Lou Reed

Even before the Velvet Underground, Lou Reed was working as a songwriter. Contracted to Pickwick Records to hammer out radio friendly novelty songs, when one of them became a surprise hit the company encouraged Reed to form a band to tour the single. That’s where he met John Cale, resulting in the Andy Warhol sponsored group that became a legend. But Lou became dissatisfied with the Velvet Underground and went solo, releasing his self-titled debut in 1972.

That year also saw the huge success of his second LP Transformer, on the back of the seedy yet seductive single "Walk On The Wild Side". A steady stream of streetwise rock albums followed, stretching into the 21st century. Amongst Reed’s notable albums are New Sensations, New York and Magic And Loss. His 1990 reunion with John Cale, Songs for 'Drella, was also a critical success. Lou Reed died from liver disease in 2013, leaving a rich legacy of gritty rock albums delivered in his unique New York drawl.