News archives

I'm starting to worry about Lou. I’m afraid that he may be very ill and is trying to get in as much fun as possible. I’m joking of course, but this year has been such a huge payoff for some long-suffering fans. Last night Lou and band took the stage at the Supper Club at 8:15 and tore through an acoustic/electric 21 song set which featured quite a few surprises in the form of 6 new songs from Time Rocker, and some rarely heard jewels from his past. The band, Lou and Mike Rathke on acoustic guitars, Fernando Saunders on bass, backing vocals and lead vocals on Hang on to Your Emotions, and Tony 'Thunder' Smith on drums and backing vocals, appeared to be very relaxed as they sat and played in front of the packed house of about 600.

Lou introduced the new material as songs from the upcoming BAM production of Time Rocker and was treated to a generally warm response from the mostly attentive crowd (Tangential Rant: It’s really good to see that so many people in New York can afford to throw money away. There’s no other reason I can think of other than being fairly well off, to piss away $37 on a concert ticket and then spend the whole fucking night yakking loudly during the show!! There were quite a few groups of dickheads in the balcony who would have been much better off (as would the rest of us who came to HEAR THE MUSIC) in a damn sports bar!! I’d also like to include the ‘let’s pretend to be cool and go to a concert after work even if we don’t give a shit or have no idea what the music is about’ crowd in this tirade. But I do digress.)

After a set of new songs Lou gratefully acknowledged the crowd’s attention 'I know it’s hard to sit through stuff you’ve never heard before, but isn’t it fun ?!' Yes, Lou it sure is, and it’s exactly what most die-hard fans have been waiting for. One of my biggest complaints about all the big Lou Reed shows of the past 15 years has been that they were so obviously just promotion for the current product (as most big name tours are), dotted with a painfully predictable spate of 'hits'. I don’t think that there’s a fan out there who’d be disappointed if Lou Reed never played Walk on the Wild Side again. This set started off like February’s amazing show at the Knitting Factory but moved to some truly new areas very quickly. When was the last time any of us heard Kicks live? I do hope that Lou has finally realized that he does have fans who’ve stuck with him for many years (and had to sit through Mistrial), it seems like he has and is finally finding himself at ease and having fun along with us.

The Set: I’ll Be Your Mirror, Perfect Day, The Kids, Vicious, Busload of Faith, Kicks, NYC Man,Turning Time Around, Talking Book, Into the Divine, I Don’t Need This, Alone at Last, Future Farmers of America, Coney Island Baby, Hang on to Your Emotions (Fernando on lead vocals), New Sensations, Why Do You Talk?, Riptide, Original Wrapper, Sex with Your Parents/My Baby Left Me, Dirty Blvd.

The soundtrack of September Song: The music of Kurt Weill 1995 canadian film by Larry Weinstein will be released on Sony Classical label on August 19th. This tribute to the life and music of Kurt Weill features Lou Reed covering September Song.

Eighth in the Schirmer Books Companion Series, The Velvet Underground Companion presents important articles, reviews, interviews, and essays on the band.

Albin Zak is a graduate student at CUNY Albany specializing in the history of contemporary popular music.

ISBN: 0028646274. Publication date: November 1997.

Lou Reed will perform a poetry reading at Théâtre de l'Odéon in Paris on July 7.

[source: Libération, June 20, 1997]

A new 2-CD set surfaced recently in Japan. This set offers for the first time an unedited version of the legendary tape of the Exploding Plastic Inevitable at Valleydale Ballroom, recorded in Columbus on November 4, 1966.

John Cale: "we worked a huge place in Columbus, Ohio, filled with people drinking and talking. We tuned up for about ten minutes, tuning, fa-da-da, up, da-da-da, down. There's a tape of it. Played a whole set to no applause, just silences."

Between The Black Angel's Death Song and All Tomorrow's Parties Lou Reed can be heard saying to public assistance: "If it's too loud for you, move back! Another thing... you have a big space here, and you don't have to stay seated. You know you can do things on the floor."

See bootleg CDs page for tracklist.

RCA has scheduled for August 26th a "previously unreleased" live album recorded in New York on January 27, 1973 at Alice Tully Hall (Lincoln center). It was Lou's first live solo gig in New York and backing band was the Tots.

