Posts Tagged Lou Reed
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August 21, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
Ezra Furman: Lou Reed’s Transformer (33 1/3)
Lou Reed’s Transformer (33 1/3) Ezra Furman Bloomsbury Academic The death of the album – so greatly exaggerated. And the 33 1/3 series of books in tribute to classic albums (old and new) continues to trot out the titles. Here, musician Ezra Furman looks at Lou Reed’s Transformer album in this volume of the same […]Archive
June 5, 2018 by Simon Sweetman
The Vinyl Countdown # 402
The Velvet Underground, VU (1985) I know I’m not alone in thinking that this is the best Velvet Underground album – and yes I know it’s a compilation; posthumous even – one that was responsible for one of the first waves of re-appreciation, or even appreciation. But I bought this pre-internet, when, as a Lou […]Archive
November 23, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Music on Mastermind: What Would Your Mastermind Specialist Topic Be?
“I’ve started…so I’ll finish…” I was an avid fan of Mastermind. Couldn’t get into the re-boot. As a kid I watched it – obsessed. Even the topics/questions I didn’t really understand. I certainly ‘got’ that people were smart, passionate, engaged, a bit mouth-breathy at times…but it was just inspiring watching these nerds dribble out the […]Archive
October 30, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Shilpa Ray: Door Girl
Shilpa Ray Door Girl Northern Spy Records “You know where the heart went? The heart went/On makin’ the rent!” Shilpa Ray passionately sings, early on, on Door Girl, the second full lengther from the band Shilpa Ray, a vehicle for its singer/songwriter also named Shilpa Ray. Where previously, some Nico-esque harmonium was draped over the […]Archive
July 17, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Remembering Lou Reed’s New York Album
Writing about Lou Reed’s New York album in 2017 brings with it painful reminders that the album was released over 28 years ago (January 1989) and the last studio album to feature Lou Reed was his collaboration, last year, with Metallica for the extended practical-joke they called Lulu. New York was, in many ways, my real introduction to Lou Reed. I grew up listening […]Archive
May 4, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Write On: Aiming To Keep Going
I can remember the very first thing that made me want to write about music, the very first experience. It was a school assignment. Sixth Form Journalism – and we’d get these weekend assignments. One time we’d have to do a lifestyle feature on a living grandparent, or interview a pet or whatever. A mate […]Archive
March 21, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
What Value Do You Place On Recorded Music?
It was a couple of years ago, but I remember being in the local record store when a customer was inquiring about Miles Davis’ Bitches Brew. He wanted to know if it was available on vinyl and was shown a sealed copy of the latest reissue; a double LP. The price? $59.99. The customer – […]Archive
February 11, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
The Velvet Underground’s Loaded: Loaded/Fully Loaded, 45 Years On And Still Going…
Those four studio albums by The Velvet Underground all made a huge impact on me. But the sentimental favourite is Loaded – it was the very first CD I purchased. I was a tape buyer, right through until the early-1990s, I wasn’t going to give up that tape collection…I had a tape-deck in my car […]Archive
January 30, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
Lou Reed’s Mistrial: The Starting Point
Sometimes it’s the first album you hear by an artist – it has you hooked. It might not be that artist’s best album, you might not even know that at the time (and brilliantly, you won’t care) but it will become the one you know best, refer to, remember fondly. It’s your starting point… My […]Archive
January 8, 2017 by Simon Sweetman
The Albums With Sad Songs ‘Say So Much’: What Are Your Favourite “Sad” Albums?
Last night was the night. I played Neil Young’s Tonight’s The Night album. A brand new, sealed vinyl. Ripped it open. Sat next to the turntable as it played; watching the slight wiggle as the platter rotated. That wobble beneath the surety of the needle. Neil told his stories, eulogising Bruce Berry, the working man, […]Archive
October 23, 2016 by Simon Sweetman