The
Kids – in memory of Lou Reed, 27 October 2013
Someone
told they were discounting cassette tapes at the department store, a
big table full of them. I went there over lunch hour, dug myself a
way through piles of absolutely horrific music and just when I
thought of calling it a day, thanks for the tip but no thanks, there
it was. A tiny, yellow orange rectangular. Lou Reed, Berlin. I had
known about Lou Reed since a couple of weeks, listening to
Transformer and Sally Can't Dance, but was still blissfully unaware
of any of his other feats. Berlin sounded good, though. Song titles
like Men of Good Fortune and How Do You Think It Feels carried lots
of promise as well. I firmly grabbed the cassette, smiled at the man
posing as security and when he looked the other way let the box slide
into my coat's pocket.
At
home I had trouble making sense of it all. I didn't get most of the
lyrics and found the music not as easy and rocky as I had hoped it
would be. But my pride for having nicked this gem was not to be
undone. I told my older brother, this is Lou Reed, he is the best and
I stole the tape. Stole it? my brother inquired. Sure, I said, it's
worth way much more than a few lousy guilders, so why not take it for
free? I felt having gone through the risk of getting caught paid
infinitely more tribute to the music's greatness than money ever
could.
Next
day as I listened through the whole album again, during The Kids a
surprise awaited me. The music suddenly stopped and my brother's
voice was heard through my boy's room speakers. Remember, my friend,
cheats never prosper. After a short silence Caroline's crying
children took over again. That fuck of a brother of mine had messed
up my music!
I
nevertheless kept playing the tape until the sound had completely
faded (this happened to cassettes in those days) and replaced it with
the cd many years later. I still listen to it regularly and I still
feel good every time I recall how I made this music mine.
For
a comprehensive movie on Lou, check out this link: Rock
and Roll Heart
