IN 2015, Dylan Jones invited “the poet of queer darkness” to accept a bauble at the GQ Man Of The Year Awards. Surprisingly, given he was in fragile health and not renowned for his susceptibility to flattery, Lou Reed turned up and made a speech affirming his belief in rock’n’roll. “I’m a graduate of Warhol University,” he said “and I believe in the power of punk. And I believe – to this day – I want to blow it up.”
Reed died 54 days later, leaving behind. “He was the Adonis of the month.” Reed was “probably the least Buddhist person I’ve ever met”, says writer Mick Brown. The real Lou Reed “is the grumpy guy sitting by himself in a room reading a book,” says journalist Nick Kent. “He had talent, I don’t know where it came from,” offers record mogul Seymour Stein. “I’m not a doctor.”
