Lou Reed is dead

[pilgrim]

I'm so sad. RIP Lou. Thanks for making my life richer with your music.

[mboy007]

Thanks Lou, for everything. And you gave us a lot. RIP - genius.

[iaredatsun]

Sad news. My thoughts are with his companion, Laurie Anderson.

[calaminehello]

thank you lou.

see you soon.

[lurid]

RIP Lou

your music has been the soundtrack to my life - thanks for everything

[schnittstelle]

Nice statement from Cale. I just can't find words for the loss I have felt since I have read the news.

[Eddie Sedgewick]

. . the man was an inspiration to me, my first guitar hero and a defining voice for my fledgling artistic soul, thank you for enriching my existence , may you sleep untroubled . .

[jimjim]

Oh what news to wake up to on Labour Day here in NZ. We got up late after a night carousing till 1am and oddly both All Tomorrow's Parties and the BBC version of Perfect Day were playing last night where we were. And we sang along at the top of our voices. Who would have thought at those moments we were singing, we were unknowingly saying goodbye to him as he passed.

Lou's music has been part of my life sice 1989 when I first dug VU&N. That battered old EU 'Special Price' LP has been played so much since then that today I realise it now needs its first ever clean! It's been loved that much over the years. As he specified himself, I started with the 'Great American Novel' before I got onto his solo albums (well, except the 3rd as that proved hard to get back then). I even bought a CD player just to hear some of these albums as they were rapidly vanishing on vinyl. That's how hardcore I was. Berlin was the one for me, head and shoulders above Transformer (although of course, I still love it). Coney, R&R Animal, Street Hassle, Heart, Blue Mask, Legendary Hearts brought me right up to speed when his newie came out, New York. Damn, what an album and what a journey to get there. Then his collaboration with Cale: man, I love Songs For Drella and it was so great to hear them together again (I still sneakly see it as an unofficial VU album after all these years).

Yet, that wasn't it. In the 90s he kept up the pace with Magic & Loss, Twilight and Ecstasy. You always looked forward to a new album as there was a good chance that there would be one great lyrical turn or guitar lick that would just delight you. I discovered more and more gems in his catalogue and more boots that blew me away: Roxy 1976, Winter demos 1970, Bataclan '72, Hemptead '72, Stockholm '74, 1978 shows and the Cale/Reed Paris show from 1990. By the late 90s I was hardcore fan.

But then the century turned and his muse drifted. I never warmed to the Raven and he seemed content to just release live albums which disappointed me. Sure they were ok, but what about some songs? What about more great lyrics? There probably will be some story to come as to what happened in the last 10 years or so but it saddens me that his last completed work is Lulu. Granted, it was a brave move and at least showed he was prepared to try something new but Metallica?? Nein danke.

My sister texted my other half this morning warning her that this bad news would be devastating and to be prepared. Bless her, she was right. When I posted my sadness onto FB, I added a clip of 'Hello It's Me' from the SFD video and I couldn't hold it together. For the first time since John Peel died, I cried at the death of someone who shaped my perceptions and tastes in music over the last 30 years. Today has been a bit of a wake for him: Dragged out all the records and barring my other half's begging, most of them will get a spin today.

Thank you sir for the memories, the words and the music. Thank you for shaping me the way I am today. Thank you. Goodbye good sir and may flights of angels send you to your sleep.

[peppergomez]

Nice statement from Cale. I just can't find words for the loss I have felt since I have read the news.

Do you have a link?

[Sunshine]

I'm grieved and speechless. Lou didn't influence my life but he influenced and gave me a new understanding for Rock-Music.