[Source: ICE magazine & Lou Reed newsgroup]

June 19; San Diego; The Casbah

June 21; Long Beach; Foothill Club

June 23; Hollywood; Spaceland

June 25; L.A.; Alligator Lounge

June 26; Fresno; Jack's House

June 27; San Francisco; Club Boomerang

June 28; Sacramento; Old Ironsides

June 29; San Francisco; Purple Onion

The Velvet Years 1965-67: Warhol's Factory, Photographs by Stephen Shore and Velvet Rarities: Selections from the Collection of Jay Reeg are two Velvet Underground related exhibitions from May 8th through July 6th, 1997, part of Extended Play: Between Rock and an Art Space exhibition, at the Boston University's Photographic Resource Center. See also exhibitions page.

Today's Boston Globe paper had a note on the Velvet-related exhibit at Boston University:

Is a picture worth a thousand notes?

Legendary musician and lyricist Lou Reed is planning an unusual public appearance next month in Boston. He's slated to be at the Photographic Resource Center's June 11 opening of "Extended Play: Between Rock and an Art Space", an exhibit of visual media works, most by well-known musicians. Five of Reed's photos, including a self-portrait, are in the show, says PRC director John Jacob, who learned through a friend of Reed's that the rocker was into photography. Laurie Anderson has Polaroid portraits and a book, and Patti Smith has done new drawings dedicated to the memory of Allen Ginsberg. Reed's PRC stop, by the way, is an invite-only affair. He is, however, scheduled to appear that day at Tower Records, which has hung posters that hint someone big is coming soon to the store.

[Source: Chris Woodward]

Dancing In The Street is a documentary series about history of rock 'n' roll, co-produced in 1996 by BBC and WGBH. #7 of the series (titled Hang On To Yourself) has a interesting 7-minute part about the Velvet Underground. It includes interviews with Danny Fields, Lou Reed, John Cale, Maureen Tucker and also excerpts of WNET TV program, CBS' The Making of an Underground Film, Andy Warhol's Symphony Of Sound, and clips from Psychiatrists' Convention and EPI at the Dom and Poor Richard's.

"Le rock des années 50 à nos jours: la série Dancing in the Street aborde ce soir les années 70 part la côte est des Etats-Unis. A New York, l'une des émanations les plus marquantes de la Factory de Warhol est un groupe, le Velvet Underground, qui réunit Nico, John Cale et Lou Reed, et va révolutionner l'esprit du rock. Son premier disque (le fameux avec la banane) sort la même année que Sgt. Peppers des Beatles et n'obtient aucun succès, mais le Velvet s'impose néanmoins comme la face négative du Flower Power et de tous les groupes babas de l'époque. Pour la première fois, le rock se soucie de dramaturgie et mélange rock, cinéma, happening. (...)"

This press article has also a photograph of Lou Reed .

June 19; San Diego; The Casbah

June 21; Long Beach; The Foothill Club

June 25; Santa Monica; The Alligator Lounge

June 26; San Rafael; New George's Club

June 27; San Francisco; Club Boomerang

June 28; Sacramento; Old Ironsides

Moe Tucker will be playing (bass drum!!) with The Kropotkins at The Knitting Factory in New York and at the Bottom Line in NY at the end of May (30 and 31). Lou will be performing live at the Supper Club in NYC on June 26th as part of the JVC Jazz(?) Festival. Tix are on sale now!!

Mo Tucker has released a handful of critically acclaimed albums since her days with the Velvet Underground, casting aside her drumsticks and taking on the role of guitar wielding front-woman. However, Tucker has moved back to the drums for the first time since her Velvet days in the new band Magnet. Magnet was formed by singer/songwriter Mark Goodman, who recruited Tucker after a lengthy relationship as pen-pals and mailing tapes to each other.

The debut album by Magnet, Don't Be a Penguin, has just been released by the San Diego based independent label PC Music. The album features 14 songs including a poppy duet between Goodman and Tucker called Summer & Winter (a cover written by PC Music label-mates Anne Summers), and the Tucker spoken word title track. Here's a little of what the critics think:

"[Magnet's] songs are immediately likeable, catchy guitar pop that descend directly from the Velvet Underground, but also take cues from the Velvet's music progeny The Violent Femmes, and Jonathan Richman among others. Though his influences are clearly audible, Goodman is on to something in his own right."

-Eric Brace, The Washington Post

"An unmistakable pleasure...everything you liked about the Velvet Underground is here, and that says a lot."

