Lou Reed - "Sword Of Damocles"

I went away for the long weekend and it was probably the longest time without internet access I have endured for quite a while. Although it wasn't really a problem at all. As soon as I arrive home and connect to the net I find out about the passing of Lou Reed. I know he had a liver transplant recently but it still came as a great shock. Lou Reed was a true legend! I would say he was as influential as Dylan - I mean, look at the influence of The Velvet Underground. They didn't just inspire thousands of bands, from the 60's to the present time, they even inspired whole movements... if it wasn't for The Velvet Underground, the Flying Nun 'Dunedin Sound' would not have existed. Lou Reed's brilliant 1992 album 'Magic and Loss' was an album of death and mourning, which was inspired by the death of a couple of his friends. So his album of mourning is now our album of mourning.

Lou Reed - "Charley's Girl"

"Charley's Girl" is a track from Lou Reed's 'Coney Island Baby' album from 1976. After the previous album 'Metal Music Machine', which most people now accept, was a fulfillment of a contractual obligation, rather than a joke, although he has never confirmed either of those... instead, he states it is a serious album (some people believe it is a work of art, haha), Lou Reed fans would've approached 'Coney Island Baby' with trepidation. But 'Coney Island Baby' was (this time) a work of art. It was not as dark as 'Transformer' and 'Berlin' and was more sparse and pared back. With "Charley's Girl" we are told about a new girlfriend of a mate that cannot be trusted... well considering they are all junkies. Kind of takes you back to "I'm Waiting for the Man" territory.