The cause of the death of Velvet Underground frontman Lou Reed, who passed away in his Long Island home yesterday, has been confirmed, with his doctor stating that the 71-year-old’s end-stage liver disease could no longer be treated.
Dr Charles Miller of the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, where Reed underwent a liver transplant back in April, told The New York Times that the musician had returned to the clinic last week for further treatment, before being sent home to the home he shared with wife Laurie Anderson. “We all agreed that we did everything we could,” Dr. Miller said.
At the time, the operation had been declared a success, with the Walk On The Wild Side singer declaring, “I am a triumph of modern medicine, physics and chemistry. I am bigger and stronger than ever.” However, Anderson was less optimistic, telling the press, “It’s as serious as it gets. He was dying. You don’t get it for fun.”
Reed will be remembered for not only his highly-influential work with The Velvet Underground and their classic album The Velvet Underground & Nico, but also for his often abrasive, experimental solo material, in a career that spanned almost half a century. Music Feeds sends our condolences to Reed’s family, friends and fans everywhere.
(via Ultimate Classic Rock)
