R.I.P. Lou Reed

[Nikhil]

Rock pioneer Lou Reed dies at 71

Patrick Ryan and Jerry Shriver, USA TODAY 8:30 p.m. EDT October 27, 2013

Rock pioneer Lou Reed, who died Sunday at age 71, is renowned for his work with the Velvet Underground and his prolific solo career.
Lou Reed, posing for USA TODAY in 2003. Todd Plitt, USA TODAY Fullscreen

The founding member of the Velvet Underground had a liver transplant in May.

Best known for songs such as Sweet Jane, I'm Sticking With You, Sunday Morning and Pale Blue Eyes, the Velvet Underground was formed in New York by Reed and John Cale. The band released its landmark debut album The Velvet Underground & Nico in 1967, and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.

Reed left the Velvet Underground in 1970 and began a flourishing solo career that spawned such hits as Walk on the Wild Side, Perfect Day and Dirty Blvd. Reed took home one Grammy Award during his career of nearly five decades, for best long-form music video in 1999 for Lou Reed: Rock and Roll Heart.

 

[moktan]

For a moment I was a great fan of his dead-pan vocals and screechy guitars. Lisa Says, Venus in Furs, Sweet Jane, the chaotic and frenzied Heroin, the bizarre The Gift were great songs, kind of like grunge before grunge.
Reed song's always told stories mostly of sex, death and drugs.
The last I heard of Lou was an album called Songs For Drella, it had a song which began... Valerie Solanis took the elevator/ Got off at the fourth floor. Another Lou Reed song, another story.

 

[musicbee]

The Velvet Underground was great... have all of their albums. Not much of his solo work though.

 

[sdurani]

He's finally taking a Walk On The Wild Side. R.I.P Lou.

 

[Thad E Ginathom]

The songs that immediately come to my mind are the hard-hitting Heroin, and the gentle Pale Blue Eyes.

Thought of you as my mountain top,
Thought of you as my peak,
Thought of you as everything
I've had, but could not keep.
Linger on, Your pale blue eyes.

(from memory, may not be accurate)

Ah well, everything passes.