‘Do Angels Need Haircuts?’ Chronicles Lou Reed’s Poetry

There’s no arguing the fact that Lewis Allan Reed—better known as Lou Reed—was an iconic fixture of the American music and pop culture landscapes. Whether you’re talking about his time with The Velvet Underground or his expansive solo career that spanned five decades and twenty studio albums, Reed was prolific. What you may not know is that he was also an accomplished poet, which is where the book Do Angels Need Haircuts? comes in. The upcoming book, also the first release from the Lou Reed Archive, serves as a snapshot of the turning point in Reed’s career when he decided to focus on poetry. Inside Do Angels Need Haircuts? you’ll find poems, photographs and images from rare poetry zines, along with a 7″ record of previously unreleased audio of the 1971 St. Mark’s Church reading. If you want a glimpse of a little-known chapter from the life of one of America’s greatest pop culture icons, this is it.