Have You Listened to Lou Reed’s Metal Machine Music?

Massive Lou Reed fan but MMM is awful unlistenable noise and iT is what many have said on here a big FU to the record company and nothing else.

 

Here's a live interpretation for anyone interested...

Metal Machine Music, by zeitkratzer

 

This is what I think Metal Machine Music should have sounded like. Now this I have listened to more times than I care to mention.

[What Goes On - Legendary Guitar Amp tape] and by the by why do cover versions of this song never sound remotely like this?

 

Oh wow, it's actually quite beautiful. And amazingly it captures the bodily/mental feeling MMM generates. I thought it would literally be everyone playing as much noise as possible but it is really nicely done.

And really, people, an unlistenable joke??? Have some sense of adventure and open-mindedness!

 

This is one of my fave bathroom reads ever, and even after 20 years it still finds a place atop my toilet tank.

 

Dare I ask how the box set version compares to the original vinyl release?

 

Favorite part of MMM is the equipment list.

 

well, I only had a copy of an original vinyl, but going by that, the previous CD is the closest, the jewel case remaster from some years back. The box set version is very noticeably darker EQ than my vinyl copy, previous remaster CD, or the 1990 CD, which is lacking in the lower end.

 

That and his notes are pretty cool. I remember in the mid 80s before hearing the album, I'd see / hear the MMM sleeve notes quoted.

"My week beats your year.."

 

He was right. Remarkable that Lou survived the 70s, thankful that he did.

 

Is Lou’s Berlin album in it?

“A disaster”, wrote Rolling Stone on its release, contributing to the commercial failure of the album in the US and the aborting of Lou and Bob Ezrin’s planned theatrical staging of the album and its characters.
Thanks “Rolling Stone”, for helping to create that gap in American rock music history, and thanks from the hundreds of people who took notice of that one of many of your errors, and never heard such a brilliant piece of work..

 

there was another review of Berlin where the reviewer wished Lou would follow the lead of the suicidal lead character....he def brought out the emotions of the critics

 

Nope, MMM is the only Reed in there. Every act only gets one entry.

FYI: in addition to Having Fun On Stage With Elvis making the Worst Album, Chuck Berry's "My Ding-a-Ling" is the Worst Single and Billy Joel is the Worst Rock Star.

 

I love how it ends.

No panning
No phasing
No

 

Had the vinyl but now listen more to the blu-ray surround . Played lots . At low level fuzzy ,soothing relaxing .At loud level -dirty screaming raw cathartic . Also love the "Hudson River Wind Meditations " cd too although a completely different beast

 

MMM is a joke ... I can't believe folks sit and listen to it ... whether you want to call it ambient, new age, experimental, concrete or stainless steel underpants (imo) it is a joke and a waste of plastic (whatever form you get it in)
Lou was fulfilling a contract and essentially having a joke at everyone's expense and now somehow it is considered a classic in some circles. I love Lou, I like the joke, but the album will sit on my shelf unless I decide to start doing heroin.

 

Have it on lp and cd, but never listened to it all the way through in one sitting!

 

I like it. I hear cool things in there.

 

Sometimes I'm almost tricked into believing that Lou was on the level when he said there were quotes of various classical pieces amidst the maelstrom.

 

More like the sound within the space between particles ripped apart as they pass the event horizon.
But...yeah.

 

Back then, BMG did not exist (well, didn't own owt anyway).

Also, MMM wasn't a contract closer just that he had signed to Arista and had issued Street Hassle, but RCA suddenly went whoa you owe us a album you! To which Lou said um no. It transpired that as most territories had not issued MMM, the contract wasn't done. So, the two companies worked out a compromise and RCA got "Take No Prisoners, Lou Reed Live" and that was all right.

Funnily enough, that's the other Lou album I've played more than five.

 

I would listen to it if the opportunity presented itself but that has never happened. I would not seek it out.

 

Does the CD include any bonus tracks?

 

There's a twelve inch single that has a twelve string feeding back with a ring modulator on it ... the nuances are superb ...

 

Actually, MMM wasn't the contract closer anywhere - as noted earlier in this thread, that was Coney Island Baby. Also, Take No Prisoners was on Arista.