He didn't always choose to share his wisdom during interviews, but when he did, it's remarkable and touching. I love the evasive and paradoxical Lou Reed interviews too, but this interview is a real gift from a man at the end of his life.
Lou left his whiskey glass onstage after finishing his set at the Roxy LA... it was the Street Hassle tour....anyway i grabbed it and was very jazzed he hadn't entirely consumed it's contents....on the drive back to San Diego my brother proclaimed we would never drink the sacred liquid Lou left behind....i drank, my brother didn't so it was easy for him to say. by the time we got to Del Mar i threw it down my throat in honor of this most formidable, poignant, poetic, raucous, rude, and eloquent hero. and i still tip one in his memory now and then....thank you for this interview.
Lou was fortunate to be able to remaster his music "with the new technology" before he passed away. He said that, "Listening to the remastered songs made me cry."
I always prefer the original albums version. I tested a few time the original on a good hi-fi system and on a digital system, with the compression you lose the real beauty.
He had such a pure, beautiful, powerful way of saying things. Like in poetry where a few words sound like many and a few trees make a forest. I can't say it's a 'simple' way of speaking, just correctly chosen. I find it difficult to listen to him because I miss him. It took about three years for me to listen to him after his death. Things like this remind me of how short and delicate life is. Enjoy it all: nature, music, food, laughter. It's gone too soon.
if this is lou's last interview, then the last things he said were, "the sound of love". not a bad way to characterize all of the music he gave to us over the years.
Sammy Scotch i think so too. I hope he found true peace in his final days, and im just glad he was able to grow old. Not many of his fellow musicians from that era were lucky to make it to to the new millennium
Except that almost all the people who were not able to do what they love for a living (the vast majority of the population) are simply enduring - as Thoreau put it - lives of quiet desperation. A fate often worse than prison.
Il en est ainsi avec les artistes talentueux.... Les questions déjà vides.... C'est Irrespectueux J amais follement Lou Reed même si je n'ai pas tout écouté 😂 Je me promenait avec son 1er single et demandait à tout le monde bars boîtes etc De le faire tourner....😂 Pareil avec Pink Floyd....33cm!!!❤
You are absolutely right. He personified New York. He captured everything New York was about - blemishes and all. The ethos of 70’s - 80’s New York was captured by him without saying a word. His presence is all he needed.
I just discovered Lou Reed at age 43. I always thought walk on the wild side was a one hit wonder. I didn't even know it was Lou Reed. I didn't even know who Lou Reed was. I listen to the albums and I'm blown away. Such raw talent. I love you Lou Reed.
One of those interviews where you have to play along with Lou...he's always answered this way so if the interviewer hasn't done their homework...he'll eat you up with his lack of patience...
I remember back in high school - liking Zeppelin, Kiss, Aerosmith etc. As far as Lou went - I didn't "get it"...Later on in life, I heard "The Blue Mask" album, and i was floored by how great it was!!! I realized that it took me a bit of maturity to understand his talent. He was GREAT!!!
That's the beauty of it I was same era same bands...plus Ted Nugent etc, but the good albums stay in your collection then you mature and a lot of old stuff comes in as well as different modern stuff.
Paul Jones your going to hate me for saying this but this guy right here is exactly what i PERSONALLY think should look like when they got old I’m just getting into velvet underground and lou reeds stuff BUT for the short period of time I’ve been watching him I have some serious respect for this man I wish I would’ve listened more carefully when I was younger because there was a couple songs I liked but never got right into him but man this guy is awesome
.....if Lou Reed(and John Cale)hadn’t used “all that speed and heroin” the VU likely wouldn’t even exist. Lou’s song writing was directly related to his drug use. In place of scapegoating heroin & speed as “bad” or “the result of someones ill health” we should work to legalize all drugs and socialize them age appropriately. All opiates and ephedra plants are beautiful plants, they have divine molecules that exist outside morals, ethics and laws, at least until we humans get involved. We should celebrate these experiences Lou & the VU had with drugs. Drugs were the direct catalysts to most of Lous creative work. Nothing wrong in that, I’m dam Thankful Lou Reed tried, used and continued to use HEROIN & METHEDRINE. Had he not tried, used and continued to use them most of the VU songs wouldn’t exist, like ‘Heroin’. The great artistic works of life, whatever their form, are often born by the genius of individuals who used drugs. Life wouldn’t be nearly as good without drugs made from plants.
Lou reed cracks me up, till the end he gave people shit, like he was a god that looked down on our stupidity and mocked it all his life, he was just too cool for everybody. Saw him on a plane one time and I said “Lou reed” and he said “hey”, Love him!
i have an original copy of that record ,it has some great moments on it..i love all 4 sides. I think most of the "music critics" at the time hated it and most still do.
Basically, nobody was prepared to buy his soul. Lou would have loved more commercial success. "Loaded" was called that because he attempted to load the album with hits, as requested by the president of Atlantic Records
@@jnagarya519 Those fools got themselves hooked on heroin. Lou's heroin songs say "Hey, here is something that people do." They don't say "Hey, do this!"
