Musician, songwriter, and performer; a key figure in the history of American music -- via NPR. Where do I begin? A founding member of the Velvet Underground. Created "Berlin" and "New York," two of the greatest albums of all time.
His parents gave him shock therapy because he was gay. He hooked up as a student with Delmore Schwartz, one of my favorite poets. He had a vision that rock could communicate much more than teenage lust, ditty-bop ectstasies, or groovy trips. It could examine life as thoroughly as Baudelaire, Poe, Celine did. He was brave enough to be honest about himself and what he witnessed.
And he fucking rocked. He even imposed Metal Machine Music on us, with perverse rigor and absolute no concern for the audience whatsoever.
He wasn't a pretty boy. He was nervous and confused, like us. He was a junkie; he wasn't. He was gay, he was straight, he was gay, he was straight. Didn't matter. Lou, you made it OK to be a freak and question everything, especially oneself! Thank you for all the dark magic.
Interesting, overlooked, and significant obituaries from around the world, as they happen, emphasizing the positive achievements of those who have died. Member, Society of Professional Obituary Writers.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
William Harrison
Novelist, short-story writer, and screenwriter; best known as the creator of "Rollerball" -- via the Arkansas Times. Also wrote the screenplay for the little-known gem "Mountains of the Moon."
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Friday, October 25, 2013
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Sid Yudain
Founder and editor of Roll Call, a folksy Capitol Hill paper; he discovered Mark Russell -- via the Washington Post.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Ronald Shannon Jackson
The premier free-jazz percussionist -- via jazzwisemagazine.com. Played with Ornette Coleman, Albert Ayler, and Cecil Taylor, in addition to a massive amount of solo work!
Noel Harrison
Actor, singer, songwriter, Olympic skier - via the BBC. The son of Rex Harrison, Noel made a splash as a singer with the pop hit "Windmills of Your Mind." Children of the 1960s will recall him as Agent Mark Slate in the short-lived TV spy show, "The Girl from U.N.C.L.E."
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