• Dirty Blvd.

  • The Life and Music of Lou Reed
  • By: Aidan Levy
  • Narrated by: Tom Perkins
  • Length: 14 hrs and 52 mins
  • Unabridged Audiobook
  • Release date: 10-01-15
  • Language: English
  • Publisher: Tantor Audio
  • 4 out of 5 stars 4.0 (25 ratings)

Regular price: $27.99

Membership details Membership details
  • A 30-day trial plus your first audiobook, free.
  • 1 credit/month after trial – good for any book, any price.
  • Easy exchanges – swap any book you don’t love.
  • Keep your audiobooks, even if you cancel.
  • After your trial, Audible is just $14.95/month.
Buy Now for $27.99
Select or Add a new payment method

Buy Now with 1 Credit

By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Buy Now for $27.99

Pay using card ending in
Switch payment method
By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Add to Library for $0.00

By confirming your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and Amazon's Privacy Notice. Taxes where applicable.

Publisher's Summary

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
Show More Show Less

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)
Show More Show Less

People who bought this also bought...

Audible.com Reviews
Audible.co.uk reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful
3 out of 5 stars
By Rick on 02-13-16

Great story, a little pretentious

I love the story, the icon, Epic. A lot of stuff I certainly didn't know? I could have done without the overly verbose descriptions however? Not impressed, I mean who talks like that? No one I know, but I guess I'm simple. I don't want to listen to a story with a dictionary and a thesaurus next to me... Also, the obscure literary and psychological bullsh*t gets a little old. I think Reed wouldn't have appreciated that.

Read More Hide me

2 of 2 people found this review helpful

5 out of 5 stars
By matthewilfoe on 12-11-16

great biography!

Pretty entertaining, very informative. I have a different approach to Lou Reed songs now. Recommended.

Read More Hide me

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

See all Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful
4 out of 5 stars
By James on 07-13-18

Great book about a true musical pioneer

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.

Read More Hide me
4 out of 5 stars
By Jikan Myshkin on 05-12-18

enjoyable look at lou

unlike most biogrpahies of lou reed this one considers hos work at literature, and therein influences, plus gives background to things like pickwick records missing for other biographies. the one drawback is the narattor. although he does a good job he insits on giving voices to all of the characters. however, all of the voices, including inflections, are exactly the same regarless of gender, speaker and context. a serious and dark passage will be read with the same voice as a sweet and tender moment. it makes it a bit surreal but that is if i am being picky. all in all enjoyable although by no means comprehensive of everything of this interesting man's life. for that you'd need to read a few!

Read More Hide me
See all Reviews