Lou Reed who died in 2013 was best known to the general public as the grumpy New Yorker in black who sang ' Walk on the Wild Side' To his dedicated admirers however he was one of the most innovative & intelligent American songwriters of modern times a natural outsider who lived a tumultuous & tortured life In this in-depth meticulously researched & very entertaining biography respected biographer Howard Sounes examines the life & work of this fascinating man from birth to death including his time as the leader of The Velvet Underground
- one of the most important bands in rock'n'roll Written with a deep knowledge & understanding of the music Sounes also sheds entirely new light on the artist's creative process his mental health problems his bisexuality his three marriages & his addictions to drugs & alcohol In the course of his research Sounes has interviewed over 140 people from every part of Lou Reed's life
- some of whom have not spoken publicly about him before
- including music industry figures band members fellow celebrities family members former wives & lovers This book brings Lou Reed & his world alive