Velvet Underground was formed in New York 1965 by guitarist, composer and singer Lou Reed, violinist, celloist and keyboardplayer John Cale, guitarist and bassist Sterling Morrison and drummer Angus MacLise. They recorded a few demos in June 1965 and had their first public appearance in autumn 65. Shortly after MacLise was replaced by Maureen Tucker. They made contact with multi-artist Andy Warhol who introduced then to singer and model from Germany, Nico who soon after joined the group as music performers at Warhols multi-media shows. This constellation recorded the first album for Verve records in 1966 ( released spring 67 ) "The Velvet Underground & Nico", featuring Warhol´s banana cover.
Soon after Nico left the band to pursue a solo-career and
in 1968 they stopped working with Warhol, and later that year John Cale left the group. Before this they had recorded they second album "White Light/White Heat". Cale was replaced by Doug Yule
This line-up recorded the much acclaimed and softer 3rd album, which was their last release for Verve. They did record songs for a projected fourth Verve album, which were eventually released as "VU"in 1985.
A final album with Lou Reed was recorded in 1970 and released on Cotillion Records. During these recording Reed left the group as Yule continued as leader of the band. With Yule as the only long-time member one final album "Squeeze" was released on Polydor in 1972. By then the sound had changed radically, missing the highly personal vocals of Reed and Nico, and especially Reed´s prolific songwriting.
Key Band Members:
Lou Reed: Born 1942, guitar, vocals and songwriter. Reed was beyond question the key member of the Velvet Underground, and he has continued to perform and record influential rock music until today.
John Cale: Born 1942, keyboards and various string-instruments. Cale was classically trained and he was a very important contributer to the sound of the early V.U. Like Reed he has recorded numerous solo-albums.
Sterling Morrison: Born 1942, guitar . Original member, and in the band until "Squeeze". Rumor says that he and Tucker for a brief period helped promote Yule Velvet Underground".
Angus MacLise: Born 1938, drums. Original member, but left the band in 1966 before their first album recordings. It was MacLise who made contact to Warhol.
Maureen Tucker: Born 1944, drums. Replaced MacLise in 1965 and plays on all albums except "Squeeze"
Nico: Born 1938, singer. Nico is only featured on the first V.U. album, but half of her solo album "Chelsea Girl" is actually Velvet Underground.
Doug Yule: Born 1947, guitar and vocals. Replaced Cale in 1968 and continued the band after Reed had left, until around 1974
Billy Yule: Born 194?, drums Joined in 1970
Discography:
1.The Velvet Underground & Nico - Verve 1967 Tracks:
1. Sunday Morning / 2. I'm Waiting For The Man / 3. Femme Fatale / 4. Venus In Furs / 5. Run Run Run / 6. All Tomorrow's Parties / 7. Heroin / 8. There She Goes Again / 9. I'll Be Your Mirror / 10. The Black Angel's Death Song / 11. European Son / 12. Little Sister * / 13. Winter Song * / 14. It Was A Pleasure Then * / 15. Chelsea Girls * / 16. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams *. [*] = bonus-tracks
Rating : 8
2. White Light / White Heat - Verve 1968 Tracks:
