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FEATURE MUSIC

SHAKE SOME ACTION SQUASH, LOU REED, AND AC/DC – THERE IS A CONNECTION Words Stuart Coupe

W atching co-Velvet in Sydney recently started me thinking about his cohort Lou Reed, who remains one of my rock ’n’ roll heroes. Notoriously grumpy, abrasive and downright confrontational, I interviewed him just once – on the telephone, and that was scary and intimidating enough, but we ended up getting on fine, bonding over a mutual love for Booker T & The MGs – but that’s for another column. Did I meet him? Sorta. But not really. In 1985, towards the end of my stint managing the Hoodoo Gurus, we toured nationally as the opening band on Lou’s New Sensations tour. As we boarded the flight out of Adelaide, Lou and I made eye contact. He winked at me. Yep, we bonded – for a hundredth of a second. Donovan in Launceston was first, followed by Fairport Convention in Melbourne, an 18th birthday present from my parents. They asked what I wanted, and I asked for – and received – an air ticket to Melbourne to see Fairport Convention, fronted by the great Sandy Denny on her only visit to this country. But I digress. My first Lou Reed experience occurred because of squash – that game involving hitting balls around in a small, confined space. I was pretty good at it. In fact, I was in Adelaide as part of the Tasmanian squash team for the 1974 Australian Squash Championships. The evening before the tournament began there was a reception for all the teams, so I attended dressed in my team uniform, complete with a blazer with the emblem of Tasmania sewn on it. All fine – except for the fact that my Underground founder John Cale perform Lou Reed was, in fact, the third international artist I saw perform.

The best band. Everything was making my head lift off. At one point, Reed started teasing an audience member, winking at him and seemingly inviting him to come towards the stage and dance with him. Which the guy did. As he clambered onstage, Reed turned his back and walked away as security descended on the hapless individual and – I think – threw him out of the theatre. Reed sang everything I expected – Walk on the Wild

Side, Vicious, Sweet Jane, and so forth, but despite being great he was clearly on Planet Lou, which was a different space from most other people whose name wasn’t Lou Reed. As the concert ended, Reed went to walk off stage but miscued and walked straight into the wall next to the door. It was just SO perfect. OK, so you’re wondering where AC/ DC come into this yarn. Let me explain. Lou Reed had a support act. They wore pink flares and were kinda glam rock. They were rockin’ and did covers of songs by the Rolling Stones ( Jumpin’ Jack Flash and Honky Tonk Women ), Chuck Berry ( School Days and No Particular Place to Go ), Elvis Presley ( Heartbreak Hotel ), plus other covers and originals like Can I Sit Next to You Girl . The singer was impressive – I later found out his name was Dave Evans. The guitarist was some pint-sized guy called Angus who was dressed as a schoolboy and ran around the stage dashing off some pretty cool riffs. I dug them, but really, I was there for Lou Reed. A month later, Dave Evans was gone, and the new lead singer of this AC/DC band was named Bon Scott. Lou Reed and AC/DC on the same bill. Who’d have thought?

Lou Reed Australian tour program, 1974

friend David Woodhall had tenth-row centre tickets for Lou Reed’s concert that night at Festival Hall and I had no time to dash to my hotel and change. So, there I was on August 17, feeling like a complete dork – amidst the coolest of the cool of Adelaide, assembled before – gulp – Lou f-cking Reed. The show itself blew my mind on every level blowable. Reed was soooo coool, soooo wasted, soooo magnificent . Reed was soooo coool, soooo wasted, soooo magnificent .

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