Lou Reed (June 28, 1975 ) Metal Machine Music Album Billboard Recommended

Lou Reed - Metal Machine Music

The Most Hated Album In Rock History?

THE ALBUM

MUSICAL APPROACH

Metal Machine Music (subtitled The Amine β Ring) is the fifth studio album by American rock musician Lou Reed. It was released as a double album in July 1975 by RCA Records, but taken off the market three weeks later. A radical departure from the rest of his catalog, Metal Machine Music features no songs or recognizably structured compositions, eschewing melody and rhythm for layers of feedback and distortion at various speeds.

A major influence on Reed's recording, for which he tuned all the guitar strings to the same note, was the mid-1960s drone music of La Monte Young's Theatre of Eternal Music. Reed stated that he "had also been listening to Xenakis a lot." He also claimed that he had intentionally placed sonic allusions to classical works such as Ludwig van Beethoven's Symphony No. 3 and Symphony No. 6 in the album.

INITIAL REACTION	LOOKING BACK
Metal Machine Music confounded critics and listeners, with the original LP being withdrawn within three weeks of its release. Lester Bangs wrote that "as a statement it's great, as a giant FUCK YOU it shows integrity—a sick, twisted, dunced-out, malevolent, perverted, psychopathic integrity, but integrity nevertheless." The album became the most returned album in RCA's history.	Despite its initial panning, Metal Machine Music has gained cult status over time and is now regarded as a pioneering noise and experimental record. In 2017, Pitchfork gave the album a score of 8.7 out of 10, describing it as "the sound of electricity falling in love with itself."

LIVE PERFORMANCES	TRACK LISTING
Lou Reed did not perform Metal Machine Music live until March 2002, when he collaborated with the avant-garde classical ensemble Zeitkratzer. In 2008, Reed formed the Metal Machine Trio to explore similar sonic territory through free improvisation.	All music is composed by Lou Reed. Each track corresponds to an entire side on the LP. • Metal Machine Music A-1 – 16:10 • Metal Machine Music A-2 – 15:53 • Metal Machine Music A-3 – 16:13 • Metal Machine Music A-4 – 15:55

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