The year Lou Reed gave up on music
I think Lou Reed is a &quot;true artist&quot; outside of the commercial realm, which is a quality to his credit but also to his detriment. Sometimes these artists also forget they are entertainers.<p>I saw him 15 years ago in Leuven, Belgium and he played a great concert with all his new songs, ofc at the end of the night the crowd was crying out for more, especially &quot;perfect day&quot; and &quot;walk on the wild side&quot;. He conceded and did play them but with great disdain, and it was obvious that he  loathed playing them. 15 years later that is really all I remember from the concert.<p>As a comparison, I also saw the rolling stones (7 years ago in edinburgh), who in contrast were more than happy to play their classic hits, with the original vigour and energy. And it is one of my best memories.<p>I understand both, but it seems the line between artist and entertainer is a fine one and I can&#x27;t help but think that the artists who share in the joy of entertaining are probably happier in the process.<p>I guess what I&#x27;m trying to say is that Lou Reed is a bit of a tortured soul who probably makes his own path harder than it needs to be - and this article confirms that.