Bryce Dessner, a founding member of The National, has had his first works written for string quartet recorded by the San Francisco-based Kronos Quartet.
The album is called Aheym, and it’s being released Nov. 5, 2013.
Listen now over at NPR.
I read the news today, oh boy. Fuck. Lou Reed dead. I can’t believe it. I know we all die, but Lou Reed? I remember as a kid listening to a used copy of the Velvets’ first album in the living room of my parents house and trying to hear all the words to “Heroin.”
I was fascinated by the Velvets long before I really understood what they were all about, and why they were so important. I have played their albums for decades, particularly the third album, The Velvet Underground, and Loaded.
Like for millions of other fans all over the world, for me this is truly a sad day.
In 1996, when I was editor and publisher of Addicted To Noise, I had the opportunity to interview Lou Reed. The interview is still online. Here’s part of the introduction, with a link to the rest of the story.
Lou Reed is dressed in black. Black leather pants. Black t-shirt. Black shoes. Electricity is, literally, crackling off him, as he stands in his elegantly cool, private sixth floor office at the back of Sister Ray Enterprises, overlooking Broadway in the Village.
“Did you hear that?” he asks, walking over to an open window and closing it.
I think he’s referring to the street sounds, but I’m wrong.
At Sister Ray, there are Lou Reed and Velvet Underground posters on the walls, as well as framed gold and platinum albums for New York. A rack holds copies of many of Reed’s older albums; boxes of the recent Velvet Underground boxed set sit on a bookcase. A photographer is setting up to shoot Reed up front. Reed’s publicist is on the phone, dealing from a couch at the back, just outside the room where Reed and I are talking. Nearby is Reed’s Internet expert, Struan Oglanby.
“I’m getting a shock every time I get up,” Reed says with a grimace, taking a seat back at his desk. “That was that snapping sound.” Then, in that classic Lou Reed monotone, “I conduct a lot of electricity. It’s really strange.”
Maybe not so strange. We are, after all, talking about Lou Reed, founder of the Velvet Underground. Writer of such highly charged songs as “Heroin,” “I’m Waiting For The Man,” “Sweet Jane” and, of course, “Rock & Roll.” And Lisa Says.” And “Walk On The Wild Side.” And “Satellite Of Love.” And “The Blue Mask.” And “Romeo Had Juliette.” And “Dirty Blvd.” And….
You can read the rest of the interview here.
Watch Lou Reed perform “Sweet Jane.”
Lou Reed, the influential leader and co-founder of the Velvet Underground, died today (Oct. 27, 2013).
Reed died at a home on Long Island, New York, that he shared with his wife, the artist and musician Laurie Anderson, following complications from a liver transplant he had earlier this year, Andrew Wylie, his literary agent, said.
Reed had a successful solo career following the breakup of the Velvet Underground in the early ’70s. His most successful post-Velvets single was the once-controversial “Walk On The Wild Side,” which reached #16 in the Top 40 in 1972 when it was released, and charted at #10 in the UK.
Check out Rolling Stone‘s obit.
And this obit in the Chicago Tribune.
Comprehensive obit at Huffington Post.
Here’s the latest from our man Banksy. It’s located in Greenpoint.
Under the above photos, on Banksy’s site it says:
Today’s piece was going to be an op-ed column in the New York Times.
But they declined to publish what I supplied. Which was this…
If you missed my previous Banksy posts, here’s an easy way to check them out: Day one, day two, day three, day four, day five, day six, day seven, day eight, day nine, day ten, day 11, day 12, day 13, day 14, day 15, day 16, day 17, day 18, day 19, day 20, day 21, day 22, day 23, day 24, day 25, day 26. Plus: “A Consideration Of The Politics Of Banksy’s Syria Video,” “Source For Banksy’s ‘Concrete Confessional’ Revealed,” and “Banksy Update: NYC Mayor Attacks Street Artist.”
Watch the entire Oct. 26, 2013 Neil Young Bridge School concert including an acoustic set from Arcade Fire in which they debut a new song, “I Dreamed A Neil Young Song.”
Scheduled to perform are Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Arcade Fire, Queens of the Stone Age, My Morning Jacket, Jack Johnson, fun., Heart, Jenny Lewis, Elvis Costello and Diana Krall.
Peter Buck, R.E.M.’s co-founder, guitarist and songwriter, was a DJ at KBOO radio in Portland yesterday.
Listen to the show here.
Latest art from Mr. Banksy. Beneath this photo on Banksy’s website is this text: “Alternative New York bumper slogan”
If you missed my previous Banksy posts, here’s an easy way to check them out: Day one, day two, day three, day four, day five, day six, day seven, day eight, day nine, day ten, day 11, day 12, day 13, day 14, day 15, day 16, day 17, day 18, day 19, day 20, day 21, day 22, day 23, day 24, day 25. Plus: “A Consideration Of The Politics Of Banksy’s Syria Video,” “Source For Banksy’s ‘Concrete Confessional’ Revealed,” and “Banksy Update: NYC Mayor Attacks Street Artist.”
What a trickster Banksy is. First he puts up this image on his Instagram page yesterday, Oct. 25, 2013.
Then he puts up,this on his website:
Along with this video that includes a soundtrack of the Blue Oyster Cult’s “(Don’t Fear) The Reaper.”
And this text:
“Tonight through Sunday, dusk until midnight.”
And this audio guide:
If you missed my previous Banksy posts, here’s an easy way to check them out: Day one, day two, day three, day four, day five, day six, day seven, day eight, day nine, day ten, day 11, day 12, day 13, day 14, day 15, day 16, day 17, day 18, day 19, day 20, day 21, day 22, day 23, day 24,. Plus: “A Consideration Of The Politics Of Banksy’s Syria Video,” “Source For Banksy’s ‘Concrete Confessional’ Revealed,” and “Banksy Update: NYC Mayor Attacks Street Artist.”