As a bass player, I really appreciated his remarks. And I always appreciated Lou Reed, adios brother. Here is a story in your memory: My friends and I had decided to attend a Velvet Underground concert in Baltimore. We loved the group and particularly Lou Reed. So we dropped some acid to get in the mood. Sadly we got disoriented and couldn't find the show...we reckoned Lou Reed would understand. Later I hitched to NYC to bop around, and as I came out of a subway, a cat hit on me with a leaflet, it said only, "Lou Reed has surfaced and will be playing at such and such location." I thought, "How cool is that?" When I had my own band, when we did covers the set list always included "Sweet Jane." I had the worst voice so i got to sing it. :) But for some reason I could not play bass on that and had to swap out with the rhythm guitarist. Life would have been pretty boring without Lou Reed.
Lou will forever be a mentor and a hero to me. He’s helped me through some of the hardest times in my life and has helped enhance some of the best. Forever grateful for such a beautiful and honest soul.
I had the pleasure of meeting him when he played Knitting Factory in the late 90's on Leonard Street...he did a couple nights there and that weekend I was ushering the reserved seats for mainly The Soprano's cast upstairs....he was in great spirits and a gentleman to me and he had Laurie Anderson with him....I was a part of the next generation that graduated CBGB's to bigger venues in the 80's, and I'll always remember Lou Reed as an incredibly gifted individual....he did whatever he wished, in life....man, you gotta admire that
To put it bluntly, he did not give a fuck. He lived his life his own way and he made the music the way he wanted to. Discovering the music of The Velvet Underground changed my life on so many different levels. His lyrics talked about subject matter which was not acceptable for that time and the music was very LOUD. If he had not been the "in your face type", the music would have never been made or heard by the public. He was determined to spread the word through his music. Love yourself and be who you are, always! He was the original spirit of punk and STILL is.
even as his lifeforce is leaving his body right in front of us he speaks of the music, his art, and manages to put this interviewer in their place when needed......I miss this guy,
What a perfect way to give your last interview. Just by being the coolest down to earth and humble. He was something else. Class act. Funny and intelligent. Wish I'd been able to meet him and have a cup of tea and talk about the 60s and 70s and everything else
such a beautiful musician, with a legacy bigger than any of us. his very last words always bring me to tears, without fail... can't help but love this man
It’s sad he’s gone. He was one of the greatest, and really unappreciated to this day, compared to what he deserved. He was one for top five of all time.
He DID change & influence Rock'n'Roll, & continues to do so to this day. Musically, socially, politically, he knew how he felt & shared it with us in all he did. He didn't always show it, but his smile is still infectious. The world of Rock'n'Roll would have been completely different without him. Musically, he IS one of the most important people in the last 60yrs when you think about it. Under APPRECIATED though? I guess so, among the general public, maybe. The comments here prove how much his FANS appreciate him. In many ways, he WAS N.Y.C. in the 60ies & 70ies. Some of the things he sang about were not really accepted by the "General population" in the rest of the country, though. From what I understand, he did well in Europe, which helped him gain more fans HERE (It was a MUCH DIFFERENT TIME!!)! Still, it took some time for American audiences to "Get" him, by which time 15ish yrs of his music had already been released. So he didn't have a HUGE START to his career. Still, to this day, if you asked ANYONE in the Rock'n'Roll H.O.F. , they would say that Lou was a very POSITIVE influence on THEM!! I think he's more unknown than underappreciated, or maybe that's part of WHY he is kinda underappreciated by a larger audience. Just some thoughts. Peace!!
Wow! "sound that has order, that is music". Beautiful. Spoken like a true artist. I have just about everything that he has done. All the way up from the Velvets til the end.
Wow! From the person who defined indie rock music for decades to come, it’s wonderful to hear how his interviews softened just before he left this world of ours
Outstanding. This is quite a powerful philosophical dialogue from Lou. He speaks like an oracle. Deep, highly meaningful and succinct. I'm blown away. Thank you Lou Reed.
Thanks for your music, Lou. I have followed you since I was 15 when a friend of mine played Walked On the Wild Side for me on his big brothers turntable back in the 70s. Your music has pretty much been the soundtrack to my youth.
Lou Reed is the very special musician to me and this interview has always been difficult for me to watch. What an amazing interview here. The way he talks about 'his life is like music' is so poetric. He is a true musician and a poet.
Mere "thank you" is at best a feeble attempt to express my profound and humble gratitude to the poster. I won't judge the interviewer for her questions, motives, or credentials for she is a participating and consequential ingredient. The fact is that the " light and sound" of this interview in and of itself stands as a work of art and wonder transcending time and space. It breathes. May you rest in eternal peace my flawed comet brother.
I still ache a little at the thought that Lou isn't with us anymore...but this interview is amazing even when its hard to be reminded of his passing. His genius is palpable...reachable. Miss him I may, but at least he gave us so many wonderful sounds to savor.
