Search - Lou Reed :: American Poet

Just Before He Became A Rock Star

happydogpotatohead | New Orleans, LA USA | 05/08/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Tight, rocking live show, not half as overblown as "Rock & Roll Animal" or "Lou Reed Live." Meaning that here, old Unca Lou was not yet in danger of parodying himself or his music as he did on his other 1970s live albums. He also had yet, at this point, to make an impact in America beyond the Velvets fanbase, so on this set he actually worked at playing a good show for once, singing instead of shouting/reciting the lyrics, and avoiding most of the mannerisms that marred his later work. Here he's performing with focus and directness. In other words, this is a pretty terrific live show, and better than nearly all of his other live albums.The much-reviled Tots (who got a lot of bad press in England simply because their names weren't Sterling, Doug, Maureen or John) do a fine job here of approximating Mick Ronson's arrangements of Reed's then-current "Transformer" album without hitting the overblown rockstar postures of the Wagner/Hunter era Reed band. The version of "Berlin" here is surprisingly effective, and "Walk It Talk It" is better than either the Velvets' version or the version on Reed's first solo album (the travails of which are hilariously outlined on the barely-literate liner notes on this CD). The interview is funny, not just because Reed says he hopes Doug Yule is dead, but because the interviewer then reveals he went to school with Yule, forcing Lou into the position of trying to make nice with the interviewer while retaining his bad-boy rock star posture. Aside from the novelty factor, the interview isn't all that, and after the first time you hear it you'll probably hit the skip button. It should have been stuck on at the end after the actual music, rather than breaking up the flow of the show as it does.But enough of the critical stuff. If you're a Lou Reed fan, you'll want this for sure. If you were a Lou fan but gave up on him after some of the admittedly dreadful junk he did in the late 70's and '80s, you might want this anyway to remind you of why you liked him. And if you're a newcomer, you'll want this after you get Transformer, simply because it's actually one of the better Lou Reed live albums period."

LEGENDARY BOOTLEG SHOW NOW "OFFICIAL"

Michael Gross | Burke, VA | 03/19/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This show has been released in one bootleg form or another under at least 10 different titles. This, however, is its first "official" release. Finally!This was broadcast on FM radio out of Hempstead, NY in December 1972, and sounds FANTASTIC. This is the entire show, uncut and in order, complete with mid-show interview. Lou's backing band, The Tots, put on an incredible show. Sometimes prone to unfocused and less-than-energetic performances, The Tots put on the show of their lives here. This is Lou Reed without props, without camp, and just in your face Rock 'N' Roll.My only complaint stems from the packaging. Yes, you get great photos by Icon-maker Mick Rock, but the review/writing in the booklet appears to have been authored by a 3rd grader! Spelling mistakes, poor grammar, run-on sentences...you get the picture. However, you ARE spending money for the music, right?"

The missing link

P. R. | Netherlands | 08/15/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"This CD is the missing link between the sometimes rambling live sound of the velvet underground and the glamrock-like live cd's "R&R animal" and "live". Biggest surprises for me were the arrangements for waiting for my man and berlin: they remind very much of the versions on "take no prisoners" except that these aren't over the top...How relaxed the recording is, proves Mr Reed himself while playing "Rock and Roll" - and this is a quote - " you can clap" and his cheery "lalala" in a very friendly version of Sweet Jane.And this brings me to the only minus of the CD: most of the songs are available in more than one differnet live-version. So how surprising these versions might be - sometimes you'd wish he'd played/the editor selected some different songs. But for the true fan a must!"