Visionary walks the wild side no more

Lou Reed, the punk-poet of rock who influenced generations of musicians with the Velvet Underground and who remained a vital solo artist for decades, died yesterday at the age of 71.

Reed died in Southampton, New York, of an ailment related to his recent liver transplant, according to his literary agent, Andrew Wylie, who added he had been in poor health for months.

Reed shared a home in Southampton with his wife and fellow musician Laurie Anderson, whom he married in 2008.