Lou Reed is 71 years old today. The guy went through hell as a kid and pushed himself to the edge as an adult and he fucking survived, proving that sometimes rock ‘n’ roll will ace electro-shock and heroin.

In this hauntingly cool video, Lou, looking like a stoned extra from Les Enfants du Paradis, rocks out as he nods out at the Olympia Theater in Paris, Sept. 17, 1973.

Stripped of his guitar and touring in makeup with Alice Cooper’s backing band on the orders of RCA, he performed entire concerts unable to stand up, much less sing.” Keith Heffernan.

Songs:

“Walk On The Wild Side”
“Heroin”
“White Light/White Heat”

This is the best Lou Reed footage I’ve seen and I want more. It was shot for French TV. Does the entire concert exist somewhere on video or film?