There’s apocryphal of wry that the Velvet Underground’s first album only sold a few thousand copies but almost everyone who bought one formed a band. It may as well be true. There is a very short list, in truth, of iconic innovators in modern popular music and, though rarely popular himself, Lou Reed was certainly one of them. Sadly, we have reached a time where most of the trailblazers who made it past 27, or 40, will be leaving us before this decade is out.
Lou Reed has whole albums dedicated to confronting mortality which will be worth revisiting, but not today. Here’s song by Graham Nash that I find comforting at times like this.
Gene adds: Juan Hunoz links below to Reed’s 1989 song “Good Evening Mr. Waldheim,” in which he expressed his low tolerance for antisemitism, unapologetic former Nazis and those who honor them.
