Laurie Anderson Talks Lou Reed and Filmmaking on Tom Needham's SOUNDS

SOUNDS with Tom Needham

Laurie Anderson is one of America’s most renowned creative pioneers, celebrated for her multimedia presentations that span visual art, music, film, and performance. Anderson gained international recognition in 1980 with her single "O Superman," which reached number two on the British pop charts and appeared on her debut album "Big Science." Over the years, she has released numerous albums, including "Mister Heartbreak," "United States Live," "Strange Angels," and "Home of the Brave." Her innovative approach to music has led her to collaborate with composers such as Zac Rae and Oliver Hill, and her work extends to major multimedia performances like "United States I-V" and "Songs and Stories for Moby Dick."

In addition to her music, Anderson is an accomplished visual artist whose work has been exhibited in major museums worldwide. In 2003, her career-spanning retrospective "The Record of the Time: Sound in the Work of Laurie Anderson" toured internationally, showcasing her installations, audio pieces, and instruments. Anderson’s visual art continues to push boundaries, with her exhibition "The Waters Reglitterized" opening at the Sean Kelly Gallery in 2005, and her "Self-Playing Violin" featured at the Museum of Modern Art. As a composer, she has contributed to films, theater productions, and dance works by renowned artists, and her orchestral piece "Songs for Amelia Earhart" premiered at Carnegie Hall in 2000.

A recognized leader in integrating technology with the arts, Anderson has collaborated with innovative companies like Interval Research Corporation and created the introduction for PBS’s "Art 21." She was NASA’s first artist-in-residence in 2002, which inspired her solo performance "The End of the Moon." Anderson’s accolades include the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize, the Yoko Ono Courage Award for the Arts, and multiple honorary residencies. Her film "Heart of a Dog" was an official selection at the Venice and Toronto Film Festivals, solidifying her continued influence on contemporary art and culture. Anderson resides in New York City.