Metal Machine

Another tree shot from the Bishop Wood.
Lou Reed died this week.
I first heard of him when Cousin Gill had a copy of Transformer; it was all too grown up / camp / fussy for me. Then a while later I heard Rock & Roll Animal and listened over and over again - I was convinced. So much so that I went down to Cobweb records in Cleveleys and bought a double Velvet Underground compilation. I put it on with anticipation - and hated the grotty sound and weird noises. I took it back. Then someone gave me a copy of the first Velvet's album and I listened again and got into it. Next was the third, grey, album and that did it for me, my bedsit album in my final year at school. I was a convert. So much so that I even bought Metal Machine Music [if anyone wants a once played copy, do get in touch]. I saw him once at a pretty poor Velvet Underground gig at Wembley in 1993 [John Cale and Mo were there but it was like listening to the albums really] and gave up on his later recordings, but it is still a bit of a moment now he has died.