Profile of the velvet underground, alternative rock pioneers. The velvet underground was an american rock band formed in 1964 in new york city by singerguitarist lou reed, multiinstrumentalist john cale, guitarist ste. The velvet underground and nico edition of continuums 33 series of books on record albums by joe harvard has some good information about the album, it seems pieced together from several other sources and doesnt have the authority of some of the other selections i have read. The velvet underground is an astonishing assembly of rare objects and artworks and the first book of its scale to document the formative years of the band time out magazine named the greatest new york musicians of all time. The band was initially active between 1965 and 1973, and was briefly managed by the pop artist andy warhol, serving as the house band at the factory and warhols. Although the origin is unclear, the oftenrepeated quotation, the velvet underground didnt sell many records, but everyone who bought one went out and started a band, recognizes their importance in music history. The velvet underground lp vinyl records for sale ebay. Heroin is the velvet undergrounds masterpiece seven minutes of pseudospiritualism, in which a poet intones on the divinity of his addiction.
The velvet underground was an american rock band formed in 1964 in new york city by singerguitarist lou reed, multiinstrumentalist john cale, guitarist sterling morrison, and drummer angus maclise replaced by moe tucker in 1965. The velvet underground in coining this image of sick beauty, michael leigh unwittingly provided not merely the name for a rocknroll group, but a synonym for an era and lifestyle immortalised by that group and its associates warhols factory perceived as a microcosm of that nationwide unrest and mania which prefigured the chaos of 1969. From neverbeforeseen photographs of the bands first live show in new york to andy warhols cover and poster designs, lou reeds handwritten music and lyrics. Subjects range from mailorder pornography and prostitution to bondage and sm parties, orgies, and clandestine sex clubs. The velvet underground 10 of the best music the guardian. The velvet underground is a paperback by journalist michael leigh that reports on paraphilia in the usa, published in september 1963. It was recorded in 1966 while the band were featured on andy warhols exploding plastic inevitable tour, which gained attention for its experimental performance sensibilities and controversial lyrical topics, including drug abuse, prostitution, sadomasochism. Velvet undergrounds the velvet underground and nico. From neverbeforeseen photographs of the bands first live show in new york to andy warhols cover and poster designs, lou reeds handwritten music and. Notes from the velvet underground, by howard sounes diversion books, 400 pp. Reed was one of the most literary rock musicians, making his notes from underground and reporting back to us in song, hence this books title, which also invokes dostoyevskys underground man, another damaged. Oh this is fabulous a report by nat finkelstein the silver age. The rough guide to the velvet underground explores.
Dear fans good news, my new book the velvet underground in chicago with pictures by allan lee koss available is for distribution. A band that was a bridge between fine art, underground cinema, deviant times, noise music, great looking sunglasses, nyc nightlife via the 60s, dowop pop and outoftheir heads models. The principal members were lou reed original name lewis allan reed. It was the final album recorded featuring founding member and main songwriter lou reed, who left shortly before its release loaded was ranked 110 on rolling stone s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. Rare third issue of this groundbreaking journal of sexual freedom, includes a 1964 exchange of letters with michael leigh author of the velvet underground, an article on sex under lsd by experimental filmmaker ray nelson, and an unsigned piece discussing role of women within the sds. In this book, joe harvard covers everything from lou reeds lyrical genius to john cales groundbreaking instrumentation, and from the creative input of andy warhol to the fine details of the recording. According to music journalist steve taylor, the velvet underground is a pop album because of its more accessible songs and has been called lou reed with a backing band due to the emphasis placed on songs rather than experimental sound work. The velvet undergrounds the velvet underground and nico. Velvet underground 45th anniversary lp by the velvet underground vinyl, feb2015, polydor 5 out of 5 stars. This is the paperback that provided the bands name. The velvet underground in chicago with pictures by allan lee koss will contain 11 never seen before pictures plus 6 sections one for each venue viisted by the group with a total 67 pages full of nicely reproduced stuff, mostly new.
