The Velvet Forum

Does anybody else here like The VU but not Lou Reed's solo stuff?

Well, I like some of his stuff. But I don't go for blanket admiration of all of his output simply because he was in the V.U. Same with John and Moe, really.

Of Lou's albums I've got "Lou Reed" (if only as a VU appendix), "Transformer", "Metal Machine Music", "New York" and "Between Thought and Expression" to cover the 70s-80s gaps. Of his post-"New York" output I've got nothing and I don't think I'll change my mind anytime soon (although I saw a ? 3 second-hand copy of "Magic and Loss" I may well buy).

Of John's albums, I've got "Church of Anthrax", "Paris 1919", "Stainless Steel Gamelan" and "hoboSapiens".

And, of course, I've got "Songs for Drella".

Me. I've got about a dozen solo Lou albums, but except for Metal Machine Music which I love, I doubt I've listened to any of them in fifteen years.

I'm not saying they're bad, but for some reason they just don't plug into me the way my favorite music does.

The only Lou Reed song I've heard that I've liked is Romeo Had Juliet (beautiful) but then again the only two albums I've heard are Transformer and The Blue Mask.

The only post-Blue Mask albums I own are Live in Italy (it sucks) and Drella. Drella I find to be excellent, but I can't take the rest. A song here and there, but that's it.

As for the 70's, I like most of it. Yeah, I own MMM, but that's only for its collectibility. If I wanted to listen to avant-garde crap I'd go buy John Cage or some other pretentious twit who writes musical pieces that contain not a single note. Have you ever seen him conduct that piece live?! What a pretentious piece of s#!t.

Anyways, Rock 'N' Roll Animal, Street Hassle, Transformer, Take No Prisoners, and Berlin are my favorites.

That bein' said, Lou has had so many styles that you can hate one album and love the next one. Before passing judgement, Groovy, I'd listen to more than just two albums. I dont know what kind of music you like, but you are bound to find more than just Romeo & Juliet.

i agree totally. i only really listen to transformer and drella with any regularity. the first record is good too but damn if he ain't patchy!

Put me on the list with the others who just don't "click" with most of the post-VU stuff that Lou has done. And, to listen to him lately - his voice (never very good or strong) is just GONE!

I feel the same way about the Beatles. The parts weren't as good as the whole. I have a stray Lennon album or two, but nothing from the others.

I've got "Transformer", "Berlin", "Rock and Roll Animal", "Take No Prisoners", "Live in Italy" and "Raven". I like them but prefer VU.

And What's about "Rock And Roll Heart", Lous 1976 album.... You Wear It So Well, Claim To Fame, Vicious Circel, Temporary Thing?
It's a wonderful album, totaly different to his other releases. And the stage-perfomances of these songs are for me one of Lou's BEST.

The feeling in Lous voice when he's perfoming live is like milk and honey. In this periode he was also creating an new heavy pointed guitar sound I love so much.

Transformer and Berlin.... one word to loose: outstanding

And yes: forget the releases after "The Blue Mask"

Chris

I was a Lou fan before I was a Velvets fan; the one led me to the other.

I think people expect solo Lou to be an extension of the Velvet Underground, and that's silly. It's unrealistic that one person can provide the output of four (five, six, whatev) when they're on their own.