Punk Hybrids: Wham! Bam! Glam-Punk!

Glam Punk is "Rock 'n' roll with lipstick on," sneered John Lennon.

                                      
Books
    
        The Curmudgeonly King of Noir Chronicled in 'Notes From the Velvet Underground: The Life of Lou Reed'
    
Ian Rushbury

        11 Dec 2019
    
Music
    
        Nils Lofgren Celebrates Love, Loss, Friendship Via 'Blue With Lou'
    
Jedd Beaudoin

        23 May 2019
    
Books
    
        Meet Ex-rocker Turned Poet, Lou Reed, in 'Do Angels Need Haircuts?'
    
Megan Volpert

        01 May 2018

Recent

Film

'Shot!' Mick Rock Documentary at Tribeca + After Party (Photos)

Following the world premiere of SHOT! The Psycho-Spiritual Mantra of Rock, attendees were invited to an after party which featured the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and some special guests.

Music

The Velvet Underground: The Complete Matrix Tapes (take 2)

Lou Reed and friends were miles away from New York City but that didn't matter a bit. These are fine hours of VU at their best.

Music

Laurie Anderson: Heart of a Dog

The companion to the film of the same name, Heart of a Dog is a welcome and beautiful story from an American great.

Music

The Case for the Velvet Underground's Sterling Morrison

Even as the Velvet Underground has graduated from cult favorite to part of the '60s canon, guitarist Sterling Morrison has largely faded from public view.

Richard Buxton

Music

Last of the Rock Stars? An Interview With Elliott Murphy

As Elliot Murphy tells PopMatters, the new reimagining of his 1973 debut Aquashow may be the most profound musical adventure of his 40-plus year career yet.

Reviews

Lou Reed: Uptown Dirt, Downtown Man

Waiting for the Man is a beautiful read, fluid like a long conversation with a friend in your favourite coffee shop.

Music

The Velvet Underground: The Velvet Underground - 45th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition

Few bands ever had a year like the Velvet Underground did in 1969. Even fewer have a set that documents a year like that as beautifully as this one.

Events

Tits of Clay's Memorial for Lou Reed: 27 October 2014 - Mercury Lounge, NYC

Tits of Clay and Hedwig co-creator Stephen Trask paid tribute to the passing of Lou Reed with a performance of Transformer.

Music

Five Observations About the 2015 Rock Hall of Fame Ballot

The just-unveiled ballot for next year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction class attempts to honor Generation X as well as continue to rectify past oversights.

Music

Nils Lofgren: Face the Music

Possibly the mother of all box sets, Nils Lofgren’s Face the Music contains 169 tracks, 20 video clips, and a 136-page book, covering a big talent’s long career.

Music

Pronounced Dead: The Art of Cultural Assassination

Two critical catfights are claiming to have buried art-forms which have shaped our civilisation for decades and centuries apiece. Are they entitled to do that?

Music

Counterbalance: 'The Velvet Underground'

Put jelly on your shoulder, lie down upon the carpet and dig into the Velvet Underground’s eponymous third album. A 1969 classic is this week’s Counterbalance.

Reviews

There Isn't a Single Insertion in 'There Goes Gravity' That Isn't Intriguing

An invaluable look into the lives of our most adored musicians, written with wit, humility, and vibrancy by one of our most revered music journalists.

Music

Lou Reed Owned the '70s

Perhaps because it represented his formation as a solo artist, his manifestation of “Lou Reed”, as opposed to “Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground”, Reed owned the '70s more than any other decade.

Music

'How Do You Think It Feels?': The Lasting Effects of Prolonged Lou Reed Exposure

Some argue that Lou Reed, the man who never ran out of ways to say "fuck you", might not be the best influence for a child. I say he was the best role model a ten-year-old could have.

Music

Albert Hammond Jr.: AHJ

The Ghost of Lester Bangs and Charles Pitter listen to Albert Hammond Jr.’s EP AHJ.

Music

Legendary Heart: A Remembrance of Lou Reed

Lou Reed lived an extraordinary life, but that's mainly because he never followed any existing archetype. He was Lou Reed, and there was never anyone like him before, and there will never be anyone like him after.

Music

Peter Gabriel: And I'll Scratch Yours

Peter Gabriel waits three years for his back to be scratched, and the wait wasn't necessarily worth it.

