However, nothing was easy for the musician, who since he was a child had to deal with overly corrective parents. First there were behavioral problems and lack of attention. Then, on the recommendation of his psychiatrists, his parents subjected him to electroshock sessions to try to “cure” his homosexual inclinations. There were three sessions a week for two months, which caused distant memory loss.
“I couldn’t have been more unhappy in the years I grew up in Brooklyn. Most of my childhood memories are unavailable. My childhood was so unpleasant that I don’t remember anything before I was 31”, he explained for his biography. His condition, already serious, would worsen with his drug addiction.
The Banana Disco, a turning point in rock
Music was the best door that Reed could open, who after a search that lasted years ended up forming The Velvet Undergrounda group that served as a spearhead for the experimentation within rock. In addition to the guitarist and singer, there was the multi-instrumentalist John Calethe inexperienced drummer Maureen Tucker and Sterling Morrisonanother with guitar.
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With the help of the plastic artist Andy Warhola faithful follower of the band, the Velvets set out to record their first album. For this, Warhol proposed (rather imposed) Nicoa mysterious singer born in Germany. Thus the band was called The Velvet Undreground & Nico for a brief time. It was recorded in 1966, while the band was participating in Warhol’s Exploding Plastic Inevitable, experimental films accompanied by different artistic movements.
Thus was born the acclaimed Banana Discby the original cover art made by Warhol himselfwho also wanted to take credit for the production of the project, which was actually in charge of Tom Wilson. Now, this album with the same name was released in 1967amid a growing wave of psychedelic rock led by The Beatles, Jimmy Hendrix and The Doors, among others. So, Why did it become so transcendental?
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As Brian Eno said in an interview, Although the Banana Album in its first five years sold only 30,000 copies, each of those 30,000 buyers started a band. Even the album was not as popular the first few years after its release, but it aged like a good wine.
And this was thanks, in part, to the genuine and street songs, all by Reed. And the production, although rustic and homemade, created a special atmosphere for the artist’s powerful guitars and lyrics. There was a share of ingenuity and another of daring, loud and dissonant sounds. One may even notice some discomfort listening to it. On the other hand, Nico sang three of the eleven songs that make up the album: “Femme Fatale”, “All Tomorrow’s Parties” and “I’ll Be Your Mirror”.
At the same time, it is worth highlighting the immense work of Cale, who was in charge of putting together the sound structure of the albumwith extravagant sounds, always on the edge of what was not usually practiced at that time.
The group did not shy away from talking about any topic on the album. You can see themes ranging from the purchase of drugs (“I’m Waiting For The Man”) to its consumption (“Heroin”), to sexual topics such as prostitution and perversion in “There She Goes Again” and “Venus in Furs”.
It’s practically an album marginalwhich at the time clearly went unnoticed for being so out of line with the flow. However, currently it is a essential project for any music lover.
Hits, shake and music’s toughest personality differences
Lou Reed was not only known for his genius when it came to composing music, but also for his tough personality. AND I wrote how I lived: there were drugs, dealers, transvestites, orgies and death. Furthermore, I was completely influenced by the Flower Power times.
Obviously a strong character, his coexistence with Warhol was never excellent. There was always discussionsespecially regarding the collection of royalties for the Banana Record. The plastic artist’s claim was never heard, and the difference proved eternal. Still, at the end of the day, they both remembered each other fondly and even with regret. Warhol had not invited him to his wedding, while Reed never paid him anything for his contribution to The Velvet Underground.. However, when his friend died, the guitarist He got back together with John Cale and together they created Songs for Drellaa beautiful album in tribute.
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After a short-lived return of the Velvets, Reed embarked on a new path as a soloist. came to throw 20 discsamong which some stand out. A clear example was transformerhis 1982 project that has Walk On The Wild Sideone of his hits and anthem for the homosexual community. Furthermore, it was produced by David Bowie. However, when everything seemed like he would become a superstar, he quickly turned to a more side. undergroundwith dark and heavy albums like Berlin and Metal Machine Music. Regarding the latter he expressed: “No one I know managed to listen to the entire album. Not even myself.”
To no one’s surprise there was also a fight with Bowie. In 1979, The White Duke played at London’s Hammersmith and then he went out with Reed, who offered him to try something similar to what had been transformer. Bowie agreed, having already had too many drinks. Once sober, the next morning, He agreed to do it with the only condition that Reed stops using drugs and alcohol, something that the ex-Velvet did not like at all.. A heated argument began which ended with Bowie yelling at him and encouraging him to fight to make things right. They almost beat each other to deathalthough they were separated just in time. In the end Bowie did not produce any album.
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Unlike Anthony DeCurtisone of his most prominent rock biographers and journalists, Howard Sounes painted him as a wild, brutish and unpleasant character.. In Notes from The Velvet Underground highlights Reed’s sexuality, his addictions, racist incidents and violent episodes of domestic violence towards his first wife.
Work, legacy and the end of Lou Reed
In 1992 he met Laurie Anderson, the avant garde artistwith whom he was in a relationship for 21 years and found tranquility and happiness. However, his health was completely deteriorated prior to his death at the age of 71. He suffered from hepatitis and diabetes. It is not known very well what Lou Reed left behind with his death in 2013.. It passed like an unstoppable storm, and marked generations with its unique style.
Lou Reed
Lou Reed
In music he was a reckless. In that state of indifference to the norm, he built his own framework, and He tried to compose to purge his own demons. Even so, today it sounds and sounds like something foreign to the world, a space that only worked for him.
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
