Anthony DeCurtis traces Lou Reed’s legacy at SU
Anthony DeCurtis traces in Lou Reed’s legacy at SU

Anthony DeCurtis traces Lou Reed’s legacy at SU
Anthony DeCurtis traces Lou Reed’s legacy at SU
In the Special Collections archives at Syracuse University’s Bird Library, Anthony DeCurtis flips through the pages of a 1960ās-era student-made magazine called The Lonely Woman. As he pours over the first few pages, he pauses to notice a peculiar byline at the bottom of one story.
āLuis Reed,ā he reads with a small chuckle.
DeCurtis, the author of Lou Reed: A Life and contributing editor at Rolling Stone, recognized The Velvet Underground singerās gender-swapped name immediately. The origins of Reedās career as a musician and lyricist, DeCurtis said, can be found here from his time as a student at Syracuse University.
āLou was very proud of it in his own way, but he wouldnāt really I donāt think ever admit that,ā DeCurtis said, ābut he would tell you āI graduated with honors in English.ā You know, thatās not a really rock-star thing to say.ā
While Reed attended SU, he met his mentor and spirit guide, Delmore Schwartz. DeCurtis said the renowned poetās work and conversations had a profound impact on Louās own perception of himself as an artist.
āI think Saul Bellow once called Delmore the āMozart of conversationā and I think Lou really responded to that aspect of Delmore,ā DeCurtis said. āHe once said Delmore was āwriting out loud,ā but writing out loud was kind of I think Lou felt he was doing with his songs.ā
Throughout the discussion with DeCurtis at SU, the concept of Reed considering himself a writer before a musician was aĀ recurring theme. In a listening session filled with students enrolled in Prof. Theo Cateforis‘ rock music history course, HOM 378, DeCurtis unfolded Reedās characters within āTake a Walk on the Wild Sideā to further illustrate the idea.
DeCurtis explained he ultimately wrote his book to render Reed in the same way the singer-songwriter composed his music, with truth and a three-dimensional understanding of the world.
āI wanted to get across why anybody would care,ā DeCurtis said, āand thatās about the music and the words.ā