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The Velvet Underground Story
''Gold'' is a two-CD compilation album by the Velvet Underground. It was released for the North American market on June 14, 2005, by Polydor, the record label that oversees the band's Universal Music Group back catalogue. The album is a greatest-hits compilation, drawing from the band's first three albums, two outtake compilations and a live album on Polydor Records and several co-owned labels (Verve, MGM and Mercury). ''Gold'' also includes two Nico solo tracks, co-written and played by Velvet Underground members Lou Reed, John Cale and Sterling Morrison, taken from her 1967 debut album for Polydor, '' Chelsea Girl''. Two songs from the '' VU'' outtake compilation—"Temptation Inside Your Heart" and "Stephanie Says"—are included in their previously unavailable original 1968 mixes. (The latter even includes some different instrumental and vocal parts.) On May 29, 2006, the album was re-issued in Europe as ''The Velvet Underground Story'' with different artwork but feat ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City in 1964. The original line-up consisted of singer/guitarist Lou Reed, multi-instrumentalist John Cale, guitarist Sterling Morrison, and drummer Angus MacLise. MacLise was replaced by Moe Tucker in 1965, who played on most of the band's recordings. Their integration of rock and the avant-garde achieved little commercial success during the group's existence, but they are now recognized as one of the most influential bands in rock, underground, experimental, and alternative music. The group's provocative subject matter, musical experiments, and often nihilistic attitudes also proved influential in the development of punk rock and new wave music. The group performed under several names before settling on the Velvet Underground in 1965, inspired by the book of the same name. In 1966, pop artist Andy Warhol became their manager, and they served as the house band at Warhol's studio, the Factory, and his tra ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mercury Records
Mercury Records is an American record label owned by Universal Music Group. It had significant success as an independent operation in the 1940s and 1950s. Smash Records and Fontana Records were sub labels of Mercury. In the United States, it is operated through Republic Records; in the United Kingdom and Japan (as Mercury Tokyo in the latter country), it is distributed by EMI Records. Since the separation of Island Records, Motown, Mercury Records, and Def Jam Recordings combining the Island Def Jam Music Group, Mercury Records has been placed under Island Records, although its back catalogue is still owned by the Island Def Jam Music Group (now Island Records). Background Mercury Records was started in Chicago in 1945 and over several decades, saw great success. The success of Mercury has been attributed to the use of alternative marketing techniques to promote records. The conventional method of record promotion used by major labels such as RCA Victor, Decca Records, and ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
I'll Be Your Mirror
"I'll Be Your Mirror" is a song by the Velvet Underground and Nico. It appeared on their 1967 debut album ''The Velvet Underground & Nico''. It also surfaced as a single a year earlier with "All Tomorrow's Parties" in 1966. Lou Reed wrote the song for Nico, who provides lead vocals. According to biographer Victor Bockris, inspiration for the song came about after Nico approached Reed after a show in 1965 saying, "Oh Lou, I'll be your mirror." The song was a favorite of Reed's and ''The Velvet Underground & Nico'' engineer, Norman Dolph. Mark Deming of AllMusic described "I'll Be Your Mirror" as an "understated love song." Recording "I'll Be Your Mirror" was the most difficult for Nico to record, as the band wanted her to provide slender, delicate vocals for the song, yet she would sing louder, more aggressive vocals take after take. Sterling Morrison described the ordeal in an interview: The members of the band enjoyed her particular performance on the song so much that after ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
There She Goes Again
