Lou Reed, one of the most influential figures in the development of alternative rock the world over, has died at the age of 71 in Long Island. No official cause of death was given, but the rocker had undergone a liver transplant earlier in 2013.
Reed rose to fame as a member of the Andy Warhol-"produced" Velvet Underground, one of the most influential bands in the history of rock, and certainly of the alternative scene in particular. As a musician, Reed subscribed to both radical experimentation and simplicity. Perhaps the best example of this was Velvet Underground's "Sister Ray" from its acclaimed album White Light/White Heat, which carries on for more than 17 minutes despite being based on only three chords.
Following the band's first four albums, all of which are now featured in Rolling Stone magazine's 500 Best Albums of All Time, Reed left the group to start on a solo career. He found success with his second solo release, Transformer, an album produced by fan David Bowie, and featuring his biggest hit, "Take A Walk on The Wild Side."
Perhaps the best indication of Reed's genius however is that his most critically reviled albums are also among his most renowned. Metal Machine Music, a 1975 experimental album, lives up to its title, consisting of almost nothing but what sounds like an industrial cacophony. Despite near universal loathing from music critics, Machine Music has remained an integral part of music culture, seen as an influence point for everything from Einstürzende Neubauten to The Raveonettes. Indeed, one of the performer's biggest fans Lester Bangs couldn't bring himself to call the album good, but he referenced almost constantly in his reviews.
Reed's last release, Lulu, a project carried out between the performer and Metallica, received similarly low scores from critics. Who knows what they'll say about it in 30 years.
