Lou Reed biographer alleges history of violence against women

A new biography of Lou Reed has alleged that the late Velvet Underground founder had a history of abuse against women.

Written by Howard Sounes and titled Notes from the Velvet Underground: The Life of Lou Reed, the book centres around the “artist’s creative process, his mental health problems, his bisexuality, his three marriages, and his addictions to drugs and alcohol.” Sounes also speaks to 140 of Reed’s friends and associates, including music industry figures, band members, celebrities, family members, former wives and lovers.

According to The Daily Beast, Bettye Kronstad, who married Reed in 1973 and has spoken previously about their reportedly tumultuous relationship, alleges the following:

“He would, like, pin you up against a wall. Tussle you. Hit you … shake you … And then one time he actually gave me a black eye.”

In the book, Allan Hyman, an old school friend, also claims that Reed had hit a girlfriend while having dinner with him and his wife. “She would say something. He’d get pissed off at what she said and smash her around the back of the head. [My wife said,] ‘Lou, if you continue to hit her, you have to leave.’ And then he smacks her in the back of the head. So she said, ‘Get out!’”

During the process of writing the book, which comes out on 22 October, Sounes became aware of Reed’s many disruptive moods, and drew new conclusions about the pioneering musician. “I loved his music, but you have to go where the story goes,” he told The Daily Beast. “The obituaries were a bit too kind, he was really a very unpleasant man. A monster really; I think truly the word monster is applicable.”