It was whilst browsing Twitter I found out the news of Lou Reed's death at 71 on the 27th of October. It was strange because just the night before I sat with my 18 year old brother and boyfriend, listening to Perfect Day and reminiscing about all the memories we had of that song - myself and my brother would sing together on the way home from school and remembered how once it was raining, and as soon as we started to sing Perfect Day, the sun came out through the clouds and the rain stopped! It was a bizarre tribute to his death, before it even happened.
The first I had heard of Lou Reed was watching Trainspotting. Perfect Day fits so well to the film, it's almost as if it was written specifically for the film. I loved the whole soundtrack to the film (and still do). It's since watching Mark Renton relapse and overdose on heroin with that song as the narration that I began to listen to more Lou Reed and Velvet Underground.
Not only was Lou Reed a wonderful musician, he was also a style icon. He embodied teenage rebellion and rock 'n' roll. The haggard jeans, wayfarers and leather jacket symbolised an elusive "cool". It is understated and simple, not contrived but almost acted as a uniform for him. It's the look people strive to achieve today, but for Lou Reed it was like picking out your comfiest clothes. It was effortless.
Lou Reed will be greatly missed by anyone with a passion for the arts, music and style.
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