Lou Reed

Lou Reed
Lou Reed
	Lou Reed performing in 2011
Background information
Birth name	Lewis Allan Reed
Born	March 2, 1942; Brooklyn, New York City, United States
Died	October 27, 2013 (aged 71); Southampton, Long Island, New York, United States
Genres	Rock, experimental rock, art rock, protopunk, noise, drone, psychedelic rock, folk rock, glam rock, blue-eyed soul, spoken word
Occupation(s)	Musician, singer-songwriter, producer, photographer
Instruments	Vocals, guitar, ostrich guitar, bass, synthesizer, keyboards, piano, harmonica, drums, percussion
Years active	1964–2013
Labels	Matador, MGM, RCA, Sire, Reprise, Warner Bros.
Associated acts	The Velvet Underground, John Cale, Nico, David Bowie, The Killers, Mick Ronson, Gorillaz, Laurie Anderson, Peter Gabriel, Metallica, Metric
Website	www.loureed.com

Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed (March 2, 1942 – October 27, 2013)^[1] was an American rock musician. He was originally from Long Island, New York and spent most of his life in New York City. He is remembered for being in the Velvet Underground, although he also released solo work. He was friends with artist Andy Warhol.

Early life

Lewis Allan Reed was born on March 2, 1942 in Brooklyn, New York City.^[2] He studied at Syracuse University. Reed was raised Jewish.^[3]

Career

Reed began his career in 1964. He is perhaps most famous for his songs "Walk on the Wild Side" (about transgender woman Candy Darling and other such people Reed had known), "Perfect Day" (which was covered by many other artists, including Duran Duran and a version used by the BBC) and "Heroin" (an "love song" about the drug. Reed's 1989 album New York drew attention and praise, for its matter-of-fact look at the condition of New York City in the late 1980s.

At the height of his popularity as a solo artist, Reed released one of the least "commercial" recordings ever; his 1975 experimental album Metal Machine Music. It was an hour of electric guitar feedback, and not what many people thought was music. The album did not hurt his career in the long run, and it reminded people that Reed was a unique musician.

Because of his song about heroin, Reed was believed to have been addicted to the drug, but this was not the case. He was a longtime user of amphetamines, marijuana and tobacco, but gradually stopped using any drugs. He began exercising more, and enjoyed Tai Chi.

In May 2000, Reed performed before Pope John Paul II at the Great Jubilee Concert in Rome.

Reed was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with The Velvet Underground in 1996 and as a solo artist in 2015.

Personal life

Reed was bisexual. He was married to Betty Reed from 1973 until they divorced in 1978. Then he was married to Sylvia Morales from 1980 until they divorced in 1994. Then he was married to Laurie Anderson, the performance artist and musician, from 2008 until his death in 2013. Reed had no children.

Death

In April 2013, Reed had a liver transplant. He died from a liver disease on October 27, 2013 in his home in Long Island, New York.^[4] He was 71 years old.^[5]

Tributes were paid to Reed on Twitter, including those from Miley Cyrus, Salman Rushdie, Samuel L. Jackson, Lenny Kravitz,^[6] Ricky Gervais, Ryan Adams, Elijah Wood, and many others.^[6]^[7] John Cale, his Velvet Underground bandmate, posted on his Facebook: "The world has lost a fine songwriter and poet…I've lost my 'school-yard buddy'".^[8]

Lou Reed Media

Reed as a high school senior, 1959
Photo of the Velvet Underground by en:Billy Name, 1968
Photo of Lou Reed.
Reed performing onstage with guitarist Chuck Hammer, June 1979, The Bottom Line, New York City
Reed performing live during a benefit concert for A Conspiracy of Hope at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, 1986
Reed performing in Málaga, Spain, 2008
Reed performing at theHop Farm Festival in Paddock Wood, Kent, 2011