--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Lou Reed is the most important definitive…" description: "\"Lou Reed is the most important definitive writer in modern rock. Not because of the stuff that he does, but the direction that he will take it.\" — Davi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/728/david-bowie-508_doe_lou-reed-is-the-most-important-definitiv_3125880.jpg" --- # Lou Reed is the most important definitive writer in modern… ![“Lou Reed is the most important definitive writer in modern rock. Not because of the stuff that he does, but the direction that he will take it.” quote by David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/728/david-bowie-508_doe_lou-reed-is-the-most-important-definitiv_3125880.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/728/david-bowie-508_doe_lou-reed-is-the-most-important-definitiv_3125880.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/728/david-bowie-508_doe_lou-reed-is-the-most-important-definitiv_3125880.jpg) > “Lou Reed is the most important definitive writer in modern rock. Not because of the stuff that he does, but the direction that he will take it.” [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Lou Reed reshapes modern rock not by his output but by his visionary direction, influencing the genre’s evolution. **In simple terms:** Reed’s influence lies in his forward‑looking artistic vision. Key Takeaway Embrace innovative direction in creative work. Themes music innovation leadership artistic vision Mood inspirational analytical Type critical observational When to use this quote - music production - songwriting - artistic collaboration Key Concepts cultural impact genre evolution Questions to Reflect On - How does direction differ from talent? - What role does vision play in cultural change? A Different Perspective His impact may be overstated compared to peers. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Rocks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rocks/) ## Related quotes > [There are many critics whose work I greatly admire. Even though I diverge from T.J. Reed in several important ways, I've learned greatly from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-kitcher/there-are-many-critics-whose-work-i-greatly-admire-even-though-i/) [Philip Kitcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-kitcher/) > [I have a real problem with rock music because it seems that lineage doesn't really exist. When you grow up, you're told that rock…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kele-okereke/i-have-a-real-problem-with-rock-music-because-it-seems-that-lineage-2/) Kele Okereke > [Most of modern rock and roll is a product of guilt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/most-of-modern-rock-and-roll-is-a-product-of-guilt/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Is it a different New York since Lou Reed died? It’s been a different New York since I saw him in his sweatpants at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-klausner/is-it-a-different-new-york-since-lou-reed-died-it-s-been-a-different/) [Julie Klausner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-klausner/) > [When I was growing up, I fetishised New York City. It was the land of Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground, it was where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moby/when-i-was-growing-up-i-fetishised-new-york-city-it-was-the-land-of/) [Moby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moby/) > [It's a miracle that David Bowie, Lou Reed and Iggy Pop are actually still alive today, given how hard they lived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-rock/it-s-a-miracle-that-david-bowie-lou-reed-and-iggy-pop-are-actually/) [Mick Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-rock/) > [For a while, the gay thing seemed like such a big deal. But now, I don't think it is. It's just a comedy-drama about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gale-harold/for-a-while-the-gay-thing-seemed-like-such-a-big-deal-but-now-i-don-t/) [Gale Harold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gale-harold/) > [There are beauty icons that I can never be like, sorta like a Gena Rowlands - I'll never have that look. I love Giulietta…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/natasha-lyonne/there-are-beauty-icons-that-i-can-never-be-like-sorta-like-a-gena/) [Natasha Lyonne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/natasha-lyonne/) > [Rock & Roll is so great, people should start dying for it. You don't understand. The music gave you back the beat so you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/legs-mcneil/rock-roll-is-so-great-people-should-start-dying-for-it-you-don-t/) [Legs McNeil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/legs-mcneil/) > [When I was a kid, my first favorite song was probably Lou Reed's 'Walk on the Wild Side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-rapaport/when-i-was-a-kid-my-first-favorite-song-was-probably-lou-reed-s-walk/) [Michael Rapaport](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-rapaport/) > [The way Lou Reed wrote and sang about drugs and sex, about the people around him — it was so matter-of-fact,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-casablancas/the-way-lou-reed-wrote-and-sang-about-drugs-and-sex-about-the-people/) [Julian Casablancas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-casablancas/) > [Usually when I write lyrics I try to read a lot and listen to a lot of other stuff. Some of my favourite lyricists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-vanwyngarden/usually-when-i-write-lyrics-i-try-to-read-a-lot-and-listen-to-a-lot/) [Andrew VanWyngarden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-vanwyngarden/) > [Most of the time when I have met artists who have meant a lot to me, the experience has been well above expectation. People…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/most-of-the-time-when-i-have-met-artists-who-have-meant-a-lot-to-me/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [The period right before punk rock where people like Lou Reed and Iggy Pop were really strong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arto-lindsay/the-period-right-before-punk-rock-where-people-like-lou-reed-and-iggy/) [Arto Lindsay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arto-lindsay/) > [Partying means drinking. It also means playing records by Lou Reed and Chicago, which I thought was a city but is also a band…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-currie-jr/partying-means-drinking-it-also-means-playing-records-by-lou-reed-and/) [Ron Currie Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-currie-jr/) ## More by David Bowie > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [No more free steps to heaven.