http://parismorningsnewyorknights.blogspot.com/2015/12/an-ode-to-san-francisco.html Wild Young Minds: October 2013

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

The illusion of perfection when no one is proud

I never saw myself burning in the flames of the fire
Neither did I imagine climbing a hill having no hope
I never saw myself pushing and squeezing and forcing
For something already broken before even created
For something that needed damage in order to be fixed

The battle that’s in front of us needs to be fought
In order to make a journey we must have a suitcase
To be filled with desire, with memories, with taste
Of an unforgettable incomparable and irreversible time   
When mornings were bloomy and nights were bright

But light needs darkness and pleasure needs sorrow
So thunder filled the air and all that’s left was tomorrow
Tomorrow, when the task asks for a beginning to be made
In order to obtain respect and pride we all need to work
Ideas must fill the air, the illusion of originality exists

What is the function of perfection when no one is proud
For creation is cumulative and completion cannot be found
This world is filled with insecurities that need to be smashed
That need to be cursed and damaged like the flesh of a deer
Since no hero ever gave up and so must society as we know it

I have always done what was expected for the ultimate goal
What a delusion when goals are meant to be shifted away
I have always performed for myself in order to win respect
Only for me since the people are placed in a position of power
But what’s the use of winning when the competition is you
I have often wondered what it was that I had to do

Burning and running and falling and rising back up in the air
To once be a tower standing solid between the comfort of clouds
Or wondering wise why we do what we do and what’s to be found
And standing with my tiny feet between all the others on the ground


Take a walk on the wild side of heaven, Lou.

To be honest, I hadn't heard anything anymore from the legendary Lou Reed in the last five years. I had no idea how old he was, if he was still active in music and how his health was. Maybe that was why his death came as such a shock for me. Lou Reed, the singer of one of my favourite songs 'Take a walk on the wild side' (I recall having posted a video of that song on my blog a couple of years ago, because the lyrics appealed so much to me), Lou Reed, who once wrote the startling lyrics of 'Heroin' (When the heroin is in my blood/and that blood is in my head/then thank God that I'm as good as dead/then thank God that I'm not aware/And thank God that I just don't care) and Lou Reed, the leadsinger of the Velvet Underground, the student of Andy Warhol and the lover of Nico. 

Yes, this was Lou Reed and Lou Reed is now dead. He died of liver disease, tragically as this may be, it is the death of a rockstar, who shot his soul to the sky by drinking litres and litres of liquor. Half a year before he underwent a liver transplant, which made him feel 'stronger and bigger than ever' (for a 71 year-old, that's quite an accomplishment). But last Sunday his body was broken, his body finally gave up and Lou Reed died in his home in New York. Anything but a perfect day.

Lou Reed was born in Brooklyn as Lewis Allan Reed. Though he was Jewish, he claimed his religion to be rock 'n roll. Following this religion, he learned to play the guitar and joined several bands in his youth. Being a bisexual in the times before the openminded sixties, he received electroconsulvive therapy as a teenager, which was said to heal his bisexuality. Ridiculous of course, and quite traumatic.

He studied journalism, creative writing and film directing at university, after which he hosted a late-night radio program which played mostly rhythym and blues and free jazz. This was a huge inspiration source for him, many of his guitar-techniques were inspired by jazz saxophonists (God, what a masterous genre, jazz!) A couple of years later, Lou began working as an in-house songwriter for Pickwick Records. his is where he met John Cale, with whom he later formed 'The Velvet Underground' (Maureen Tucker and Sterling Morrison joined as well). The Velvet Underground had little commercial success but would later turn out to be a huge cult-hit, also thanks to the famous banana cover by Andy Warhol and the collaboration with Nico. 

In 1970, Lou left The Velvet Underground and began a solo career. In my opinion, his best songs include the ones from 'Transformer' and 'Rock 'n Roll Animal' (with the Bowie-style cover, Lou wearing heavy make-up and looking quite freaky). The 'Rolling Stone Magazine' critic Stephen Holden said the following about Reed's voice on 'Transformer': ''Reed's voice hasn't changed much since the early days. Outrageously unmusical, it combines the sass of Jagger and the mockery of early Dylan, but is lower-pitched than either'. What a compliment...


'I love you' and 'Heroin' show the softer side of Lou Reed, which I definitely prefer. 'Take a walk on the wild side' is still my absolute number one. The lyrics of this song are build up so perfectly fine. The funny thing is that each of the song's verses describe a tragic fixture of The Factory: Candy Darling, Holly Woodlawn, ''Little Joe'' Dallesandro, ''Sugar Plum Fairy'' Joe Campbell and Jackie Curtis. Lou didn't stop working until 2010, mostly doing covers but also recording new material.

His personal life was pretty interesting too (all his relationship with musicians, women, men, all of that) but I'm not going to turn this post in a history of Lou. His music is definitely worth listening to and if you're not in the position to listen to his fabulous records, just look him up on YouTube. The world has lost another legend (I think I'm going to use this as standard line with my posts now, happening way too often) but at least, he's reborn a bit through his music. At least, in my bedroom. Thanks, Lou.

Friday, October 18, 2013

Ballad of Bob

Seeing my biggest hero in two weeks! I know, I know, everyone keeps saying that his concerts are pretty lousy, but I don't care. I'm not going to be able to spend my life knowing I had the chance to see him when he's dead. Cause let's stay realistic, he's not going to live forever. His body though, his music will of course ;)  Bob Dylan is known to be not that nice a guy, especially to all of his lovers he was quite horrible. That is, a great lover and poet in the beginning and easily dropping them for someone new (how easily Sara replaced Joan Baez). Anyways, he does know how to sing about the ladies. 

''You've been with the professors
And they've all liked your looks
With great lawyers you have
Discussed lepers and crooks
You've been through all of
F. Scott Fitzgerald's books
You're very well read
It's well known.''

Outstanding guy, Bob.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Suffer is an artist's seed


My bag was filled with no expectations
Not in order to diminish the illusions in my head
For I only felt fear of empty relations
I never thought I’d feel comfortable in your bed

Established thoughts released from a spinning mind
We talked about art, about literature, about life
Your wise words and my curiosity perfectly combined
Through us the legends of the past could easily survive

Minor magic moments arose from the waves of the sea
If this was happiness, I would know where to look
I would know how my body could finally be free
And how Kerouac put that thought into his famous book

Mystery appeared when you showed me your inner soul
It was not that I felt a distance, it was rather close indeed
But it was the lightness in me that you secretly stole
Sadness is the base of beauty and suffer is an artist’s seed

Instinctively I knew that I had never been one to belong
My mind had always been lost and my feelings quite intense
Still had it been you that made the confusion so strong
Do I feel heavier or lighter after this short yet pure romance?

The connection is damaged and everything is dust
Yet the relief is tremendous since it was not only lust

It was an easy route to a troubled life, the life of the dazzling damned