Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson Once Said That You Need These 3 Rules To Live by as a Human (And Musician)

There’s no playbook when it comes to living one’s life. Often, we feel we’re behind or not where we should be, while everyone else around us is feeling the same way. But sometimes, some sound advice from people who have really been through it can lift us up. That’s the case for The Velvet Underground’s famed frontman Lou Reed and avant-garde legend Laurie Anderson. The pair once had some sound advice in the form of three “rules” that they happily divulged on in an interview with Charlie Rose in 2003.

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The interview with Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson is fantastic and insightful from start to finish, so I recommend watching the whole thing. But for the sake of this article, we’ll focus on their words of wisdom. Their rules can apply to anyone, but musicians might just find them particularly helpful.

The Three Rules That Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson Lived By

Lou Reed and Laurie Anderson sat down with Charlie Rose in 2003, mainly to promote Reed’s new record, NYC Man. At that point, the couple had not married yet but would tie the knot a few years later in 2008. They would remain together until Reed’s death in 2013.

Throughout the above-mentioned interview, Reed and Anderson dish on everything from music to Andy Warhol. At one point, Rose opts to ask the couple what makes their relationship with each other so good. Anderson spoke up with her three “rules” for living a good life. And I have to admit, it’s great advice.

“I’m reminded also of the three rules we [she and Reed] came up with, rules to live by,” said Anderson. “And I’m just going to tell you what they are because they come in really handy. Because things happen so fast, it’s always good to have a few, like, watchwords to fall back on. And the first one is: One. Don’t be afraid of anyone. Now, can you imagine living your life afraid of no one? Two. Get a really good bullshit detector. And three. Three is be really, really tender. And with those three things, you don’t need anything else.”

So, those rules are: 1. Don’t be afraid of people; 2. Get good at clocking when someone is lying; 3. Be compassionate and gentle with others. That’s sound advice for any relationship or life in general. And musicians could learn a thing or two from them as well. Be smart about who you work with and know when there’s dishonesty involved, but always, always approach music with a bit of love.

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