This is one of the most beautiful interviews I have ever seen. He was such an intelligent man and even until the end, he had a sense of humor about it all.
What a truly beautiful man. I recorded him live on August 9, 2009 in Chicago and posted here on You Tube. I can't help see nothing but an incredibly beautiful soul. He had a lady on stage sign language his music to the audience while he played live. That's incredibly insightful and beautiful! ❤️. I 100% disagree with anyone saying negative things about him. This man had a huge heart and probably one of the biggest in rock even to this day.
Interesting to hear that he had a "lady" (Anthony Hegarty?!) signing on stage, as it is a little known fact that Lou Reed had the biggest hearing impaired following in rock music.
Despite probably not feeling well, Lou had enormous patience and professionalism with this interviewer. Why this interview was ever granted is beyond me. I could understand an interview for the New York Times, CBS Morning Show, 60 Minutes, or Rolling Stone (or any magazine of that caliber) but an interview by someone unknown -- awkward & with questions that are inane. It's Lou's last interview & there was nothing to be learned from it. It could've been anyone in a diner with him talking over coffee. Fortunately, he didn't look too physically worn out, just tired. Frank Zappa looked worse propped up in his last interview. Drained, slow & lethargic. Steve Jobs & Freddie Mercury horrible. Skeletons. I'm uncertain what David Bowie's condition was like toward the end. In his final video, he looked strong & vital but that could've been a year earlier. Surprisingly, the bassist for the New York Dolls, Killer Kane did a concert at the Royal Albert Hall in England with the reunited Dolls & returned home to CA only to visit a hospital for exhaustion & learn he had leukemia. He died hours later. He never lived long enough for treatment. Certain serious illnesses are just tricky. I thought Lou Reed would live forever.
Lol. Your "thought he'd live forever" remark is hilarious. All thru the 70s there was a rock magazine that yearly did a "rock star most likely to die" list. It was Lou or Keef at the top of the list for like 3 or 4yrs straight lol. I make a joke but I know it really isn't funny. Tho Keef remains the amount of years Lou packed in in the 70s early 80s was enough to eventually cause irreparable damage. Everyone is built different.
@@bluecollar825 My remark was meant to be humorous, and sarcastic. Because Lou was like Keith Richards -- we'd like to think they could live forever. Amazing who lives on & who doesn't.
@@lastrada52 right I totally got it. I even say it made me laugh. Thought Lou Reed was one of them who was gonna be around til 79 like Keef. No confusion friend. 👍✌
Sure Reed was a left-wing loon himself but he did us all a favor granting this last 'awkward' interview to some unknown. Anything beats having him sit for one of those despicable leftist propaganda outlets that you mentioned
The greatest of the greats. Thank you so much for my childhood. You were the only thing that my father and I had in common. I will always love you Lou.
Great Mr. Reed. So clear and brilliant and sincere and touching. For such a great man nearing the end, he was incredibly patient with the interviewer too, given his records in that matters.. Great topping. Wisdom.
He really seemed lighthearted and playful deep down; it was just his rugged no BS way and dryness in humor that made him seem serious and miserable when he really was not. He was the coolest most intriguing rockstar ever.
I saw/listened this interview, and ONE thing that really impressed me, is that he talks a lot of music, but he DOESN'T speak about, is what he is too, besides a musician: he's a fucking good poet, either: "and them comes a naked sound, vooooo, the wind, the sound of love". Wow
How fitting that his last interview was conducted by someone clearly unqualified with little or no research completed beforehand. My feeling is that Lou changed over time, as we all do, growing more content in his skin. Articulate, considered, thoughtful - in spite of the lack of those qualities in these interview questions. Thanks for posting.
So the last word he ever said in an interview was 'love' He was, especially in his prime, an incredible lyricist. So many albums to choose but I love 'Growing up in public' from 1980, his return to form album.
Apropos of nothing, Lou was one of the very greatest rock n roll rhythm guitarist ever, that’s certainly true when he was leading the VU. Thanks for posting, this was first time I watched this.
He only has 6 weeks to live and is still captivating,I lived in Hollywood for many years where you get used to seeing celebrities but I’ve never been as literally starstruck as seeing Lou and Laurie in a diner on 10th Street eating breakfast about 15 years prior to this.
I do wish Lou was more open in earlier interviews but he's very real here. His one word answers and bold-face lies and humor are entertaining in earlier interviews. The press has no humor.
Can I say that this man was a gift from the Gods to the other blokes and sisters??; the texture of his speech, the depth of his approach ... thank you, - whatever being u are, whichever force, - for Lou, thank you, from the depths of what I am able to feel
For those who are "new" to Lou's music I always suggest The Bells as a starting point. You'll eventually get to the Velvets, Transformer, Metal Machine, Berlin, Blue Mask... But start with The Bells.
