Louis Allen “Lou” Reed died at age 71 on Oct. 27, leaving behind very little clues to the cause of his death and a big legacy. Though the cause of his death has yet to be released, it’s known that the rock icon underwent a liver transplant in May.
Reed, Brooklyn-born in 1942, served as a guitarist, vocalist and principal songwriter for The Velvet Underground. He enjoyed rock & roll from a very early age, recorded a doo-wop type single as a teenager in the late ‘50s and immersed himself into the world of poetry and avant-garde jazz by the early ‘60s.
After graduating from Syracuse University, Reed became a staff songwriter for Pickwick Productions. Ironically, his own band floundered in the mainstream market during their time.
However, The Velvet Underground was uncompromising. Their sound was primitive, and their lyrics were sharp, resulting in scarcely any commercial success but leaving an enormous influence on punk rock music.
Most critics accredit The Velvet Underground as one of the most widely influential bands of an era, shaping nearly 50 years of rock music.
The developments of the indie, punk and alternative rock scenes may not have been possible without this band. The Velvet Underground served as inspiration for a new wave of music, due to how strikingly unique and lyrically unconventional they were. You can hear many different components of their music emulated in bands such as Sonic Youth and The Pixies. The magic in independent music, to me, is its bravery; The Velvet Underground ineffably catalyzed this.
There are two things in life I will never be able to forget: the night I witnessed someone drunkenly steal a baby Jesus lawn decoration at a New Year’s Eve party and the very first time I listened to the song “Sunday Morning.”
I was sitting at my desk doing homework when I caught myself in a daze as Reed’s voice floated over a celestial tenor. The quality of his singing was soft, eerie and wooden yet teeming with sincerity. It was unlike anything else I had ever heard before.
While the subjects of nihilism and sex could often be found floating at the shallow end of the band’s music, the beauty of their soundscapes goes much deeper than that. They introduced me to a world where marriage between pop and rock & roll is entirely legal. And they introduced me to a revolution in music that couldn’t be fully appreciated until years after it already ended.
Reed’s solo career lasted several decades after the era of the Underground. He had an incredible habit of reinventing himself over and over again, and he dared to lyrically dabble into sex, depression, homosexuality, drugs… As Reed once said, “I always believed that I have something important to say and I said it.”
His solo work produced many enduring hits such as “Perfect Day” and “Walk on the Wild Side.” It seemed that no matter which new direction Reed decided to take his music, he always managed to hit home in the end.
“My God is rock & roll,” Reed said, and he wasn’t alone. He inspired an entire cult of fans who pushed for a revolution in music just as religiously as he did. Perhaps the most mysterious thing about great artists is that they never truly die. Reed’s influence will always resound in the indie and alternative music made yesterday, today and tomorrow. Music fans won’t ever forget the brilliant man who left us all on a Sunday morning.
Jackie Braje can be reached at jacquelyn.braje@spartans.ut.edu