40 years ago today....
Insert album cover (!)
This was my Lou Reed album. It was 1980 I was 17 and this was me, Growing up in Public, with my hands tied. This was Lou speaking to me. This was Lou speaking in a language that made so much sense to me.
We all had our teenage rebellion that resulted in both life and death. Some died, some were having kids, some of us skived school, some were being assaulted by teachers. My rebellion was much more middle class. It was a linguistic war that I fought across the kitchen table as I mashed my tatties. The discussion was usually about what kind of education I was getting. I'd been telling my Mum that there were no "t's" in butter at Holy Rood. If you wanted to make it through school, it was buh'er. If you wanted a pagger, it was 'butter', Growing up in Public, you learned to choose your fights and asking for butter wasn't one of them. I dont think she ever understood the trouble I had explaining we didn't live in a 'boat hoose'. I remember my linguistic education more than most, my wonderful autistic ways make me smile as I continually protested, 'no we dont live in a boat hoose, my mum and dad own it, they bought it.....'
For many who were born too late and missed the Velvets, Berlin, Transformer, Street Hassle, Sally Cant Dance and countless other albums this was the seminal album, for those born in 65 I'm sure theBlue Mask, etc...
I was in love with the Specials, Peter Perrett's lyrics, with Patrik Fitzgerald or Paul Weller spitting them out but Lou just said it as it was.
Nothing over or understated, "smiles", so funny 40 years on. Simple rock n roll, simple messages, read, sing and let your mind take over. The book is often described as the most democratic genre as each reader interprets each word, but for me, the blanker the canvas, the better journey. Simple messages open the mind.
There's not a track on that album that doesn't make me smile. It takes me straight back to where I was "So Alone". I'd tried to get moved to another school, or as I said, a school. I fucked off to university instead at the end of 5th year, and Lou was a helpful step on the journey.
I went along to the April pre-uni school weekend at St Andrews as the album came out and I thought, time to move on and learn something. I didn't know how to apply as I hadn't even sat my highers but the seed had been sown. The grass didn't look greener, it was the fact there was some grass. Holy Rood sadly for me was just a concrete jungle. One of my brothers, the one who also went to Holy Rood, used "Berlin" in 6th year as he sat his English Higher again, allegedly to improve the mark. Instead it was just to allow him another year doing a subject he'd already done. He had music to play....
"The power of positive drinking.." is just the perfect song for someone who is only a couple of years into a lifetime habit, but its a wonderful song. I dont think it led many people to sobriety but then I'm sure "Caroline Says II" cant be laid at the door of abusers. Shining lights is what good art does for me and Lou's music was an inspiration to do much of what followed.
There's no doubt, Lou spoke loudly to adolescent boys, and learning 'how to speak to angel', from an LP wasn't always recommended, but once I'd done the positive drinking, I tried 'Hello!', and surprisingly enough it did work.....once!
I'm not sure if it was when our daughter was 16 or 17 that I suddenly realised everyone was on the outside looking in. I'd spent my life on the touchlines, but then as I looked back recently, clearly I was inside the ropes. I'd written the rules and I'd even taken my ball home in those petulant moments.
When you listen to "My old Man" or "Keep away", you get all the fun of Ian Dury and Lou's playful creative lyrics come firing out from every corner of the house, from every nook and cranny, rhyming couplets that dance you around a collapsing relationship. Dividing up the family jewels is what every divorcing couple should do, but what a lot of shite was in every corner of this house. "....here's Shakespeare's Measure by Measure...", "Here's a yardstick you can measure me by...." and this was just as he was getting ready to divorce drugs and marry again!
Lou has a wonderful musical legacy and so many words are written about the guy and his life. He was never gonna be a Cliff Richard and his death was just a traditional Rock'n'Roll suicide, where he clearly took people out long the way. There's the quick sixties suicide or the longer version where you wait to see how much your body can take. He clearly gave up the bevvy a smidgeon later than intended but late enough that he got through the 80's and out the other side to reach his own 60's. By that time many more records and falling outs had come and gone. I quite like his work with Robert Quine on the Blue Mask. I also like so many of his collaborations, not least Bowie, there's a cracking you tube clip of Lou in 1984 as Jim Carroll performs "People Who Died". I dont think you need to beat up people to write "Caroline say II", and nowadays you'd be rightly jailed for it. I've no idea what the guy was like but I'm glad he wrote the song whether its a form of atonement is for others.
I've slid off the path of "smiles". The truth is they all smile on tv, and if he didn't smile, it wasn't just because his mum told him not to, but his music still makes me smile. Interestingly, I never heard him perform any of this album and its clearly not one he was that fond of, but he always had a big back catalogue to choose from so I'll forgive him and be happy he made it.
Music is about memories, sharing them is fun, but closing my eyes and getting back to the album is even better, so raise a glass, choose your year, close your eyes and listen to one of your favourite albums from when you were 16/17......thats what Covid-19 is all about!
I guarantee you'll pass a day in no time!
Next up Strawberry Tarts....Walking in a straight line.....
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