The classic rock guitarist Lou Reed considered to be “perfect”
They just don’t make them like Lou Reed anymore, no matter how much rock stars and pop heroes try to emulate his contrarian disposition. Although he wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, the late Velvet Underground leader’s vitriolic personality was natural, not contrived in the slightest, and a crucial part of his profoundly countercultural life.
That uncompromising streak defined not only Reed’s public persona but also the way he assessed other musicians. He rarely tempered his opinions for diplomacy’s sake, preferring blunt honesty over industry politeness, regardless of whether his target was a fellow icon or a close collaborator.
Running concurrently with the groundbreaking and taboo-busting music that Lou Reed delivered was his suspicious personality. This could manifest in many ways, with him also outspoken on the state of politics, but most notably, it would produce a series of damning critiques of some of his most prominent peers.
During an incendiary 1970s interview where he commented on the work of everyone from The Beatles to David Bowie and even his old bandmate Maureen Tucker, his stand-out take was regarding Frank Zappa. Tearing into The Mothers of Invention figurehead, Reed described him as an egregiously untalented loser.
“He’s probably the single most untalented person I’ve heard in my life,” Reed said. “He’s a two-bit pretentious academic, and he can’t play his way out of anything. He can’t play rock’n’roll because he’s a loser. And that’s why he dresses up funny. He’s not happy with himself, and I think he’s right.”
Reed’s remarks reflected more than simple personal dislike. He often drew a sharp distinction between musicians he considered emotionally authentic and those he believed prioritised technical virtuosity or intellectualism over genuine rock and roll instinct.
Although the critique of Frank Zappa is probably the most stinging Lou Reed ever gave, and that’s considering all the times he trashed journalists to the point of tears, that 1970s interview also provided moments of humble praise from the ‘Venus in Furs’ songwriter. One of the most intriguing and indeed surprising was his praise of The Rolling Stones’s lead guitarist, Keith Richards, a man whose blues-heavy music seemed at odds with Reed’s unique efforts.
Considering Reed’s position on the outside of mainstream music trends, it would have been a fair guess to assume that the Velvet’s leader would have been turned off by the Stones’ world domination and complete devotion to cashing in on their commercial prowess. Regardless, Reed was heavily complimentary of Richards’ playing, describing it as “so perfect”.
Not done there, Reed was also keen to praise Richards’ partner in crime, Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger. He said (per Open Culture): “Jagger’s tops – I’m intrigued with what he has to say, I am, I’m interested. If I had to pick my top ten, they’ve got at least five songs. Keith Richard isn’t playing many notes, but the notes he’s playing are so thought out, so perfect.”
It goes to show that while Reed was happy on the peripheries of culture, his history was rooted in creating pop songs, whether their subject matter was subverted or not. It is something that make his appreciation of Richards a little more expected.
Like many of Reed’s most provocative opinions, his comments reveal as much about his own philosophy as they do about the artists he discussed. He valued economy, authenticity and emotional impact above technical brilliance, making it entirely consistent that he could dismiss one celebrated guitarist while holding another in such high regard.
Listen to Keith Richards below.
