Im interested in writing a book, lou reed once said. In studios, on streets, onstage and backstage, micks lens captures the different sides of lou. When lou reed who is being inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame next year alongside joan jett, ringo starr and others died in october 20, there were the inevitable potboiler books attempting to sum up the man, his music and motivations. It opens with the teenage electroshock treatments that dominated his memories of childhood and never stops revealing layer after layer of this complex and often anguished artist and man. New biography alleges lou reed had a history of violence. He currently performs solo and tours with his band the visions. Like a first love, music discovered at a young age seems to embed itself deeper in the heart than those that follow. Lou reed led the revolution in rock music that would grow into such dif.
John, im only dancing, the jean genie, space oddity and life on mars. The songs on the album are now among reeds bestknown works, including walk on the wild side, perfect day and satellite of love, and the albums commercial success elevated him from cult status to become an international star. I bought this for the actual album, and didnt get disappointed. That lifetime is explored here, and its a masterpiece. As well as david bowie, he has photographed lou reed, queen, iggy pop, roxy music and blondie. Transformer gene, a family of genes that regulate sex determination in some insects transformer flying car, a darpa military project asus transformer, a series of hybrid tablet computers. From genesis publications, comes a new book, shortly completed before his death in october 20, that documents lou reeds long standing collaboration with english rock photographer, mick rock. And yet, it doesnt neatly fit into any of these descriptors.
David bowie has never been shy about acknowledging his influences, and since the boho decadence and sexual ambiguity of the velvet undergrounds music had a major impact on bowies work, it was only fitting that as ziggy stardust mania was reaching its peak, bowie would offer lou reed some much needed help with his career, which was stuck in neutral after his first solo album came and went. He was the rhythmlead guitarist, singer and principal songwriter for the rock band the velvet. Genesis publications signed art prints by lou reed and. An excellent, comprehensive look into one of rocks most interesting characters. Transformer book release party at varvatos nyc bowery store10420 video and music by dean holtermann. Produced by david bowie and mick ronson, the album was released in november 1972, on the label rca. David bowie gave lou reed a new lease of life when he helped to create the classic transformer album and was repaid with jealousy and loathing, according to howard sounes, author of notes from. A founding member of the legendary velvet underground, he was inducted into the rock and roll hall of fame in 1996. Released in the early 70s, lou reed had just left his former band, the velvet underground. Born in 1942, the only son and eldest child of a jewish middlecla. Lou reeds transformer was shocking when it appeared in the seventies.
Author of lou reed biography says he was a monster spin. Lou reed was one of the great figures of my formative years of discovering music. But the best thing about this book is that it introduced me to the rest of reeds work, and while i. Transformer is the second solo studio album by american recording artist lou reed. Lou reed transformer poster print album as books etsy. Legendary songwriter and guitarist lou reed passed. Lou reed transformer 1972, hollywood pressing, vinyl. Lewis allan reed march 2, 1942 october 27, 20 was an american musician, singer, songwriter and poet. From their limited edition book, transformer, lou reed and mick rock selected six rare and unseen images, all of which hold personal and historical significance, to create a series of signed and stamped fine art prints. A life is perfect for the velvets fan and the lover of reeds solo work and of course, for the person who appreciates both. Wed love you to buy this book, and hope you find this page convenient in locating a place of purchase.
A life is an absorbing read, full of new insights delivered masterfully by decurtis. Biographer sought to write the kind of book lou reed deserved it wasnt like i had to go looking for the drugs and the sex, anthony decurtis says. The lou reed story, by victor bockris victor bockris shares this acclaimed biography of lou reed, going from decade to decade of reed s rollercoaster success, sharing the various terrains of reed s life in music. He also produced and directed music videos for the classic bowie songs. From 1972s transformer onward, lou reed spent most of the 70s playing the druggy decadence card for all it was worth, with increasingly mixed results. For the welsh rugby player, see lou reed rugby player.
