The author of the upcoming Lou Reed biography, "Notes From The Velvet Underground," states that the late rock legend was a "monster" who abused women and casually used racial slurs. That's the conclusion Howard Sounes came to after interviewing "more than 140 of his school friends, bandmates, girlfriends, and family members," as research for the book, according to The Daily Beast.
"I loved his music, but you have to go where the story goes," Sounes said. "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."
Sounes also quoted Reed as having said racist statements about other musicians, like "I don't like ni--ers like Donna Summer," and referring to Bob Dylan as a "pretentious k-ke," according to Spin.
Bettye Kronstad, who Reed tied the knot with in 1973, described life on tour with the "Walk on the Wild Side" in one of the interviews. "He would, like, pin you up against a wall," she said. "Tussle you. Hit you... shake you... And then one time he actually gave me a black eye."
Allan Hyman, Reed's old school friend, said that Reed would casually hit his 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!'"
Paul Morrissey, who knew Reed during the Velvet Underground years, said Reed's book should be titled "The Hateful B--ch" or "The Worst Person Who Ever Lived."
"Something that says this isn't a biography of a great human being, because he was not... He was a stupid, disgusting, awful human being," he added.
"Notes from the Velvet Underground" is scheduled for release on Oct. 22.
