Lou Reed

The King of New York

By: Will Hermes

Narrated by: Will Hermes

This program is read by the author.

"There have been many biographies of Lou Reed, but Will Hermes has written the definitive life . . . He has brought to the assignment a sharp eye, a clear head, a lucid prose style, and a determination to let Lou be Lou, without judgment." —Lucy Sante, author of Low Life

The most complete and penetrating biography of the rock master, whose stature grows every year.

Since his death ten years ago, Lou Reed’s living presence has only grown. The great rock-poet presided over the marriage of Brill Building pop and the European avant-garde, and left American culture transfigured. In Lou Reed: The King of New York, Will Hermes offers the definitive narrative of Reed’s life and legacy, dramatizing his long, brilliant, and contentious dialogue with fans, critics, fellow artists, and assorted habitués of the demimonde. We witness Reed’s complex partnerships with David Bowie, Andy Warhol, John Cale, and Laurie Anderson; track the deadpan wit, street-smart edge, and poetic flights that defined his craft as a singer and songwriter with the Velvet Underground and beyond; and explore the artistic ambition and gift for self-sabotage he took from his mentor Delmore Schwartz.

As Hermes follows Reed from Lower East Side cold-water flats to the landmark status he later achieved, he also tells the story of New York City as a cultural capital. The first biographer to draw on the New York Public Library’s much-publicized Reed archive, Hermes employs the library collections, the release of previously unheard recordings, and a wealth of recent interviews to give us a new Lou Reed—a pioneer in living and writing about nonbinary sexuality and gender identity, a committed artist who pursued beauty and noise with equal fervor, and a turbulent and sometimes truculent man whose emotional imprint endures.

A Macmillan Audio production from Farrar, Straus and Giroux.

Can’t imagine a better bio about Reed

Hermes does such a great job of covering Reed’s extraordinary life in a way that is not over indulgent in myth, but none the less captivating. I didn’t want to say goodbye to Lou after the finish of this book. Luckily I won’t have to with his albums at my side.

fantastic!

This will probably be the only book you'll ever need to read on Lou Reed.

The most in depth Lou Reed bio

If you are a Lou Reed/Velvet Underground fan then you need to hear this. One of the more complex individuals in rock music brought to life through some great and not so great personal recollections from people who were closest to him. Like most great artists, Reed was ahead of his time.

Long Live Lou Reed

Long Live the King of NYC Lou Reed. Thank you for putting into words and music so many great songs!

Engaging and interesting. Didn’t want it to end.

Excellent look at a complicated man and a great artist. Very well done. Get it!