@@patrickgoodspeedsr2653 I recommend taking it chronologically. Starting with The Velvet Underground & Nico, do each of the four VU albums in order [skipping Squeeze which did not have Lou on it.] Each of those albums is a towering colossus compared with anything outside of The Beatles. It's that good. His first self-titled solo album is optional, but Transformer and Berlin are not. To me those are his pinnacle solo works, bookended with New York and Ecstasy in his later years. I took it all year by year, and enjoyed witnessing his evolution.
For a man eyeing death, he's very clear and passionate, citing everything from Beethoven to the original sound - your mother's heartbeat. Legend.
Very pleased to hear of his appreciation for someone I’ve always considered a god among men~~Beethoven.
@@justicegusting2476 Beethoven: down to earth and passionate at the same time. Same as Lou.
for a man eying death? ok then. thats the moment even homer simpson becomes a philosopher.. !?
@@KingCrimson82 +
Yeah, ok then.
@@MD-rd7bn Beethoven was'nt downt to earth and Lou reed too, maybe in the air.
He didn't always choose to share his wisdom during interviews, but when he did, it's remarkable and touching. I love the evasive and paradoxical Lou Reed interviews too, but this interview is a real gift from a man at the end of his life.
He was a major bullshitter but very artistic in his choices
Right, execpted when he said music for me is like clothes for you.....
@@kevinbishop6582 wtf are you on about
Lou left his whiskey glass onstage after finishing his set at the Roxy LA... it was the Street Hassle tour....anyway i grabbed it and was very jazzed he hadn't entirely consumed it's contents....on the drive back to San Diego my brother proclaimed we would never drink the sacred liquid Lou left behind....i drank, my brother didn't so it was easy for him to say. by the time we got to Del Mar i threw it down my throat in honor of this most formidable, poignant, poetic, raucous, rude, and eloquent hero. and i still tip one in his memory now and then....thank you for this interview.
Cool story !
Lou was fortunate to be able to remaster his music "with the new technology" before he passed away. He said that, "Listening to the remastered songs made me cry."
I always prefer the original albums version. I tested a few time the original on a good hi-fi system and on a digital system, with the compression you lose the real beauty.
He had such a pure, beautiful, powerful way of saying things. Like in poetry where a few words sound like many and a few trees make a forest. I can't say it's a 'simple' way of speaking, just correctly chosen. I find it difficult to listen to him because I miss him. It took about three years for me to listen to him after his death. Things like this remind me of how short and delicate life is. Enjoy it all: nature, music, food, laughter. It's gone too soon.
Yup
After his death, I listened to Magic and Loss a lot.
I miss the music, food, the laughter .. I can’t wait until social distancing is over
@@mistastealyabooks5422 I hope you have it once more now.
I cried the day Lou died , something I didn't even do for my father. It says a hell of a lot about both of them.
"the sound of the wind, the sound of love" 🖤 Thanks Lou
if this is lou's last interview, then the last things he said were, "the sound of love". not a bad way to characterize all of the music he gave to us over the years.
To me it was the sound of a man growing and changing
Sammy Scotch i think so too. I hope he found true peace in his final days, and im just glad he was able to grow old. Not many of his fellow musicians from that era were lucky to make it to to the new millennium
sounds like a bitter newspaper boy
He was Genius. All The saunded people is
Actually the last thing he said would be „fshooooooooo”
“You do what you love or you get arrested”. -best line ever regarding one’s philosophy toward modern life.
Good quote alright!!
@@FergalNash I hear "and" you get arrested. (laugh)
Except that almost all the people who were not able to do what they love for a living (the vast majority of the population) are simply enduring - as Thoreau put it - lives of quiet desperation. A fate often worse than prison.
It’s a meaningless joke answer. A lot of people do what they love - and if they didn’t do it, they wouldn’t get arrested.
He never stopped being snarky in interviews, but he was a soft-hearted soul.
Hard shell, soft heart. I love him
Il en est ainsi avec les artistes talentueux....
Les questions déjà vides....
C'est Irrespectueux
J amais follement Lou Reed même si je n'ai pas tout écouté 😂
Je me promenait avec son 1er single et demandait à tout le monde bars boîtes etc
De le faire tourner....😂
Pareil avec Pink Floyd....33cm!!!❤
New York is not the same without him. I just liked knowing he was around. Rest in Peace.
Its less 1 a**hole
You are absolutely right. He personified New York. He captured everything New York was about - blemishes and all. The ethos of 70’s - 80’s New York was captured by him without saying a word. His presence is all he needed.
On the A train headed into the City listening to •Songs for Drella•,…memories from 1990 of seeing John & Lou put this album together..
What a brilliant musician. RIP Lou Reed. My younger sister loved Lou Reed music so I got "Satelite of love" played at her funeral. RIP Virpi.
I’m very sorry for your sisters death. An amazing thing of you to do playing her favorite thing to send her off.
I listen to His solo work a lot lately, I love him.
Yes, and Velvet Underground also.
Such a sad loss to the world. RIP Lou Reed! Great vid Sean.
