Metal Machine Music, best I could describe it is white noise, more similar to leaving a fan, air conditioner or the like on at night rather than something like Brian Eno. I wonder if anyone else has here has hear it, it’s unlistenable. They say he did it to honor a contract.
http://www.allmusic.com/album/metal-machine-music-mw0000099717
Yes, Lou was a bit on the wild side, guy seemed to be a real poet so that is how I listened to his music, I’ve listened to the album with Robert Hunter, Rock and Roll Animal a few times this year. But a lot of Reed’s stuff like Berlin is poetry and some of it I thought were just morbid things to tell the truth.
FWIW if you listen to it at half speed (or quarter speed, I forget which) it becomes apparent that Lou cranked up his stack of amps, set down his guitar in front of the speakers and just let things go from there, recording the resultant feedback and speeding up the tape. As someone who enjoys the odd bit of electronic musical strangeness I wouldn't exactly call it unlistenable, more like once a decade listenable for when I'm in a really strange mood. The modern equivalent is “zero input mixer” style although the little I've heard tends to be less noise based and more grounded in the early fart and whistle days of the genre.
I have a copy tucked away in my old album boxes. I agree that it is nothing akin to music, just random noise. I enjoy "Sister Ray" but can't listen to this - only listenable with generous application of mind altering substances. I too have always heard that this was a contractual obligation album, in effect a middle finger to his record company. Too bad for Lou Reed - some of his stuff is very good. I got to see him in concert during the "Rock 'n' Roll Animal" days - some of the best guitar work I've ever heard live.