The hugely influential solo and Velvet Underground icon had undergone a liver transplant earlier this year, but news of his passing has nevertheless come as a huge shock. Taking to Twitter, his one-time bandmate John Cale wrote: “The world has lost a fine songwriter and poet…I’ve lost my ‘school-yard buddy’.”
Also writing on Twitter, Nile Rodgers declared: “Lou Reed, R.I.P. I did the Jools Holland show with him last year and we yucked it up. I didn’t know he was ill.”
“R.I.P. Lou Reed. Walk on the peaceful side,” The Who‘s official Twitter feed simply said, while the Dandy Warhols remarked: “Sad news this Sunday morning with the word of Lou Reed’s passing at age 71. Here’s lookin’ at you, Lou.”
The Libertines‘ Carl Barat wrote that Lou Reed, ‘Gave him his strength and helped him in his weakness’, while Hurts singer Theo Hutchcraft said: “RIP Lou Reed. Such sad news. A man who made so much possible leaves an impossible space to fill. What a guy.”
Talk about “Emperors New Clothes” – no one bought The Velvet Underground albums when they came out – the second album reached a mighty 199 on Billboard Hot 200.
People only became interested in Reed when Bowie got involved. He released a great single with a sublime b-side … and that was it!