Lou Reed
(March 2, 1942 - living) U.S.A.
Rock star, singer, songwriter, and guitarist
Born in New York, he is the best known former member (1965-70) of the seminal New York garage band the "Velvet Underground", that helped to create an alternative musical sound to that of the West Coast. By the time they came into contact with Andy Warhol, Reed has begun to write songs abut transvestitism, homosexuality, bisexuality and drag. His solo work include the albums Berlin (1973) and Street Hassle (1978), which deal with urban alienation and angst.
A rebel from an early age, Reed horrified his parents on Long Island with his effeminacy and his violently loud rock music. Hoping to curb his homosexuality, they sent him to a mental hospital for electroshock treatments. Although the treatments were painful and damaging, Reed emerged with his antisocial impulses (and bisexuality) more or less intact.
He says he is not gay, nor bisexual, but "it" happened (plenty of times) because he was just experimenting... By 1982 he had adopted the persona of happily married straight man.
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