Lou Reed dies

Y'know it's weird but he never really resonated with me that much. Not sure why, because lots of my friends dug his stuff and he's seemingly influence just about every band on the planet.

I'm with you Ben, he was probably the most over-rated musician of his era. His biggest hit Walk on the Wild Side was famous for its bass line which was a double track of electric bass and stand up bass written and played by a guy who only ever got the session fee, while Reed pocketed the royalties for decades. Put that along side his promotion of heroin use and you have a guy who was probably about as likeable as his Metal Machine Music album!

the man was an absolute legend. end of story.

Met the guy who played bass in 'Walk on the Wildside' once!

Despite the legend status I agree Lou Reed was overrated. Velvet Underground were good, as was the album Transformer, and many years later, New York. But they're pretty sparse highlights from a forty-something-year career.

It seemed to me that Reed was once of those musicians people said were good by default and their work was somehow beyond judgement because of it. Sorta like how people say Pet Sounds by Beach Boys is an excellent album without understanding that it is completely and utterly appalling save for 'God Only Knows' and 'Wouldn't It Be Nice' (and on the British release, 'Good Vibrations'). All those damn sugary sweet Middle 8 breakdowns. Good lord Brian, what were you thinking!

So yeah, I can't get aboard the whole Lou Reed is a legend movement. Dug his against-the-grain personality, admired his chutzpah releasing Metal Machine Music, but just don't think he made that much good music.