Based on interviews with former members lou reed, john cale, and sterling morrison, as well as others from andy warhols circle of artistic collaborators, uptight is the definitive oral and visual history of the band and its revolutionary, often avantgarde music. The band decided to call itself the velvet underground after seeing a copy of a paperback book of that name that tony conrad had found in the street. The velvet underground 1965 1972 was arguably the most influential rock band that never achieved significant commercial success. The legendary sexology book that lent its name to the seminal new york rocknroll group the velvet underground, led by lou reed, whose songs were to mirror its themes of depravity and social malaise. Fans have debated the strengths of the closet and valentin mixes for years, and this shows both to their best advantage with clean and wellrendered remastering.
Though the velvet underground existed for no more than three years with its original lineup, it is considered to be not just the ultimate new york band. Reed immediately changed the bands name to the velvet underground, became andy warhols house band, wrote a raft of songs based on sleaze and the demimonde, and the rest is history. Scholar doyle greene analyzes how the velvet underground incorporated avantgarde into rock, and how their experimental style played a huge role in their influence on the genre for decades to come. The velvet underground and nico has influenced the sound of more bands than any other album.
In this book, michael leigh took a razor to the soft white underbelly of 60s middle america, spilling out its rotten entrails for the world to rake over. John cale\s experimental contribution is assessed, especially his work for lamonte young the theatre of eternal music, and what he carried from that experience into the velvet \s sound. When paul morrissey, the velvet underground s onetime manager, was interviewed for howard souness book, he asked waspishly if people want to read about the life of. The velvet underground fierce pup productions, 19931996, usa. Lou reed at panathinaikos stadium in athens, 1996 reuters the life of lou reed. The life of lou reed covers reeds whole life with a slight emphasis on his work with the velvet underground, upon which his reputation largely rests. Loaded is the fourth studio album by american rock band the velvet underground, released in november 1970 by atlantic records subsidiary label cotillion. He revealed a burgeoning demimonde of sadomasochism, transvestism, drug abuse, homosexuality, paedophilia, bestiality and pornography a zone he chose to describe as the velvet underground. This coffee table sized book is a remarkable document of americas best band the velvet underground. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Coming in autumn 2009, voyageur press presents the firstever fullcolor illustrated history of the velvet underground.
Sporting shades and feedbackheavy sounds, the velvets straddled art and rock, changing popular music forever, and sowing the seeds for punk, grunge, and thousands of countercultural fourchord wonders. Inside the birth of the velvet underground rolling stone. The velvet underground american rock group britannica. From neverbeforeseen photographs of the bands first live show in new york to andy warhols cover and poster designs, lou reeds handwritten music and lyrics, underground.
Since then, reed has had some success as a solo artist and has remained an influential figure in the world of music. The velvet underground, despite their great artistic success and lasting influence, achieved very little commercial success and only remained together as a group until 1970, when lou reed left to pursue a solo career. The velvet undergrounds grey album and the delineation. But as a documentary on the sexual corruption of our age, it is a must for every thinking adult. How the beatles, frank zappa, and the velvet underground defined an era by doyle greene. The velvet underground, american band of the 1960s whose primal guitar sound and urbannoir lyrics, influenced by avantgarde art and modern literature, inspired the punk and alternative rock movements of the 1970s and 80s. And remarkably, it still sounds as fresh and challenging today as it did upon its release in 1967. Richard witts though the velvet underground existed for less than three years with its original members, it is considered to be not just the ultimate new york band but also the most influential group ever. The velvet underground s 1969 selftitled release, known as the grey album, blazes boldly 50 years later, and retains the same sonic relevance as a. The sixdisc set starts with three different versions of the velvet underground lou reeds subtle original closet mix, engineer val valentins louder and more dynamic mix, and a monophonic version that was released only as a promotional item. The inevitable world of the velvet underground posts. In 1966 the book was picked up on by lou reed, a young new york musician who had just formed a band, the falling spikes. The velvet underground is arguably one of the most influential american rock bands ever. The velvet underground 45th anniversary super deluxe.
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