Lou reed has done as much to shape the course of rock and roll as any of the industry greats. In 1972, he published patti smiths first book of poems seventh heaven at telegraph books. Here are five things we learned, annotated by the author in a recent interview with pitchfork. Biographer sought to write the kind of book lou reed. Buried underneath the radiofriendly exterior lie coded confessions of the subversive. Hits like walk on the wild side and lesser known songs like make up can captivate anyone. Lou reed is the focus of a new biography from howard sounes titled notes from the velvet underground. Burroughs and andy warhol, presents a detailed portrait of former velvet underground frontman reed. But the book to wait for was always going to be this one by bockris, the poet of the new york underground. Lou reed archive at the new york public library for the. Mick rock was born in london in 1948 and is known as the man who shot the seventies. It stars master ren guang yi, lous longtime tai chi teacher, and. The complete lou reed story follows the great songwriter and singer through the series of transformations that define each period of his fifty year career.
As reed himself once put it, between thought and expression lies a lifetime. Especially while a member of the the velvet underground in the 1960s, reed broke new ground for the rock genre in several important dimensions, introducing more mature and intellectual themes to what was then considered a largely simplistic genre of music. This morning, on what would have been lou reeds seventyfifth birthday, laurie anderson, in an event at the new york public library for the. But on 1976s coney island baby, reeds songwriting began to move into warmer, more compassionate. Get a low price and free shipping on thousands of items. Produced by david bowie and arranged by mick ronson, the album. This is a print of lou reeds 1972 album transformer if it had been written as a series of gritty new york novels instead of recorded as a set of songs on an lp. Legendary songwriter and guitarist lou reed passed away on the 27th october 20, but his musical influence is assured. Get the guaranteed best price on rock vinyl lo like the lou reed transformer at musicians friend. News \ author of lou reed biography says he was a monster according to the book, the velvet underground frontman abused women and used racial slurs. Lou reeds archive, coming to the new york public library.
Vicious, andys chest, perfect day, hangin round, walk on the wild side, make up, satellite of love. Now, lou reed, rock icon, artist and poet, is collaborating with legendary photographer mick rock in one of the most visually exciting books genesis has ever. As with its predecessor lou reed, transformer contains songs reed composed while in the velvet underground here, four out of ten. Everybody knows walk on the wild side, but erotic anthems like andys chest and the surprisingly gentle a perfect day now have classic status too. Rhymes is a bilingual book english and french featuring more than 300 photos by lou reed. With transformer, lou reed got vu fan and influential glam rock artist david bowie and spiders from mars. Lou reed captured new yorks ambience in an unique melodic way. Stephan berwick, friend and tai chi brother of lou, has launched a kickstarter campaign to fund a featurelength version of final weapon final weapon was originally released in 2010 as a short film.
Ezra furman wrote a book about lou reeds transformer furman penned the latest 33 book series installment on the classic 1972 release. Transformer, a new book by lou reed and mick rock on vimeo. Transformer is the only complete and comprehensive telling of the lou reed story. The transformer series reveals lou the performer, the new yorker. It was a cheaplybound mimeoed affair, with a stippled caricature of lou shooting up on the flimsy cover. Ezra furman wrote a book about lou reeds transformer paste.
Transformer is one of reeds strongest and consistent solo albums, and contains the songs satellite of love, perfect day and walk on the wild side. Pedro lives out of the wilshire hotel he looks out a window without glass the walls are made of cardboard, newspapers on his feet his father beats him cause hes too tired to beg hes got 9. Being always a fan of lou reeds work on transformer 1972 and the first velvet underground album with nico, i had more than a mild interest from the beginning. The first part of the book is a compilation of interviews with lou reed taken from different sources talking about his career, with some bw photos. Switchedmode power supply or, in extralowvoltage lighting applications, electronic transformer. The lou reed archive documents the history of reeds life as a musician, composer, poet, writer, photographer, and taichi student through his own extensive papers, photographs, recordings and other materials. Lou reeds transformer i f these pages are anything to go by, 16 is an age when people are particularly susceptible to. Lou reed march 2, 1942 october 27, 20 was an american rock artist originally from brooklyn, new york, usa. On the bside i can clearly hear traces of digtally processing, especially on b2 maybe it is a relict of a early try of. Transformer, lou reeds most enduringly popular album, is described with varying labels.
He is the acclaimed biographer of muhammad ali, blondie, the velvet underground, keith richards, lou reed and is the author of with william burroughs. My favourite albums lou reed transformer colyton hard rock productions. For a book thats supposedly the definitive look at reed, transformer is interested more in lurid, damning tales. When i was about fourteen i found a copy of a lou reed lyrics book in my local book shop. The bonus tracks are interesting, but nothing too special.
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