Laurie Anderson pens Rolling Stone article on her life with Lou Reed

Following a short obituary she added to their local paper, Lou Reed’s wife Laurie Anderson has now written a full-length tribute to the late musician in the latest issue of Rolling Stone magazine.

In the piece, the experimental artist details how they met (“I met Lou in Munich, not New York. It was 1992, and we were both playing in John Zorn’s Kristallnacht festival”), their early life together (“He said, “Would you like to see a movie?” Sure. “And then after that, dinner?” OK. “And then we can take a walk?” “Um . . .” From then on we were never really apart”), as well as their subsequent marriage and his untimely death.

Anderson writes:

“Lou and I played music together, became best friends and then soul mates, traveled, listened to and criticized each other’s work, studied things together (butterfly hunting, meditation, kayaking). We made up ridiculous jokes; stopped smoking 20 times; fought; learned to hold our breath underwater; went to Africa; sang opera in elevators; made friends with unlikely people; followed each other on tour when we could; got a sweet piano-playing dog; shared a house that was separate from our own places; protected and loved each other. We were always seeing a lot of art and music and plays and shows, and I watched as he loved and appreciated other artists and musicians. He was always so generous. He knew how hard it was to do. We loved our life in the West Village and our friends; and in all, we did the best we could do.”

It’s revealed that Reed was released from hospital a few weeks before his death so he could enjoy the remaining days of his life with Anderson. She continues:

“I have never seen an expression as full of wonder as Lou’s as he died. His hands were doing the water-flowing 21-form of tai chi. His eyes were wide open. I was holding in my arms the person I loved the most in the world, and talking to him as he died. His heart stopped. He wasn’t afraid. I had gotten to walk with him to the end of the world. Life – so beautiful, painful and dazzling – does not get better than that.”

You can read the full piece over at the Rolling Stone website. Reed died of a liver-related illness, he was 71 years old.

Above is the last ever photo taken of the musician, shot by Jean Baptiste Mondino a few weeks before his death.