Music

Psychic Ills: One Track Mind

While this will please fans of the Velvets and the many Hudson River-adjacent bands who carry on their legacy, if Psychic Ills revved up the speed and kicked out more jams, it would liven the impact of One Track Mind, which too often lives up to its title.

Events

Laurie Anderson + Geri Allen: 17 July 2012 - New York

The Stone only accommodates an audience of about 60. But when Laurie Anderson performed with pianist Geri Allen, each would have rather been nowhere else.

Film

An Open Letter to Tom Cruise: How to Make a Movie Rock

Dear Tom Cruise: We know you are hurting from the failure of Rock of Ages. However, if you learn the lessons from the best rock-themed movies, you can still make a rock film for the ages.

Music

Amanda Palmer: Several Attempts to Cover Songs...

And the award for "Self-Explanatory Album Title of the Year" goes to... Amanda Palmer, for Several Attempts to Cover Songs by The Velvet Underground & Lou Reed for Neil Gaiman as His Birthday Approaches.

Music

Metric: Synthetica

Metric consolidates its wares for what is potentially its big commercial breakthrough. And while the presentation is nice and tidy, the band ends up repeating itself in too machinelike of a manner.

Music

The Top 10 Most Notable Career Suicide Albums

Career suicide albums fall into two camps: Those that were released ahead of their time, and those that set new standards in awful. The best thing that could be said about the later category is that these albums are oftentimes just as fascinating as an artist’s best work.

Music

Big Bus Dream: Big Dream Baby

Lou Reed once said, "No one does Lou Reed like Lou Reed." Big Bus Dream should have paid attention.

David Bloom

Music

Seeing the Light: Inside the Velvet Underground

With exclusive new interviews from Velvet Underground, this is a captivating account of one of the most influential groups in rock history.

Rob Jovanovic

Music

Counterbalance No. 78: Lou Reed's 'Transformer'

The 78th most acclaimed album of all time came and hit the streets, looking for soul food and a place to eat. It’s such a perfect day to discuss this 1972 glam rock spectacular.

Music

Glen Campbell: Meet Glen Campbell (Expanded Edition)

"Meet Glen Campbell" showcases the singularity of Campbell's interpretive talents as a singer spectacularly. But there is hardly any reason to buy this skimpy "expanded edition" unless you don't already own the record in some other form.

Reviews

22nd Annual Tibet House Benefit: 13 February 2012 - New York

Philip Glass invites an interesting and engaging selection of artists to perform at the 22nd Annual Tibet House Benefit.

Music

Lou Reed and Metallica: Lulu

Have you ever been to a concert where the main act brings out a special guest for a song or two, and the connection is so pure that there is a palpable feeling of excitement in the room? Except in brief, fleeting moments, that doesn’t happen on this album.

Music

Various Artists: Rave on Buddy Holly

This tribute collection of 19 covers of one of early rock's most influential pioneers features legends (Paul McCartney, Lou Reed), indie A-listers (Modest Mouse, My Morning Jacket, She & Him), and -- would you believe? -- Kid Rock.

Music

"A Fanatical Fan with Fanatical Opinions": An Interview with Jim DeRogatis

Noted pop music critic Jim DeRogatis discusses much with PopMatters, including getting into fights with Wayne Coyne, why Lou Reed is frustrating to talk to, and why Lollapalooza is Wal-Mart ...

Reviews

Collapse Expand Reviews

BROWSE ALL ALBUM REVIEWS

Features

Dancing in the Street: Our 25 Favorite Motown Singles

Old British Films, Boring? Pshaw!

Collapse Expand Features

PM Picks

Collapse Expand Pm Picks

Glam Punk is "Rock 'n' roll with lipstick on," sneered John Lennon.

Following the world premiere of SHOT! The Psycho-Spiritual Mantra of Rock, attendees were invited to an after party which featured the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and some special guests.

Lou Reed and friends were miles away from New York City but that didn't matter a bit. These are fine hours of VU at their best.

The companion to the film of the same name, Heart of a Dog is a welcome and beautiful story from an American great.

Even as the Velvet Underground has graduated from cult favorite to part of the '60s canon, guitarist Sterling Morrison has largely faded from public view.

As Elliot Murphy tells PopMatters, the new reimagining of his 1973 debut Aquashow may be the most profound musical adventure of his 40-plus year career yet.

Waiting for the Man is a beautiful read, fluid like a long conversation with a friend in your favourite coffee shop.

