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.

ISABELLA BLOW: FASHION GALORE!

We've had this exhibition marked in our diaries for so long now and we are so excited to go and see it as Isabella Blow was such a massive character and inspiration who came to life though her work and style. 

If you don't know about Isabella Blow she pretty much kick started careers for fashion designers, models and photographers throughout the 1980's as well as becoming one of the hardest working editors for many publications. She discovered and nurtured talents such as Alexander McQueen, Phillip Treacy, Sophie Dahl, Stella Tenant and well known for her artist collaborations with Steven Meisel and David LaChappelle. 

Isabella Blow is recognised by her outstanding and outlandish sense of style. She is an icon in the fashion world and earned that title by working hard in her home town of London before moving to New York in 1979 and working alongside Anna Wintour and Andre Leon Tally for US Vogue. There was such a huge movement going on in Fashion and Art at this time and Isabella started moving in circles with the likes of Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat putting her in the middle of the art world, subsequently incorporating this influence into her style. In 1986 Isabella moved back to London to go on to work for Tatler and then onto British Vogue. In 1997 she became Fashion Director for Sunday Times Style and then back to Tatler as the Fashion Director. 

She is known as the muse for Alexander McQueen and Phillip Treacy and many more but even though it may have looked like she was living the dream Isabella suffered silently with depression for years and later in life was diagnosed with bipola disorder and then ovarian  cancer. She was also a subject to the ugly side of the fashion industry when after discovering so much talent and working hard to further other peoples careers she was left behind. 

The story behind her wearing such extravigant headwear was "to keep everyone away from me.. They say Oh, can I kiss you? I say, No thank you very much. That's why I've worn the hat. Goodbye. I don't want to be kissed by all and sundry. I want to be kissed by the people I love."
After many suicide attempts towards the end of her life Isabella sadly died in 2007 at a weekend house party at Hilles surrounded by the people who she had worked with and loved over the years. 

This exhibition is a celebration of her work, style and life lived through clothes. Curated by people who knew her best and has inspired over many years. We recommend anyone who enjoys fashion and has a soft spot for unique style that inspires a generation and will never be imitated. 

ISABELLA BLOW: FASHION GALORE! 

SOMERSET HOUSE 

NOVEMBER 12TH 2013 - 2ND MARCH 2014

BUY TICKETS HERE

WWW.WEARECOW.COM