Did Lou Reed chase fans away with a shotgun?
The impact of the 1960s on popular music remains unparalleled. In the United Kingdom, trailblazing bands like The Beatles spearheaded a movement that infused avant-garde elements into the mainstream. This era elevated popular music to an art form, marked by groundbreaking recording techniques, wild experimentation, and the kind of envelope-pushing that only distils through the intoxicating process of creativity.
On the other side of the Atlantic, movements like the folk revival and hippie culture rose to prominence, indicating a widespread interest in artistic renewal and innovation. In the enigmatic realm of New York’s creative underground, inhabited by figures like Andy Warhol and his entourage of intriguing personalities, Lou Reed could also be found making something entirely new.
In 1964, Reed initiated a musical collaboration with Welsh artist John Cale, christening themselves and their subsequent bandmates as The Velvet Underground. Drawing inspiration from avant-garde music and free jazz, notably influenced by the creations of Ornette Coleman, the band embarked on pushing the limits of rock and roll, adopting an experimental approach.
Facilitated by Warhol and featuring German singer Nico, the band released their remarkable debut album, The Velvet Underground and Nico, in 1967. Crafting songs like ‘Venus in Furs’ and the brash ‘European Son’, they blazed their enduring trail, pioneering a sound that would later position them as one of the most influential bands in history.
However, along with their unmatched contributions to underground rock, Reed also became known for his robust and unapologetic positioning regarding industry topics and issues. For instance, he never shied away from expressing distaste towards fellow musicians and didn’t care to censor himself all that much with regard to controversial anecdotes and personal choices. Even with his desire to remain hidden within the underbelly of pop music, Reed’s personality would act like a beacon in the night, attracting all manner of creatures to his unique way of thinking.
For instance, Reed allegedly once faced an issue with trespassing college students on his secluded New Jersey property, which prompted him to confront the intruders with a shotgun. “You know, like sometimes, you’ve got to be in a place,” the singer recalled in a conversation from 1987.
“You’re just another guy,” he continued. “You can just blend in. I live out in the wilds of nowhere, out in Jersey. Even there, there’s sometimes problems. College students like journey out there and show up at 11 o’clock at night, on my porch, looking into the door, not saying anything. My wife and I are sitting there; it’s really creepy.”
He added: “I’ve gone out with my shotgun. This is hunting country out there. You better run.”
Reed was also candid about his thoughts on other musical luminaries, admitting that he “never liked the Beatles,” he said, somewhat controversial. “I thought they were garbage. If you said, ‘who did you like?’ I liked nobody”.
Although The Velvet Underground went on to achieve a considerable following, then and now, Reed also discussed that the band’s intentions were always to elevate rock and roll, as opposed to other “arty bands” that appeared “worse than stupid rock and roll”, akin to The Doors, as he puts it.
