Dirty Blvd. cover art

Dirty Blvd.

The Life and Music of Lou Reed

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Dirty Blvd.

By: Aidan Levy
Narrated by: Tom Perkins
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About this listen

This book not only covers the highlights of Lou Reed's career but explores lesser-known facets of his work, such as his first recordings with doo-wop group the Jades, his key literary influences, the impact of Judaism upon his work, and his engagement with the LGBT movement. Drawing from original interviews with many of his artistic collaborators, friends, and romantic partners, as well as from archival material, concert footage, and unreleased bootlegs of live performances, Dirty Blvd. exposes the man behind the myth, the notoriously uncompromising rock poet who wrote songs that transcended their genre and established himself as one of the most influential and enigmatic American artists of the past half century.

©2015 Aidan Levy (P)2015 Tantor
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Critic reviews

"Aidan Levy shines a light into unexamined corners of this singular life and enlarges our sense of his subject's spiky unforgettable character." (Peter Blauner, author of Slipping into Darkness)
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Loved the book. I'm not the biggest Velvets/Reed fan, but his impact on modern culture....music in particular, is absolutely huge. Truly inspiring to hear how he wouldn't compromise, ever.

Great book about a true musical pioneer

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I’ve read a lot of Reed bios over the years, but was pleasantly surprised by the strength of Levy’s research. That and decent story telling made up for his inability to write a straight sentence without showing off his knowledge of the dictionary. My other gripe: the book would have benefited from a musician proof reading the final draft. Despite all that, an enjoyable chronological romp.

Overly written but well told

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Well worth a listen..... wild man with a tender heart. Climb aboard and enjoy the rock filled ride!

Take a Walk on the Wild Side

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