"Rock 'n' Roll Animal" is a live album by American musician Lou Reed, released in February 1974 by RCA Records. Following the commercial disappointment of his acclaimed concept album "Berlin," Reed opted for an album featuring more accessible rock songs.
Recorded live at Howard Stein's Academy of Music in New York City, "Rock 'n' Roll Animal" features five songs, four of which are lengthy, multi-segmented tracks. The album predominantly features reinvented versions of older material from Reed’s Velvet Underground days, as well as his solo career. The music on the album markedly deviates from the tone of Reed's earlier work and is characterized by its hard rock aesthetics and deep guitar work, largely attributed to the dual guitar team of Dick Wagner and Steve Hunter.
Upon its release, "Rock 'n' Roll Animal" achieved significant commercial success, becoming Reed's best-selling RCA album. It peaked at #45 on the Billboard 200 and reportedly sold close to 1 million copies, which was a high number for Reed at that time. Despite its commercial success, the album drew a mixed reception from critics; while some praised its energetic performances and guitar work, others criticized it as a sell-out move by Reed. Nonetheless, it has since gained a reputation as one of Reed’s best live albums.
As for its legacy, "Rock 'n' Roll Animal" played a pivotal role in boosting Reed's reputation as a live performer and has since then become a favorite among fans and critics alike. The album's dynamic renditions of songs like "Sweet Jane" and "Heroin" are frequently referred to as some of Reed's best onstage performances. The heavily guitar-driven sound of the album has been noted to significantly contribute to the development of the hard rock genre.