"There She Goes Again" is a song by American rock band the Velvet Underground. It first appeared on their debut studio album, ''The Velvet Underground & Nico'' (1967). The syncopated guitar riff is taken from the 1962 Marvin Gaye song "Hitch Hike". Guitarist Sterling Morrison has stated: Metronomically, we were a pretty accurate band. If we were speeding up or slowing down, it was by design. If you listen to the solo break on "There She Goes Again," it slows down—slower and slower and slower. And then when it comes back into the "bye-bye-byes" it's double the original tempo, a tremendous leap to twice the speed. Other artists have recorded the song, including R.E.M., who recorded it as a B-side on their 1983 single "Radio Free Europe" (and appeared on their B-side compilation ''Dead Letter Office'' in 1987). It was also included as a bonus track on the 1993 re-release of R.E.M.'s 1983 album ''Murmur''. [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Heroin (The Velvet Underground Song)
"Heroin" is a song by the Velvet Underground, released on their 1967 debut album ''The Velvet Underground & Nico''. Written by Lou Reed in 1964, the song, which overtly depicts heroin use and abuse, is one of the band's most celebrated compositions. Critic Mark Deming of Allmusic writes, "While 'Heroin' hardly endorses drug use, it doesn't clearly condemn it, either, which made it all the more troubling in the eyes of many listeners." "Heroin"at AllMusic In 2004, it was ranked at number 448 on ''Rolling Stone''s list of The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, and was re-ranked at number 455 in 2010. Writing and recording In an interview with WLIR in 1972, Reed said he wrote the lyrics while working for a record company. "Heroin" was among a three-song set to be re-recorded, in May 1966 at TTG Studios in Hollywood, before being included on the final release of ''The Velvet Underground & Nico'' (along with "I'm Waiting for the Man" and "Venus in Furs"). This recording of the song is ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
All Tomorrow's Parties
"All Tomorrow's Parties" is a song by the Velvet Underground and Nico, written by Lou Reed and released on the group's 1967 debut studio album, ''The Velvet Underground & Nico''. Inspiration for the song came from Reed's observation of Andy Warhol’s clique—according to Reed, the song is "a very apt description of certain people at the Factory at the time. ... I watched Andy. I watched Andy watching everybody. I would hear people say the most astonishing things, the craziest things, the funniest things, the saddest things." In a 2006 interview Reed's bandmate John Cale stated: "The song was about a girl called Darryl, a beautiful petite blonde with three kids, two of whom were taken away from her." The song was Andy Warhol's favorite by The Velvet Underground. The song has notably lent its name to a music festival, a William Gibson novel, and a Yu Lik-wai film. Recording The song was recorded at Scepter Studios in Manhattan during April 1966. It features a piano motif playe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Run Run Run (The Velvet Underground Song)
"Run Run Run" is a song by the Velvet Underground originally released on the band's 1967 debut album, ''The Velvet Underground & Nico''. The song was written on the back of an envelope by Lou Reed while he and the band were on their way to a gig at the Café Bizarre. The song details a number of characters living in New York City, including Teenage Mary, Margarita Passion, Seasick Sarah, and Beardless Harry, all of whom are detailed using or seeking drugs. In addition to mentioning New York scenery such as Union Square and 47th Street, the song makes use of drug terms paired with religious imagery. Two of the four verses directly speak of heroin use, a theme found in the album. In the song, Marguerita Passion tried to sell her soul in order to get "a fix", while Seasick Sarah "turned blue", causing her angels to panic. The song is also well known because of Lou Reed's guitar solo, and its lack of a conventional approach. Personnel * Lou Reed – lead guitar, double-tracked (on ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Venus In Furs (song)
"Venus in Furs" is a song by the Velvet Underground, written by Lou Reed and originally released on the 1967 album ''The Velvet Underground & Nico''. Inspired by the book of the same name by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, the song includes sexual themes of sadomasochism, bondage and submission. "Venus in Furs" was also released as a single on several occasions; in 1988 in the UK and as a live single in France and the UK, in 1993 and 1994 respectively. This live version appears on the 1993 live album ''Live MCMXCIII''. Recording "Venus in Furs" was one of three songs to be re-recorded, in May 1966 at TTG Studios in Hollywood, before appearing on the final mix of ''The Velvet Underground & Nico'' (the other two being "Heroin" and "I'm Waiting for the Man"). The arrangement features John Cale's cacophonous electric viola as well as Lou Reed's guitar tuned to D G C F A C. Guitarist Sterling Morrison played bass on the song, but according to Cale, who was the band's usual bassist, Mor ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Femme Fatale (The Velvet Underground Song)