Few bands ever had a year like the Velvet Underground did in 1969. Even fewer have a set that documents a year like that as beautifully as this one.

Tits of Clay and Hedwig co-creator Stephen Trask paid tribute to the passing of Lou Reed with a performance of Transformer.

The just-unveiled ballot for next year's Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction class attempts to honor Generation X as well as continue to rectify past oversights.

Possibly the mother of all box sets, Nils Lofgren’s Face the Music contains 169 tracks, 20 video clips, and a 136-page book, covering a big talent’s long career.

Two critical catfights are claiming to have buried art-forms which have shaped our civilisation for decades and centuries apiece. Are they entitled to do that?

Put jelly on your shoulder, lie down upon the carpet and dig into the Velvet Underground’s eponymous third album. A 1969 classic is this week’s Counterbalance.

An invaluable look into the lives of our most adored musicians, written with wit, humility, and vibrancy by one of our most revered music journalists.

Perhaps because it represented his formation as a solo artist, his manifestation of “Lou Reed”, as opposed to “Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground”, Reed owned the '70s more than any other decade.

Some argue that Lou Reed, the man who never ran out of ways to say "fuck you", might not be the best influence for a child. I say he was the best role model a ten-year-old could have.

The Ghost of Lester Bangs and Charles Pitter listen to Albert Hammond Jr.’s EP AHJ.

Lou Reed lived an extraordinary life, but that's mainly because he never followed any existing archetype. He was Lou Reed, and there was never anyone like him before, and there will never be anyone like him after.

Peter Gabriel waits three years for his back to be scratched, and the wait wasn't necessarily worth it.

While this will please fans of the Velvets and the many Hudson River-adjacent bands who carry on their legacy, if Psychic Ills revved up the speed and kicked out more jams, it would liven the impact of One Track Mind, which too often lives up to its title.

From graphic depictions of violence and death to ominous and grating musical atmospheres, Reed has numerous frightening tunes that can comprise an alternative Halloween soundtrack for those seeking something different from the traditional holiday horror themes.

The Stone only accommodates an audience of about 60. But when Laurie Anderson performed with pianist Geri Allen, each would have rather been nowhere else.

Dear Tom Cruise: We know you are hurting from the failure of Rock of Ages. However, if you learn the lessons from the best rock-themed movies, you can still make a rock film for the ages.

And the award for "Self-Explanatory Album Title of the Year" goes to... Amanda Palmer, for Several Attempts to Cover Songs by The Velvet Underground & Lou Reed for Neil Gaiman as His Birthday Approaches.

Metric consolidates its wares for what is potentially its big commercial breakthrough. And while the presentation is nice and tidy, the band ends up repeating itself in too machinelike of a manner.

Career suicide albums fall into two camps: Those that were released ahead of their time, and those that set new standards in awful. The best thing that could be said about the later category is that these albums are oftentimes just as fascinating as an artist’s best work.

Lou Reed once said, "No one does Lou Reed like Lou Reed." Big Bus Dream should have paid attention.

With exclusive new interviews from Velvet Underground, this is a captivating account of one of the most influential groups in rock history.

The 78th most acclaimed album of all time came and hit the streets, looking for soul food and a place to eat. It’s such a perfect day to discuss this 1972 glam rock spectacular.

"Meet Glen Campbell" showcases the singularity of Campbell's interpretive talents as a singer spectacularly. But there is hardly any reason to buy this skimpy "expanded edition" unless you don't already own the record in some other form.

Philip Glass invites an interesting and engaging selection of artists to perform at the 22nd Annual Tibet House Benefit.

Have you ever been to a concert where the main act brings out a special guest for a song or two, and the connection is so pure that there is a palpable feeling of excitement in the room? Except in brief, fleeting moments, that doesn’t happen on this album.

This tribute collection of 19 covers of one of early rock's most influential pioneers features legends (Paul McCartney, Lou Reed), indie A-listers (Modest Mouse, My Morning Jacket, She & Him), and -- would you believe? -- Kid Rock.

Emily Haines' journey with her band Metric has taken her everywhere from on stage with Lou Reed in Sydney, Australia to writing songs for teenage vampires in Hollywood. But all roads continue to lead back to her Toronto home.

Noted pop music critic Jim DeRogatis discusses much with PopMatters, including getting into fights with Wayne Coyne, why Lou Reed is frustrating to talk to, and why Lollapalooza is Wal-Mart ...