Tonight, former Velvet Underground frontman and current old, whispering frontman of Loutallica, Lou Reed, will be reading Edgar Allen Poe's The Raven in Brooklyn. more ›

[UPDATE BELOW] The coolest man in rock and roll used the uncoolest form of communication—the maddeningly annoying call-and-response "People's Mic"—at an Occupy Wall Street protest at Lincoln Center last night. Reed told the protesters, "I was born in Brooklyn, and I've never been more ashamed than to see the barricades tonight. The police are our army. I want to be friends with them. And I wanna occupy Wall Street. I support it." You can listen to the full audio below, courtesy @NewYorkist: more ›

WFMU's Tom Scharpling took to Twitter last night to send out some live transmissions of a close encounter with Lou Reed, who was enjoying some scones, coffee, and WiFi at a local Starbucks. Of course, none of this actually happened, but we feel pretty confident if it were to happen, the below is a pretty accurate play-by-play of what would unfold. You can view a larger version of the below "transcript" right here—it is, at the very least, more enjoyable than Reed's other recent contribution to society. more ›

Oh sure, you've read about the cranky metal Lou Reed/Metallica collaboration Lulu—maybe you've even seen the Muppets covering Loutallica. But have you actually tried listening to the album? It seems some Metallica fans haven't, but they're still not too happy about it: "[Metallica's fans] are threatening to shoot me, and that's only because I showed up. They haven't even heard the record yet, and they're recommending various forms of torture and death," Reed told USA Today in an interview about the team-up. more ›

It's the strange musical collaboration of your nightmares: the new Lou Reed/Metallica (Loutallica) cranky metal album Lulu is now streaming online, just sitting there waiting for unsuspecting ears to pulverize. Pitchfork editor Brandon Stosuy's friend Seldon Hunt summed it up perfectly: "'Wow. Sounds like Woody Allen trying to tell a joke in your ear at a Limp Bizkit concert.'" You can stream the whole Frankenstinian concoction here, enjoy the Stereogum comment party here, or just skip straight to watching the Muppets "perform" a cover of "Pumping Blood" below (via Scott at Stereogum). Beaker is Lou! more ›

We're still convinced that Lou Reed and Metallica's (henceforth known as Loutallica) cranky metal collaboration "Lulu" will turn out to be some sort of purposeful "Metal Machine Music"-esque fan-alienating stunt (or maybe it's just an excuse for Lou to wear some really cool leather jackets and gold chains?). But for now, a desperately-in-need-of-a-nap Reed is pressing forward with the illusion that the project has "pushed me to the best I’ve ever been." Below, watch a promo for the album in which Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich still talks like he's on a late '90s Vh1 show: more ›

Gather 'round for a night of highbrow art appreciation this Friday at the New York Public Library, which is celebrating the 70th birthday of avant-garde theater director Robert Wilson, with a little help from some of his famous friends. Wilson collaborators like musician/author/elder statesman Lou Reed, operatically inclined singer Rufus Wainwright and dancer/choreographer Lucinda Childs will all be on hand to toast to Wilson's life and works. more ›

Lou Reed has been quite busy these days. When he's not collaborating with Metallica on a record, he's spending time putting together a graphic novel based around his "spiritual forefather" Edgar Allen Poe, called, appropriately, The Raven. more ›

Take a walk on the wild side of Ktulu: in one of the more unlikely musical collaborations...ever, Lou Reed has teamed up with Metallica for a new joint album. Metallica unveiled the secret, ten-song project on their website yesterday, explaining: "Ever since we had the pleasure of performing with Lou at the 25th Anniversary of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame at Madison Square Garden in October of 2009, we have been kicking around the idea of making a record together." more ›

For over two years, the city has wanted to build a sanitation garage in SoHo on Spring Street. And at every step of the way, those plans have been blocked by a ragtag cadre of downtown celebrities, a renegade group of disparate actors, musicians and personalities who were willing to fight to the last breath to prevent the common man's garbage from clogging their block. They were the Ocean's Eleven of...trash. But a court has now rejected the appeals to the project, and given the go ahead for the garage to be built. more ›

