Unlimited Streaming
Listen to this album in high quality now on our apps
Start my trial period and start listening to this albumEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
SubscribeEnjoy this album on Qobuz apps with your subscription
Digital Download
Purchase and download this album in a wide variety of formats depending on your needs.
Robert Quine has said that the personal and musical differences that led to the end of his working relationship with Lou Reed had put a wall between them well before he finally gave Reed his notice. While Quine never failed to deliver on-stage, the tension became audible in their music, and Live in Italy captures the best band of Reed's solo career about a year past its peak, not long before it fell apart for the first time (Lou would reassemble the group for the world tour that followed New Sensations -- a job Quine said he took solely for the money). Consequently, this isn't the ideal document of this band -- but it also makes clear that even on a lesser night, Reed, Quine, Fernando Saunders, and Fred Maher were a force to be reckoned with. While Quine's performance isn't flattered by this album's mix, his edgy lines blend superbly with Reed's, and both are in fine fettle, while Saunders shines on bass and Maher's rock-solid drumming holds everything firmly in place. Reed is on fire on most of these songs, and while this plays for the most part like a "Best of Lou Reed" set, he pulls out sharp, impassioned performances on every cut, doing lean-and-mean justice to Velvet Underground classics like "White Light/White Heat" and "Sister Ray," and rescuing the unnerving "Kill Your Sons" from the oblivion of Sally Can't Dance. Are there bootlegs or live videos that capture this band on better nights? Yes. Does that change the fact this is Reed's strongest live album? Not a bit.
© Mark Deming /TiVo
You are currently listening to samples.
Listen to over 100 million songs with an unlimited streaming plan.
Listen to this playlist and more than 100 million songs with our unlimited streaming plans.
From £10.83/month
Robert Quine, Guitar - Fred Maher, Drums - Lou Reed, Composer - Lou Reed, Lyricist - Lou Reed, Guitar - Lou Reed, Vocal - Fernando Saunders, Acoustic Bass
(P) 1984 Sister Ray Enterprises Inc. / SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (Italy) S.p.A.
Robert Quine, Guitar - Fred Maher, Drums - Lou Reed, Lyricist - Lou Reed, Vocal - Lou Reed, Composer - Lou Reed, Guitar - Fernando Saunders, Acoustic Bass
(P) 1984 Sister Ray Enterprises Inc. / SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (Italy) S.p.A.
Robert Quine, Guitar - Fred Maher, Drums - Lou Reed, Composer - Lou Reed, Lyricist - Lou Reed, Guitar - Lou Reed, Vocal - Fernando Saunders, Acoustic Bass
(P) 1984 Sister Ray Enterprises Inc. / SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (Italy) S.p.A.
Robert Quine, Guitar - Fred Maher, Drums - Lou Reed, Vocal - Lou Reed, Lyricist - Lou Reed, Composer - Lou Reed, Guitar - Fernando Saunders, Acoustic Bass
(P) 1984 Sister Ray Enterprises Inc. / SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (Italy) S.p.A.
Robert Quine, Guitar - Fred Maher, Drums - Lou Reed, Composer - Lou Reed, Lyricist - Lou Reed, Guitar - Lou Reed, Vocal - Fernando Saunders, Acoustic Bass
(P) 1984 Sister Ray Enterprises Inc. / SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (Italy) S.p.A.
Robert Quine, Guitar - Fred Maher, Drums - Lou Reed, Composer - Lou Reed, Lyricist - Lou Reed, Guitar - Lou Reed, Vocal - Fernando Saunders, Acoustic Bass
(P) 1984 Sister Ray Enterprises Inc. / SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (Italy) S.p.A.
Robert Quine, Guitar - Fred Maher, Drums - Lou Reed, Composer - Lou Reed, Lyricist - Lou Reed, Guitar - Lou Reed, Vocal - Fernando Saunders, Acoustic Bass
(P) 1984 Sister Ray Enterprises Inc. / SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (Italy) S.p.A.
Robert Quine, Guitar - Fred Maher, Drums - Lou Reed, Composer - Lou Reed, Lyricist - Lou Reed, Guitar - Lou Reed, Vocal - Fernando Saunders, Acoustic Bass
(P) 1984 Sister Ray Enterprises Inc. / SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (Italy) S.p.A.
