Lou Reed

Big Frank has returned to Lou Reed. His (Big Franks's not Lou's) blogging buddy, Magne, lent him some of his music. Why did Big Frank neglect this music. The last CD of Lou's that Big Frank bought was his tribute to Andy Warhol entitled - "Songs for Drella". Drella was what Lou called Warhol - it's a combination of Dracula and Cinderella: go figure (whatever that means). Lou Reed is a one-of-a-kind musician. His lyrics come right out of the common speech of everyday life ( Delmore Schwartz encouraged him to write that way in the Reed early years.) But beyond that his songs - especially the later ones have a power an empathetic power that touches the listener. He has a unique way of singing where it sounds as though he talking directly to you; and his raucous guitar was light years ahead of his time. So - here are a couple of clips. Listen especially to Forever Changed with his old buddy from the Velvet Underground: John Cale - very powerful song, with the hypnotically repetitive piano rhythm of Cale and the haunting driving guitar of Reed. Only two of them, but what a full sound they generate! The Berlin tune is a more wistful Lou - nice song.