Lou Reed(1942-2013)
- Music Artist
- Actor
- Composer
He formed the group
The Velvet Underground with Welsh
multi-instrumentalist John Cale, second
guitarist Sterling Morrison,
and drummer Maureen Tucker in New York in
1965. The group soon became a part of
Andy Warhol's Factory scene, which housed a
great number of the most freaked and experimental artists at the time.
The German singer and actress Nico sang in
the group for a short period-- but the original line-up began to split
up. The group, at its best, made only four original albums: "The Velvet
Underground & Nico" (1967), "White Light/White Heat" (1968), "The
Velvet Underground" (1969), and "Loaded" (1970). They stand today as
milestones in the history of rock.
In 1970, Lou Reed began his solo career. His second album,
"Transformer" (1972), was produced by
David Bowie and
Mick Ronson, long-time admirers of the
Velvets. That year, he had his first--and still only--top 20 song,
"Walk on the Wild Side." Through the 1970s, he made a prolific number
of albums with "Berlin" (1973), "Rock 'n' Roll Animal" (1974), and
"Street Hassle" (1978) as the artistic highlights of this period. On
St. Valentine's Day 1980, Lou Reed married Sylvia Morales, and that was
another turning point in his career. The following album, "The Blue
Mask" (1982), stands as one of his best and most composed. In 1989, he
made "New York"--a love letter to his city with its good and bad, and
with a heavy criticism of American thought.
In the 1990s, he continued to be one of the most sharp-tongued rock
'n' roll poets of his time. In 1990, he once again
collaborated with ex-Velvet-partner John Cale.
Their album, "Songs for Drella," was a very personal tribute to friend
and artist Andy Warhol, who had recently
died. In 1993,
The Velvet Underground was
re-formed with its original line-up, and toured in Europe in 1993. In
1997, Lou Reed, along with former Velvet band mates John Cale,
Maureen Tucker, and the late
Sterling Morrison were
inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.
Lou Reed stood as one of the most important songwriters of our time and
has served as inspiration to a multitude of artists such as
David Bowie,
Nick Cave,
Sonic Youth,
Nine Inch Nails, U2,
David Byrne and
Patti Smith.
The Velvet Underground with Welsh
multi-instrumentalist John Cale, second
guitarist Sterling Morrison,
and drummer Maureen Tucker in New York in
1965. The group soon became a part of
Andy Warhol's Factory scene, which housed a
great number of the most freaked and experimental artists at the time.
The German singer and actress Nico sang in
the group for a short period-- but the original line-up began to split
up. The group, at its best, made only four original albums: "The Velvet
Underground & Nico" (1967), "White Light/White Heat" (1968), "The
Velvet Underground" (1969), and "Loaded" (1970). They stand today as
milestones in the history of rock.
In 1970, Lou Reed began his solo career. His second album,
"Transformer" (1972), was produced by
David Bowie and
Mick Ronson, long-time admirers of the
Velvets. That year, he had his first--and still only--top 20 song,
"Walk on the Wild Side." Through the 1970s, he made a prolific number
of albums with "Berlin" (1973), "Rock 'n' Roll Animal" (1974), and
"Street Hassle" (1978) as the artistic highlights of this period. On
St. Valentine's Day 1980, Lou Reed married Sylvia Morales, and that was
another turning point in his career. The following album, "The Blue
Mask" (1982), stands as one of his best and most composed. In 1989, he
made "New York"--a love letter to his city with its good and bad, and
with a heavy criticism of American thought.
In the 1990s, he continued to be one of the most sharp-tongued rock
'n' roll poets of his time. In 1990, he once again
collaborated with ex-Velvet-partner John Cale.
Their album, "Songs for Drella," was a very personal tribute to friend
and artist Andy Warhol, who had recently
died. In 1993,
The Velvet Underground was
re-formed with its original line-up, and toured in Europe in 1993. In
1997, Lou Reed, along with former Velvet band mates John Cale,
Maureen Tucker, and the late
Sterling Morrison were
inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio.
Lou Reed stood as one of the most important songwriters of our time and
has served as inspiration to a multitude of artists such as
David Bowie,
Nick Cave,
Sonic Youth,
Nine Inch Nails, U2,
David Byrne and
Patti Smith.