-Jack Rabid, Big Takeover Magazine

Now you can order Magnet's Don't Be a Penguin for $14 payable to:
PorchLight Records
2200 Wilson Blvd. #102-249
Arlington, VA 22201
(703) 560-6664

PorchLight Records accepts checks, money orders, Visa, MasterCard, and American Express (we also accept well concealed cash for the brave of heart). Credit card orders must include: The type of card (V/MC/AMEX), account number, expiration date, name as it appears on the card, address, and phone number. Virginia residents please add 4.5% to total for sales tax. International orders please add $4 for postage.

Rykodisc's website lists June 10, 1997 as the release date for Eat/Kiss. This will offer the music performed live by John Cale Orchestra with Moe Tucker to the reconstructed Warhol's movies at Festival de Lille 1995 in France.

"Anyone anywheres in the Boston MA area--get thee to the Photographic Resource Center, pronto!!!! I just got back from the opening of their new shows, "Extended Play: Between Rock and an Art Space", "Velvet Rarities" and The Velvet Years, photos by Steve Shore. Extended Plays is a great exhibit of various rock artists, but the Velvet stuff-whew! The Steve Shore photos are wonderful and I think many are not from the book (though it could just be my memory....and seeing them BIG). The rarities show--see the Shades 45! A Nico picture sleeve! Velvet Underground reel to reel tapes! Andy's Index book, including the Lou Reed picture disc we were all discussing not too long ago! Posters, old clippings......... It'll be there until July 6th, so plan your summer vacation around it!"

[Source: John Cale mailing list]

In sports it's called the 'home court advantage'. Mark Goodman's band, Magnet with Moe Tucker on drums, demonstrated that the same thing applies to rock-n-roll.

Two weeks ago, Magnet opened their tour at Maxwell's in Hoboken, a once welcoming environment for up-and-coming as well as already-here bands. Something happened to this cool little club, once called the best rock club in New York. It was turned into a hyper trendy 'we-brew-our-own-crappy-beer' joint courting the MBA/chunkhead crowd with very little interest in hearing good live music.
Anyway, nothing could have worked in Magnet's favor that night. Admittedly, they were not at their best having had one rehearsal together the day before the show.

Last night, with ten performances behind them and in friendlier waters, they lived up to their promise of delivering 'integrity-pop' with energy, enthusiasm, and MOE TUCKER ON DRUMS!!!!!

This was not the same band which played a one-off showcase gig here last winter. Nor is it the same band which played on the wonderful debut CD 'Don't Be a Penguin'. They have a new bassist (ex-Ween) and guitarist, both named Matt. But the core is still lead singer, guitarist Mark Goodman and Moe.

They roared through their 14 song set demonstrating the confidence and proficiency which comes with having played together for a while, without sacrificing intensity or freshness. The lead guitar playing in particular has benefitted from this. No real technical glitches but a few broken strings (which in my mind means you're doing it right.) Moe was her usual 'I dare you to stop this beat' self, a veritable wrecking-ball pounding and driving the set. It is such a blast to see her play the drums, something which very few of us have been fortunate enough to witness. There are no immediate plans for MAgnet to continue in this configuration, but Mark has written tons of stuff which I'm sure deserves to be heard. Moe has her summer pretty much full with many interesting projects including a film role! The only chance you may have to hear this band is on their CD which is out now on PC Records. If you are anywhere near the area of their remaining performances, do not miss them.

Magnet will be playing at: 5/8 Upstairs at Nicks, Philadelphia, PA; 5/10 Iota, Washington, DC; 5/12 Moondance, Richmond, VA.

Read full report in Music News Of The World on Addicted To Noise.

Lou's special on VH1 aired here tonight, with 45 minutes of the hour-long show devoted to Lou (the first 15 were devoted to American artist Paula Cole). The songs shown were in this order- "Egg Cream," "Walk On The Wild Side" (with David Sanborn), "Hang On To your Emotions" (with Laurie Anderson), "The Kids" and "Vicious" (again with Sanborn). The show also had at least 12 commercials every break, hence only five songs (sacriledge!).

[Source: Daniel Coston]

Three VU-related boots have surfaced recently: Bataclan which offers a fine soundboard recording of 1972 Cale/Reed/Nico show in Paris. Volume 4 of Ultra Rare Trax series includes radio ad for the Trip show in 1966, two mono mixes from 3rd LP, the complete "Bedroom Tape" with Nico and Lou Reed, and two other tracks by Nico. Also Ostrich/Hilltop which offers one of the best VU live recording available at Hilltop Rock Festival '69 and the long Sister Ray/Murder Mystery from La Cave '69. See bootleg CD page for complete information.

