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The Velvet a s

Underground, universally acknowledged one of the truly seminal bands in rock history,.

...was responsible for some of the most daring and influential music of the late

'60s and early '70s. Their gritty urban vision has often been likened to the dark

side of the sunny pop of the psychedelic era. The taboo-shattering lyrics of Lou

Reed and the avant-garde flourishes that made The Velvets' sound so unique assured

that major commercial success was never a realistic possibility. There were no

hit singles because, except for an underground scene that was still in its

infancy, radio airplay for their best work was out of the question. Their 1967

debut album is considered a landmark today, but it only rose to #171 in the album

charts. The common wisdom is that although few people bought it, almost everyone

who did started a band. The Velvets' influence on post-punk rock is undeniable.

David Bowie, The Sex Pistols, R.E.M. and Sonic Youth are just a few of the many

acts that benefited from following in their wake.

In the early '60s, Lou Reed was a staff songwriter for Pickwick Records

in New York. John Cale was a classically trained musician, and when the two men

met, they discovered a mutual interest in melding elements of experimental rock

with the avant-garde. They began working together in a group called The

Primitives. By 1965, the band had evolved into The Velvet Underground, with its

new name borrowed from the title of a racy paperback novel. In addition to Reed

and Cale, guitarist Sterling Morrison and drummer Maureen Tucker rounded out the

quartet. The Velvets were playing at the Cafe Bizarre in New York's Greenwich

Village when they came to the attention of pop-art icon Andy Warhol, who was

looking for musicians for his mixed-media 'Exploding Plastic Inevitable" review.

Warhol assumed management of the group and, despite their objections, paired them

with German singer-actress Nico. He also produced their debut album, which

languished for nearly a year before it was placed with a label.

The Velvet Underground And Nico was released by MGM on its Verve

subsidiary in March of 1967. The album featured "I'm Waiting For The Man," "Run,

Run, Run" and "Heroin," all starkly memorable Lou Reed composition dealing with

drugs. The offbeat percussive approach of Tucker, and the bracing instrumental

effects provided by Cale (who played viola, bass, and organ), contributed to The

Velvets' unique presentation. After this album, Nico left to pursue a solo career

and the group ended its association with Warhol.

In January of 1968, their follow-up release was the incredibly intense

White Light/White Heat album. Its highlight was a seventeen-minute performance,

captured in a single take, entitled "Sister Ray." Reed later suggested that this

track was an attempt at approximating the free jazz of Ornette Coleman, and the

combination of wild instrumentation with grim subject matter made for challeng¬

ing listening. Many consider this cut to be The Velvets' signature performance.

By this time the constant clash of egos between Reed and Cale had

reached a breaking point, and Cale left the band. He was replaced by bassist

Doug Yule. The group's third album. The Velvet Underground, was released in March

of 1969. It was strikingly subdued and melodic compared to their previous

efforts. The love song "Pale Blue Eyes" was particularly impressive.

The Velvets' association with MGM came to an end after this release,

and they moved on to Atlantic for their fourth and final studio album. Loaded,

in 1970. It was an accessible collection with more commercial appeal than

anything they'd done before, but Lou Reed had decided to quit by the time of

its release. The Velvets were unable to capitalize on the momentum that might

have been inspired by such infectious tracks as "Sweet Jane" and "Rock And Roll."

These songs are represented here in live performances taken from The Velvet

Underground Live, a 1974 release that was one of a series of archival packages

which helped spread the band's legend throughout the '70s and '80s.

There was a brief reunion for a European tour in 1993. In 1996, shortly

after the death of guitarist Sterling Morrison, The Velvet Underground was

inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame.

- JOSEPH F. LAREDO

Compilation produced by Bill Levenson

Mastered by Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering, Portland, Maine and Jeff Wiliens at Universal Mastering Studios East

Art Direction: Vartan Design: Mike Fink @ilevel Photos: cover: Gerard Malanga;

back cover, panel 2: Billy Name / 0V0 Works; upper panel 5, panel 6: Lisa Law; remaining photos: Polydor Archive

Photo Research: Jason Pastori

Production Coordination: Margaret Goldfarb & Susan Abbott

Other Velvet Underground Collections Available Velvet Underground & Nico (314531 250-2/4) White Light / White Heat (314 531 251-2) Velvet Underground (314 531 252-2) VU (823 421-2) Another View (829 405-2) Live with Lou Reed, Volume I (834 823 -2) Live with Lou Reed, Volume II (834 824 -2) Peel Slowly And See (5 CD Box Set) (314 527 887-2) Best Of (Words and Music Of Lou Reed) (84i 164-2/4)

The Best 0f...20th Century Masters/ The Millennium Collections Also Available:

Steppenwolf (mcac/d-ii954) Rod Stewart (314 546 331-2/4) Robert Palmer (314 564 556-2/4) Steve Winwood (314 564 791-2/4) James Brown (314 547 719-2/4) Parliament (314546998-2/4) The Allman Brothers Band (314547899-2/4) The Who (mcac/d-ii951) Cream (314 543 498-2/4)

© 2000 Universal Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc. 314 549 133-2

9 I Can't Stand It 3.23 1 I'm Waiting For The Man 4.37

2 Run, Run, Run 4.20

3 Heroin 7.10

Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison,

Maureen Tucker, Nico

Recorded June / July 1966

Produced by Andy Warhol

Arranged by The Velvet Underground

Taken from

THE VELVET UNDERGROUND & NICO,

released March 1967.

4 White Light / White Heat 2.44

5 Sister Ray 17.27

Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison,

Maureen Tucker

Recorded September 1967

Produced by Tom Wilson

Taken from

WHITE LIGHT / WHITE HEAT,

released January 1968.

6. Beginning To See The Light 4.38

7. What Goes On 4.52

8. Pale Blue Eyes 5.38

Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison,

Maureen Tucker, Doug Yule

Recorded November 1968

Arranged and Conducted by

The Velvet Underground

Taken from

THE VELVET UNDERGROUND,

released March 1969.

Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison,

Maureen Tucker, Doug Yule

Recorded May 1969

Produced by The Velvet Underground

Taken from

VU,

released February 1985.

10 Sweet Jane live 3.56

11 Rock And Roll live 6.06

Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison,

Maureen Tucker,Doug Yule

Recorded October 1969

Taken from

1969 VELVET UNDERGROUND LIVE,

released 1974.

All songs written by Lou Reed,

except Sister Ray, written by

Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison, John Cale.

Maureen Tucker.

CENTURY MASTERS The Millennium Collection