Lou Reed, dead at 71

The voice of a generation passed away October 27 in New York City.

Lou Reed, the iconic NYC songwriter and guitarist whose infuence greatly affected others who followed in rock music, passed away on Long Island. The cause of his death has not yet been released, but Reed underwent a liver transplant in May.

He leaves behind his wife, musician and perfromance artist Laurie Anderson (O Superman).

Lewis Allan "Lou" Reed was not ony a musician, but a accomplished songwriter, and a photographer too.

His band The Velvet Underground was estabished in 1965, and then he had a successful solo career, which has spanned several decades. Brooklyn born, Reed was married to Laurie Anderson after his marriage to Sylvia Morales ended in 1994. 

Reed was a great influence in the punk rock genre with his spare and evocative songs about femme fatales and heroin. Reed alwys pushed boundaries of musical genres and never played the part of a typical rock star.  

Punk poet, author and TV/ Radio personality Henry Rollins paid tribute to Reed during his KCRW radio show last night. It's well worth a listen if you loved Reed.

Lou Reed’s parents even has tried to “cure” his bisexuaity with electroshock therapy three times a week. This is documented in his song ‘Kill Your Sons’: “All your two-bit psychiatrists / Are giving you electroshock / They said they’d let you live at home with mom and dad / Instead of mental hospitals / But every time you tried to read a book / You couldn’t get to page seventeen / Cos you forgot where you were / So you couldn’t even read.”

Reed published a book of his lyrics, Between Thought and Expression, in 1991.

The Lou Reed songbook included:

Perfect Day 1972 Transformer

Walk on the Wild Side 1975 Lou Reed Live

Sweet Jane 1983 Live in Italy

I'm Waiting for the Man 1967 The Velvet Underground & Nico

Satellite of Love 1972 Transformer

Vicious 1972 Transformer

The Heroine 1982 The Blue Mask

Goodnight Ladies 1972 Transformer

Metal Machine Music, Part 1 1992 Metal Machine Music

Rock 'n' Roll 1974 Rock 'n' Roll Animal

Pale Blue Eyes

Street Hassle 1978 Street Hassle

This Magic Moment

Some Kind of Nature 2010 Plastic Beach

Coney Island Baby 1976 Coney Island Baby

The Gun 1982 The Blue Mask

Dirty Blvd. 1989 New York

Ride Sally Ride 1974 Sally Can't Dance

Berlin 1972 Lou Reed

Sad Song 1973 Berlin

Charley's Girl 1976 Coney Island Baby

Strawman 1989 New York

Romeo Had Juliette 1989 New York

I Love You Suzanne 1984 New Sensations

I’m So Free 1972 Transformer

Dirty Boulevard

Little Sister

Soul Man

September Song

Walk and Talk It 1972 Lou Reed

White Light/White Heat 1974 Rock 'n' Roll Animal

Forever Changed 1990 Songs for Drella