We may never know why Lou Reed didn't call his iPhone app: Lou Read, but at least now we know how he keeps himself busy these days. When not pre-occupied fighting the tower of garbage coming to his neighborhood, the former Velvet Underground legend is finding new ways to hock his app (which basically just puts your contacts in a large/easy-to-read Helvetica Neue type). This time he's taken to the YouTubes with a new infomercial in which he dons oversized, neon sunglasses. more ›

Aging rocker Lou Reed has designed an iPhone app with Ben Syverson called Lou Zoom. In short: it makes the font larger so that you can see your contact names correctly when your vision isn't what it used to be. This will likely come in handy so that when Reed wants to call his Community Board about the garbage tower he doesn't accidentally call former bandmate John Cale, which would be awkward. That Helvetica Neue font is nice, too — the website declares the overall aesthetic to be a "contemporary take on classic Modernist design." And Wired says it's Reed’s best collaboration since Songs for Drella. [via Village Voice] more ›

Is there anyone left in the world who thinks that aging icon Lou Reed is all sunshine and rainbows? The grumpy old man/legendary rock star was at it again this week when he "demanded the bar be shut down when he sang at Persol's Incognito design exhibit at the Whitney." The Daily News reports that he didn't want to hear those pesky bar noises as he performed, and once onstage he addressed his audience by shouting: "Shut the [bleep] up - you're talking too much!" That kind of outburst would have never flown at the Factory, man. Earlier this year he griped about a garage, maintenance facility and salt shed the city is planning for the corner of Washington and Spring Streets. Reed resides in a nearby penthouse with wife Laurie Anderson, and the couple are now part of a lawsuit against the city. more ›

Mayor Bloomberg has an unlikely opponent for his plans to build a sanitation garage in SoHo. Lou Reed has now taken his soapbox (previously stationed over at New York magazine) to the people's network: NY1. They report, "The rock star and his musician wife, Laurie Anderson, are among those suing the city over the plan that would build a garage, maintenance facility and salt shed on the corner of Washington and Spring Streets." Reed showed up at the network's studios last night and declared, "Why would anybody in their right mind want to do something so ugly, so irresponsible, so disgusting other than Bloomberg and real estate people, and slither this thing through without anyone having a chance to say about it because no one knew anything about it. You can't keep track of every last thing these thieves do. But having said that, to store that much salt over water, over the apex of two parks is beyond irresponsible and these people ought to be jailed." Fair enough. But one has to wonder if Reed would use his fame power if the facility were further away from his penthouse. more ›

Recently the New York label Supreme posterbombed neighborhoods with their Spring/Summer 2009 campaign. The posters are simple, featuring a photo of musician Lou Reed (shot by Terry Richardson) wearing a Supreme t-shirt (accessorized with aviator sunglasses and a smug expression). Street artist Faile has now altered the images, with a tiger face in place of Lou's, and the word "Vanity" in place of "Supreme." Upgrade? more ›

You just know Lou Reed grinds his teeth every time his Escalade rolls past Joey Ramone Place. The 66-year-old musician has finally come right out and said it: The next mayor should do the right thing and name a street after him. What's really galling is that he even has to ask. He tells NY Mag, "Lou Reed Way would be nice. Any little street would do." So let's get some people on this before he destroys us all with one withering glance. Though for our money, Rue Lou has a bit more cachet. more ›

In 2006, Lou Reed revived his album Berlin by performing it in its entirety with a small orchestra for five sold-out shows at St. Ann’s Warehouse in Brooklyn. The 1973 album, which riffs on themes of drugs, love and suicide, was a commercial failure when it came out; Lester Bangs described it as “the bastard progeny of a drunken flaccid tumble between Tennessee Williams and Hubert (Last Exit From Brooklyn) Selby, Jr.” more ›

The 2008 Tribeca Film Festival begins April 23rd and runs through May 4th, with over 200 feature length narrative films, documentaries and shorts from around the world. This year also features discussions with filmmakers, music events, a family film series, an ESPN Sports Film Festival and other special presentations. Check out last week's preview of some of the narrative feature films in the festival, or brave the entire program of films.) more ›