I just discovered Lou Reed at age 43. I always thought walk on the wild side was a one hit wonder. I didn't even know it was Lou Reed. I didn't even know who Lou Reed was.
I listen to the albums and I'm blown away. Such raw talent. I love you Lou Reed.
Phenomenal, I'm truly just now discovering him too, only knew Walk On the wild side, a whole world opened up to me this day I found more of Lou Reed
Solo career wise I find not many know a lot of his songs sadly Not a bash just only diehards really know his full work This includes me too
Enjoy the journey. It’s immense!!
I swear to god Lou's got the best interviews out there
i agree, that one from 1975 "do you like being a shmuck" hahaha Fing great Love Lou RIP NY 4 life
sean brennan ever watch a dylan interview?
One of those interviews where you have to play along with Lou...he's always answered this way so if the interviewer hasn't done their homework...he'll eat you up with his lack of patience...
real bright and on topic, always.
I like his and Zappa’s interviews the most.
I remember back in high school - liking Zeppelin, Kiss, Aerosmith etc. As far as Lou went - I didn't "get it"...Later on in life, I heard "The Blue Mask" album, and i was floored by how great it was!!! I realized that it took me a bit of maturity to understand his talent. He was GREAT!!!
For the first time in almost 30 years i listened to The Blue Mask from start to finish . It was incredible and doesn’t date . Classic . We miss Lou.
That's the beauty of it I was same era same bands...plus Ted Nugent etc, but the good albums stay in your collection then you mature and a lot of old stuff comes in as well as different modern stuff.
Agreed. I didn't come to the Velvet Underground until I was in my 40s.
He has transcended. His words, pure poetry.
we lost a legend. cant be replaced.R.I.P. LOU
If that was Lou's last interview, it was hugely profound. Thanks for posting
oh dear, his eyes so yellow, his voice 20 years older. but he still gave an interview. Legend
he looked very ill
Paul Jones your going to hate me for saying this but this guy right here is exactly what i PERSONALLY think should look like when they got old I’m just getting into velvet underground and lou reeds stuff BUT for the short period of time I’ve been watching him I have some serious respect for this man I wish I would’ve listened more carefully when I was younger because there was a couple songs I liked but never got right into him but man this guy is awesome
Whooaaa Chillout Paul from deptford. I think he looks great,maybe talking about what he loved brought him back to life.
You're so right. It shows in his eyes. I wonder whether he knew?
.....if Lou Reed(and John Cale)hadn’t used “all that speed and heroin” the VU likely wouldn’t even exist. Lou’s song writing was directly related to his drug use. In place of scapegoating heroin & speed as “bad” or “the result of someones ill health” we should work to legalize all drugs and socialize them age appropriately. All opiates and ephedra plants are beautiful plants, they have divine molecules that exist outside morals, ethics and laws, at least until we humans get involved. We should celebrate these experiences Lou & the VU had with drugs. Drugs were the direct catalysts to most of Lous creative work. Nothing wrong in that, I’m dam Thankful Lou Reed tried, used and continued to use HEROIN & METHEDRINE. Had he not tried, used and continued to use them most of the VU songs wouldn’t exist, like ‘Heroin’. The great artistic works of life, whatever their form, are often born by the genius of individuals who used drugs. Life wouldn’t be nearly as good without drugs made from plants.
I saw Lou three different times in my life. He was phenomenal each and every one of those times. Rest in Peace Lou Reed. 🌹
Lou reed cracks me up, till the end he gave people shit, like he was a god that looked down on our stupidity and mocked it all his life, he was just too cool for everybody. Saw him on a plane one time and I said “Lou reed” and he said “hey”, Love him!
too cool for everybody? He was just another junkie.
He over came his addictions! Every addict is a life long addict, even if they don’t use!
@@genej8828 agreed but you really shouldn’t act like a prick.
another junkie just like you and everyone else...everyone is an addict...
@@spyroskoroniotis8807 Then why are you doing it? Lou > you
HE MADE A DOUBLE ALBUM OF FEEDBACK....GOD BLESS HIM......
syx syx. Amen!
Lou actually did it to piss off RCA.
That album was brilliant
to get out of a contract. Unplayble 2 hours.
i have an original copy of that record ,it has some great moments on it..i love all 4 sides. I think most of the "music critics" at the time hated it and most still do.
One of the few that stayed truth to himself, never sold his soul for materalistic shit! Lou Reed good and strong soul!!
Basically, nobody was prepared to buy his soul. Lou would have loved more commercial success. "Loaded" was called that because he attempted to load the album with hits, as requested by the president of Atlantic Records
And got a lot of fools hooked on heroin.
@@jnagarya519 Those fools got themselves hooked on heroin. Lou's heroin songs say "Hey, here is something that people do." They don't say "Hey, do this!"
@@davidprime6080 Don,t waste your breath. That one is too hooked on himself.
Does anybody needs another million star...
Still a complete smartass. Love it.
looks like my pissed off neighbor on the 4th floor
"Sound for me is like a dress for you." That had to sting.
