performance art, music, heroin, methedrine, film, touring, rock and roll
check out www.loureed.com for some great (albeit a bit blurry) video clips of early velvets and lou reed. also check out www.john-cale.com alright all caught up with the friend requests...stuff back to "normal" now...
Lou was influenced by 50s jazz, 50s soul, and Dylan's early music. Cale was influenced by lots of classical training and experimental classical music. Cale's albums after the Velvets were truly groundbreaking, and Nico's work was good too.
Lou read most of the major philosophers in the western tradition. Delmore Schwartz was his biggest literary influence and mentor. Warhol was also one of the most important mentors to Lou. Cale was influenced by lots of experimental classical music.
those actually on the edge of something new.