Okay..."Walk on the Wild Side" is a great song, even if it's a crime that it's so much better known than any other Lou Reed song. "Satellite of Love" is also great, and the deceptively happy "Perfect Day" is of his all-time greats, featuring the legendary line "you made me forget myself/I thought I was someone else/someone good." "I'm So Free" and "Vicious" are also great. Most of the other songs, though, while deserving credit historically for being so openly "gay" really aren't so great. For that reason, while I dig this one out often, I rarely listen to the whole thing. [...]

Cameron Crowe meets Lester Bangs and, natch, they discuss, what else, Lou Reed.

"Goodnight Ladies" (only 2nd, maybe, to Yoko's "We're All Water" as a 'song of the decade' {70's}) invented Tom Waits in a NY minute, so there. Transdressers, alcoholics, cokewhores, jus' good folks. Sandy my bestest friend, ever. But, also, it's May 12th, so I remember my 1st marriage, 29 years ago, too bad my husband died in a highway fireball 5 years ago. What else? Well. Lou Reed was my Carpenters' B-side back in the day, as they say. No old ladies, ladies never age, just ask Blanche DuBois. Ah anyway, my TV dinner's almost done.

Meanwhile, I'm almost 10 at the time (1970) and I'm at the St. Louis Crestwood Mall with my parents. There's a shop, called "Size 6." What's 'size 6,' I ask. My father says "it's the cute, young girl size for dresses." And I think, "Wow, that's great. That's what I want." Oops, but neverless. So, you see, size 6 (my size, babe) has always been in my heart, a very magical number. That's why I diet so fearlessly. Ah anyway, my TV dinner's almost done. I remembered that number for decades, it took decades to get it. I earned it.

May 12th. So sorry, Carrie, you demised. That haunted honeymoon house, some abandoned farmhouse out in the woods where we all got high, made for a brilliant metaphor, cobwebs and rusted tins, pure funk, a classic Stones cut between hits, hitchhiking foolishly, fearlessly, we did "it" outside the HoJo's NY before the cops came and shooed us away, bad coffee and skanky pancakes. And turning tricks. Of course, every time I begged for it, I really wanted to be the girl doing it. Transformer, that. I bet you knew all along.

Lou Reed-Transformer *****

Next to The Velvet Underground & Nico, Transformer is the most popular album that Lou Reed ever lent his tme and name to. While many will tel you that Transformer is the very best album Reed ever made as a solo artist that is just not true. This is a great album and easily one of his best, but not the best. This is a glam rock triumph. Produced by David Bowie and the unsung guitar God Mick Ronson Transformer is on the same plain as The Rise And Fall Of Ziggy Startdust And The Spiders From Mars, only not as good or as revolutionary.

The power of Reed on this album is amazing though. His guitar playing along side that of Ronson is something for the ages. His songwriting is another feet in itself. Some of his most personal and heartfelt lyrics are here like 'Perfect Day' and 'Satellite Of Love. THe poetic side of Reed comes across the finish line with a gold medal. Song like 'Andys Chest' and 'I'm So Free' are pure poetic justice. Other tracks like 'Goodnight Ladies' 'Hangin Round' and 'New York Telephone Conversation' are so New York it isnt even funny. songs like 'Make Up' and 'VIcious' are about as early 70's glam rock as you can get without being David Bowie or Roxy Music. 'Vicious' as it is so appropriatly titled is one of the strongest tracks in Reeds Cannon.

Now, 'Walk On The Wild Side' is one of the strangest, coolest, and greatest songs in all of rock n' roll. Not to mention importnat. This is Reeds ode to Transexuals in New York. This became Lou Reeds biggest and really his only hit single. 'Wild Side' help to propell this album to commecial success and make Reed the legend he is today.

As a whole there really is nothing wrong with this album, every song is a great one. You couldnt find something wrong with this record if you tried, but as good as all of that sounds this album does however fail in comparison to the other great albums by Reed such as Berlin, New York, Coney Island Baby, and The Blue Mask. But for someone who is a new fan to Reed this is the perfect place to satart because it will really tell you if you like Lou Reed or not, beside it contains 'Walk On The Wild Side' which is essential in itself.

As the original album ends there is two new tracks added to the end. An alternate version of 'Hangin Round' and 'Perfect Day' both of which are great version and make a nice addition to this already wonderful album.

Lou Reed really topped his former abilities from the velvet period here. And I know that this is a feat few people have ever accomplished, creating something more worthwile that the Velvet Underground. This album is sarcastic and most important, it's good rock and roll.

Okay, I'm a VU nutcase - that must be said. I bought all four of their original studio albums in a three-week span, if you wanted any proof. I also like Reed's solo stuff, and this is a great record. The wonderfully twisted Walk on the Wild Side was Lou's only top 40 hit, and indeed it's quite a song. But don't, as some have, overlook rockers such as Vicious or Hangin' 'Round, Satellite of Love (featuring David Bowie, who produced the record, singing a great backup vocal); the slightly overblown but still good ballad Perfect Day; the bizarre Andy's Chest, which is a lot of fun; or the hilarious New York Telephone Conversation. Wagon Wheel, I'm So Free and Goodnight Ladies are weak, but overall Transformer is an excellent record. Okay, I'll admit that I miss Reed's expiremental edge (it's interesting that David Bowie, the man behind the excellent Station to Station album, didn't tap into that), and as I said before a couple songs are weak. But hey, it's great, and sure better than the overrated Rock 'n' Roll Animal.