Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Lou Reed, Velvet Underground Leader and Rock Pioneer, Dead at 71

rollingstone.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 113 posts

Re: Lou Reed, Velvet Underground Leader and Rock Pioneer, Dead at 71

#31

Post by chimeracoder »

mcphilip wrote: post #6

RIP Lou Reed, one of my favorite musicians. The song Heroin has so much dissonance and noise throughout that it's almost revolting to listen to. Over time it grew into one of my favorite songs in that I learned to find beauty in the clash of consonance and dissonance. At the risk of hyperbole, that mindset of finding something new from the conflict of opposing forces is something that now applies in far more areas of…

I came here specifically hoping that someone had already mentioned the song "Heroin". I got chills the first time I heard it, and I still do.

I think my favorite Velvet Underground song would have to be "Here She Comes Now", because I get the same feeling from Kurt Cobain's cover of it[0].

> Over time it grew into one of my favorite songs in that I learned to find beauty in the clash of consonance and dissonance.

Do you listen to the Jesus and Mary Chain, by any chance?

[0] Perhaps blasphemous to mention a cover on a thread about Lou Reed's death, but hey, if it were't for VU, the cover would never have existed.

Re: Lou Reed, Velvet Underground Leader and Rock Pioneer, Dead at 71

#32

Post by vangale »

wavesounds wrote: post #13

One of the most important musicians of all time. The Velvet Underground inspired countless musicians and greatly influenced whole genres of music, it's hard to see how Punk would have existed without the Velvet Underground. Lou Reed's greatest contribution though was his ability to mix great song writing with artful experimentation. From ST with Nico to Loaded to White Light White Heat to Vicious and Metal Machine Mu…

I had Metal Machine Music on 8-track tape. This made it even better because of the infinite loop playback and, as the tape inevitably started distorting it didn't really make any difference!

Re: Lou Reed, Velvet Underground Leader and Rock Pioneer, Dead at 71

#34

Post by microtonal »

After Zappa and Beefheart, one of the last great musical rebels of the 60ies has died. It's a sad day.

Since everyone else does sweet songs, let me add this :):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EYu0sk9D_pk

Thank you Lou Reed for all the great music!

Re: Lou Reed, Velvet Underground Leader and Rock Pioneer, Dead at 71

#35

Post by Samuel_Michon »

We can discuss Lou Reed’s contribution to the Velvet Underground, I sure could fill hours and hours. He made some great albums later on as well. When I was studying English lit, Edgar Allen Poe’s works were covered. About 6 months later, Reed came out with his album ‘The Raven’. That was magical to me, deepening the experience I already had reading EAP’s work.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Raven_(Lou_Reed_album)

Re: Lou Reed, Velvet Underground Leader and Rock Pioneer, Dead at 71

#36

Post by biffa »

mcphilip wrote: post #6

RIP Lou Reed, one of my favorite musicians. The song Heroin has so much dissonance and noise throughout that it's almost revolting to listen to. Over time it grew into one of my favorite songs in that I learned to find beauty in the clash of consonance and dissonance. At the risk of hyperbole, that mindset of finding something new from the conflict of opposing forces is something that now applies in far more areas of…

Heroin is my favourite Lou Reed song. I remember playing it to get psyched up for my finals.

Re: Lou Reed, Velvet Underground Leader and Rock Pioneer, Dead at 71

#37

Post by tomasien »

cprncus wrote: post #2

I don't see how general celebrity deaths are hacker news. I would like to read about tech and computer news and ideas; if I wanted this, I would read general news sites.

I came to this comment thread just to find this comment and downvote it, because I KNEW it would be here.

Re: Lou Reed, Velvet Underground Leader and Rock Pioneer, Dead at 71

#38

Post by Nav_Panel »

mcphilip wrote: post #6

RIP Lou Reed, one of my favorite musicians. The song Heroin has so much dissonance and noise throughout that it's almost revolting to listen to. Over time it grew into one of my favorite songs in that I learned to find beauty in the clash of consonance and dissonance. At the risk of hyperbole, that mindset of finding something new from the conflict of opposing forces is something that now applies in far more areas of…

I'm interested that "Heroin" was the song that made you feel like that. I've always felt that "European Son" (YT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igWyYA_r06Y) was the most experimental and noisy song on the album, and I always experience a real visceral thrill when listening to it (especially that part with the roar-ish thing and then the glass shattering). The guitar parts are absurd, the band sometimes plays straight screeching noise, and the song barely holds together. "Heroin" feels contained by comparison.

In a similar vein, considering your appreciation for "the clash of consonance and dissonance," I hope you're getting a chance to see My Bloody Valentine during their short tour in the next few weeks.

Re: Lou Reed, Velvet Underground Leader and Rock Pioneer, Dead at 71

#39

Post by k-mcgrady »

selmnoo wrote: post #25
bbx wrote: post #16

The Velvet Underground's career can be summed up as: "Commercially unsuccessful, but enormously influential". On a side note, if you have a few minutes to spare, read Lou Reed's review of Kanye's Yeezus : http://thetalkhouse.com/reviews/view/lou-reed It's interesting to read a legend's opinion on a modern pop-star.

It is strange reading that about Yeezus, Kanye made Yeezus with a number of other musicians (the full list, according to Wiki: 88-Keys, Ackee Juice Rockers, Arca, Benji B, Carlos Broady, Brodinski, Ben Bronfman, Evian Christ, Eric Danchild, Daft Punk, Mike Dean, Dom Solo, Jack Donoghue, Gesaffelstein, Noah Goldstein, Lunice, Lupe Fiasco, Hudson Mohawke, No ID, Che Pope, Rick Rubin, S1, Travis Scott, and Sham Joseph).…

>> "So, when he's praising the horns line, the piano line, or the complex electronic effects, it's not Kanye who's responsible for all of that, it's Daft Punk, it's Mike Dean, or Mohawke."

To bring this round to tech I guess it's similar to Steve Jobs getting credit for the iPhone when a lot of the work was done by the engineers. In other words Kanye had to bring those people together and guide the creation of the music or it wouldn't have happened.

Re: Lou Reed, Velvet Underground Leader and Rock Pioneer, Dead at 71

#40

Post by mtts »

cabbeer wrote: post #12

"Only about 3000 people bought Velvet Underground albums, but all of them started a band."

Not true. My mom (otherwise heavily into classical music and, through the influence of her older brothers, somewhat interested in singer songwriters like Bob Dylan and - gasp - Donovan) bought a copy - and went to a concert. She didn't start a band - but did instill a love of very noisy, very nasty rock'n'roll in her children.
Post reply on HN