-too-familiar pink bakery box, filled with chocolate rugalah from Canter’s on Fairfax (in Los Angeles), from his band mates, backstage at the Wiltern several years ago. It was my first time seeing Lou live, and I was transfixed. And then to meet him, and talk to him, and share my favorite sweet treat! It was surreal, and I will never forget him telling me I could call him “Lou” rather than “Mr. Reed” (my brother taught me to always call a celebrity “Mr. or Ms.” when I was 10, as he took me to say hello to “Mr. Berry” (as in Chuck) at the airport - “they deserve your respect” he assured me) - his smile, the raspy deep voice, and his genuine kindness have stuck with me. Recently at a very special event, celebrating his Metal Machine Music, at Cal State Long Beach, I was able to meet him a second time. While he didn’t look so great, and needed help getting to his seat on stage, and then back up again, at the time I wasn’t (nor were others) aware that he was dealing with a liver disease. Late this spring he underwent a liver transplant, and I remember reading an interview with his wife, Laurie Anderson, where she described him as being on the mend, and “already” back to doing Tai Chi - reading that made me smile. I thought he was invincible. Apparently he was not. Mr. Reed, I will listen to your music today, remember your smile, your laugh, your hug, and I will honor you. Thank you Mr. Reed, for sharing a part of you with me. RIP Lou Reed, March 2, 1942 October 27, 2013</p>
<p>What a great memory. RIP Lou Reed.</p>
<p>Sad.
I have an epic tshirt from Ds school that is a graphic of Reed, with the word " college" written underneath.
They haven’t released cause of death but he had a liver transplant in May.</p>
<p>i Read a Great quote from Brian Eno:
“The first Velvet Underground album only sold 10,000 copies, but everyone who bought it formed a band”*</p>
<p>One of my favorite singers ever… “Perfect Day” is one of those songs that just gives me chills every time I hear it… Such a great song…</p>
<p>RIP…</p>
<p>Had to listen to the Cowboy Junkies signature cover of Sweet Jane…</p>
<p>[Cowboy</a> Junkies - Sweet Jane (Extended Trinity Revisited Version) - YouTube](<a href=“Cowboy Junkies - Sweet Jane (Extended Trinity Revisited Version) - YouTube”>Cowboy Junkies - Sweet Jane (Extended Trinity Revisited Version) - YouTube)</p>
<p>This version with Ryan Adams…</p>
<p>Yes, RIP. His music brings me many great memories.</p>
<p>All through his life Lou struggled, strived, simply wanted to be ‘someone good’. In the end, he reaped what he sowed…a perfect life.</p>
<p>Remembered hearing the VU’s “Rock ‘n’ Roll” for the first time on WNEW-FM in NY when I was in high school and the song totally captured my feelings at the time. RIP Lou.</p>
<p>[Rock</a> ‘n’ Roll](<a href=“Rock & Roll - Velvet Underground - YouTube”>Rock & Roll - Velvet Underground - YouTube)</p>
<p>Even today, his music is more subversive than what you hear on the radio. </p>
<p>Heroin is a paean to addiction, both it’s joys and the essential nihilism of it:</p>
<p>"I have made the big decision
I’m gonna try to nullify my life
'Cause when the blood begins to flow
When it shoots up the dropper’s neck
When I’m closing in on death …</p>
<p>Heroin, be the death of me
Heroin, it’s my wife and it’s my life
Because a mainer to my vein
Leads to a center in my head
And then I’m better off and dead
Because when the smack begins to flow
I really don’t care anymore
About all the Jim-Jim’s in this town
And all the politicians makin’ crazy sounds
And everybody puttin’ everybody else down
And all the dead bodies piled up in mounds"</p>
<p>And White Light/White Heat is the best description of a speed freak ever, and most appropriately done to a near-gospel tune because, as Breaking Bad shows, it’s a religion of its own:</p>
<p>“White light, White light goin’ messin’ up my mind
White light, and don’t you know its gonna make me go blind
White heat, aww white heat it tickle me down to my toes
White light, Ooo have mercy while I’ll have it goodness knows”</p>
<p>His biggest hit was about a transexual giving head and a gay hooker. One of my favorite songs is Caroline Says, which is about a woman whose boyfriend beats her:</p>
<p>"Caroline says
as she gets up off the floor
Why is it that you beat me
it isn’t any fun</p>
<p>Caroline says
as she makes up her eyes
You ought to learn more about yourself
think more than just I"</p>
<p>And I’m Waiting For My Man is about buying drugs:</p>
<p>"I’m waiting for my man
Got 26 dollars in my hand
Up to lexington 125
Feelin’ sick and dirty
Huh, I’m waiting for my man</p>
<p>Hey white boy, what you doin’ uptown
Hey white boy, you chasin’ my women around
Pardon me sir, it’s furthest from my mind
I’m just waitin’ for a dear-dear friend of mine
I’m waiting for my man, come on"</p>
<p>One of my favorite songs is Street Hassle, which is mostly a simple cello riff over very dark lyrics (that I’ve censored). This is a small part:</p>
<p>“And I really wish that there was a little more time to speak
But you know it could be a hassle
Trying to explain this all to a police officer
About how it was that your old lady got herself stiffed
And it’s not like we could help
But there wasn’t nothing no one could do
And if there was, man, you know I would have been the first
But when someone turns that blue
Well, it’s a universal truth
And then you just know that ***** will never **** again
By the way, that’s really some bad ****
That you came to our place with
But you ought to be more careful around the little girls
It’s either the best or it’s the worst
And since I don’t have to choose
I guess I won’t and I know this ain’t no way to treat a guest
But why don’t you grab your old lady by the feet
And just lay her out in the darkest street
And by morning, she’s just another hit and run.
