Posts Tagged Lou Reed
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April 29, 2022 by Simon Sweetman
Short Story: My Mum
This teacher in high school told us all to write out the lyrics to our favourite song and bring a tape or CD into class to play the tune. We’d read the lyrics out and play the song to the class – talk about why we choose it – what it was about. She played […]Archive
February 22, 2022 by Simon Sweetman
Finding Delmore: Only In Dreams
Delmore Schwartz was an American poet, short story writer and scholar. His most famous story is In Dreams Begin Responsibilities. It was first published in 1937 and became the title for Schwartz’ first book. That was published a year later, he was 25. The story has been widely anthologised and is a classic piece of […]Archive
February 16, 2022 by Simon Sweetman
Clint Mansell’s Music For Film Cuts Right To My Heart
Clint Mansell’s made some of the best music I’ve ever heard. Some of the greatest film cues and scores. And he was in the band Pop Will Eat Itself. I first really got to know his work when I watched Requiem For A Dream, a film that stays with me still. Its music, scored by […]Archive
November 26, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
Magic and Loss: The Song
Songs For Drella is a masterpiece. It seems even more poignant now – no chance of another collaboration between Lou Reed and John Cale. And it’s an uncomfortable listen in places – tense and moody –and so stripped back. That’s why it works. Reed must have been on a roll, because he had just made New York and then […]Archive
October 2, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
What’s The Saddest Song You Love?
I’m looking for suggestions for songs that actually make you sad, examples of songs you love, but find rather heart-breaking, almost too hard to hear, but you’re drawn to them. They are, in fact, songs by artists you like. I’m not looking for jokes about the song that makes you saddest being something by Manic […]Archive
May 25, 2021 by Simon Sweetman
Shit That’s Good! Crap Albums I Love # 46 – Lou Reed “Metal Machine Music”
Lou Reed, Metal Machine Music, 1975 It’s probably cool now – in fact I know that it’s regarded as pioneering, it’s also been performed (in tribute) by large ensembles. There’s an official orchestra version. But that was never Lou Reed’s plan. And the album Metal Machine Music still exists as shorthand for Belligerent Artist Does […]Archive
September 9, 2020 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 59
Lou Reed, Romeo Had Juliette [Single] (1989) The first song on Lou Reed’s great New York album. What a lyrical tour-de-force. I was listening to it just recently, I Googled the lyrics. I marvelled. I always have. I’m sure I always will. Caught between the twisted stars the plotted lines the faulty map that brought […]Archive
September 5, 2020 by Simon Sweetman
RNZ Reviews: September 2020
Once a month or so I have a chat on RNZ on their Afternoons show with Jesse Mulligan. These things start – randomly and stop in much the same way. I hope to keep doing this. For a while at least. I think I started in December of 2015, so now four years into it or so… For […]Archive
September 4, 2020 by Simon Sweetman
Better Off Read Podcast: Episode 78 – Sound Series 6; Carl Shuker and Simon Sweetman
One of my favourite podcasts to check in on is Pip Adam’s Better Off Read. I was a guest on it way back in 2016, episode 29. Pip returned the favour and was on my podcast a while back. The Better Off Read podcast has continued across the last few years. But recently Pip has started a “Sound […]Archive
August 12, 2020 by Simon Sweetman
Lou Reed: Audio Violence ’89 (The Legendary Boston Broadcast)
Lou Reed Audio Violence ’89 (The Legendary Boston Broadcast) Smokin’ Badger Lou Reed found his mojo again – big time! – with his gritty, sublime New York album (a novel or movie in the form of a record). We’ll soon get to hear the expanded edition, b-sides, extras – and at the time of release […]Archive
August 10, 2020 by Simon Sweetman