When Chris Keene first brought an early composition of eventual single “Young & Wild” to his bandmates in Mean Creek, the song had to be reworked because of its similarity to the Velvet Underground’s “Heroin.” The song, off last year’s Youth Companion LP, now has its own feel and identity, but it wasn’t always that way.
“I came in with an initial idea that was way too much like ‘Heroin,’ and then the band changed it around and approached it differently,” Keene tells Vanyaland. “We all put it together and made it what it ended up being.”
But Keene’s appreciation for the Velvets didn’t stop there. About a year ago he recorded a cover of “I Found A Reason,” from 1970’s Loaded, but never released it or made it public. With yesterday’s passing of Lou Reed, Keene uploaded the song today to his Bandcamp page.
On social media he explained: “R.I.P. Lou Reed. We won’t be sad though, because as you taught us, ‘I do believe, you are what you perceive, what comes is better than what came before.’ Hope you’re some place better. I recorded this cover of ‘I Found A Reaso'” over a year ago but never showed anyone cause I didn’t like it, but whatever, this one’s for Lou!”
Check it out below…
If you’re curious, here’s the Mean Creek song in question…
“Young & Wild” by Mean Creek from loroto on Vimeo.