First, it was Marcia Wallace (70). Then, there’s Lou Reed, who died at the age of 71. The cause of his death has yet to be known to the world. However, a few months before, he underwent a liver transplant.

Already Dying

According to his wife, Laurie Anderson, Lou was already dying before his liver transplant operation in May of this year. She added that she thought he’d never totally recover from this state.

Who is Lou Reed?

He was the lead vocalist of Velvet Underground. For Rolling Stone, said band is considered as the most influential American rock band of all time.

A Brooklyn native, Lou was known for his raw guitar style, his poetic solo and his innovative noise compositions.

The band was formed in the 1960s. Two of its most popular songs were Heroin and I’m Waiting for the Many. They were all addiction-themed because of Lou’s past alcohol and drug use.

While doing solo, he wrote and sang about Walk on the Wild Side and Perfect Day.

Before He Became Famous

His birth name was Lewis Allan Lou Reed. He was born in 1942 in Brooklyn.

After studying college, he immediately worked as a staff songwriter for Pickwick Records. Then, he went on to form the Velvet Underground.

Having Solo Career

Although he’s still part of his band, Lou Reed did launch a solo career in 1970. He recorded a song that was a hit known as Walk on the Wild Side.

He became a part of Factory in New York. He started creating solo albums such as Berlin, Metal Machine Music and Transformer.

Relationships

He was once married to Sylvia Morales in 1980s. But they got divorced in 1990s. A few years after that, he started a relationship with his fellow musician/artist, Laurie Anderson. They began to collaborate and perform live. And in 2008, they got married in a private ceremony.

Popularity Of His Band

His band, Velvet Underground, didn’t achieve great success. But Lou Reed and his band mates were recognized as a major influence on art rock and punk. According to a musician, the album of the band only sold about 10,000 copies. But those who bought it immediately formed a band.

What Led To His Liver Transplant?

He was a hard drinker and drug user. For many years, he had battled said addiction. That was one of the reasons he needed a liver transplant. Although his illness had taken a toll on his health, he appeared in various events. He said that with modern science, physics and chemistry, he made a rapid recovery.

When he appeared at the Cannes Lions International Festival, his increasing frailty was visible. He also criticized the quality of digital music. According to him, that type of music sounds like shit.

He was also known to have a lack of patience with the press. According to him, these media men are very problematic. When he was asked how he remained to be creative. He said that he “masterbate” every day.