Broadcasted on VH1 on Sunday May 4th at 8:00 PM and 1:00 AM. Also on Monday, May 5th at 8:00 PM. Unfortunately only five songs will be broadcasted! Read the review of the complete show by Sal Mercuri.

New paperback book by Albin Zak (Editor), publication date is scheduled for October 1997.

[source: Steve Rovner and Amazon.com]

Extensive review of Loaded (Fully Loaded Edition).

Die-hard collectors will be happy to know that CD2 includes the live rendering of Dying On The Vine by John Cale from Fragments Of A Rainy Season album. This CD includes also A Tribe Called Quest's Can You Kick It? with Lou Reed's Walk On The Wild Side bassline sample.

The David Bowie's 50th anniversary show with Lou Reed as guest (see below for review) was broadcasted this day on french TV Canal +. Unfortunately they've edited out two of the four songs performed with Lou Reed. Only Queen Bitch and White Light/White Heat are included in the film. Also rebroadcasted on 19th, 0:20 and 21th, 13:35.

116-page CD-sized book, paperback. "An album by album, track by track, examination of every song released by the Velvets". Nice photographs, most from 1993 tour.

Moe makes a brief appearance on the self-titled debut CD of a band called #1 Family Mover. She plays tom tom on the song "Passport", and tambourine on the song "Doom". #1 Family Mover was the band that opened for Moe on her most recent tour of the southeast United States. The band is based out of Atlanta, Georgia and has a female drummer (both of which might be the reason Moe got involved).

[source: Steve Rovner]

48-page printed booklet compiling VU/solo activity since WGO #4, plus corrections, additions to the VU Handbook.

The legendary song is available on the Arf! Arf! compilation, Mondo Frat Dance Bash A Go Go. See Addicted To Noise's Music News of the World - April, 5, 1997.

Chat with MAGNET on SonicNet on Wednesday, April 9, 7:00PM EST-US!
Magnet is a new band featuring Moe Tucker of The Velvet Underground. Ask her about her new band as well as the old days when she chilled with Lou Reed.
Logging on is easy. Point your IRC client to irc.sonicnet.com, go to the LOUNGE or go to SonicNet's Chat Central for more information. You can download Global Chat software directly from http://www.globalchat.com.

Review.

New bootleg 2 CD set including an audience recording with a fine sound quality of the Paris show at Le Zénith on April 28, 1996. Also includes as bonus tracks two songs from the Taratata french TV show recorded on April 29. Backcover tracklist is inaccurate.

CD1: 1. Dorita/Sweet Jane / 2. NYC Man / 3. Dirty Blvd / 4. New Sensations / 5. The Proposition / 6. Set The Twilight Reeling / 7. Doin' The Things That We Want To / 8. Hang On To Your Emotions / 9. I Love You Suzanne / 10. Video Violence.

CD2: 1. Trade In / 2. Egg Cream / 3. Strawman / 4. Riptide / 5. Hooky Wooky / 6. I'm Waiting For The Man/Vicious / 7. Pale Blue Eyes / 8. Walk On The Wildside / 9. Satellite Of Love / 10. Set The Twilight Reeling (with Elvis Costello) / 11. Hang On To Your Emotions (with Laurie Anderson).

• 4/26 Vassar College (tentative); Poughkeepsie, NY
• 4/27 Brighton Bar; Longbranch, NJ
• 4/28 Tinker St. Cafe; Woodstock, NY
• 4/29 QE2; Albany, NY
• 5/1 Baystate Hotel; Northampton, Ma.
• 5/2 TT The Bear's; Cambridge, Ma.
• 5/3 Met Cafe; Providence, RI
• 5/5 The Elvis Room; Portsmouth, NH
• 5/6 Stone Coast Brewery; Portland, Me.
• 5/7 Brownies; NY, NY
• 5/8 Upstairs at Nicks; Philadelphia, Pa.
• 5/10 Iota; Washington, DC
• 5/12 Moondance; Richmond, Va.

