DBarker%PCO@CISL-SERVICE-MULTICS.ARPA (Deryk Barker) (04/16/85)
Tom,
this is off the top of my head but what there is should be accurate:
1967 The Velvet Underground with Nico.
The "Produced by Andy Warhol" LP with the famous banana cover. This
record included such early VU gems as "Waiting for the Man" "Heroin" and
"Venus in Furs". Lineup was Reed, Cale, Morrison, Tucker and Nico.
After this LP Nico gets the elbow because, says Reed, "She started to
get uppity and wanted to sing Heroin". Nico has since made many,
dirge-like, doom-laden LPs, starting with Chelsea Girl.
1968 White Light/White Heat.
Lineup as above minus Nico. This LP features the title track, "The
Gift" a bizarre story narrated by Cale over an electronic thrash, "I
heard her Call My Name" an anthem to necrophilia featuring the best ever
use of controlled feedback (by Reed), and "Sister Ray" the ultimate
junky song.
1969 The Velvet Underground
Lineup as before according to sleeve but Doug Yule features in the
photo. Probably both Cale and Yule feature on this. Much more low-key
and melodic record than before. The feeling is that there is a story
going on here but you can't quite grasp it. Songs include "Candy Says",
the great "What goes on" featuring the worlds longest rhythm guitar
solo, "I'm beginning to see the light" and "The Murder Mystery" - the
weirdest track of all, a different narration in each channel, ending
with a phased piano a la Reich or Riley. Incidentally, there were
certainly two different version of thie LP released. At one time I and
a friend had them. The differences were largely a matter of mixing
(e.g. the organ in "What goes on") but the two certainly had different
takes of "Pale Blue Eyes" - word variants and all. I have no further
info on this topic at all and would be very interested if anyone else
comes up with anything.
1970 Loaded
Lineup Reed, Morrison, Tucker and Yule. By the time this appeared the
group had folded. Reed says that the songs were changed from his
desired running order; also the LP credits all songs as written by the
band whereas they were all written (almost) entirely by Reed. Acrimony
flies. Some great songs tho' "Sweet Jane" "Rock and Roll", "Sweet
Nuthin'".
1971 A weak LP released by the post-Reed band. Doug Yule, Morrison,
Tucker and Bill Yule. Sank into well deserved obsurity.
1971 Live at Max's Kansas City.
The "first official bootleg". This was recorded on a cassette recorder
at the above-named night-spot in New York. The lineup was Reed,
Morrison, Doug Yule and Bill Yule - Mo Tucker was in hospital (having a
baby I believe) hence Reed sings "Afterhours". of interest only to
completists. perormance are OK but the recording (in mono) is pretty
naff.
1974 (?) 1969
Recorded in 1969 in Texas (!!!). The lineup is as per Loaded. This is
a great live LP. The recording could be better but the playing is
great. Reed comes across as THE definitive rhytm guitarist. Tracks not
only include many of your favourites, but also a totally different
version of "Sweet jane", and several never before recorded songs -
"Sweet Jenny Brown", "We're Gonna Have a real good time together". A
fitting postscript to the velvet's career.
1985 VU
Not "The legendary lost velvet Underground LP" but a collection of stuff
recorded between "The VU" and "Loaded". includes several tracks which
later appeared on Lou Reed's first solo LP - "Ocean", "Lisa Says", "I
can't stand it". Lineup is Reed, Morrison, Tucker, cale or Yule
(depending on recoding date of each track). I haven't actually gotten
around to buying this ne yet but it's near the top of my list.
Also - anyone who likes the VU should obtain the first Modern Lovers LP.
(partially produced by John Cale) - the one with "Roadrunner" on it. A
lot of this is obviously VERY influenced by the Velvets.
In summary - a great GREAT band. When everyone else was turning into a
hippy they were singing about Heroin, Sado-masochism and the like. Also
their improvisatory techniques were more akin to the avant-garde of
serious music than rock. I was first turned onto them (in 1969) by a
British avant-garde composer (Tim Souster) who reckoned that they (and
the G Dead!) were the only rock bands worth listening to.
hope this is of some iterest. Can supply track listings if you like.
deryk.
P.S. I believe Sterling Morrison is now an English teacher at a college
somewhere, and that Mo Tucker is a housewife. Who cares what Doug Yule
is doing?Braun%PCO@CISL-SERVICE-MULTICS.ARPA (04/16/85)
Up to a year ago, Mo Tucker and her 4 kids lived in Tuscon, AZ where she worked as a programmer i believe. She now lives in Phoenix. She made a solo LP in '83 on Trash Records (owned by her ex-husband. He also produced and engineered it). She sings and plays all instruments on it. I believe it's titled "Playin Possum"
ellis@spar.UUCP (Michael Ellis) (04/24/85)
>Also - anyone who likes the VU should obtain the first Modern Lovers LP. >(partially produced by John Cale) - the one with "Roadrunner" on it. A >lot of this is obviously VERY influenced by the Velvets. > > -- Deryk Barker Other albums produced by John Cale were Iggy & the Stooges' first (1969) and Patti Smith's `Horses' (1975) -- both landmarks in the development of new music, and both bearing the unmistakable `Mark of Cale' -- a disturbing, slow-burning intensity that can grow into an insane controlled frenzy of unbelievable depth. Most destructive violist ever... Unfortunately, though I know he produced many other bands, I have no idea who they were. Can anybody out there help? As for albums featuring John Cale, I can highly recommend his abrasive `Guts' (1977) as well as his strange collaboration with Nico, Manzanera, and Eno, `The End' (1974), which was discussed recently in this newsgroup unless I have been hallucinating. The poorly titled Vintage Violence isn't at all -- perhaps your mother would like it. He has lots more, though, and I certainly haven't heard it -- anyone else? -michael
Wenner.es@XEROX.ARPA (04/26/85)
At the opposite end of the musical spectrum is the work that John Cale did with the singer-songwriter Nick Drake, who died in '74, I believe. The Bryter Layter album featured some of the most introspective, laid-back music I've ever heard, with a rock-solid undercurrent keeping the whole presentation legit. Cale produced several of the songs, and played spine-chilling viola, Hammond organ, and glockenspiel on a couple. All in all, it's a facet of Cale I haven't seen in his other work, and makes all the abrasive stuff a lot easier to swallow. Jim Wenner Xerox Microelectronics Center, El Segundo CA (213)-536-9582