Lou Reed used his keynote speech at the South By Southwest Festival in Texas yesterday (March 13th) to attack the quality of MP3s.

The veteran performer said that low quality MP3 sound files were an example of how “technology is taking us backward.”

"It's making it easier to make things worse,” he said. “I don't know what the answer is. People [have] to demand a higher standard.

"Or the other view is to say you're being elitist, and only the people who can afford [high-quality stereo equipment] can get it."

Reed followed his speech at yesterday’s conference with a special guest appearance alongside Moby.

The pair performed a rendition of Reed’s own ‘Walk On The Wild Side’ to an invited audience.

(by Jason Gregory)