"Femme Fatale" is a song by American rock band the Velvet Underground from their 1967 debut album '' The Velvet Underground & Nico'', with lead vocals by Nico. Background The song was composed in the key of C major. At the request of Andy Warhol, band frontman Lou Reed wrote the song about Warhol superstar Edie Sedgwick. According to Reed, Warhol said when asked what he should write about her: "Oh, don't you think she's a '' femme fatale'', Lou?", with consequence, Reed wrote "Femme Fatale". The song was recorded with vocals by Nico. Guitarist Sterling Morrison said of the title: "Femme Fatale" was recorded at the Scepter Studios in New York in April 1966 while the studio was still under construction. It was released as a B-Side to " Sunday Morning" in December 1966. The following year it was included in their debut album '' The Velvet Underground & Nico''. A 1969 live recording of the song was included in '' Bootleg Series Volume 1: The Quine Tapes'' released in 2001. Cr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
I'm Waiting For The Man
"I'm Waiting for the Man" is a song by American rock band the Velvet Underground. Written by Lou Reed, it was first released on their 1967 debut album, ''The Velvet Underground & Nico''. The lyrics describe a man's efforts to obtain heroin in Harlem. In various reviews, it is described as "tough garage rock", "proto-punk classic", and "one of the all-time classic rock songs", with renditions by a number of artists. Recording Along with "Venus in Furs" and "Heroin", "I'm Waiting for the Man" was recorded in May 1966 at TTG Studios while the band was staying in Hollywood. It has been musically described as garage rock, proto-punk, and hard rock. The lyrics describe a man's efforts to obtain heroin. Despite the song's title, the lyrics refer to "my man" rather than "the man" throughout. Reception and legacy In a song review for AllMusic, Dave Thompson called it "one of the all-time classic rock songs... Over chunky guitar, clunking piano, and jackhammer drums, Reed half-sings, ha ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
VU (album)
''VU'' is a 1985 album by the American musical group the Velvet Underground, a compilation album of outtakes recorded 1968-69. It was released in February 1985 by Verve Records. Composition and collection When the Velvet Underground moved from Verve Records (who had released their first two albums) to parent company MGM Records, they signed a two-album deal, releasing their third album ''The Velvet Underground'' in March 1969. Later that same year there was a management change and MGM Records' new CEO, Mike Curb, was brought in to try to rescue the financially struggling label. He decided to purge the record company of its unprofitable acts. The Velvet Underground quickly became one of the groups targeted and were released from their contract. The band had in the meantime recorded 14 tracks for possible release as their second MGM album. All of these were shelved and forgotten by their record company until the early 1980s. As Verve (by then an imprint of Polygram) prepared to re- ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chelsea Girl (album)
''Chelsea Girl'' is the debut solo album and second studio album by German singer Nico. It was released in October 1967 by Verve Records and was recorded following Nico's collaboration with the Velvet Underground on The Velvet Underground & Nico, their 1967 debut studio album. It was produced by Tom Wilson (producer), Tom Wilson, who added string and flute arrangements against the wishes of Nico. The title is a reference to Andy Warhol's 1966 film ''Chelsea Girls'', in which Nico starred. Much of the album features instrumental work and songwriting credits from Velvet Underground members Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison, and John Cale. The song "I'll Keep It with Mine" was written by Bob Dylan, while three songs are by Jackson Browne, who contributes guitar. Background After collaborating as a singer with the Velvet Underground on their debut ''The Velvet Underground & Nico'' (recorded in 1966 and released in March of the following year), Warhol superstar Nico toured with the band in A ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
