ODE TO LOU REED

There is no way you could've missed the tragic news that the legend and inspirational musician Lou Reed passed away on Sunday, at a not so old 71 years of age. We do keep the blog pretty light hearted but with such an inspirational figure no longer with us we had to take a look back at what Lou Reed has achieved, how he changed music and influenced almost every musician around.

From the late 1960's when he fronted The Velvet Underground he made waves and brought a certain movement out of the streets, with friends like Andy Warhol and Patti Smith he was at the heart of creativity. Andy Warhol's art work was featured as the cover of the first album which is still a hugely popular and iconic image. The album caused quite the controversy and was one of the first to bring art, music and fashion together into the mainstream. The album was commercially unsuccessful but created a lifelong fan base for the band and Lou Reed. 

There is a famous quote from Brian Eno saying "that while the Velvet Underground's album only sold 30,000 copies, everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band."

In 1972 Lou Reed left the band and began a solo career producing albums and collaborating with other artists like David Bowie. His distinctive voice and lyrics of misfits, hustlers and transvestites were still not making it the top of the charts but touching people's lives like no other artist. His honest songwriting and emotional lyrics could make you laugh, cry and want to change your life and no one had ever really had that affect on society before. Even David Bowie said " I had never heard anything quite like it. it was a revelation to me." He released many solo albums including the self titled album Lou Reed, Transformer, Rock N Roll Animal and Sally Can't Dance.

Even if you are not a huge fan of Lou Reed's music there is so much you can take from him and appreciate from his life. With such an open minded approach to music, others, art, love and life he used the heart of the New York City to propel him into everything. This fuelled creativity and a lifestyle that many probably wouldn't be able to keep up with.   

Thanks to Lou Reed many musicians and bands were heavily influenced and went on to begin their own careers, that related to many people of all ages and most likely changed their life too.

Here are some of the songs we couldn't live without.

Transformer

Walk On The Wild Side

Sunday Morning - The Velvet Underground

Sweet Jane

 RIP LOU REED

MARCH 2ND 1942 - OCTOBER 27TH 2013

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Images Lou Reed Google Search.