Lou Reed's first solo album failed to impress the charts but he was still a legend after he left the Velvet Underground. So he decided to become part of the glam rock scene that topped the beginning of the seventies.
David Bowie and Mick Ronson
David Bowie and his Spiders From Mars guitarist Mick Ronson were huge fans of Lou and offered to produce and arrange his second album. Just like Lou's first album included unused Velvet Underground songs. Bowie and Ronson had 2 VU songs in their live reportoire: "White Light/White Heat" and "I'm Waiting for the Man".
Lou Reed performing live

"Transformer" includes "Walk on the Wild Side", "Perfect Day" and "Satellite of Love". His most famous songs and Lou was transformed on the album from a cult hero to an international rock star supported by Bowie and Ronson.
Walk On The Wild Side / Perfect Day single cover
"Andy’s Chest”, “Satellite of Love”, “Goodnight Ladies” and “New York Telephone Conversation” are songs already composed and recorded during the VU period. "Viscious" and "Andy's Chest" are about friend Andy Warhol. Andy Warhol told Reed to write a song titled "Viscious".  He said "why don't you write a song called 'Vicious'" and Reed said "Vicious how?" to which Warhol replied "Vicious like 'You hit me with a flower'". "Andy's Chest" tells about the fact Andy Warhol was shot by Valerie Solanas in 1968 in his own Factory an attack on his live that he survived. Andy helped VU to became famous and introduced Lou to the people hangin' round Warhol's Factory. Those were transvestites, speed users and artistic types. Transvestites are subject on "Walk On The Wild Side" and "Make Up" (including bass guitarist Herbie Flowers on Tuba). We can hear Bowie and Lou together in a telephone conversation on "New York Telephone Conversation".`
Satellite Of Love - single cover
Reed married Bettye Kronstad in 1973. She later said he had been a violent drunk when on tour.
Backside picture of the album
Famous photographer Mick Rock was responsible for the front cover of the album and became a lifetime friend of Lou Reed just like Bowie. The couple on the backside of the cover were supermodel Gala Mitchell shot seperately from Lou Reed's former road manager Ernie with a large banana in his jeans (wrapped in a sock for extra impact). The pictures were taken by Karl Stoecker who also did the album covers of Roxy Music.
Original album cover
Transformer
Viscious / Andy's Chest / Perfect Day / Hangin'Round / Walk On The Wild Side / Make Up / Satellite Of Love / Wagon Wheel / New York Telephone Conversation / I'm So Free / Goodnight Ladies
Satellite of Love
Andy's Chest
Walk On The Wild Side