The Music Industry Mourns The Death Of Lou Reed
ON THIS DAY IN MUSIC HISTORY 27 OCTOBER 2013
Lou Reed Dies Aged 71 — Remembering the Rock Poet and His Extraordinary Connection with David Bowie
On 27 October 2013, the music world mourned the death of Lou Reed, the influential American singer-songwriter, poet and art-rock pioneer, who died aged 71. Best known as the frontman of The Velvet Underground and for his uncompromising solo career, Reed helped reshape the sound, attitude and subject matter of modern rock music.
His death marked the loss of one of rock’s most distinctive voices: a songwriter whose lyrics explored New York street life, love, alienation, addiction and the outsiders living on the edges of society. His influence reached across generations of musicians, including one of Britain's most innovative musical chameleons, David Bowie.
For Bowie, Lou Reed was far more than a fellow musician. He was a friend, an inspiration and a crucial figure in the development of his own artistic vision.
Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground: The Birth of Alternative Rock
Born Lewis Allan Reed in Brooklyn, New York, on 2 March 1942, Lou Reed emerged from the city's underground arts scene during the 1960s. In 1964, he helped form The Velvet Underground with Welsh musician John Cale, guitarist Sterling Morrison and drummer Angus MacLise, later replaced by Maureen Tucker.
The group developed a radically different sound from the cheerful pop music dominating the charts. Their music combined experimental noise, distorted guitars, hypnotic rhythms and Reed's detached, conversational vocals. His lyrics tackled subjects that mainstream pop often avoided, creating vivid portraits of people and experiences far removed from conventional rock-star fantasies.
The Velvet Underground attracted the attention of artist Andy Warhol, who became their manager and incorporated them into his multimedia project, the Exploding Plastic Inevitable. German-born singer Nico joined the group for their influential 1967 debut album, The Velvet Underground & Nico, famous for its banana artwork designed by Warhol.
Although the album initially sold modestly, its impact grew enormously over time. The Velvet Underground helped establish the foundations of art rock, punk and alternative music, influencing artists who valued originality and artistic freedom over commercial convention.
David Bowie was among those who recognised the band's importance early on. Reed's fearless songwriting and the Velvets' experimental approach offered a different model of what rock music could become.
David Bowie and Lou Reed: A Friendship That Changed Rock History
David Bowie and Lou Reed shared a creative relationship that stretched across more than four decades. Both artists challenged conventional ideas about masculinity, celebrity, sexuality and musical identity, and both understood that rock and roll could be a form of theatre, storytelling and provocation.
Bowie admired The Velvet Underground long before he became an international superstar. Their influence can be heard in his early-1970s songwriting, particularly Queen Bitch, a track on his 1971 album Hunky Dory that paid tribute to the Velvet Underground's sound and attitude.
By 1972, Bowie was preparing to launch Ziggy Stardust into the world. At the same time, he was helping Lou Reed establish himself as a solo artist following the Velvet Underground's dissolution.
Bowie and guitarist Mick Ronson took on production duties for Reed's second solo album, Transformer , recorded in London in 1972. The album would become one of the defining records of the glam-rock era, introducing Reed's songwriting to a much wider audience.
Transformer: The London Album That Helped Make Lou Reed a Star
Released in November 1972, Transformer combined Reed's streetwise storytelling with the theatrical flair of the British glam-rock movement. Bowie and Ronson helped shape the arrangements, while Ronson's musical contributions added dramatic strings and guitar textures to Reed's distinctive songs.
The album included some of Reed's best-known compositions, among them Vicious, Perfect Day, Satellite of Love and the unforgettable Walk on the Wild Side.
With its roll call of characters from New York's underground world, Walk on the Wild Side became an international breakthrough. Its relaxed groove and candid lyrics were unlike anything else on mainstream radio at the time. The song reached the UK Top 10 and remains Reed's signature recording.
The album was recorded at Trident Studios in Soho, London, a studio with a remarkable place in British rock history. Trident had also been used by David Bowie, The Beatles, Queen and Elton John, making it an important part of the capital's musical heritage.
Bowie's involvement was a crucial act of artistic support. At a time when Reed's solo career needed direction, Bowie helped bring his music to a larger audience without removing the grit and individuality that made him special.
Reed later spoke warmly about Bowie, describing him as a great guy and recalling their work together as a positive experience. Their relationship was not simply producer and artist: it was built on mutual respect and a shared understanding of the creative risks that made their music so compelling.
A Historic London Performance: Lou Reed Joins David Bowie on Stage
On 8 July 1972, Bowie headlined a benefit concert at London's Royal Festival Hall. In a memorable moment, Lou Reed joined Bowie and The Spiders from Mars on stage to perform Velvet Underground classics, including White Light/White Heat, Sweet Jane and Waiting for the Man.
The appearance introduced Reed to a British audience in the company of one of the country's most exciting new rock stars. Bowie was at the height of the Ziggy Stardust phenomenon, and the performance brought together two artists whose work had helped challenge the boundaries of rock music.
Their musical connection continued over the years. In 1997, Reed joined Bowie on stage at Madison Square Garden for Bowie's 50th-birthday concert, performing songs including Queen Bitch and White Light/White Heat.
Their friendship endured beyond the glam-rock years, through changing musical fashions and the many transformations of Bowie's career.
Lou Reed's Solo Career: From Berlin to Rock and Roll Reinvention
After leaving The Velvet Underground in 1970, Reed pursued a solo career that produced a remarkable catalogue of albums. Following Transformer, he released Berlin in 1973, a dark and ambitious concept album that explored a destructive relationship through a bleak, cinematic narrative.
Although the album initially received mixed reviews, its reputation grew over time, and it is now regarded as one of Reed's most daring works.
He continued to experiment throughout the 1970s and beyond, moving between abrasive guitar rock, intimate songwriting and uncompromising artistic statements. Albums such as Rock 'n' Roll Animal, Street Hassle and New York demonstrated his ability to challenge audiences while remaining unmistakably himself.
In 1996, The Velvet Underground were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Reed was later inducted as a solo artist in 2015, recognising his individual contribution to music history.
His work helped open the door for punk, alternative rock and countless musicians who refused to follow conventional rules.
David Bowie Pays Tribute to His Old Friend
When Lou Reed died on 27 October 2013, David Bowie paid tribute to his longtime friend with a simple but powerful statement:
“He was a master.”
The words reflected the respect Bowie held for Reed's songwriting, originality and influence. Reed had helped Bowie recognise the possibilities of an art-rock identity that could be confrontational, theatrical and emotionally complex.
In turn, Bowie helped bring Reed's music to a broader audience through Transformer and their shared performances. Their relationship remains one of the great creative partnerships in rock history: two distinctive artists whose paths crossed at a pivotal moment in the evolution of modern music.
Lou Reed died aged 71, but his music continues to resonate with listeners who value honesty, experimentation and the courage to explore the uncomfortable corners of human experience.
His legacy lives on in the songs, records and artists he inspired — and in the enduring friendship he shared with David Bowie.
And that’s how music makes history🎶
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