When Metallica and Lou Reed released their long anticipated but highly disappointing collaboration, Lulu, it only took us two words to describe the album in our review, "It sucks." The album, although a passion project for the collaborators absolutely tanked, selling a fraction of what each artist is able to sell on their own.
Well, a few years later, somebody has come out to defend the album, and that somebody is legendary musician David Bowie. Bowie, a longtime friend of Reed's had this to say about Reed's final album.
During the speech for his posthumous induction to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this weekend, Reed's widow Laurie Anderson told a story about how Bowie praised the album to her:
“One of [Reed’s] last projects was his album with Metallica,” she said. “And this was really challenging, and I have a hard time with it. There are many struggles and so much radiance. And after Lou’s death, David Bowie made a big point of saying to me, ‘Listen, this is Lou’s greatest work. This is his masterpiece. Just wait, it will be like [Reed’s 1973 album] Berlin. It will take everyone a while to catch up.’”
Are we missing something here? Kirk Hammett equally praised the album as one of the best things Metallica's ever done.
Maybe in about 20 years, I'll revisit it and make my decision again, but I highly doubt I would change my two word review.