You know, some people got no choice
And they can never find a voice
To talk with that they can even call their own
So the first thing that they see
That allows them the right to be
Why they follow it, you know, it’s called bad luck.”</p>
<p>There are uplifting songs and love songs and songs about murder. The man was an artist, one of the most influential figures in modern music from the Velvets forward. He took the artistic content of the Beat Movement and pulled it into the 1960’s musically and then took it into the dark places. When you watch Rent (by Jonathan Larson) and hear the AIDs-infected singing “dying in America at the end of the millennium, you’re not alone”, that comes out of Lou. </p>
<p>He was the poet of the lost and of those looking for redemption.</p>
<p>A lifelong inspiration to me.</p>
<p>Safe travels to you, poet, prophet, and unmet friend.</p>
<p>Lou Reed introduced me to Antony Hegarty (of Antony and the Johnsons). Antony has been called the male Edith Piaf, and his music, his voice, is unlike anything I have ever heard before. Sometimes he sounds like he’s crying and I weep right along with him. Antony played with Lou the first night I met him, and I have been hooked ever since. When Antony plays live everyone is just still because he is mesmerizing. </p>
<p>Try this version of them in duet, Candy Says:
[Antony</a> and Lou Reed - Candy Says (Legendado) - YouTube](<a href=“Antony and Lou Reed - Candy Says (Legendado) - YouTube”>Antony and Lou Reed - Candy Says (Legendado) - YouTube)</p>
<p>Then take a listen to Antony & The Johnsons, Cripple and the Starfish:
[Cripple</a> and the Starfish - Antony and the Johnsons - YouTube](<a href=“Cripple and the Starfish - Antony and the Johnsons - YouTube”>Cripple and the Starfish - Antony and the Johnsons - YouTube)</p>
<p>Heres a duet with Laurie Anderson.
[Lou</a> Reed and Laurie Anderson - Hang On To Your Emotions - No Depression Americana and Roots Music](<a href=“http://www.nodepression.com/video/lou-reed-and-laurie-anderson-hang-on-to-your-emotions]Lou”>http://www.nodepression.com/video/lou-reed-and-laurie-anderson-hang-on-to-your-emotions)</p>
<p>Ohhhh, that duet was great. I wonder if they were already an item in '96. I know they didn’t marry until just a few years ago (2008).</p>
<p>Antony back in the old aol “sessions” days had one with Lou where he sings perfect day and antony debated whether headphones if he wore them would make his head appear slimmer.</p>
<p>Lou and Laurie Anderson had to constitute the most bountiful amount of artistic cred in any marriage in history. Definitely the chronicler of a New York City that existed long before being gentrified and Disneyfied. That had to be a hard 71 years.</p>
<p>This is pretty cool, Herbie Flowers on the creation of the iconic bass line in “Walk on the Wild Side”:</p>
<p>[Herbie</a> Flowers: The Story Behind Lou Reed?s ?Walk on the Wild Side? Bass Line](<a href=“http://www.notreble.com/buzz/2013/10/28/herbie-flowers-the-story-behind-lou-reeds-walk-on-the-wild-side-bass-line/]Herbie”>Herbie Flowers: The Story Behind Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side” Bass Line – No Treble)</p>
<p>Gotta say it…I love intelligent people! :)</p>
<p>I was fortunate enough to see him at the Main Point, outside Philadelphia, in 1972. The place seated 192 people, very small. It was an amazing concert.</p>
<p>Cardinal Ravasi tweets out lyrics of perfect day not knowing it was written about heroin so has to tweet " we do condone drug use" next. Reed’s rock and roll god has to be smiling!</p>
<p>[Vatican’s</a> ‘culture minister’ tweets Lou Reed’s ‘Perfect Day’* - NBC News.com](<a href=“http://t.nbcnews.com/technology/vaticans-culture-minister-tweets-lou-reeds-perfect-day-8C11481576]Vatican’s”>Vatican's 'culture minister' tweets Lou Reed's 'Perfect Day' )</p>
<p>That’s pretty funny, author!</p>