Lou Reed...orange leather in dead of winter!

This past week when I happened across a couple of clips on Lou Reed (who has been in concert lately on the cirucit) I recalled an off-beat encounter many years ago in New York City

A friend of mine - Roberta - used to reside at Sutton Place with her husband (an ad agency man) back in the seventies - and was an acquaintance of Lou in some capacity.

If I recall correctly, Roberta and I met at Max's Kansas City, a hot little "in" spot in the Village where the celebrity clientele used to throw chick peas at each other.

I was on an apartment search, and the party girl of the hour, gracously invited me to stay with her family for a few days until I got situated.

Roberta was pretty and petite and a former model.

I think her hubbie was pleased that we became friends because he felt I was a good influence on her.

While he was busy at work hours on end, Roberta - social butterfly extraordaire - was out mixing and mingling with the trendy jet-set.

She loved to shop at Bloomies (Bloomingdales).

In fact, if I am not mistaken, Roberta was the one who first introduced me to the rarefied air of the prestigious department store all the rage in NYC.

Her eclectic circle of friends consisted of fashion models, musicians, and groupies.

One evening, we were all lolling around the spacious living-room chatting each other up, when Roberta announced that Lou Reed was stopping in to - as a friend in Canada would charmingly put it - say boo.

Being the star-struck kid that I was in those days, my jaw dropped!

If you lived in the "Big Apple", chances are you caught a glimpse of wild man Reed, dashing about the dynamic city core.

But now, he was going to be a party guest in the same tony enclave as me!

After what seemed to be an agonizing wait, the buzzer rang at the door.

When Roberta strolled over to answer, the well-heeled doorman below simply uttered up two words.

"It's him."

In a few tantalizing moments, Lou Reed was striding through the beautifully-crafted door - with guitar in hand - dressed head-to-toe in an eye-popping orange leather outfit.

It was a startling knock-out image to drink in - especially when you consider that in the dead of winter without a month or two of sun - Lou's face was pale with a slight green tinge to it.

Just like the rest of us, uh huh.

Surprisingly, he was quite the down-to-earth dude!

At one point in the conversation, he whipped out his guitar and strummed it a bit.

When I noted I was pursuing a singing career - within minutes - Lou dragged me into a rock n' roll version of "Some Where Over the Rainbow".

Shortly after, he departed to meet a couple of social obligations 'round town.

Sadly, that was the last I saw of him.



"Walk on the Wild Side" (penned a short while later) included a lyric about a friend of mine - Andy Warhol star - Jackie Curtis.

In that tune, if you recall, Lou sang:

"Jackie was just speeding away."

Yes, Jackie thought she was James Dean for a day.

And, Little Joe?

Nope. Never once gave it away.

I wondered if our little encounter ever inspired him to write a line or two about me?

Naw!

Favorite Lou Reed tune?

Satellite of Love!

Perfect Day (which I hope to record one day) is a close second!

Lou, if you catch this little tribute, howdy!


3 Stooges - David Bowie, Iggy Pop, and Lou Reed...