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| Lou Reed - Getty Images |
Rock and Roll legend Lou Reed died yesterday from complications stemming from a liver transplant that was performed last May. I can't say I was a huge Lou Reed fan. I remember having a copy of the first Velvet Underground album when I was a kid. I remember nothing about the album itself which is kind of sacrilege to scores of Reed fans.
And I remember through the years hearing through the grapevine and in various print media that Reed was something of an arrogant jerk - a pridefully arrogant jerk who was a complete music original and immensely influential in a subversive kind of way. And Lou Reed was totally cool without even trying.
What I do remember about Lou Reed's music (outside of his one hit record, the eclectic Walk on the Wild Side) was there were never two better tracks on a live album (Rock N' Roll Animal) than the Intro - Sweet Jane track followed shortly by Rock N' Roll . Soaring guitars and way cool vocals led to about 18 minutes of classic rock, forever memorable. Play these two cuts back to back and you have heard the essence of gut sucking rock music.
It's not true of course but Lou Reed uttering the offhanded refrain "her life was saved by rock n' roll" is something that strikes my brain out of the blue at least once a week. So long Lou.
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