Where was Lou's Corner?

Next month will mark the two year anniversary of the death of storied New York rock icon, Lou Reed. That’s not the reason I’m posting this, but I suppose it’s as good a reason as any.

Some might remember an entry I posted back in 2013 wherein I exhumed the video for Lou’s uncharacteristically slick 1984 single, “I Love You, Suzanne.” It was a perfectly reasonable pop song, but considering it came from the same man who'd written stuff like “Venus in Furs,” “Sister Ray,” “Berlin,” “Street Hassle,” etc. etc., it seemed like quite a departure, although, it should be remembered that Lou got his start penning pop songs under the tutelage of icon Doc Pomus. I’m not equating “I Love You, Suzanne” with that stuff, but still … pop is pop. Perhaps he was just following the lucrative example set by his old sparring partner David Bowie, who’d made a similarly unlikely move towards mainstream accessibility the previous year with Let’s Dance.

Regardless, my entry wasn’t about the song so much as the video, which featured Lou posing with signature disaffected cool around various Manhattan locales. That stuff always captivates me, as I’m constantly on the lookout for images of the New York City of my youth.

In any case, for no readily apparent reason, I re-watched the clip for “My Red Joystick” off the same album — that being New Sensations — and was again captivated with trying to divine the location of the action.

I want to say I’m reasonably certain that this was shot in and around an actual Manhattan address, despite the fact that in several instances it looks like a stage set.

Even casual viewers will notice the signage citing that the corner in question is on Sixth Avenue somewhere. I want to say it’s somewhere between Houston and Canal, but — obviously — cannot be certain. Take another look at the distinctive facade of Lou’s girlfriend’s building.

That newsstand is probably long gone, but I bet those rounded, corner steps on the entrance are still there.

Watch the whole thing and see if you can name it…

Comments

[Bob Egan]

HI Alex,

On first glance it looks like a Hollywood set, although it does seem that the subway stairs go down underground -- you can see the light at the bottom of the stairs.

It also looks like the corner of Bleecker and Minetta Street, with the action taking place on Minetta Street, though I know it isn't.

The main thing that makes it seem like a Hollywood set is that there's a rather prominent sign reading "6th Avenue - Avenue of the Americas." next to the apartment building, but the street it's on is only as wide as Minetta Street.

I just looked on Google Street view - there is a 6th Ave/Ave/America sign at that corner, but it's 20 feet away -- on 6th Avenue.

I'm glad Lou finally got the joystick. (You would think he would want the Atari game machine that came with it, too)

- Bob

[James Taylor]

Might it be the area around Sixth & Spring/Broome? Lots of small triangular parks and a few vacant lots if I'm not mistaken. Subway would be the A-C-E.

[JIm]

It's a Hollywood set. It's way too narrow to 6th ave and def not MinettaLANE. Also vid was shot by a Polish director who was living in LA in 1984 at the time of Red Joystick release.