Robert Quine, Guitar - Fred Maher, Drums - Lou Reed, Composer - Lou Reed, Lyricist - Lou Reed, Guitar - Lou Reed, Vocal - Fernando Saunders, Acoustic Bass
(P) 1984 Sister Ray Enterprises Inc. / SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (Italy) S.p.A.
Robert Quine, Guitar - Fred Maher, Drums - Lou Reed, Composer - Lou Reed, Lyricist - Lou Reed, Guitar - Lou Reed, Vocal - Fernando Saunders, Acoustic Bass
(P) 1984 Sister Ray Enterprises Inc. / SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (Italy) S.p.A.
Robert Quine, Guitar - Fred Maher, Drums - Lou Reed, Guitar - Lou Reed, Vocal - Lou Reed, Lyricist - Sterling Morrison, Composer - Fernando Saunders, Acoustic Bass - Maureen Tucker, Composer - John Cale, Composer
(P) 1984 Sister Ray Enterprises Inc / SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (Italy) S.p.A.
Robert Quine, Guitar - Fred Maher, Drums - Lou Reed, Composer - Lou Reed, Lyricist - Lou Reed, Guitar - Lou Reed, Vocal - Fernando Saunders, Acoustic Bass
(P) 1984 Sister Ray Enterprises Inc / SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (Italy) S.p.A.
Robert Quine, Guitar - Fred Maher, Drums - Lou Reed, Composer - Lou Reed, Lyricist - Lou Reed, Guitar - Lou Reed, Vocal - Fernando Saunders, Acoustic Bass
(P) 1984 Sister Ray Enterprises Inc. / SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (Italy) S.p.A.
Robert Quine, Guitar - Fred Maher, Drums - Lou Reed, Composer - Lou Reed, Lyricist - Lou Reed, Guitar - Lou Reed, Vocal - Fernando Saunders, Acoustic Bass
(P) 1984 Sister Ray Enterprises Inc. / SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (Italy) S.p.A.
Album review
Robert Quine has said that the personal and musical differences that led to the end of his working relationship with Lou Reed had put a wall between them well before he finally gave Reed his notice. While Quine never failed to deliver on-stage, the tension became audible in their music, and Live in Italy captures the best band of Reed's solo career about a year past its peak, not long before it fell apart for the first time (Lou would reassemble the group for the world tour that followed New Sensations -- a job Quine said he took solely for the money). Consequently, this isn't the ideal document of this band -- but it also makes clear that even on a lesser night, Reed, Quine, Fernando Saunders, and Fred Maher were a force to be reckoned with. While Quine's performance isn't flattered by this album's mix, his edgy lines blend superbly with Reed's, and both are in fine fettle, while Saunders shines on bass and Maher's rock-solid drumming holds everything firmly in place. Reed is on fire on most of these songs, and while this plays for the most part like a "Best of Lou Reed" set, he pulls out sharp, impassioned performances on every cut, doing lean-and-mean justice to Velvet Underground classics like "White Light/White Heat" and "Sister Ray," and rescuing the unnerving "Kill Your Sons" from the oblivion of Sally Can't Dance. Are there bootlegs or live videos that capture this band on better nights? Yes. Does that change the fact this is Reed's strongest live album? Not a bit.
© Mark Deming /TiVo
About the album
- 1 disc(s) - 14 track(s)
- Total length: 01:14:57
- Main artists: Lou Reed
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: RCA Records Label
- Genre: Pop/Rock Rock
(P) 1984 Sister Ray Enterprises Inc. / SONY BMG MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT (Italy) S.p.A.
Improve album informationWhy buy on Qobuz...
-
Stream or download your music
Buy an album or an individual track. Or listen to our entire catalogue with our high-quality unlimited streaming subscriptions.
-
Zero DRM
The downloaded files belong to you, without any usage limit. You can download them as many times as you like.
-
Choose the format best suited for you
Download your purchases in a wide variety of formats (FLAC, ALAC, WAV, AIFF...) depending on your needs.
-
Listen to your purchases on our apps
Download the Qobuz apps for smartphones, tablets and computers, and listen to your purchases wherever you go.