Saturday, May 31, 2008

RUHtf Gem: Lou Reed on KSCA Music Hall


This is a cool little gem i've been hoarding...Lou Reed being interviewed by Mike Morrison on KSCA Music Hall. Mike is a great DJ, but he probably didn't do his due diligent research.

Things you don't ask Lou Reed:

1) Why is Egg Cream [ed note: a song about a soda fountain drink] dark?
2) Why so many songs about New York [ed note: where Lou is from]?

and the final doozy:

3) Why do you think VU was so influential?

I met Lou (thus the picture) and told him I heard the interview, and he said "Was I an asshole? I always come off as an asshole."

The story behind the picture is pretty cool...I saw him talk at the Festival Of Books. Afterwards, they told everyone to go to the booth behind the stage for a meet and greet. Already, a line was forming. I went up front to see if I could work the violin (my wheelchair, that is...it usually gets "special" privileges). Well...the security person had a cold heart, and said I had to go to the end of the line, which was already winding around the corner. I did so, and sat there for about 20 minutes. All of the sudden, another security person was walking the line. He saw me and said "Hey! You don't need to stand in line!" and took me and Hawk (my service dog) to the front of the line. He pushed the people in the front out of the way and removed the rope cordon to allow me by. Lou was busy signing someone's "Between Thought And Expression" (the "poetry" book he was pimping). When he was done, he looked up at me, cocked his head, and Sharpie in hand said in his best deadpan New York accent "What the hell happened to you?" It was a classic moment in my history. That's the first thing that one of my heroes and idols says to me. It's as good as the story about the time I met Prince...but i'll save that for another entry. Anyhow...we got to talking. Lou was taken by my story and traded his war story about almost dying in a crash a few years back on his motorcycle. The record company guy Bill Bentley saw the camera on my lap and asked if I wanted a picture (mind you...in line, they were telling us "NO CAMERAS!!") Lou apparently is sensitive to the flash, cause he insisted the flash be shut off. After the picture, I told him I was going to try to go to the Wiltern show. He told me he'd get me in. Three weeks later, Terry and I were bringing Lou a bag of a dozen chocolate chip rugula from Canter's after the show backstage. Lou was so happy to see the rugula...he held it up and was showing it to everyone and telling them what it was.

(speaking of motorcycles...before the Festival of Books, I was at Amoeba watching Daniel Lanois. I was hanging out with Nick the security guy before Daniel showed up, so I could meet him (because I had to leave early). Daniel showed up on a shiny BMW bike. I introduced myself to him and got to talking. I told him he's produced probably 5 of my 10 favorite albums of all time...but not Lou. He told me he was supposed to produce a Lou Reed album, but unfortunately it fell through. THAT would have been brilliant!)

So now, for your enjoyment, the Lou Reed KSCA interview:
Initial banter:

Sweet Jane:

Banter:

NYC Man:

Banter:

The Proposition:

Banter:

Egg Cream:

Banter:

Dirty Blvd.

End of the banter:

Not that I would have done any better...I would have been a blubbering idiot.

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