Seems like your music is with me at the most important times. Thanks for all you've done and do. I love you Lou.
As a bass player, I really appreciated his remarks. And I always appreciated Lou Reed, adios brother. Here is a story in your memory:
My friends and I had decided to attend a Velvet Underground concert in Baltimore. We loved the group and particularly Lou Reed. So we dropped some acid to get in the mood. Sadly we got disoriented and couldn't find the show...we reckoned Lou Reed would understand.
Later I hitched to NYC to bop around, and as I came out of a subway, a cat hit on me with a leaflet, it said only, "Lou Reed has surfaced and will be playing at such and such location." I thought, "How cool is that?"
When I had my own band, when we did covers the set list always included "Sweet Jane." I had the worst voice so i got to sing it. :) But for some reason I could not play bass on that and had to swap out with the rhythm guitarist.
Life would have been pretty boring without Lou Reed.
Buddy, this is an awesome story.
Lou will forever be a mentor and a hero to me. He’s helped me through some of the hardest times in my life and has helped enhance some of the best. Forever grateful for such a beautiful and honest soul.
I had the pleasure of meeting him when he played Knitting Factory in the late 90's on Leonard Street...he did a couple nights there and that weekend I was ushering the reserved seats for mainly The Soprano's cast upstairs....he was in great spirits and a gentleman to me and he had Laurie Anderson with him....I was a part of the next generation that graduated CBGB's to bigger venues in the 80's, and I'll always remember Lou Reed as an incredibly gifted individual....he did whatever he wished, in life....man, you gotta admire that
To put it bluntly, he did not give a fuck. He lived his life his own way and he made the music the way he wanted to. Discovering the music of The Velvet Underground changed my life on so many different levels. His lyrics talked about subject matter which was not acceptable for that time and the music was very LOUD. If he had not been the "in your face type", the music would have never been made or heard by the public. He was determined to spread the word through his music. Love yourself and be who you are, always! He was the original spirit of punk and STILL is.
it makes me so sad that i'll never be able to go to a concert of his. yet he is such a HUGE part of my life
I love that he really appreciates bass :)
he was artist of sound, and a great one at that
even as his lifeforce is leaving his body right in front of us he speaks of the music, his art, and manages to put this interviewer in their place when needed......I miss this guy,
He took shitty questions and produced amazing answers.
Good point.
He also turned good questions into shitty answers lmao
@@guitarsmasher13 That’s what scientists call “the Lou Reed’s Paradox” 😂
These are shit questions.
Lou was THE BEST. Greatest rockstar ever
Makes me sad and then happy ,the man was like a sly old fox such quick wit
Me Too... sad then happy - happy then sad
Great Man, big poet, underground prophet about the cities
Magic and loss. What a work of sound💜
What a perfect way to give your last interview. Just by being the coolest down to earth and humble. He was something else. Class act. Funny and intelligent. Wish I'd been able to meet him and have a cup of tea and talk about the 60s and 70s and everything else
such a beautiful musician, with a legacy bigger than any of us. his very last words always bring me to tears, without fail... can't help but love this man
It’s sad he’s gone. He was one of the greatest, and really unappreciated to this day, compared to what he deserved. He was one for top five of all time.
He DID change & influence Rock'n'Roll, & continues to do so to this day. Musically, socially, politically, he knew how he felt & shared it with us in all he did. He didn't always show it, but his smile is still infectious. The world of Rock'n'Roll would have been completely different without him. Musically, he IS one of the most important people in the last 60yrs when you think about it. Under APPRECIATED though? I guess so, among the general public, maybe. The comments here prove how much his FANS appreciate him. In many ways, he WAS N.Y.C. in the 60ies & 70ies. Some of the things he sang about were not really accepted by the "General population" in the rest of the country, though. From what I understand, he did well in Europe, which helped him gain more fans HERE (It was a MUCH DIFFERENT TIME!!)! Still, it took some time for American audiences to "Get" him, by which time 15ish yrs of his music had already been released. So he didn't have a HUGE START to his career. Still, to this day, if you asked ANYONE in the Rock'n'Roll H.O.F. , they would say that Lou was a very POSITIVE influence on THEM!! I think he's more unknown than underappreciated, or maybe that's part of WHY he is kinda underappreciated by a larger audience. Just some thoughts. Peace!!
Wow! "sound that has order, that is music". Beautiful. Spoken like a true artist. I have just about everything that he has done. All the way up from the Velvets til the end.
Man, I am blown away by what Lou said about sound. I love bass and percussion driven music and everything he said adds up. Thanks for posting.
Beautiful answers!
Wow! From the person who defined indie rock music for decades to come, it’s wonderful to hear how his interviews softened just before he left this world of ours
Outstanding. This is quite a powerful philosophical dialogue from Lou. He speaks like an oracle. Deep, highly meaningful and succinct.
I'm blown away. Thank you Lou Reed.
