Nov 242014
Next to the twin guitar heroics of Television‘s “Marquee Moon,” the Lou Reed Rock ‘n Roll Animal version of “Sweet Jane” is the twin-guitar part I would be most interested in experiencing if I attended a Rock ‘n Roll Fantasy Camp. This clip of Dean Ween and his group doing a take on that version could be used for the advertisement for this cool Rock ‘n Roll Fantasy Camp—as opposed to actual ones I’ve seen, where you get a taste of rock stardom under the tutelage of the likes of the guys in Styx and REO Speedwagon whose names you can’t identify.
If you could attend Cool Rock ‘n Roll Fantasy Camp, what would be your event-capping experience?
I see clogs, 70’s wear, and singing some Abba. Who’s going to join me?
I don’t know about yer fantasy camp but I’m going to use this thread title to bitch about Lou. I’ve been meaning to craft a thread since the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominee list came out. Not having done that, I’ll rant here.
Apropos of my recent Lou solo diatribe, I’m peeved that Lou will be a lock to be inducted again into the HoF. I don’t begrudge him for a second being in there as a member of the Velvet Underground. They and he were mighty and deserving.
But solo? Come on now! There is a long list of more worthy candidates (which would have been the thrust of the non-existent thread). Tying together various tangents to this thread and to another of mine, three people I’d put on that list are John Cale (a solo career – as performer and producer – so far better than his erstwhile bandmate that’s it’s not even funny), Marc Bolan, and Mott/Ian (who does a great version of Sweet Jane in concert).
Isn’t this whole Lou solo fetish sort of a black man’s burden? Guilt over the fact that VU went unrecognized during their lifetime?
Hijack over!
So long there’s not an all-star jam on “Perfect Day” I can live with this. Honestly, I have way more to say on the subject, whicl I’ll do when I’m seated at a real keyboard.
So, my further thoughts on this matter… I’ll start with my obligatory I Think the Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Fame Is Now Beyond Stupid. The museum aspect is great, I’m sure, but a Hall of Fame requires statistical achievements, and a Hall of Fame of record sales is something only the Casey Kasems of the world should visit.
Here’s why Solo Lou Reed, despite his incredibly sketchy solo career, deserves solo entry in this dumb Hall of Fame: without Solo Lou Reed there would have been no Velvet Underground to discover. There would have been no white man in rock who’d achieved such high levels of Blackredibility for the rest of us white folks to hitch onto. There would have been no John Cale, no first Stooges album or one great Modern Lovers album. (There still would have been Patti Smith’s debut, however.) There would have been no Berlin or Metal Machine Music to argue over. There would have been even less Robert Quine. Lester Bangs would have been a quarter the legend he has become. The wake of Lou Reed’s excesses held more power than most artists’ positive achievements. Lou Reed was a legend, and the R ‘n R HoF celebrates legends, possibly above all else. Like it or not.
I’m inclined to agree with you, although I’m not sure why since I think John Cale is incredibly overrated, the first Stooges album is the weakest, Berlin is only ok and about MMM the less said the better, Robert Quine–eh, and Lester Bangs deserves to be about 1/16 of the legend he is. Yes, there is the first Modern Lovers record, which is certainly one of the greatest things ever: but which surely owes more to VU than to solo Lou? Besides, isn’t Lou supposed to have said that he may have created Jonathan but he isn’t responsible for him, or words to that effect?
Having said all of that and having confessed my indifference to large stretches (most?) of Lou’s solo career: Lou Reed was a giant and we won’t be seeing his like again.
Sign me up for Talk Box lessons with Peter Frampton! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f1kk0X4jmAQ
Oh my God, it’s 24 minutes long!
What Misterioso said.
I’d be happy to learn three chords and be able to successfully play those three chords correctly to finish one three minute song, at the same time everyone else finishes that three minute song. If Dennis DeYoung could be the guy to do it, then that would be great. I have a feeling a real guitar player would just hand me maracas and some of that free Rock Camp beer and politely ask me to stand in the back, a few steps further away from a microphone.