Lou Reed Quiz Questions and Answers
Q1. In what year was Lou Reed born?
A. 1940
B. 1942
C. 1944
D. 1946
Answer: B. 1942
Q2. Where did Lou Reed grow up, which later influenced his depictions of suburban unease in songs like “I Wanna Be Black”?
A. Manhattan, New York
B. Syracuse, New York
C. Freeport, Long Island
D. Brooklyn Heights
Answer: C. Freeport, Long Island
Q3. What traumatic treatment did Lou Reed undergo as a teenager, which he later referenced in the song “Kill Your Sons”?
A. Electroconvulsive therapy
B. Hypnotherapy
C. Behavioral conditioning
D. Group counseling
Answer: A. Electroconvulsive therapy
Q4. At which university did Lou Reed study under poet Delmore Schwartz, who profoundly shaped his literary approach to songwriting?
A. New York University
B. Columbia University
C. Syracuse University
D. Harvard University
Answer: C. Syracuse University
Q5. What was the name of Lou Reed’s late-night radio show at Syracuse University, which featured doo-wop, R&B, and free jazz?
A. Midnight Waves
B. Excursions on a Wobbly Rail
C. Underground Beats
D. Velvet Hours
Answer: B. Excursions on a Wobbly Rail
Q6. In what year did Lou Reed co-found The Velvet Underground with John Cale, Sterling Morrison, and Angus MacLise?
A. 1965
B. 1966
C. 1967
D. 1969
Answer: A. 1965
Q7. Who became The Velvet Underground’s manager in 1966, integrating them into his Factory scene and producing their debut album’s banana cover art?
A. David Bowie
B. Andy Warhol
C. Bob Dylan
D. Allen Ginsberg
Answer: B. Andy Warhol
Q8. What was the title of The Velvet Underground’s debut album, released in 1967 and featuring the iconic banana design?
A. White Light/White Heat
B. Loaded
C. The Velvet Underground & Nico
D. Squeeze
Answer: C. The Velvet Underground & Nico
Q9. Which 1968 Velvet Underground album is known for its noisy, experimental tracks like “Sister Ray” and the title track about amphetamine highs?
A. The Velvet Underground
B. Loaded
C. White Light/White Heat
D. VU
Answer: C. White Light/White Heat
Q10. Why did Lou Reed leave The Velvet Underground in 1970?
A. Commercial failure and creative exhaustion
B. A major label contract offer
C. Internal band violence
D. Health issues from touring
Answer: A. Commercial failure and creative exhaustion
Q11. What was Lou Reed’s first solo album, released in 1972 and featuring re-recorded Velvet Underground tracks?
A. Transformer
B. Lou Reed
C. Berlin
D. Sally Can’t Dance
Answer: B. Lou Reed
Q12. Which 1972 solo album, produced by David Bowie and Mick Ronson, marked Lou Reed’s commercial breakthrough?
A. Berlin
B. Street Hassle
C. Rock ‘n’ Roll Animal
D. Transformer
Answer: D. Transformer
Q13. What is the story behind Lou Reed’s hit single “Walk on the Wild Side” from Transformer?
A. A fictional road trip narrative
B. Autobiographical drug experiences
C. Tributes to Andy Warhol’s Factory superstars
D. A critique of Hollywood glamour
Answer: C. Tributes to Andy Warhol’s Factory superstars
Q14. Which 1973 concept album by Lou Reed tells the tragic story of lovers Jim and Caroline amid drugs and abuse?
A. Coney Island Baby
B. Berlin
C. New York
D. Magic and Loss
Answer: B. Berlin
Q15. What unusual 1975 Lou Reed release consisted of over an hour of guitar feedback and drone noise, later called a prank or artistic statement?
A. Metal Machine Music
B. Street Hassle
C. Growing Up in Public
D. Take No Prisoners
Answer: A. Metal Machine Music
Q16. Lou Reed’s 1974 live album Rock ‘n’ Roll Animal featured extended jams on which Velvet Underground classic?
A. “Heroin”
B. “Pale Blue Eyes”
C. “Sweet Jane”
D. “Sunday Morning”
Answer: C. “Sweet Jane”
Q17. Which 1989 album by Lou Reed addressed social issues like AIDS, crime, and politics, earning a Grammy nomination?
A. New Sensations
B. New York
C. The Blue Mask
D. Legendary Hearts
Answer: B. New York
Q18. What collaborative 1990 album did Lou Reed make with John Cale as a tribute to Andy Warhol after his death?
A. Songs for Drella
B. Time After Time
C. The Raven
D. Lulu
Answer: A. Songs for Drella
Q19. Which 2011 album saw Lou Reed collaborate with Metallica on spoken-word pieces inspired by Frank Wedekind’s plays?
A. Ecstasy
B. Magic and Loss
C. Set the Twilight Reeling
D. Lulu
Answer: D. Lulu
Q20. Lou Reed’s final studio album, released in 2007, was an ambient work composed for what practice he embraced later in life?
A. Yoga meditation
B. Tai chi exercises
C. Poetry recitation
D. Photography sessions
Answer: B. Tai chi exercises
Q21. Who was Lou Reed’s first wife, married briefly in 1973 amid the chaos of his rising fame?
A. Laurie Anderson
B. Sylvia Morales
C. Bettye Kronstad
D. Rachel Humphreys
Answer: C. Bettye Kronstad
Q22. Which long-term partner of Lou Reed from 1973 to 1978 was a transgender woman who served as his muse and tour manager?
A. Laurie Anderson
B. Sylvia Morales
C. Bettye Kronstad
D. Rachel Humphreys
Answer: D. Rachel Humphreys
Q23. Lou Reed married performance artist Laurie Anderson in 2008; what shared trait bonded them creatively?
A. Abstract painting
B. Experimental multimedia
C. Jazz improvisation
D. Folk storytelling
Answer: B. Experimental multimedia
Q24. Which jazz saxophonist did Lou Reed cite as a key influence, even mimicking his style on “European Son”?
A. John Coltrane
B. Miles Davis
C. Ornette Coleman
D. Thelonious Monk
Answer: C. Ornette Coleman
Q25. How did poet Delmore Schwartz influence Lou Reed’s career during his Syracuse years?
A. Co-writing early songs
B. Encouraging literary depth in lyrics
C. Managing his first band
D. Introducing him to Warhol
Answer: B. Encouraging literary depth in lyrics