Laurie Anderson -- cool, or pretentious?

[crispini]

I'm listening to "Strange Angels" again right now and am completely blown away by how excellent this is -- I've seen her perform live 3 or 4 times and am endlessly amazed by her inventiveness -- in short, I'd go for "extemely cool" but I am aware that some folks think otherwise. Discuss?

[soothsayer]

1. I like her. And so does Lou Reed!

Very creative and cool.

[crispini]

5. didja see the show where she put drum sensors in a suit and

"played" herself? wacky and totally interesting idea.

[soothsayer]

9. yup! Have seen it stolen since then, too. bastards

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

2. She can be both, right?

She's with Lou Reed, and I've got every note he's ever played...and they guy has got to be the epitome of an ever-shifting "cool / pretentious" balance.

:toast:

[crispini]

3. what, she's dating Lou Reed?

damn, when they walk in a room together the temperature must drop 10 degrees, he's *extremely* cool. "I'll take Manhattan in a garbage bag with Latin written on it that says, 'It's hard to give a shit these days.'" damn, what a writer!

Although I didn't get Metal Machine Music. Did anyone?

[Bush_Eats_Beef]

7. She's been his partner for quite a while now.

And yeah, I got Metal Machine Music.

Lou was at the peak of his "chemical dependence" when he recorded his most popular album, "Rock & Roll Animal." The studio follow-up, "Sally Can't Dance," was no classic...but it sold like CRAZY.

Lou...instead of being appreciative of the audience support...fostered a sense of contempt and said (not a direct quote, but close)..."I can probably get to the point where I don't show up for the album at all and it will STILL sell."

Metal Machine Music was the result of Lou's guitar, sitting in the center of the studio, surrounded by several "daisy-chained" amps. He turned the volume up, positioned the guitar (on a stand) for maximum screech level, started the tape rolling, and left the room.

MMM was widely acknowledged as a supreme "fuck you" to the fans AND the record label, RCA. Like Elvis Costello once sang, "I wanna bite the hand that feeds me...I wanna bite that hand so bad."

Lou bit.

:toast:

[crispini]

10. ok, I get it now!

excellent! gotta love that attitude.

[jobycom]

4. My thought, too

Cool people always cross into pretentiouscness from time to time. It's part of being confident enough in yourself to push the boundaries.

[Reverend_Smitty]

6. At first I thought it said "Louie Anderson"

because the answer to that question would be neither

[AndyTiedye]

8. Definitely Cool

[stellanoir]

11. wayyyyyy

cool

[Rabrrrrrr]

12. She's very cool, and I respect her very highly as an artist. But she can

be mean, pretentious, and downright obnoxious in person.

I can see why Lou Reed and her get along so well. Both great artists, both not very good in the people department.

Anderson's "Moby Dick" was fucking BRILLIANT. Her best work I've ever seen.

[crispini]

13. wow, I would think that two people who are both

not very good in the people department would have problems getting along. :P

"Moby Dick" was most wonderful! very powerful.

[stlsaxman]

14. Seen about every concert and book tour since "Big Science"

she's top notch.