Remembering a Rock Legend: Lou Reed

Rock legend and leader of the Velvet Underground, Lou Reed died Sunday morning at age 71. Reed’s cause of death has not been released, but a statement was made confirming that it was a “liver-related ailment.” Earlier this year, he received a life-saving liver transplant after experiencing chronic liver failure. Reed died in Southampton, N.Y. in a home he shared his wife and fellow musician, Laurie Anderson, whom he married in 2008.

Reed has been influential in rock-n-roll with his dark vision and lyrical honesty, Reed will always be remembered as one of the greatest rock pioneers. Reed wrote a majority of the Velvet Underground hits and went on to having a successful solo career with singles including “Walk on The Wild Side” and “Perfect Day.” His widely provocative lyrics discussing illicit sex and drug abuse pushed the envelope of punk art, forever changing the sound of rock.

Former Velvet Underground band mate John Cale said, “The news I feared the most, pales in comparison to the lump in my throat and the hollow in my stomach. Two kids have a chance meeting and 47 years later we fight and love the same way — losing either one is incomprehensible. No replacement value, no digital or virtual fill ... broken now, for all time. Unlike so many with similar stories - we have the best of our fury laid out on vinyl, for the world to catch a glimpse. The laughs we shared just a few weeks ago, will forever remind me of all that was good between us.”