Two of the more recognizable New Yorkers down in Austin last week for SXSW were Lou Reed and Moby. During a tribute show for...himself, Reed showed up for a 7-minute encore of "Walk on the Wilde Side," which can be seen below. more ›

Oh, to be a confused, sweaty fly on the wall at the Waldorf Astoria last night, when Iggy Pop sang Madonna songs at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Pop and the Stooges covered "Burning Up" and "Ray of Light" in a tribute to the pop queen, who was inducted along with Leonard Cohen, John Mellencamp, The Ventures, and The Dave Clark Five. more ›

FOOD: Those with a taste for expensive ham and the means to pay for it will be tantalized by tonight’s one-night-only 5 course tasting menu at Suba, a Spanish restaurant on the Lower East Side. Chef Seamus Mullen has obtained the prized “Rolls Royce of Ham” – Jamón Ibérico – and will be offering it tonight with Ossabaw Island hogs and Iberian wine. There are just a few seatings still available for tonight's event, which will also feature a winter salad with raw artichokes and pine mushrooms and a gnocchi dish with littleneck clams, among other delicacies. If the $110 price tag seems steep for the tasting menu and wine pairings, just think: The first shipments of ibérico ham that arrived last month after USDA restrictions were lifted cost $90-$99 a pound at Despaña. – John Del Signore more ›

EVENT: Julian Schnabel will be screening clips from his latest flick, The Diving Bell and the Butterfly tonight. Lou Reed, who Schnabel recently documented in Lou Reed’s Berlin, will also be on hand. 7pm // Apple Store [103 Prince St] // Free READING: The Desk Set's "Drinks with an Author" series continues tonight at Greenpoint's WORD. This evening chat with Kara Jesella and Marisa Meltzer, authors of How Sassy Changed My Life: A Love Letter... more ›

Okay Conor, we get it: you have cool friends. This week, during the Bright Eyes 7-night run at Town Hall, the band promised a special guest each night. So far he's brought out the likes of Lou Reed, Steve Earle, Jenny Lewis, Norah Jones and Ben Kweller. Each played a few songs of their own mid set before joining in jamming with the rest of the group. On the night we went, we were treated to a mini acoustic set by Ben Gibbard and a sit in by Nick Zinner, who among other songs, played the haunting Daniel Johnston cover "Devil Town." But as far as Bright Eyes goes, no matter what you think of the guy and his music, there's no denying that he always makes the extra effort to please his fans in NYC. Whether it be avoiding the larger, expensive venues, playing intimate shows or pulling stunts like this. Conor went out of his way to make each of these shows special, and as a fan, we really appreciate that. more ›

My producers and I all made up a dream list of our favorite performers. Then we sicced Jamie Hook, my uber-gregarious, vociferous and sometimes even frightening producer, on these people. Some were charmed and accepted, some turned and ran. It’s a system with many casualties, but it worked out eventually, splendidly. more ›

NY Mag recently talked about the unexpectedness of the High Line brand. Of course venues are rebranding more and more, but the High Line is taking it to a new level - as it is, and started out as, much more than just a venue. With a festival curated by David Bowie, a neighborhood with proposed condos that allow residents to park their car on an elevator right next to their living space, and of course the park - 20 years ago no one would have dreamed all of this. more ›

With all this talk about venues closing, opening, renaming and branding themselves...it's easy for the little venues that aren't so publicized to get lost in the shuffle. Perhaps that's good, because once you find a nice small (no drink minimum) jazz club, you don't want everyone to know about it. However, you want it to stay in business, too. Over In Brooklyn (the blog) has a list of jazz spots in the borough, and a story about Brooklynite/jazz musician/bass maker Carl Thompson: more ›

ART: As a "happy anniversary" to The Velvet Underground and Nico (40 years!), John McWhinnie honors the rock legends (and the release of that album) with a collection of rare memorabilia and art(rock)ifacts. Come by to check out film stills by Warhol, "never before published or publicly shown photographs of the band by Adam Ritchie, Paul Morrisey and Doug Yule," and original lyrics by Lou Reed. More info here. more ›