Thanks for your music, Lou. I have followed you since I was 15 when a friend of mine played Walked On the Wild Side for me on his big brothers turntable back in the 70s. Your music has pretty much been the soundtrack to my youth.
Great to have such an interview stored and accessible to everyone! Well done.
Lou Reed is the very special musician to me and this interview has always been difficult for me to watch. What an amazing interview here. The way he talks about 'his life is like music' is so poetric. He is a true musician and a poet.
The genius of this 'unschooled' everyman is way deeper than any factory graduate.........thank you for the Rock we received!
His guitar solo in What Goes On is easily one of my favorite bits of music.
Mere "thank you" is at best a feeble attempt to express my profound and humble gratitude to the poster. I won't judge the interviewer for her questions, motives, or credentials for she is a participating and consequential ingredient. The fact is that the " light and sound" of this interview in and of itself stands as a work of art and wonder transcending time and space. It breathes. May you rest in eternal peace my flawed comet brother.
Get over yourself. The idolizing of rock musicians is for those who don't have a life of their own worth living.
@@jnagarya519 Wow! How emblematic of the age this one is ... no use for the poets or dreamers. Ego anyone?
I'd ask who pissed in your cherrios, but with an attitude like that, there's probably a line waiting around the block, kid.
J Nagarya ........but hyperlinked.
I still ache a little at the thought that Lou isn't with us anymore...but this interview is amazing even when its hard to be reminded of his passing. His genius is palpable...reachable. Miss him I may, but at least he gave us so many wonderful sounds to savor.
Lou had such a big beautiful heart ❤️
Lou Reed clicked for me in the 80's.
The popular tunes....and then New York lp!!!
this is so moving and warm. thank you Sean!
Thank you for the music, Lou
The sound of wind, the sound of Love!
This man was a genius
High above the ground
...now, i will go to the music of this unique artist and listen much closer Thanks for this
This is one of the most beautiful interviews I have ever seen. He was such an intelligent man and even until the end, he had a sense of humor about it all.
Loved this interview with Lou sharing his appreciation of sound and music. He is one of the very few people I feel in awe of - him more than any.
Hi explanation why we gravitate to rhythm was so profound.
A genius…and so beloved. God bless you, Lou Reed, and God bless Laurie, too.
Love Lou. Love "Coney Island baby" got the album in 76. Ya, I'm that old but I'm a life long rocker and know talent when i hear it.
Produced by Godfrey Diamond who later on with brother Gregg wrote and produced "More More More" #4 Billboard 76 classic disco hit
I wanna play football for the couch
BEEN a follower and fan of this man since I was 15 in 1972. He is sorely missed.....
Wow, just wow. One of the best interviews I’ve ever watched.
What a truly beautiful man. I recorded him live on August 9, 2009 in Chicago and posted here on You Tube. I can't help see nothing but an incredibly beautiful soul. He had a lady on stage sign language his music to the audience while he played live. That's incredibly insightful and beautiful! ❤️.
I 100% disagree with anyone saying negative things about him. This man had a huge heart and probably one of the biggest in rock even to this day.
Interesting to hear that he had a "lady" (Anthony Hegarty?!) signing on stage, as it is a little known fact that Lou Reed had the biggest hearing impaired following in rock music.
Despite probably not feeling well, Lou had enormous patience and professionalism with this interviewer.
Why this interview was ever granted is beyond me. I could understand an interview for the New York Times, CBS Morning Show, 60 Minutes, or Rolling Stone (or any magazine of that caliber) but an interview by someone unknown -- awkward & with questions that are inane. It's Lou's last interview & there was nothing to be learned from it. It could've been anyone in a diner with him talking over coffee.
Fortunately, he didn't look too physically worn out, just tired. Frank Zappa looked worse propped up in his last interview. Drained, slow & lethargic. Steve Jobs & Freddie Mercury horrible. Skeletons. I'm uncertain what David Bowie's condition was like toward the end. In his final video, he looked strong & vital but that could've been a year earlier.
Surprisingly, the bassist for the New York Dolls, Killer Kane did a concert at the Royal Albert Hall in England with the reunited Dolls & returned home to CA only to visit a hospital for exhaustion & learn he had leukemia. He died hours later. He never lived long enough for treatment. Certain serious illnesses are just tricky. I thought Lou Reed would live forever.
It turned into a great interview Fitting to be his last.
Lol. Your "thought he'd live forever" remark is hilarious. All thru the 70s there was a rock magazine that yearly did a "rock star most likely to die" list. It was Lou or Keef at the top of the list for like 3 or 4yrs straight lol. I make a joke but I know it really isn't funny. Tho Keef remains the amount of years Lou packed in in the 70s early 80s was enough to eventually cause irreparable damage. Everyone is built different.
@@bluecollar825 My remark was meant to be humorous, and sarcastic. Because Lou was like Keith Richards -- we'd like to think they could live forever. Amazing who lives on & who doesn't.
