BERLIN, cover Lou Reed

Jean Pierre · January 06, 2020, 10:20:51 AM

NEW UP DATE I reloaded the video of Berlin in my new chain YT

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OLNhTR1Me9Q

I did this cover of Lou Reed's BERLIN for three commemorative reasons
- 2019 was the 30th anniversary of the fall of the wall (from Berlin,...there are still some walls to destroy (Istrael, USA and 63 others in the world!).
-November 13, 2019 was the commemoration of the 4 years after the BATACLAN attack in Paris (Lou Reed performed at the Bataclan in 1972).
- 50 years ago (oops, what a horror!), I was myself in the occupation army (like Elvis Presley, and Johnny Haliday) and I spent a year in Germany and Berlin (the wall was up and separated Berlin in two: East Berlin, Soviet occupation sector and West Berlin, American, British and French occupation sector).

Besides, I didn't know that Lou Reed song and his album Berlin...

QuoteWhen the record came out in 1973, Lou Reed was 31 years old. The album was produced by Canadian Bob Ezrin, who had successfully worked with Alice Cooper. The two guitarists (ex-Frost) Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter, bassist Jack Bruce (ex-Cream), Steve Winwood on organ and harmonium, and Aynsley Dunbar on drums are all involved in the recording.

Bob loved the song Berlin, the story of a couple, in a café, remembering sweet moments in the past. He wanted to know what happened next. And that's how it started. I wrote the songs in a couple of days, and then he took them, arranged them. A real producer's job. In London, he recruited the greatest musicians of the time, Jack Bruce, Steve Winwood, Aynsley Dunbar, concocted some amazing arrangements... I made do with a bit of acoustic guitar to concentrate on my voice.1
And yet the album had no commercial success, no doubt largely due to the murderous criticism of Robert Christgau, a journalist for Rolling Stone magazine.

This sinister, musically mediocre album is an offence. One should be able to take revenge on such a record, even physically attacking its author2.
Lou Reed is deeply hurt by the rejection of what he considers to be his most personal and accomplished work so far, and sinks into bitterness. His resentment of journalists will last for the rest of his life.

Vocal, bass, and my new Harley Benton T, Cello, violin, drums Band in a Box

thanks guys for listening

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akx6yzhyjuM

TPB · January 06, 2020, 12:45:00 PM

J'ai adoré la vidéo bravo frère bravo
Tim

dobrodaddy · January 06, 2020, 10:36:38 PM

Bravo Jean Pierre! Excellent version of the song and I love the way you intermingled historical pics and footage w shots from your studio. Wonderful instrumentation and singing. Noting the 3 anniversaries makes it extra special both historically and personally. Gives me more insight into the emotion you put into the song. Like your new HB Tele!

Jean Pierre · January 06, 2020, 11:52:07 PM

Thank you very much, Tim and George.

QuoteNoting the 3 anniversaries makes it extra special both historically and personally

Indeed, for me Berlin is a very special memory: for having lived, by obligation, one year in Germany when I was 20 years old with long hair and short ideas (...I was deeply anti-militarist and pacifist, but it was 1969!
So I knew about the Berlin Wall long before it was destroyed and the contrast between West Berlin (giant illuminated signs, extraordinary nightclubs, department stores, green spaces, parks and gardens)...and East Berlin (deserted street, poorly lit, sad people, unsupplied shops) was absolutely striking.

Translated with www.DeepL.com/Translator (free version)

Hook · January 10, 2020, 05:21:31 AM

Another really wonderful recording. Nicely done.
Rock on!

Ferryman_1957 · January 21, 2020, 07:11:32 AM

Very nice work JP, I particularly like the vocals on this one, both the way you interpret them but also some of the recording techniques (the echo or doubling on some of the vocals works very well). Its many years since I listened to the original (may even have been the 70s!) so this brought back many memories.

Jean Pierre · January 21, 2020, 07:29:35 AM

thank you Ferryman, for the voice , I discovered a great plug ins it's Waves CLA vocals ( Chris Lord Alge collection)
here https://www.waves.com/plugins/cla-vocals?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIt5i2yvOU5wIVDuR3Ch0xNQ50EAAYASAAEgI2gPD_BwE#mix-vocals-with-one-plugin

I wouldn't dare to make you listen to the initial take of my voice because this plug ins improves it so much, because in fact I'm (if, if) a poor singer, but I like it.