Lou Reed: The King of New York

"'The only Lou Reed bio you need to read'" - The Washington Post

One of Pitchfork's ten best music books of 2023 | A Kirkus Reviews best non-fiction book of 2023

"'A monumental work filled with first-person accounts of the master's life and a dizzying array of never-before heard details'" - Michael Imperioli, author of The Perfume Burned His Eyes

This is presented as the most complete and penetrating biography of the rock master Lou Reed, whose stature and influence continue to grow with each passing year since his death a decade ago. The great rock-poet, who presided over the unique fusion of Brill Building pop sensibilities and the European avant-garde, left an indelible and transfiguring mark on American culture.

In Lou Reed: The King of New York, Will Hermes offers what is positioned as the definitive narrative of Reed's life and enduring legacy. The biography vividly dramatises his lengthy, brilliant, and often contentious interactions with fans, critics, fellow artists, and the assorted denizens of the city's underworld. Readers witness Reed's complex and significant partnerships with figures such as David Bowie, Andy Warhol, John Cale, and Laurie Anderson. The book meticulously tracks the deadpan wit, street-smart edge, and soaring poetic flights that defined his singular craft as a singer and songwriter, both during his groundbreaking tenure with the Velvet Underground and throughout his subsequent solo career. Furthermore, it explores the profound artistic ambition and the recurring tendency towards self-sabotage that he seemingly inherited from his mentor, Delmore Schwartz.

As Hermes traces Reed's journey from the gritty cold-water flats of the Lower East Side to the landmark status he ultimately achieved, he also intricately weaves in the story of New York City itself as a vital cultural capital. Notably, Hermes is the first biographer to draw upon the extensively publicised Lou Reed archive at the New York Public Library. By utilising the library's vast collections, the recent release of previously unheard recordings, and a wealth of contemporary interviews, Hermes presents a new and nuanced portrait of Lou Reed. This portrayal highlights him as a pioneer in both living and writing about non-binary sexuality and gender identity, a deeply committed artist who pursued beauty and noise with equal passion, and a turbulent, sometimes truculent, yet ultimately unforgettable man whose emotional imprint continues to endure.