Rachel: Lou Reed’s transsexual muse

[Shana A]

Rachel: Lou Reed's transsexual muse
02.06.2013

http://dangerousminds.net/comments/rachel_lou_reeds_transsexual_muse

The source of inspiration for most of the songs on Coney Island Baby, Lou Reed's transvestite lover and muse Rachel (Tommy) has always been somewhat of a mystery figure. In all that's been written about Reed, Rachel is barely a footnote. Despite playing a significant romantic role in Reed's life and even touring with him during the mid-70s, Rachel managed to keep her private life private. Even details of her death are vague. She is rumored to have died in the early 90s.

In an article for Creem, Lester Bangs's description of Rachel was so vicious that Reed never forgave his friend and staunchest supporter. Bangs described Rachel with stunning insensitivity:

"[L]ong dark hair, bearded, tits, grotesque, abject... like something that might have grovellingly scampered in when Lou opened the door to get milk or papers in the morning."

[peky]

Interesting thing Ms Z...I love the song "walking on the wild side" but I did not know about this chap Lou Reed...

http://www.jaynedoll.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/loureed.html

BTW I did not see anything about Rachel on his Wikipedia page....hummm

[Shantel]

Some people are able to keep their secret life secret. Lester Bangs comment brings up a mental image of finding a turd floating in a bowl of beef stew!

[Anatta]

Kia Ora,

Back in the early seventies I had a love hate relationship with Lou reed's 'walk on the wild side'...It was around the same time the doctor prescribe me " Valium" 'and Valium would have helped that dash'....it slowed down my transition for twenty odd years...But now I "live" on the wide side 





Metta Zenda

[Shantel]

Kia Ora,

Back in the early seventies I had a love hate relationship with Lou reed's 'walk on the wild side'...It was around the same time the doctor prescribe me " Valium" 'and Valium would have helped that dash'....it slowed down my transition for twenty odd years...But now I "live" on the wide side 





Metta Zenda

We're all different! I thought the song was an interesting introduction for the uninitiated who had no idea that there was another world outside of their comfy upper or middle class lives in the Hamptons or the burbs.

[Shana A]

We're all different! I thought the song was an interesting introduction for the uninitiated who had no idea that there was another world outside of their comfy upper or middle class lives in the Hamptons or the burbs.

Artists such as Lou Reed, and their songs, were a glimpse to another faraway world... a world that I, a queer, geeky, androgynous Jewish kid, somehow knew instinctively that I was to be part of...

Z

[Anatta]

We're all different! I thought the song was an interesting introduction for the uninitiated who had no idea that there was another world outside of their comfy upper or middle class lives in the Hamptons or the burbs.

Kia Ora Shantel,

Yes the song was about that too, but for me it was a constant reminder of being different, and not being out about it-able to express it...Back then I along with open minded 'straight' friends used to visit what I like to call 'people-friendly' clubs and pubs-where there was a mixture of gay, bi, lesbian, trans, and straights...So a lot of the music back then was the  'genderbending' type...

Metta Zenda

[peky]

Artists such as Lou Reed, and their songs, were a glimpse to another faraway world... a world that I, a queer, geeky, androgynous Jewish kid, somehow knew instinctively that I was to be part of...

Z

And it is amazing that even in one can find the love of G-d (Shekhinah)

Shalom Ms. Z

[Shantel]

Kia Ora Shantel,

Yes the song was about that too, but for me it was a constant reminder of being different, and not being out about it-able to express it...Back then I along with open minded 'straight' friends used to visit what I like to call 'people-friendly' clubs and pubs-where there was a mixture of gay, bi, lesbian, trans, and straights...So a lot of the music back then was the  'genderbending' type...

Metta Zenda

My initiation came when I was a teenager that was (BC)  A friend and I hitchhiked from Seattle to Southern California during the summer vacation. On our return we stopped in San Francisco and had hiked up through China Town to the top of the hill and peered into a place called Finocchio's, a club that was famous for it's drag shows, I was mesmerized. We were penniless and hungry with nowhere to stay and were sitting up all night at a "Doggie Diner" on Market street when half a dozen TG women came in. They were flamboyant and colorful and fussed over us because of our plight and bought us coffee and hot dogs. We weren't molested in any way as we had been led by the straight world to believe might happen, they were nice people, I was consumed by the memories of that event later in life along with many other things that brought me to where I am today.

[Shantel]

And it is amazing that even in that one can find the love of G-d (Shekhinah)

Shalom Ms. Z

Yes let me second that. Shalom Sis!

[Jamie D]

Lou Reed got started with the Velvet Underground.

[Cindy]

'Walk on the wild side' consoled me at a very bad time, and his pictorial transformation on the album gave me hope.

When Rachel was vilified; a woman who I had never seen, but had heard of, it hurt me.  Gave up hope for a time when I had nothing anyway.

->-bleeped-<- sorry people.

An anniversary approaches. Time to go quiet for a while and ignore triggers.

Hugs

C

[big kim]

I'd forgotten about Rachel,I remember her picture on a Lou Reed album I had in the 70s.I thought her very exotic.

[Shana A]

Sun Feb 10, 2013 at 04:00 PM PST
Lou Reed's Muse

by rserven

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/02/10/1186020/-Lou-Reed-s-Muse

Dangerous Minds published an interesting post about Lou Reed's muse for the album Coney Island Baby that alternately asks me to read more and offends my sensibilities.  Written by Marc Campbell, the article is about Reed's romantic relationship with Rachel, who is alternately referred to as transsexual and as a transvestite named Tommy.

Most of us know about Reed's song Walk on the Wild Side, but that was written before Reed met Rachel.  Wide Side relates the journey of Warhol "superstar" Holly Woodlawn, with other verses about transwomen Candy Darling and Jackie Curtis.

Rachel toured with Reed during the mid 70s, but protected her privacy vigorously.  It is rumored that she died in the early 90s.  But even that is quite vague.

[Anatta]

Sun Feb 10, 2013 at 04:00 PM PST
Lou Reed's Muse

by rserven

http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/02/10/1186020/-Lou-Reed-s-Muse

Dangerous Minds published an interesting post about Lou Reed's muse for the album Coney Island Baby that alternately asks me to read more and offends my sensibilities.  Written by Marc Campbell, the article is about Reed's romantic relationship with Rachel, who is alternately referred to as transsexual and as a transvestite named Tommy.

Most of us know about Reed's song Walk on the Wild Side, but that was written before Reed met Rachel.  Wide Side relates the journey of Warhol "superstar" Holly Woodlawn, with other verses about transwomen Candy Darling and Jackie Curtis.

Rachel toured with Reed during the mid 70s, but protected her privacy vigorously.  It is rumored that she died in the early 90s.  But even that is quite vague.

Kia Ora Z,

The link I posted tells the story of the people in the song and what happened to them...

Metta Zenda

[Shana A]

And it is amazing that even in that one can find the love of G-d (Shekhinah)

Shalom Ms. Z

Yes let me second that. Shalom Sis!

Shalom, dear sisters!

Yes, the Shekhinah is ever present!

Kia Ora Z,

The link I posted tells the story of the people in the song and what happened to them...

Metta Zenda

I watched it, and cried for them.

Z

[Puggal]

A lot of the songs on Street Hassle are about her. I don't know a lot about her but she was probably cool, being Lou Reed's girlfriend and all.

Lou also wrote a song about Candy Darling, "Candy Says," and referenced her and another transgender woman, Holly Woodlawn, in "Walk on the Wild Side," but I don't believe he had a romantic connection with either of them. They just were part of his social circle in the 1960s.