@@lastrada52 right I totally got it. I even say it made me laugh. Thought Lou Reed was one of them who was gonna be around til 79 like Keef. No confusion friend. 👍✌
Sure Reed was a left-wing loon himself but he did us all a favor granting this last 'awkward' interview to some unknown. Anything beats having him sit for one of those despicable leftist propaganda outlets that you mentioned
The greatest of the greats. Thank you so much for my childhood. You were the only thing that my father and I had in common. I will always love you Lou.
It's difficult to hear and watch Lou Reed so ill so fragile. Tank you so
@saint jack aint that the truth
saint jack lived life on his own terms, with no apologies. From the Andy Warhol Factory days of the 1960s, all the way to 2013, a good long lucky life
He was over 70 and he looks pretty good even though he was so ill.
Great Mr. Reed. So clear and brilliant and sincere and touching.
For such a great man nearing the end, he was incredibly patient with the interviewer too, given his records in that matters.. Great topping. Wisdom.
This is the stuff that music legends are made of. RIP, Lou Reed.
Mister Lou Reed you miss me. I love your song. Excuse me for my bad english but I’m french. Thanks again Lou.....
He really seemed lighthearted and playful deep down; it was just his rugged no BS way and dryness in humor that made him seem serious and miserable when he really was not. He was the coolest most intriguing rockstar ever.
No, Keith has that down....and could sing and write
He is very down to earth, humble and states sound is life! A true and lovely artist.
He had such an amazing heart for music
Genious! Thanks for everything Lou. We miss you and your music is still alive with us 😢
And I'm sure it WILL be, For a LONG time to come.
Epic musician, love, love his work. Thank you Lou.
I spent a day with LOU once he was VERY KIND it was great to be with him that day
I saw/listened this interview, and ONE thing that really impressed me, is that he talks a lot of music, but he DOESN'T speak about, is what he is too, besides a musician: he's a fucking good poet, either: "and them comes a naked sound, vooooo, the wind, the sound of love". Wow
You don't know much about poetry, especially when you confuse it with song lyrics.
Thank you for posting this. Thank you
This is the most patient I've ever seen Lou be with an interviewer, and with this interviewer, it must have taken incredible patience.
Thank you for posting this fantastic interview.
How fitting that his last interview was conducted by someone clearly unqualified with little or no research completed beforehand. My feeling is that Lou changed over time, as we all do, growing more content in his skin. Articulate, considered, thoughtful - in spite of the lack of those qualities in these interview questions. Thanks for posting.
What a great interview! The lady knew just what to ask and when. Fantastic.
Hey Lou, beginning of a big adventure... RIP
A beautiful man love him thank you for all you gave to us God bless you
So the last word he ever said in an interview was 'love' He was, especially in his prime, an incredible lyricist. So many albums to choose but I love 'Growing up in public' from 1980, his return to form album.
RIP my Brother.
I Always sing "Sweet Jane "
at karaoke in your honor.
Love your music and thank you.
Lou, Lou , Lou. there'll never be no one like you! A poem from me to You, Lou
Apropos of nothing, Lou was one of the very greatest rock n roll rhythm guitarist ever, that’s certainly true when he was leading the VU. Thanks for posting, this was first time I watched this.
He only has 6 weeks to live and is still captivating,I lived in Hollywood for many years where you get used to seeing celebrities but I’ve never been as literally starstruck as seeing Lou and Laurie in a diner on 10th Street eating breakfast about 15 years prior to this.
@@NaughtyVampireGod Thanks for pointing that out -ill edit it
Lou Reed is one of the few people who was present in my lifetime that became memorable for music and beyond music.
I do wish Lou was more open in earlier interviews but he's very real here. His one word answers and bold-face lies and humor are entertaining in earlier interviews. The press has no humor.
Sad and prophetic, he brought so much joy and seasoning to the stew of my life and others.
Rest In Peace Dear Sir.
Can I say that this man was a gift from the Gods to the other blokes and sisters??; the texture of his speech, the depth of his approach ... thank you, - whatever being u are, whichever force, - for Lou, thank you, from the depths of what I am able to feel
This is the man of music of rock and roll we love him
Thank you for uploading this interview of such legend. RIP Lou.
Rest in peace Lou Reed, you musical genius, genuinely funny, unabashed, truthful person.
The world is a slightly emptier place without you.
How am I just now discovering Lou Reed. This is what TH-cam was intended for. This man was a rock and roll maestro
For those who are "new" to Lou's music I always suggest The Bells as a starting point. You'll eventually get to the Velvets, Transformer, Metal Machine, Berlin, Blue Mask...
But start with The Bells.
@@patrickgoodspeedsr2653 I recommend taking it chronologically. Starting with The Velvet Underground & Nico, do each of the four VU albums in order [skipping Squeeze which did not have Lou on it.] Each of those albums is a towering colossus compared with anything outside of The Beatles. It's that good. His first self-titled solo album is optional, but Transformer and Berlin are not. To me those are his pinnacle solo works, bookended with New York and Ecstasy in his later years. I took it all year by year, and enjoyed witnessing his evolution.