John Cale played the first of three shows at the Knitting Factory, NYC, on Tuesday March 25. There has been a bit of concern regarding his stand there because tickets have been available for almost a month and the shows haven't sold out. The Knitting Factory actually posted an announcement in the Lou Reed Newsgroup hinting that there would be new material and special guests like David Byrne, Patti Smith, and Natalie Merchant(?).

On the opening night there were no guests and no 'new' material. I got there about 45 minutes before showtime, got a ticket, had a drink, and walked upstairs to a great, unobstructed seat! From my vantage point I could see the entire main area downstairs and was frankly a bit worried that the small club would not fill. As showtime neared, however, the floor got crowded but not as tightly as for Lou Reed's show a month earlier. So when Cale and band took the stage at 9:10 they were greeted by a substantial, enthusiastic group of fans.

I'm getting more and more worried about Mr. Cale's 'fashion sense'. He was wearing huge plaid shorts which reached almost to his ankles, an enormous table cloth pattern shirt, and his almost platinum blond hair was very short and unevenly cropped. The 5 piece band opened with a surprise. Cale on Viola playing 'Memphis'! Cale then switched to guitar for 'Evidence', followed by 2 more surprises 'Helen of Troy' and 'Gun'.

That would pretty much be it for any real surprise for the night.The rest of the set was nearly identical to what he's been touring with since December.

The biggest shock of the night besides 'Memphis' was the closing encores. The first was a beautiful version of 'Cable Hogue' with full band arrangement. After the song and the 'good night', about half of the audience starting filing out as the house lights went on and music played over the p.a. But the remaining fans kept cheering and clapping until the band came back out. They once again took the stage with the house lights still on and music still playing as Cale started 'Dirty-Ass Rock-n-Roll'.

He ended the evening, for good this time, with a rousing 'Pablo Picasso'.

The performance while short on 'new' was very energetic. Cale and band managed to regain some rawness to their sound following the very glossy showcase performance, complete with fashion model/backup singers last December at the Supper Club.

The set: Memphis, Evidence, Helen of Troy, Gun, Dr. Mudd, Secret Corrida, All I Want is You, So Much for Love (this one should really be abandoned as it nearly puts people to sleep), Dying on the Vine, Guts, Some Friends, Entre Nous, Crazy Egypt, Fear, Ship of Fools, Set Me Free, Dancing Undercover, Model Beirut Recital, Magazines, Leaving up to You ( with tremedous extended hammer chord finale), Cable Hogue, Dirty- Ass Rock-n-Roll, Pablo Picasso.

The Magnet album with Moe Tucker on drums is now listed in CD-NOW. More info and audio clips on Addicted To Noise Features.

"Velvet Underground drummer Maureen 'Moe' Tucker talks about the band's origin, Andy Warhol, their 1993 reunion and her current tour". Extensive interview now online in the March issue of Tangents, the Charlotte's Toilet Tabloid on the Alternative Homepage of Charlotte, NC.

Complete Bowie's 50th anniversary show with Lou Reed as guest on four songs (see below for review) will be broadcasted on french TV Canal + on April 11. Also rebroadcasted on 19th, 0:20 and 21th, 13:35. Photo: Kevin Mazur.

John Cale and his band will be performing three shows at the Knitting Factory in New York City, next Tuesday through Thursday at 9 p.m. each night.
Cale has written new material for these shows. There have also been numerous suggestions that he will be bringing a variety of special guests to the stage, including Patti Smith, David Byrne and Natalie Merchant.
The Knitting Factory is located at 74 Leonard St. between Broadway and Church in New York. For information call (212) 219-3006, e-mail ssmith@knittingfactory.com, or point your web browser to http://www.knittingfactory.com/TheClub.html

(source: Steve Smith from the KF)

Moe and Magnet will be at Maxwell's in Hoboken on April 24 and Brownies in NYC on April 25. Further dates will be announced as they become available.

(source: Sal Mercuri)

Vertical half page advertisement, in french magazine Les Inrockuptibles.

Unloading: "Fomer Velvet Underground bassist Doug Yule about life with Lou Reed" by Pat Thomas in SF BAY Guardian.

(source: Aral Sezen)

Moe Tucker's Nine (Or More) Lives on Addicted To Noise and Spending a Week Here Saturday Night on Flagpole Magazine online.

(source: John Cale mailing list)

The magazine Tangents will be running an extended interview with Mo Tucker. They will be keeping the interview on their site in the archives. The interview goes up the first of March.

