Posts Tagged “I Hate Music”
Coming on the heels of the artistic statement of New York, the follow-up collaboration with John Cale and events in his personal life, Magic And Loss captures Lou Reed at a point in his life where there are equal parts, well, magic and loss. His second marriage ended, he had explored themes surrounding the death…
“What is something you are suited to?” “Getting out of here!” The opening number in Songs For Drella sets up the origins of Andy Warhol, the subject of the first collaboration between former Velvet Underground bandmates Lou Reed and John Cale in two decades. Encouraged and inspired by the death of Andy Warhol in 1987,…
This is probably my favorite Lou Reed album. I remember when it came out, and I was already a little familiar with his work, having a cassette of his “hits” and hearing his music on the radio – I was not really listening to commercial radio at the time. What I remember about New York’s…
Lou Reed seems a bit upset in the opening and title track for his 1986 album Mistrial. It almost seems a reaction to the mediocre reception his albums have been getting. he has his two guitars, bass and drums formula down at this point and in the opening number his anger and frustration comes through…
Did you know the annual Folklife Festival has a “cultural focus” each year? In 2014 the focus was India, 2006 Arab communities, and 2004 the Horn of Africa. Each year apparently has a different focus be it regional or cultural, and this year will be no different. Northwest Folklife, the organization behind the Northwest Folklife…
Opening with “I Love You Suzanne” the album New Sansations is one of Lou Reed’s more underrated offerings. A very upbeat number sets the tone for what is probably one of the most uncharacteristic albums in Lou Reed’s catalog. “I Love You Suzanne” is one of my favorite Lou Reed songs because it is so…
Just a few shots this time around, but I promise they are worth it. First up we have Xavier in one of the last soccer games of the season. He did really well and has some natural athletic ability. Not sure where that comes from. Here is Déla and the man behind the song we…
There are a lot of shorter songs on Legendary Hearts. Of the eleven songs, only one clocks in at over 6 minutes, with four under 3 minutes and six between 3 and 4 minutes in length. Did returning to his previous record label do something to Lou Reed? His previous album, as well as this…
The Blue Mask was released in 1982, and opens with “My House” a typical Lou Reed story song told in the first person. It is difficult to tell just how autobiographical this song is, but by name checking his then-wife Sylvia, one suspects the lyrics were indeed inspired by some real-life event. She is named…
Musically this album starts out… upbeat? What is this? Growing Up In Public was Lou Reed’s album written, recorded and released at the dawn of the Reagan era. 1980 saw a cultural shift, and Lou Reed was shifting as well. The opening number “How Do You Speak To An Angel?” is about the uncertainty of…