It warms my cockles to hear that former Emperor of Fuck You, Lou Reed, is still fighting for the integrity of the rock and roll soul. TMZ reports that Susan Boyle left America’s Got Talent in tears because the Velvet Underground founder refused to relinquish rights to his song, “Perfect Day," thus saving American eardrums from another string-swollen commercial bastardization of a classic tune.

Apparently Reed’s decision was based on the fact that “He isn’t a Boyle fan.” Three cheers for Lou and other curmudgeonly old dudes who still have ideals. In an age in which the punk rock ethos has been replaced by a careerist soft-capitalist impulse, when American Idol suddenly has rights to the Beatles catalogue, and poor dead Jimi Hendrix doesn’t know he’s promoting running shoes, it’s good to know that some rockers still fight the good fight with snark and snarl.