American Masters

Lou Reed: Rock and Roll Heart

For more than 40-years, Reed has been at the forefront of American avant-garde music, beginning with creation of the Velvet Underground in 1965, a band with artistic and political visions far beyond the popular music of the time. Gritty and realistic, the brutal honesty in Reed’s lyrics and sound made him a cultural icon of the disenfranchised throughout the ’60s and ’70s.

Rock and Roll Heart: Lou Reed

30s

Reed was always at the forefront of American avant-garde music, beginning with creation of the Velvet Underground in 1965. Gritty and realistic, the brutal honesty in Reed’s lyrics and sound made him a cultural icon of the disenfranchised throughout the ’60s and ’70s. From punk rock to grunge, he has had an unparalleled influence on the American music scene.

Previews + Extras

  • Patti Smith on the Scene: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Patti Smith on the Scene

    S12 E4 - 1m 40s

    In this never-before-heard interview from American Masters – Lou Reed: Rock-And-Roll Heart (1998) conducted by filmmaker Timothy Greenfield-Sanders, Patti Smith talks about how we live in a very label-conscious time and hopes one day for a label-free future.

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