By JACK MACGREGOR

ASSISTANT AARTS & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

Listen to “Sweet Jane” and “Pale Blue Eyes” before the end of the week. (Photo courtesy of Wikimedia)

If you have ever enjoyed the often bittersweet sounds of The Strokes or sang along to one of your favorite Bowie tunes, you have, perhaps unknowingly, been enjoying music directly inspired by the rock and roll legend Lou Reed. Many did not know of Reed, nor of his most famous project, the American rock band The Velvet Underground, but his influence has been felt steadily throughout the entire rock world since the early 1960s. Sadly, Reed passed away this week in his Long Island home, leaving behind a (somewhat troubled) legacy that will continue to be debated and written about for years to come.

Reed was born in 1942 at the height of World War II in Brooklyn to a Jewish family (although Reed himself was later quoted as saying, “My God is rock’n’roll. It’s an obscure power that can change your life. The most important part of my religion is to play guitar.”) His youth was marked by his early interest in the rhythm and blues music of the day, which prompted him to learn guitar from the radio and eventually form several bands in high school, anchoring his sound in the sonic valley populated by R&B, early rock and doo-wop. Despite this solid musical foundation, Reed spent much of his time in college focusing more on creative writing, studying under noted scholars and poets of the day such as Delmore Schwartz, who he credited with showing him how “with the simplest language imaginable, and very short, you can accomplish the most astonishing heights.”

This fascination with the English language and its malleability would be especially prevalent in his later years as The Velvet Underground’s lyricist and front man, with songs like “Pale Blue Eyes” and “I’m Waiting for the Man.”

After spending the early 1960s writing music for Pickwick Records and achieving little commercial success due to his bohemian lyrics and attitudes, Reed finally found an equal in John Cale, a fellow musician with whom he would go on to form The Velvet Underground. While relatively unsuccessful in their early years, the group caught the attention of famed New York City artist Andy Warhol, who decided to turn the group into a project of sorts, incorporating elements of his own artistic world with Reed’s ideas. His assertion that the group collaborate with European singer Nico led to what is arguably VU’s most famous product, The Velvet Underground & Nico.

The group, though unsuccessful and turbulent at the time, made its mark on rock and roll history with their blissful yet melancholy sound, punctuated by both Reed’s and Nico’s lyrics and voice. They attempted to tell their story within the context of the similarly turbulent 1960s, a narrative marked by drug abuse, isolation, sheer beauty and inevitable loss. It was their unique presentation and the themes they touched on that still resonate today that have immortalized them as the original alt rock band.

In his later years, Reed experienced both highs and lows at the hands of critics, his own ego and his struggles with addiction. Nevertheless, his most permanent mark will remain the one he made as leader of “The Velvet Underground,” the man who inspired countless musicians to either form their own bands or augment their sound to mirror his own. He will be forever remembered as a truly dynamic force in music, who, much like his contemporaries and those who were inspired by him, was also deeply troubled. Reed had the ability to beautifully depict the inner turmoil that so many feel through his music. His life “was changed by Rock and Roll”, and he wanted others to feel that same catharsis, even if it did not necessarily come until years later. He will be sorely missed as one of the greatest, albeit most obscure, contributors to the rich history of music and culture in both the 20th and 21st centuries, as reflected by the outpouring of support from musicians, writers and all sorts of artist in the wake of his death. Long live Lou Reed.

Categories: Arts & Entertainment