Lou Reed

From three rejections to a tea-fueled collaboration on 'Some Kind of Nature'.

Lou Reed's collaboration with Gorillaz stands as a pivotal moment on Plastic Beach, the group's third studio album released on 3 March 2010. After three initial rejections where he cited a lack of interest in the song ideas sent to him, Albarn persisted by sending a demo of 'Some Kind of Nature' in his fourth attempt. This time, Reed responded positively and accepted the invitation to work with the band. The encounter took place at Chung King Studios in New York City, marking a significant turning point where a rock legend finally joined the virtual band's eclectic roster.

Quick Facts

Birth name

Lewis Allan Reed

Born

2 March 1942

Birthplace

New York City, U.S.

Origin

Freeport, New York, U.S.

Died

27 October 2013

Place of death

East Hampton, New York, U.S.

Genre

Rock and roll
art rock
glam rock
proto-punk

Occupation

Musician
singer
songwriter
composer
photographer

Facts from the source article.

Lore & Background

The path to Reed's involvement was far from smooth. Over the course of a year, Damon Albarn emailed Lou Reed a total of three times about a possible collaboration, but Reed declined each time due to disinterest in the initial concepts. The dynamic shifted on the fourth attempt when Albarn sent a demo version of 'Some Kind of Nature'. Upon arriving at Chung King Studios in New York with producer Remi Kabaka Jr., Reed initially declined entry for both Hewlett and Kabaka, allowing only Albarn into the room. After sitting down and drinking tea together, Reed left briefly to take a taxi ride uptown. During this short trip, he wrote lyrics for the song based on his 'thoughts on plastic' before returning to record with Albarn.

Reader's Guide

To understand Lou Reed's role in Plastic Beach, one must look at the specific conditions of his participation. He recorded 'Some Kind of Nature' at Chung King Studios in New York after rejecting multiple prior offers. The process involved him entering the studio alone with Albarn while excluding other crew members. His lyrics were composed during a taxi ride uptown immediately before recording.