Lou Reed really is amazing

[mitchum]

Many people know that he had RCA release the "unlistenable" "Metal Machine Music", but just a couple of years later Arista released "Take No Prisoners" which was a 2 record live set where Lou played the hits, but turned them into long rants where he brilliantly bitched about whatever he felt like bitching about.
He had 2 major record labels released records with no commercial potential. At all.
that kind of accomplishment...along with his genius songwriting and pioneering work with the Velvets gives the man the license to be the arrogant prick that he is today.

[speedoo]

1. Yes, I am appreciating him much more.

Now that I am getting into his music seriously.

[mitchum]

4. He once said, "My bullshit is worth other people's diamonds"...

and try as I might, I find it hard to argue with that

[swag]

7. "My week beats your year" was a line from his liner notes to

"Metal Machine Music," if I'm not mistaken.

[enigmatic]

2. "Take No Prisoners" is the funniest stand-up comedy record ever made

And i mean that in a good way; Lou was on a roll, wasn't he? Worth it for the hilarious version of "Walk On The Wild Side" alone..

[mitchum]

3. "Little Joe...Little Joe was a fucking idiot, man..."

It actually has been a few years since I pulled out TNP, but those routines are indelibly stamped on my brain

[swag]

5. "Take No Prisoners" is so much fun.

A companion piece rant against Christgau to Sonic Youth's "Kill Yr. Idols."

And like "Street Hassle," recorded in binaural, so wear those headphones!

I remember the Rolling Stone "Random Notes" item about Lou Reed suspending styrophome mannequin heads in clubs containing microphones for binaural recordings in each mannequin ear.

[enigmatic]

8. Christgau is such a King Asshole

I'd love to strangle that guy; he's the Rex Reed of Music Journalists..

[mitchum]

16. Don't be mean to the Dean!

He really is a ludicrous ass.
Although he has moved me with some of his writing, that's not enough to give him a pass

[enigmatic]

17. I was always a Lester Bangs guy

The wars Lester had w/ Lou in CREEM in the 70's were the most hilarious stuff I've ever read. Broke my heart when he died a few years after Peter Laughner..

[mitchum]

18. I was a Lester Bangs guy also...

I think his three wounded lover-like interviews/pleadings/recriminations with Reed truly make a work of art. They are hilarious, but also frightening, penetrating, and heartbreaking. They reveal the beauty and danger of life lived for art.

[enigmatic]

19. Yep

Lester lived what he wrote, and that's something I could never say about Christgau, even when he was right.

[enigmatic]

9. whoops

dupe; that was weird..

[mitchum]

13. binaural virus

[enigmatic]

14. HA!

;-)

[mitchum]

10. Oh man, I was such a teenagefreak at the time...

I put a couple of tape recorder mics into one of my mom's styrofoam wig heads in order to "record just like Lou!"

[swag]

11. I hope you still have the recordings.

If you do, please share.

[mitchum]

15. Unfortunately, those have yet to turn up in the folks attic...

but I keep hoping. There's just hours of that stuff. A teenager with the finest Mexican dirtweed, one legitimate tape recorder, a stolen tape recorder and audio generator, and a guitar that I couldn't play. Glorious wretchedness.

[swag]

6. double-click dupe

A companion piece rant against Christgau to Sonic Youth's "Kill Yr. Idols."

And like "Street Hassle," recorded in binaural, so wear those headphones!

I remember the Rolling Stone "Random Notes" item about Lou Reed suspending styrophome mannequin heads in clubs containing microphones for binaural recordings in each mannequin ear.

[mitchum]

12. binaural virus

[Jamastiene]

20. I wouldn't call him an arrogant prick at all.

He's a master lyricist. Viva Lou Reed.

[mitchum]

22. But he is both....

and the arrogangce is well-earned
one of the things that I find fascinating about him is his seeming unease with other human beings combined with his ability to articulate the tender fears and hopes of the human heart. He has certainly mellowed with age, but I find it interesting that he is now immersed in two systems that have rather rigid standards: 12 steps and martial arts. I think that he finds comfort in that which sets guidelines for how humans interact with one another.

He is the master lyricist. Better than anyone from the rock era.

[madrchsod]

21. check youtube for a live show in france

sometime in the 60`s...it`s really really good.

if i would have bought a certain copy first album and never opened it i`d be on vacation in Hawaii

[mitchum]

23. Or you can do like I did...

find an unopened copy of that certain album in a little beach music store in 78

sit around with friends really high in 82 and decide it would be crazy fun to take off the shrinkwrap, peel off the banana, and attempt to smoke it in 82

have Maureen Tucker ask "Do you know how much this would be worth if it still had the sticker?" in 92