(source: Carl Fulmer)

Exensive review of Loaded (Fully Loaded Edition) in french magazine Les Inrockuptibles: "On ressort enfin, largement étoffé, Loaded, le très sous-estimé ultime album d'un Velvet Underground qui voyait, pour la première fois, la lumière. Un Velvet en chemise à fleurs, relaxé et narquois, drôle et tout-public, pourtant miné par les jalousies et les intrigues. En cet été 70: un groupe pourri et sacrément appétissant". Photo by Sanford Shor.

2/20 what a day:
I spent the early afternoon at the Sony Studios in NYC watching Lou and band rehearse for the VH1 'Hard Rock Live' taping. It was actually quite tedious but still a treat to watch them try to get through a couple of songs. It was pretty clear why Lou has this reputation for being a bit difficult to work with. He agonizes over every nuance of sound. He would barely hit a note on guitar without stopping and having his sound guys check everything and reset this and that until it was close to his nearly unattainable standards. In about 2 hours of rehearsal/soundcheck, they played perhaps 3 or 4 songs.

The payoff of course came later in the evening at the taping. A very privileged audience of a few hundred fans (including this writer and close friends) got to witness what was the most satisfying and completely enjoyable Lou Reed concert in about 15 years. Lou and band were incredibly relaxed and willing to play around with the interesting set. It was clear form the first song that despite the technical intrusions of steadicams and flying jib(?) cams and TV lights, that they were here to play for the audience and not the cameras. Lou was very friendly and took more time between songs to joke, or, in the case of the unfortunate fan who yelled for 'Sweet Jane' , take a jab at some inanity. 'Oh there's an original though - how long did it take you to think of that one?'

The set moved from an introductory brace of 'unplugged' songs into full blown guitar, bass, and drums sonic assault. Sound was superb (I guess there's something to be said for the controlled studio environment) and most of the songs were re-arranged to include a young percussionist and guests David Sanborn and Laurie Anderson.

A million thanks to Patty and everyone else at Hard Rock Live for a great night.

The Set: They performed 18 songs - but the show will be edited down to 10.
No word yet as to air date but the series begins on VH1 on March 30th.
Lou Reed, Mike Rathke, Fernando Saunders, Tony Smith, David Sanborn, Mino Cinelu, Laurie Anderson.

I'll Be Your Mirror - Lou solo acoustic
Perfect Day
The Kids
Romeo Had Juliette
Vicious - thoroughly reworked super funky acoustic version with sax
Busload of Faith - replaced Sweet Jane
NYC MAn - with brilliant percussion by Mino Cinelu
Dirty Blvd
New Sensations
Set the Twilight Reeling
Doin' the Things that We Want to
Hang on to your Emotions - with Laurie Anderson
Finish Line
Egg Cream
White Light/White Heat
Riptide
Satellite of Love
Walk on the Wild Side

bye for now,
Sal

David Lynch's Lost Highway' film soundtrack is out. It includes the Lou Reed cover of The Drifters' This Magic Moment, written by Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman. This cover was previously available on the Doc Pomus Tribute (Rhino Records) and had also appeared on the Hooky Wooky CDEP.

John Cale will be at the Knitting Factory, New York, March 25-27, 9:00 show only each night.

(source: John Cale mailing list)

There's a rumor going round that a "major label is getting set to put the finishing touches on a brand new, never boot-legged release of Lou and the Tots from January, 1973 at Alice Tully Hall in NYC. This is the show that RCA recorded for a live album and Lou decided against releasing."

(source: Lou Reed newsgroup)

Half-page advertisement.

Extensive review of Loaded (Fully Loaded Edition): "C'est le conte de fée rock du mois: en recherchant les bandes de 'Loaded', les archivistes de Rhino ont retrouvé dans les cryptes d'Atlantic une somme inachevée, de quoi rééditer un chef-d'oeuvre incontournable en double CD".

Half-page advertisement.

Complete info (press release, liner notes, track notes, bio, photo) now available on the Rhino Records Home Page.

Report on the forthcoming enlarged version of Loaded.

"The ex-Velvets' 1990 song suite for Andy Warhol was a more genuine artistic collaboration than anything in their collective back catalogue. Reed's intuitive and incisive lyrics were the key attraction, but Cale was more than a sleeping partner, setting several of the more obvious songs deliciously askew with the starting aggression of his piano playing." (PD)

The music performed by Cale with Moe Tucker and the Soldier String Quartet to the showing of Warhol's films "Eat" and "Kiss" at the Lille Arts festival in 1994 will be available on CD on June 9th. Sterling's name and photo were included in the event program but he had sadly passed away a few months before.

