Podcast Summary: All Of It with Alison Stewart

Episode: Lou Reed, Part 3 (Full Bio) – December 23, 2023

Guest: Will Hermes, author of Lou Reed: The King of New York

Brief Overview

In this episode of All Of It, host Alison Stewart continues her deep dive into Lou Reed’s legacy as part of their "Full Bio" book series, focusing on Hermes’ acclaimed biography. The conversation dissects Lou Reed’s life through the lens of "sex, drugs, and rock and roll," with an emphasis on his boundary-pushing approach to sexuality and gender, his tumultuous relationship with drugs, and his famously fraught interactions with the press.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Lou Reed on Sexuality and Gender Fluidity

• Reed’s Ahead-of-His-Time Attitude:

  • Will Hermes notes that “Reid claimed his right to identify or not regarding his sexuality, and he lived as he pleased and answered to no one.” (00:49)
  • Reed’s openness about his relationships, including with a trans partner (Rachel), was groundbreaking during a more restrictive era.

• Cultural Context and Personal Experience:

  • Hermes connects Reed’s story to his own, remarking:

    “The more I got into Reed's music and ... about him ... the more I felt seen. And that … is a testimony to why I think in part it connected so, so deeply to his music.” (06:28)

  • Reed’s presentation (i.e., "really butch ... leather") allowed him to pass in the rock world, even as he lived authentically in other aspects.

• Homophobia in Music Journalism:

  • Reed walked “both sides of the street” in a rock culture that was “extremely homophobic.”
  • Notoriously, Reed broke off ties with writer Lester Bangs over “a story ... so transphobic ... so horrible.” (07:15)

• Autobiographical Songs and Love:

  • Reed wrote songs about his partners, including Laurie Anderson, Sylvia Morales, and Rachel—directly referencing Rachel by name in “Coney Island Baby.”
  • Hermes's pick for most autobiographical:

    “‘Some Kind of Love’ from the third Velvet Underground album ... To me, that just sums it right up.” (09:50)
    “There’s a line in it ... ‘No kinds of love are better than others.’” (10:25)

2. Drugs: Myths, Realities, and Impact

• Early Start and Consequences:

  • Reed contracted hepatitis as a result of heroin use in college, “something that ultimately took him out probably before his time” (11:05).

• Drugs and Creativity – The Myth and the Truth:

  • Hermes details the common myth: “Mind altering substances can help you access certain creative paths ... if they don't kill you first.” (11:33)
  • Reed was interested in experience, drawing creative inspiration from Burroughs, the blues, and 60s culture.
  • Amphetamine was Reed’s drug of choice for productivity:

    “Amphetamine was something that allowed him to work longer and harder and probably helped him with his anxiety ... That was the drug he abused.” (13:45)

  • Sylvia Morales (second wife) is credited with helping Reed get clean.

• Public Persona: The ‘Drug Guru’ Act

  • Stage acts included Reed mimicking shooting up heroin:

    “He would take the mic cord, wrap it around his upper arm ... pretend to shoot up ... then he might take the hypodermic and fling it into the audience.” (15:49)

  • Reed later regretted his image as a "drug guru."
  • The stage persona and its controversy sold records but took a personal toll.

3. Lou Reed and the Press: A Love-Hate Story

• Personalized, Confrontational Coverage:

  • The press often got “really personal” in their reviews and interviews with Reed.
  • Hermes suggests this was partially a function of the era’s (largely male) “sausage fest” in journalism and their discomfort with Reed’s queerness. (20:04)

• Why Writers Loved and Hated Him:

  • Reed’s intellectualism and authenticity attracted passionate fans and detractors.
  • The Velvets became a “tribal handshake” for generations of alt-rock and punk musicians and their chroniclers.

4. Reed’s Difficult Reputation – Character or Role?

• Was Prickliness a Trait or a Defense?
  • “He was a wit and he was wicked. He was a small kid ... and he was bullied. And I think kids ... become good with words.” (23:41)
  • Early on, Reed was “unguarded ... congenial,” but became “more guarded” after getting burned by the press.
  • His “Lou Reed character also became this guy who was just super nasty ... almost expected later in his life.” (25:00)
  • Health issues, including liver problems and diabetes, “probably a natural disposition towards that in addition to health issues is probably behind it.”

Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments

“He didn't ever use the word ‘queer’. The language was still kind of being formed around this... but Reed lived as he chose, and very often he was in the crosshairs for it.”
— Will Hermes (05:08)

“If I had to pick one song, it would probably be ‘Some Kind of Love’... There's a line in it that puts it simply: ‘No kinds of love are better than others.’ To me, that just sums it right up.”
— Will Hermes (10:25)

“Amphetamine was something that allowed him to work longer and harder and probably helped him with his anxiety ... And that was the drug he abused.”
— Will Hermes (13:45)

“He would just say the nastiest things to anybody ... any interviewer for any reason. But I think also that became kind of a role he'd play and it was almost expected certainly later in his life.”
— Will Hermes (25:00)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• Lou Reed’s sexuality and public identity: 03:10-09:49
• Homophobia and relationship with Lester Bangs: 06:22-08:53
• Signature love songs and their autobiographical nature: 09:18-10:47
• Early drug use and consequences: 10:47-13:45
• Stage performance & ‘drug guru’ persona: 15:30-18:11
• Reed v. the press: 19:35-23:21
• Difficult reputation – nature vs. play-acting: 23:21-26:49

Episode Tone

The discussion is frank, reverential, and insightful, blending personal reflection (from both Hermes and the host) with sharp cultural and historical analysis. The tone often echoes Reed’s own unfiltered style: honest, witty, occasionally raw, and always deeply aware of the complexities involved in being a cultural outsider in his time.

Next Episode Preview:
The series will conclude with Reed’s later years, his photography, and broad impact on modern music.