Lou and His Wife, Laurie Anderson

Lou Reed is one of those artists of whom I don’t really consider myself a fan, until I realize that I have 15 of their albums. Ok, I like Lou Reed. I love the Velvet Underground, and I love probably 50 of Lou Reed’s songs. He got out of Andy Warhol’s shadow, yet still remained close. He played guitar sometimes. He “pretended”  to shoot up on stage. He wrote songs about sex, homosexuality, drugs,  S & M, transgender and transsexuals, abuse, politics, death, suicide, darkness, and light. Here is a post I did about one of his sweeter, apocalyptic songs.

I’ve shared a concert recording of his, from his New York tour.

Lou is one of the most under appreciated musicians of his generation.  Iggy Pop is, in 2011, higher profile than Lou, and Lou puts out interesting, and challenging, music still, at the age of 69.  For every album that’s known, even to casual fans like me, there are a half dozen that pass right under the radar. He made some amazing music. He was avante garde right in your face. He released a double album of feedback on RCA’s classical label.

Whatever. He’s richer than me, and people still know his name, so I won’t be weeping for poor old Lou anytime soon.

Here’s a video of Lou Reed performing Candy Says, with Antony Hegarty, of Antony and the Johnsons.  The song is beautiful. Happy Birthday, Lou.

Antony Hegarty and Lou Reed – Candy Says from Logic Will Break Your Heart on Vimeo.

Pic from Bonzo’s Last Gig 7/7/80 Berlin

This one is bittersweet, Youdopia. Today is the 30th anniversary of Led Zeppelin’s last show with John Bonham. They played Berlin, and as most people know, the 1980 tour was not a high point for the band. I will say that they were pulling it together, though.  The show as a whole is not, in my opinion, noteworthy, unlike their Zurich show from 6/29/80 which I posted as a free download for you, but there is something amazing about this gig.

The very last song Led Zeppelin played live was Whole Lotta Love, but it is unlike any Whole Lotta Love they’ve ever done. The closest analogy I can make is to the Miles Davis shows from the 1970′s, before his hiatus. Dirty, edgy, evil, and ugly. John Paul Jones’ bass is metallic and is very much the lead instrument, and Jimmy Page plays a lot with a curt, metallic staccato tone. I used to hate this song, but now I realize that it is absolute genius.

Download it here:  http://www.mediafire.com/?mtmgygmjvjn

If you are a vile, inhuman swine, and need to test drive to decide if the music is worthy of your pristine ears, you may preview a low-fi version of the first ten minutes of this below. Otherwise, download the song, and really give it a listen. It’s nuts. It’s unlike anything Zeppelin every did. It’s also the Coolest Shit Ever.