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/no-more-free-steps-to-heaven/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I'm not sure whether it is me changing my mind, or whether I lie a lot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-m-not-sure-whether-it-is-me-changing-my-mind-or-whether-i-lie-a-lot/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I do some kind of work, whether writing or painting or recording, on a daily basis. And it's so essential that when I'm involved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-do-some-kind-of-work-whether-writing-or-painting-or-recording-on-a/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [To not be modest about it, you'll find that with only a couple of exceptions, most of the musicians that I've worked with have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/to-not-be-modest-about-it-you-ll-find-that-with-only-a-couple-of/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I went mainstream in a major way with the song "Let's Dance." And what I found I had done was put a box around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-went-mainstream-in-a-major-way-with-the-song-let-s-dance-and-what-i/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“Keep your 'lectric eye on me babe Put your ray gun to my head Press your space face close to mine, love Freak out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/keep-your-lectric-eye-on-me-babe-put-your-ray-gun-to-my-head-press/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I'm in awe of the universe, but I don't necessarily believe there's an intelligence or agent behind it. I do have a passion for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-m-in-awe-of-the-universe-but-i-don-t-necessarily-believe-there-s-an/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [TV has eaten up everything else, and Warhol films are all that are left, which is fabulous. Pork could become the next I Love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/tv-has-eaten-up-everything-else-and-warhol-films-are-all-that-are/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [“My brain hurt like a warehouse It had no room to spare I had to cram so many things to store everything in there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/my-brain-hurt-like-a-warehouse-it-had-no-room-to-spare-i-had-to-cram/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I suppose for me as an artist it wasn't always just about expressing my work; I really wanted, more than anything else, to contribute…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-suppose-for-me-as-an-artist-it-wasn-t-always-just-about-expressing/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [... And these children that you spit on as they try to change their worlds are immune to your consultations. They're quite aware of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/and-these-children-that-you-spit-on-as-they-try-to-change-their/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I think the first song I ever wrote ... was called "Can't Help Thinking About Me." That's an illuminating little piece, isn't it?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-think-the-first-song-i-ever-wrote-was-called-can-t-help-thinking/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I've come to the realizations that I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing half the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-ve-come-to-the-realizations-that-i-have-absolutely-no-idea-what-i-m/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [I never really felt like a rock singer or a rock star or whatever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-never-really-felt-like-a-rock-singer-or-a-rock-star-or-whatever/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) [Explore all 508 David Bowie quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) ## More Doe quotes > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [I cannot forbid a person to marry several wives, for it does not contradict Scripture. MARTIN LUTHER, letter to Chancellor Gregory Brück, January 13,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/i-cannot-forbid-a-person-to-marry-several-wives-for-it-does-not/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [The prophet who fails to present a bearable alternative and yet preaches doom is part of the trap that he postulates. Not only does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-mead/the-prophet-who-fails-to-present-a-bearable-alternative-and-yet/) [Margaret Mead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-mead/) > [Sometimes a sign or a quote is simply interesting by itself and does not require anything beyond being framed on a page.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-vincent-benet/sometimes-a-sign-or-a-quote-is-simply-interesting-by-itself-and-does/) [Stephen Vincent Benet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-vincent-benet/) > [A home is not a museum. It doesn't have to be furnished with Picasso paintings, or Sheraton suites, or Oriental rugs, or Chinese pottery.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-m-cain/a-home-is-not-a-museum-it-doesn-t-have-to-be-furnished-with-picasso/) [James M. Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-m-cain/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [Nothing old is ever reborn but neither does it totally disappear. And that which has once been born, will always reappear in a new…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alvar-aalto/nothing-old-is-ever-reborn-but-neither-does-it-totally-disappear-and/) [Alvar Aalto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alvar-aalto/) > [One of the things the United States does well is building coalitions. What the U.S. knows is that if you don't have a coalition…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/one-of-the-things-the-united-states-does-well-is-building-coalitions/) [Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/) > [Preaching to the choir actually arms the choir with arguments and elevates the choir's discourse. There's a reason the right does it and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/preaching-to-the-choir-actually-arms-the-choir-with-arguments-and/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [There is something about the South that accepts the supernatural. If you don't accept it and you're having a conversation with someone who does,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-englert/there-is-something-about-the-south-that-accepts-the-supernatural-if/) [Alice Englert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-englert/) > [ If the State does not acquire supremacy over \[vast private\] enterprises, it becomes their puppet, and they become the real State. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/if-the-state-does-not-acquire-supremacy-over-vast-private-enterprises/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [If Wall Street crashes, does Main Street follow? 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