Gay Hustler sa poleđine omota 'Transformera'
Lou Reed (1943- ) Američki rok muzičar
Rođen u New Yorku, Reedova muzika je postala sinonim za taj grad gde je on sa svojim bendom - Velvet Underground bitno uticao na stvaranje alternativnog muzičkog zvuka West Coast-a. Do vremena upoznavanja i saradnje sa Andy Warholom, Velvet Underground su napisali Venus in Furs, pesmu inspirisanu Sacher Masochovom istoimenom novelom, a Reed je bio počeo da piše pesme o transvetizmu, homoseksualnosti, biseksualizmu i drag kulturi, od kojih je jedan deo iz vremena Velvet Undergrounda, dok su druge snimljene na tri Reedova albuma sa početka njegove solo karijere: Transformer (1972), Berlin (1973) i Rock 'n' Roll Animal (1974). Dok se album Berlin sa njegovom Isherwoodskom kabaretskom atmosferom smatra njegovim najboljim ostvarenjem, po pesmi Take Walk on the Wild Side sa Transformera (kojeg je producirao David Bowie) Lou Reed se ipak najviše pamti. Pesma iako govori o transvestistima (stvarne ličnosti), puštala se na radiju u US i dospela je na top liste.
Reed je priznao da je eksperimentisao sa homosekualnošću i njegove koncertne turneje iz ranih sedamdesetih su poznate po intezivnom naslanjanju na gej kulturu i Glitter rock izvođačke stilove. Na njega su takođe gejpisci poput William Burroughsa i Allen Ginsberga izvršili uticaj. Do 1982. god. i albuma The Blue Mask, međutim, preuzeo je ulogu srećno oženjenog straight muškarca. Mada je Lou Reed ponovo okupio članove Velvet Undergrounda 1993. god. za evropsku turneju, grupa se raspala pre nego se ukrcala za Ameriku. Reedov značaj i uticaj na rok muziku je neosporan, a njegova solo karijera u '70-tim ostaje jedan od najuspešnijih doprinosa američkoj formi Glitter (ili Glam) roka (pored New York Dollsa) - muzičkom stilu koji mnogo duguje samom Velvet Undergroundu. Lou Reed je bio i uzor za nekoliko generacija alternativnih rock bendova (kao npr. pojedinim punk grupama).
Shelton Waldrep
Literatura: Lou Reed, Between Thought and Expression: Selected Lyrics of Lou Reed, New York, 1993.
Iz: Who's Who in Conterporary Gay and Lesbian History, ed. By Robert Aldrich and Garry Wotherspoon, London & New York, 2001, 345-346.
Velvet Underground Web Page: http://www.members.aol.com/olandem/vu.html
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Velvet Uderground
Lou Reed: Walk on the Wild Side
Holly came from Miami F.L.A. hitch-hiked her way across the U.S.A.
Plucked her eyebrows on the way shaved her leg and then he was a she She says, hey babe, take a walk on the wild side said, hey honey, take a walk on the wild side
Candy came from out on the island in the backroom she was everybody's darling
But she never lost her head even when she was givin' head She says, hey babe, take a walk on the wild side said, hey babe, take a walk on the wild side and the coloured girls go
Doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo
Little Joe never once gave it away everybody had to pay and pay
A hustle here and a hustle there New York City is the place where they said Hey babe, take a walk on the wild side I said, hey Joe, take a walk on the wild side
Sugar Plum Fairy came and hit the streets lookin' for soul food and a place to eat
Went to the Apollo you should have seen him go-go-go They said, hey Sugar, take a walk on the wild side I said, hey babe, take a walk on the wild side all right, huh
Jackie is just speeding away thought she was James Dean for a day
Then I guess she had to crash valium would have helped that bash She said, hey babe, take a walk on the wild side I said, hey honey, take a walk on the wild side and the coloured girls say
Doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo doo, doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo-doo...