While You Were Sleeping, Lou Reed Passed Away
The lead singer of The Velvet Underground died from an illness related to a liver transplant. Also: Cut Copy's new album is streaming, and people are still dressing in blackface.
R.I.P Lou Reed
Lou Reed — frontman of Velvet Underground, and seminal solo artist — died overnight of an illness related to the liver transplant he underwent in May. The news was first reported in Rolling Stone, before being confirmed by The Guardian.
Lou Reed, 71, leaves behind his wife Laurie Anderson, an influential experimental performance artist and musician who was in Australia with her husband in 2010. The pair curated that year’s Vivid LIVE festival, which included a set from Reed’s Metal Machine Trio, inspired by his 1975 noise album Metal Machine Music: “No key. No vocals. No set rhythm. Feedback forever.”
Lou Reed will be remembered as one of the most significant musicians of the 20th century, who played a pivotal role in the development of art rock and the history of punk music.
The Velvet Underground rose up from obscurity in the ’60s, after Andy Warhol teamed them with actress, model and singer Nico; they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996.
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Cut Copy’s New Album Has Been Streaming Since Saturday
It’s called Free Your Mind, and it comes out through Modular on November 1.
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Sucked In, Guy!
And THAT’s what you get for stealing from the ocean.
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Today, In Racist Halloween Costumes
For this year’s Halloween, Dancing With The Stars star Julianne Hough decided to go as Crazy Eyes from Orange Is The New Black. Whoops!
“It certainly was never my intention to be disrespectful or demeaning to anyone in any way,” she tweeted. “I realize my costume hurt and offended people and I truly apologize.”
Meanwhile, here’s fashion designer Allesandro Dell’Acqua at Milan’s annual Halloweek masquerade party — this year themed ‘Disco Africa’. He is flanked on either side by Stefano Gabbana (of Dolce & Gabbana) and Juan Fran Sierra. Nope!
Finally, three people who are completely horrible. One of them is dressed as Trayvon Martin. One of them is dressed as his killer, George Zimmerman.
The third one, in the middle, is dressed in a costume you can (but shouldn’t!) buy online, called ‘Robyn Da Hood’. (via Gawker)