1. White Light/White Heat / 2. The Gift / 3. Lady Godiva's Operation / 4. Here She Comes Now / 5. I Heard Her Call My Name / 6. Sister Ray
Rating : 5
3. Velvet Undergound 3 - MGM 1969 Tracks:
1. Candy Says / 2. What Goes On / 3. Some Kinda Love / 4. Pale Blue Eyes / 5. Jesus / 6. Beginning To See The Light / 7. I'm Set Free / 8. That's The Story Of My Life / 9. The Murder Mystery / 10. After Hours
Rating : 9
4. VU - Verve (68-69) 1984 Tracks:
1. I Can't Stand It / 2. Stephanie Says / 3. She's My Best Friend / 4. Lisa Says / 5. Ocean / 6. Foggy Notion / 7. Temptation Inside Your Heart / 8. One Of These Days / 9. Andy's Chest / 10. I'm Sticking With You
Rating : 7
5. Another View - Verve (67-69) 1986 Tracks:
1. We're Gonna Have A Real Good Time Together / 2. I'm Gonna Move Right In / 3. Hey Mr. Rain (Vers. I) / 4. Ride Into The Sun / 5. Coney Island Steeplechase / 6. Guess I'm Falling In Love (Instr.) / 7. Hey Mr. Rain (Vers. II) / 8. Ferryboat Bill / 9. Rock And Roll
Rating : 4
6. Chelsea Girl (Nico) - Verve 1970 Tracks:
1. Little Sister / 2. Winter Song / 3. It Was A Pleasure Then / 4. Chelsea Girls / 5. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams + 5 tracks not VU
Rating : 6
7. Loaded - Cotillion 1970 Tracks:
1. Who Loves The Sun / 2. Sweet Jane / 3. Rock And Roll / 4. Cool It Down / 5. New Age / 6. Head Held High / 7. Lonesome Cowboy Bill / 8. I Found A Reason / 9. Train Round The Bend / 10. Oh! Sweet Nuthin'
Rating : 7
8. Squeeze - Polydor 1972 Tracks:
1. Little Jack / 2. Crash / 3. Caroline / 4. Mean Old Man / 5. Dopey Joe / 6. Wordless / 7. She'll Make You Cry / 8. Friends / 9. Send No Letter / 10. Jack and Jane / 11. Louise
Rating : 5
9. Loaded - Fully Loaded Edition - Atlantic 1997 Tracks:
1. Who Loves The Sun / 2. Sweet Jane (Full-Length) / 3. Rock & Roll (Full-Length) / 4. Cool It Down / 5. New Age (Long Vers.) / 6. Lonesome Cowboy Bill / 7. Lonesome Cowboy Bill / 8. I Found A Reason / 9. Train Round The Bend / 10. Oh! Sweet Nuthin' / 11. Ride Into The Sun / 12. Ocean / 13. I'm Sticking With You / 14. I Love You / 15. Rock & Roll / 16. Head Held High // 1. Who Loves The Sun (Alt) / 2. Sweet Jane (Early) / 3. Rock & Roll (Demo) / 4. Cool It Down (Early) / 5. New Age (Full-Length) / 6. Head Held High (Early) / 7. Lonesome Cowboy Bill [Early] / 8. I Found A Reason (Demo) / 9. Train Round The Bend (Alt.) / 10. Oh! Sweet Nuthin' (Early) / 11. Ocean (Demo) / 12. I Love You (Outtake) / 13. Satellite Of Love (Alternate Demo) / 14. Oh Gin (Demo) / 15. Walk And Talk (Demo) / 16. Sad Song (Demo) / 17. Love Makes You Feel Ten Feet Tall (Demo)
Rating : 7
10. Peel Slowly and See ( 5 CD Box ) - Polydor 1995 Tracks:
1. Venus In Furs (Demo) / 2. Prominent Men (Demo) / 3. Heroin (Demo) / 4. I'm Waiting For The Man (Demo) / 5. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams (Demo) / 6. All Tomorrows Parties (Demo) // 1. All Tomorrow's Parties (Single Version) / 2. Sunday Morning / 3. I'm Waiting For The Man / 4. Femme Fatale / 5. Venus In Furs / 6. Run Run Run / 7. All Tomorrow's Parties / 8. Heroin / 9. There She Goes Again / 10. I'll Be Your Mirror / 11. The Black Angel's Death Song / 12. European Son / 13. Melody Laughter (Live) / 14. It Was A Pleasure Then / 15. Chelsea Girls / 1. There Is No Reason (Demo) / 2. Sheltered Life (Demo) / 3. It's All Right (The Way That You Live) (Demo) / 