http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEr3z0THed4&feature=relmfu

Reed’s bone-chilling live version of his classic mini-rock opera “Street Hassle” from 1978.  The “Take No Prisoners” album is legendary among Reed fans as being a stand-up comedy album because Reed gets back at some of the critics that have bothered him.  However, I don’t think this is the “camp” masterpiece some people think it is.  I believe it may be his best solo album.  His band is phenomenal, the playing is powerful, the backup singers are terrific, and Reed, as f–ked up as he sounds, gives it his all.  This version of “Street Hassle” is particularly memorable, especially the middle section where Reed takes on the character of the callous dope dealer talking to a client about getting rid of someone he brought over who OD’d.  The way Reed spits out the lines is frightening and makes one believe he could have been a hell of an actor if he had gone down that road as an artist.  The guitar playing during the last third will make the hairs on your neck stand up.  A severely underrated masterpiece, even though Reed sounds really troubled and f–ked up on most of the songs.  Oh, and the binaural sound that Reed embraced at that time (and had the album recorded with) sounds absolutely smashing on CD.

Lyrics that stop me in my tracks every time:  “You know, some people got no choice … And they can never find a voice to talk with that they can even call their own … So the first thing that they see that allows them the right to be … Why they follow it, you know, it’s called bad luck.”