Without Lou Reed, what would music be like?
Like every generation since 1967, I discovered The Velvet Underground. I won’t say they changed my life because they didn’t. I had already been “changed” by what musicians had come after and been influenced by The Velvet Underground. What’s always impressed me about the VU was they started so many different sub genres – The first record with Nico was your standard new wave album with noisy pop punk explosions thrown in, WHITE LIGHT/WHITE HEAT not only was punk rock it was the later 80’s early 90’s Sonic Youth feedback laden explosions. The third album was quieter “indie” music of a type that’s still being put out regularly today. LOADED was middle of the road rock slightly left of the dial in what I knew growing up in the 80’s as the type of music played on college radio.
Like every generation since 1967, I discovered The Velvet Underground. I won’t say they changed my life because they didn’t. I had already been “changed” by what musicians had come after and been influenced by The Velvet Underground. What’s always impressed me about the VU was they started so many different sub genres – The first record with Nico was your standard new wave album with noisy pop punk explosions thrown in, WHITE LIGHT/WHITE HEAT not only was punk rock it was the later 80’s early 90’s Sonic Youth feedback laden explosions. The third album was quieter “indie” music of a type that’s still being put out regularly today. LOADED was middle of the road rock slightly left of the dial in what I knew growing up in the 80’s as the type of music played on college radio.
Lou
Reed solo was a mixed bag. He did make a
number of great records including LEGENDARY HEARTS, BERLIN, STREET HASSLE but
he also made records of such mawkish sentimentality and cornball music as to extinguish
the distance between him and Billy Joel.
My favorite solo record was LEGENDARY HEARTS where I think he struck the best
balance between that negative sentimentality and his hardened honesty, his powerful
directness set to verse.
Lou Reed
was the first musical artist to successfully combine the Beat mentality, the Beat style of verse, the Beat way of experiencing life as art. Dylan predated him but Dylan’s
surrealism cancels out his connection.
Worthwhile? Yes but not as immediately relatable.
Without
Lou Reed, what would music be like?
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