Lou Reed was an influential American rock singer-songwriter and guitarist. He first came to prominence as the guitarist and principal singer-songwriter of The Velvet Underground (1965-1973). The band gained little mainstream attention during their career, but in hindsight became one of the most influential of their era. As the Velvets’ principal songwriter, Reed wrote about subjects of personal experience that rarely had been examined in rock and roll, including bondage and S&M ("Venus in Furs"), transvestites ("Sister Ray" and "Candy Says"), drug culture ("Heroin" and "I'm Waiting for the Man"), and transsexuals undergoing surgery ("Lady Godiva's Operation"). As a guitarist, he was a pioneer in the use of distortion, high volume feedback, and nonstandard tunings.Reed began a long and eclectic solo career in 1971. He had a hit the following year with "Walk on the Wild Side", though for more than a decade Reed seemed to willfully evade the mainstream commercial success its chart status offered him. One of rock's most volatile personalities, Reed's work as a solo artist has frustrated critics wishing for a return of The Velvet Underground. The most notable example is 1975's infamous double LP of recorded feedback loops, Metal Machine Music, upon which Reed later commented, "no one is supposed to be able to do a thing like that and survive." By the late 1980s, however, Reed had won wide recognition as an elder statesman of rock.
"Sweet Jane," "Rock and Roll," "Femme Fatale," "Walk on the Wild Side," and "Satellite of Love" are among his best-known songs.
Spent some weeks in a mental hospital in his teens, at his parents insistence; his treatment included electroshock therapy and medication. Reed reflected on the experience later in songs, "Kill Your Sons" being one of them.
His guitar in the early days of The Velvet Underground included a built-in electronic tremolo. Reed sometimes turned this up, and tuned all the strings to D; the resulting sound he called Ostrich guitar.
Produced the album Metal Machine Music in response to RCA Records demands for a quick follow-up to his top-ten LP Sally Cant Dance. The hour-plus of electronic noise was almost buried as a classical release, but instead was promoted as a pop album. The resulting backlash nearly ruined the label and Reeds reputation; both later issued apologies, while the album remains a musical enigma.
Lived with Laurie Anderson beginning in 1995 prior to their marriage in 2008.
He was with the group The Velvet Underground until 1970; returned when they reformed in the 1990s.
Attended Syracuse University.
In 1958 a 14 year-old Reed was part of a doo-wop band called The Shades and recorded a single, "So Blue" b/w "Leave Her For Me". Alan Freed played the single on his show; Reed commented later "I got royalties of 78 cents.".
Winner of the 2005 Ivor Novello Special International Award.
Resides in New York City.
In early May 2013, Reed underwent liver transplant surgery.
Influenced a large list of artists such as David Bowie , Tom Waits , Nick Cave , Ian Hunter , R.E.M. , Talking Heads , Sonic Youth , The Strokes and Julian Thome.
When he was age 11 his family moved to Freeport, NY.
I think everybody has a number of personalities, just in themselves.
The myriad choices of his fateSet themselves out upon a plateFor him to chooseWhat had he to lose,Just a perfect day, problems all left alone.
They listen to the music of idiots and amuse themselves with the sordid miseries of their businesses. They are not the things of angels or of any higher outpost that humanity might aspire to. Your loathsome vomitous businessman king is of the lowest order, his advisors crumbling mockeries of education driven by avarice. My love, dress them in the suits of mockery, and in their advanced state of stupidity and senility, burn and destroy them, so their ashes might join the compost which they so much deserve.
I think life is far too short to concentrate on your past. I rather look into the future. .
