RIP - Lou Reed

    Rocker Lou Reed passed away today, at the all-too-young age of 71.  He had a liver transplant earlier this year, and apparently he died of liver failure.

    My first musical acquaintance with him was the Velvet Underground albums The Velvet Underground and Nico, and White Heat/White Light.  Frankly, I liked a couple tracks off of both albums, but overall thought VU was too much noise, not enough music.  I could not have told you the names of any of the band members.

    A few years later, while driving to or from work, KDKB played a song called Walk On The Wild Side, and I was smitten by it.  I simply had to buy the album.  The DJ said it was a new release by what-sounded-like some group called "Blue Reed".

    So off to the record store I went.  I looked in the "B's", but couldn't find anything by Blue Reed.  But if KDKB was playing it, the store would have it.  So I went up to the kid at the cash register.

    "I'd like to buy the new album by Blue Reed."
    "Who?"
    "Blue Reed."
    "Never heard of them."
    "Don't be daft.  KDKB is playing them."
    "Umm.  Might you be thinking of Lou Reed?"
    (Uncomfortable silence as I'm being given "the look" by the kid.
    "Erm.  Maybe."

     And damned if the album didn't have the song I wanted.

    RIP, Lou Reed.  Singer, songwriter, guitarist, and trailblazer for punk rock.  Mainstream radio never appreciated you, and perhaps that's just as well.  Your appeal was to those who like their music raw, biting, uncompromising, and seedy.  You will be missed.