![]() Indeed, in his 2008 SXSW Keynote, Reed suggested that Street Hassle would be a good candidate if he wanted to bring to life another record in its entirety on stage following his successful Berlin shows. This is an album where all the tracks matter, connected through a common theme similar to Reed’s infamous’ film for the ears’ Berlin. But it would be a mistake just to focus on “Street Hassle”, the song. Many others have sought inspiration from its title track – such as Simple Minds’ 1984 cover on Sparkle in the Rain or the soundtrack to the 2005 film The Squid and the Whale. This explains why a charity stage show in London this April will explore Street Hassle to illustrate the experiences of young people standing up to disadvantage in society today. At a time in the UK that draws comparisons with the social disintegration of 1978 New York, Street Hassle’s questioning of human authenticity strikes home as highly relevant. This year marks the 45th anniversary of Street Hassle’s release in 1978 and the tenth anniversary of Reed’s death, an apt moment to reprise the significance of one of Reed’s most compelling works. The leather-jacketed Lou Reed of Street Hassle had something important to tell us. Reed’s adam’s apple bulges, lips slightly parted – less of a smile and more the coaxing promise of worlds to be spoken of within. Reed’s shades reflect back to us from a camera flash’s “sunburst gleams”, a star “newly emerging” 18 years before Reed’s “Set the Twilight Reeling” would seek to capture a similar moment of “new found” identity. ![]() Punk aggression from downtown New York mixed with Samurai ethics from Japan produce a sophisticated field of reference that characterizes the record’s ambition. A clue to the album’s rich poetic depths lies in the sun’s image on its front cover, setting menacingly over New York’s streets while rising in symbolism from the Japanese flag. ![]() L ou Reed‘s Street Hassle captures the sound of an artist searching for authenticity through the human experience of love and loss.
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