With Lou Reed disappears a rock icon. His work, plunging its roots in the poetry and literature of the Beat Generation, asserts itself as the initiatory path of a dandy for whom rock n'roll is the equal of literature, painting and cinema. A protest aesthete, Lou Reed embodied the taboos of America through his texts and photographs.
In 1965, with John Cale, he founded The Velvet Undergroud. Both, joined by Sterling Morrison and Mo Tucker then by Nico will perform regularly at the Factory. In 1967, the band recorded the famous album with the cover representing a banana by Andy Warhol and on which appear "I’m Waiting for the Man", "Sunday Morning", "Heroin".
After the band’s separation in 1970, Lou Reed continued his solo career. In 1972, the album, "Transformer" produced by David Bowie, offers Lou Reed’s best-known titles: "Walk on the wild side" and "Perfect Day".
In 1989, Lou Reed pays tribute to his hometown with the album "New York" marked by style sung. The following year, he met John Cale for the album "Songs for Drella" dedicated to Andy Warhol.
He then published the albums "Magic and Loss" (1992) and "Set The Twilight Reeling" (1996) then in 2000 the hypnotic album "Ecstacy" and in 2003 "The Raven", reference to Edgar Allan Poe.
Lou Reed passed away today at the age of 71. His name and music are inextricably linked to the movement underground that linked rock to contemporary art. He was recently on the stage of Pleyel the guest of Anthony and the Johnson’s in the private domain of his wife Laurie Anderson.
At the forefront of rock, he leaves us an exceptional musical heritage that has definitely marked the history of music.