4. I'm Not Too Sorry (Now That You're Gone) (Demo) / 5. Here She Comes Now (Demo) / 6. Guess I'm Falling In Love (Live) / 7. Booker T. (Live) / 8. White Light/White Heat / 9. The Gift / 10. Lady Godiva's Operation / 11. Here She Comes Now / 12. I Heard Her Call My Name / 13. Sister Ray / 14. Stephanies Says / 15. Temption Inside Your Heart / 16. Hey Mr. Rain (Version One) // 1. What Goes On (Live) / 2. Candy Says (Closet Mix) / 3. What Goes On (Closet Mix) / 4. Some Kinda Love (Closet Mix) / 5. Pale Blue Eyes (Closet Mix) / 6. Jesus (Closet Mix) / 7. Beginning To See The Light (Closet Mix) / 8. I'm Set Free (Closet Mix) / 9. That's The Story Of My Life (Closet Mix) / 10. The Murder Mystery (Closet Mix) / 11. After Hours (Closet Mix) / 12. Foggy Notion / 13. I Can't Stand It / 14. I'm Sticking With You / 15. One Of These Days /16. Lisa Says / 17. It Just Too Much (Live) / 18. Countess From Hong Kong (Demo) / 1. Who Loves The Sun / 2. Sweet Jane (Full Length Version) / 3. Rock And Roll / 4. Cool It Down / 5. New Age (Full Length Version) / 6. Head Held High / 7. Lonesome Cowboy Bill / 8. I Found A Reason / 9. Train Round The Bend / 10. Oh! Sweet Nuthin / 11. Satellite Of Love / 12. Walk And Talk / 13. Oh Gin / 14. Sad Song / 15. Ocean / 16. Ride Into The Sun / 17. Some Kinda Love (Live) / 18. I'll Be Your Mirror (Live) / 19. I Love You
Rating : 9
Essential Albums!
Original albums as listed and rated on “Rate Your Music” - December 25 - 2005
1 The Velvet Underground & Nico - 1967
5 Velvet Underground - 1969
9 White Light White Heat - 1968
123 Live at Max´ Kansas - 1972
424 Squeeze - 1973
699 Velvet Live 69 - 1974
Check and Rate Here!
December 25 - "rateyourmusic.com"
My Suggestion For a 80 minutes (app.) Best Of Compilation:
1. Sunday Morning ( Reed ) - Velvet Underground & Nico
2. I´ll Be Your Mirror ( Reed ) - Velvet Underground & Nico
3. Pale Blue Eyes ( Reed ) - Velvet Underground 3
4. That´s the Story of My Life ( Reed ) - Velvet Underground 3
5. After Hours ( Reed ) - Velvet Underground 3
6. Femme Fatale ( Reed ) - Velvet Underground & Nico
7. Venus in Furs ( Reed ) - Velvet Underground & Nico
8. Candy Says ( Reed ) - Velvet Underground 3
9. There She Goes Again ( Reed ) - Velvet Underground & Nico
10. Jesus ( Reed ) - Velvet Underground 3
11. I´m Set Free ( Reed ) - Velvet Underground 3
12. I´m Waiting For My Man ( Reed ) - Velvet Underground & Nico
13. All Tomorrow´s Parties ( Reed ) - Velvet Underground & Nico
14. Chelsea Girls ( Reed/Morrison ) - Chelsea Girl
15. Foggy Notion ( Morrison/Tucker/Yule/Reed ) - VU
16. Sweet Jane ( Reed ) - Loaded
17. Stephanie Says ( Reed ) - VU
18. Lisa Says ( Reed ) - VU
19. Beginning to See The Light ( Reed ) - Velvet Underground 3
20. Heroin ( Reed ) - Velvet Underground & Nico
21. Lady Godiva´s Operation ( Reed ) - White Light White Heat
22. Crash ( Yule ) - Squeeze
23. Friends ( Yule ) - Squeeze
24. I´m Sticking With You ( Reed ) - VU
25. Ocean ( Reed ) - VU
26. Countess From Hong Kong ( Reed/Cale ) - Peel Slowly and See
27. Who Loves the Sun ( Reed ) - Loaded
28. Rock´n Roll ( Reed ) - Loaded
29. Cool it Down ( Reed ) - Loaded
30. New Age ( Reed ) - Loaded
31. She´ll Make You Cry ( Yule ) - Squeeze
32. Oh Sweet Nuthin´ ( Reed ) - Loaded
Lyrics and Chords
LINKS:
The Velvet Underground Web Page
The Velvet Underground