The velvet underground is an astonishing assembly of rare objects and artworks and the first book of its scale to document the formative years of the band time out magazine named the greatest new york musicians of all time. His music, at once a source of transcendent beauty and coruscating noise. The story behind the velvet undergrounds most iconic. Lou reed has a unique songwriting voice, and they had some kinkywarholsex overtonesbut thats, like, two boundaries imo. Notes from the velvet underground by howard sounes 378 pp. Beginning with his formative days in the velvet underground and continuing through his remarkable solo albums like transformer, berlin, and new york, doin the things we want to is crucial to an appreciation of lou reed, not only as a consummate underground musician, but as one of the truly significant visionary lyricists of the rock n roll era. He is best known as guitarist, vocalist, and principal songwriter of the velvet underground, and for his solo career, which has spanned several decades. Lou reeds new york, romanticism, emotion in action and. Lou reed is the guy who gave dignity and poetry and rock n roll to smack, speed. From his early work with the velvet underground, through his drug addiction, his marriages, even the saddening moments that his parents placed him in electroshock therapy to cure him of his aggressive gay persona. See for books about lou reed, andy warhol, and others by victor bockris. Lou reed turned against everyone who tried to help.
From neverbeforeseen photographs of the bands first live show in new york to andy warhols cover and poster designs, lou reeds handwritten music and. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Notes from the velvet underground from howard sounes is, like most biographies, both enlightening and maddening. If youve already read a couple of books about lou reed and have been a fan you are not. One of my big mistakes was turning richman on to alice bailey, thats where that insect song comes from. From the rise of the velvet underground in the 1960s to reeds touring with david.
Lewis allan reed march 2, 1942 october 27, 20 was an american musician, singer, songwriter and poet. If you want to learn more about lou reed, the velvet underground, or the artistic, cultural, and political scene of the 1960s when he rose to prominence, here are 10 great books to check out at your local branch. The velvet underground played two sets a night for several weeks that summer. Lou reed was an american musician best known for cofounding the velvet underground, and his fivedecade long career as a solo artist. Lewis allan lou reed born march 2, 1942 is an american rock musician, songwriter, and photographer. The occult book that inspired the velvet undergrounds. Velvet underground and lou reed story, based on interviews with lou reed. The band was initially active between 1965 and 1973, and was briefly managed by the pop artist andy warhol, serving as the house band at the factory and warhols exploding plastic inevitable events from 1966 to 1967. The band was initially active between 1965 and 1973, and was briefly managed by the pop artist andy warhol, serving as the house band at the factory and warhols exploding plastic inevitable. The velvet underground was an american rock band formed in 1964 in new york city by singerguitarist lou reed, multiinstrumentalist john cale, guitarist sterling morrison, and drummer angus maclise. As noted on the lyric sheet, finish line was reeds tribute to the velvet undergrounds guitarist sterling morrison, who had died the previous year.
The velvet underground story by victor bockris who also wrote the lou reed bio called transformer and gerard malanga, one of the major photographers of the warhol scene. Victor bockris shares this acclaimed biography of lou reed, going from decade to decade of reeds rollercoaster success, sharing the various terrains of reeds life in music. The dead straight guide to velvet underground includes. Velvet underground straddled art and rock, changing popular music forever, and sowing the seeds for punk, grunge and thousands of countercultural fourchord wonders. How lou reed, sterling morrison, john cale emerged from the new york scene, their successes and excesses and what happened to. This groundbreaking book analyzes and celebrates the willful intellect, fierce intelligence, and literary merits of lou reeds postvelvet underground music. The velvet underground and lou reed mike west rare 1982 uk. 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. Set the twilight reeling is the seventeenth solo studio album by american musician lou reed, released in february 1996 by warner bros. Excellent album by album similar to the later rough guide books retrospective of lou reed, both as a member of the velvet underground and his solo career up to the blue mask.
I had heard of lou reed, and the velvet underground before, but couldnt have picked him or the band out of a lineup. This startling to me, anyway quote from lou reed jumped off the page. Lou reed there is no time new york album by brian eno. The diva of american rock critics, lester bangs, has described the decline of reeds artistry thusly. Stream adfree with amazon music unlimited on mobile, desktop, and tablet. What goes on live in san francisco 1969 the velvet underground. Paperback the author is diana clapton, a follower of lou reed and similar artists from the 1970s. He is a cohost of new york shuffle on sirius xm, as well as the author of pass thru fire. Check out the new look and enjoy easier access to your favorite features. How andy warhol was fired by his own art project a look back at the tumultuous early days of a rock band who inspired thousands of others. As biographies go, especially of someone as volatile and private as lou reed, this volume succeeds far more than it fails. As lead singer and songwriter for the velvet underground and a renowned solo artist, lou reed invented alternative rock.
Howard sounes notes from the velvet underground is a beautifully considered book, with enough detail about the life and career of lou reed for the. We dont know when or if this item will be back in stock. That being said, i was a fan as a kid when some of the vinyl was out of print in the us and i actually found the 2nd and 3rd albums in europe on a family trip there, so that stuff has special place in my heart. Reeds interest in photography began in the 60s, and he honed the craft in his later years, publishing several volumes of photo books. The story behind the velvet underground s most iconic album cover one of lou reed s lasting legacies besides founding the velvet underground and introducing the world to the depths of feedback loops will forever be his impact on the way the world sees bananas. Between the lines by michael wrenn is a commentary on one of the most extraordinary of all rock n roll stories. The author, jeremy reed no relation, does a tremendous job on critique and format, in regards to illustrating lou reed.
Their debut album, the velvet underground & nico, was released in 1967 to critical. The critic and scholar donald lyons was shocked that i had never seen them. Fully illustrated with a good assortment of photographs. He was the rhythmlead guitarist, singer and principal songwriter for the rock band the velvet underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. Rare uk biography of the velvet underground and lou reed. Notes from the velvet underground, by howard sounes diversion books, 400 pp. The first, european son to delmore schwartz, is the final track on the velvet undergrounds.
I said, do you know, jonathan, that insects are a manifestation of negative ego thoughts. Reeds papers date from 1958 to 2015, and chronicle his career through audio and video recordings, office files, photographs, artwork, and press clippings. Lou reeds new york is the most affecting of these, showcasing reeds view of the city from which he siphoned his power. Lou reed at panathinaikos stadium in athens, 1996 reuters the life of lou reed. The velvet underground was not a commercial success during its existence, but. See itamazon also for gerard malanga books or go to. Everyone knows lou reed as the lead singersongwriter of the velvet underground but, for a brief stint of time in the 1970s, reed had quit music for good and vowed to never return instead, he stated, he would now only work as a poet. Lou reed, byname of lewis allan reed, born march 2, 1942, brooklyn, new york, u. The velvet underground and lou reed mike west rare 1982 uk babylon books. Fifty years after the concerts captured on the legendary album 1969. Find this book on abebooks, an amazon company, offers millions of new, used, and outofprint books. In a rare public appearance, lou reed and other members of the iconic band gathered to talk about warhol and why they never got respect. The dead straight guide to velvet underground and lou reed.
225 31 64 1126 15 1571 491 1504 1181 473 302 1123 1274 760 1053 43 734 1524 1126 1105 802 1169 32 594 828 1254 1084 488 404 1192 545 751 1463 1192