(Sources: Eoin Ryan and Sal Mercuri via the John Cale mailing list)

Lou's unplugged show will feature Violent Femmes as backing band. Lou Reed called Moe Tucker on Wednesday asking her to play drums but unfortunately she can't because she's starting rehearsals for her tour and she can't get away. Moe said she was really disappointed...

On the 23rd Lou Reed will be at the Knitting Factory for 2 shows (8:00 and 10:30).

Lou Reed will be taping a performance for a new VH1 series. The show will be an 'unplugged' performance at Sony studios in NYC on Feb 20.

(Source: Sal Mercuri)

Special TV show including a documentary about David Bowie, an exclusive interview by Michel Denisot and excerpts of the 50th anniversary show at Madison Square Garden. Lou Reed appears twice: first in a brief (30 seconds) but hilarious excerpt of the rehearsals, then with the complete rendition of 'Waiting For The Man' performed that night by Lou and David. He is also interviewed about Bowie for the documentary, with brief excerpts of an early seventies performances and photographs. A great moment for Lou Reed's fans. New broadcast: February 3 (13:35), 19 (14:25) and 27 (9:00).

Classic Velvet Underground Album Due Soon
Loaded (Fully Loaded Edition) will include a complete alternate version of one of the greatest rock albums of all time.
Addicted To Noise reissues analyst P.R. Flack reports: The Velvet Underground, who, over the past quarter century have gone from being one of the most reviled bands in all of rock to one of the most revered, get the royal treatment again on Feb. 18. That's the day Rhino Records will release Loaded (Fully Loaded Edition) a re-vamped, two-disc set of the band's final studio release with Lou Reed at the helm. This, after the band got the really royal treatment on the 1995 five-disc set, Peel Slowly and See.
The first CD of the Loaded set features the entire original Loaded album, including the "hits" "Sweet Jane" and "Rock and Roll," plus previously unreleased outtakes and alternate mixes of "I'm Sticking With You," "Rock and Roll" and "Head Held High."
The second disk has over an hour of bonus music from the Loaded sessions, including an entire alternate version of the album and early versions of "Sweet Jane," "Cool It Down," "Head Held High," "Lonesome Cowboy Bill" and "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'." Plus previously unissued alternate mixes and demos of songs like "Ocean," "Satellite of Love," "I Love You," "Who Loves the Sun" and "I Found a Reason."

[source: Addicted To Noise)

Maureen is working on booking a Southern tour for February/March 1997. Here are shows that are confirmed.

• Feb 26; Hunter-Gatherer; Columbia, SC
• Feb 27; Bay Street Bar; Savannah, Ga
• Feb 28; Cow Haus; Tallahasee, Fl
• March 1; Milk Bar; Jacksonville, Fl
• March 4; Covered Dish; Gainsville, Fl
• March 5; Frankies Patio; Tampa, Fl
• March 11; Hotshots; Douglas, Ga
• March 12; The Point; Atlanta, Ga
• March 13; Red Lion; Augusta, Ga
• March 14; Handlebar; Greenville, SC
• March 15; Watt Club; Athens, Ga

Extensive review of the Bowie's 50th anniversary show with Lou Reed appearance and interview of David Bowie including a part about his relationship with Lou Reed.

Time Rocker (see below) will be presented at the Brooklyn Academy of Music this coming November. Sal Mercuri says: "some of the songs are among Lou's best ever, particularly Alone at Last and Blood of the Lamb. Also included in the performance are Cremation from Magic and Loss and On the Run from the European CD EP of Hookywooky. The songs were sung by the actors and played by a band offstage which included taped guitar parts by Lou and Mike Rathke."

(source: New York Times)

Review of the Bowie's 50th anniversary show with Lou Reed appearanceas guest: "Lou l'invincible. (...) et l'annonce de l'arrivée du "roi de New York, lui même". Immanquablement (on est à New York) Lou reed se fait siffler, bien qu'impérial de morgue sur un Queen Bitch incontournable (ce classique bowien était dès 1971 dédié à l'ange des ténèbres du Velvet Underground. et voilà que soudainement, c'est Bowie qui a l'air d'un enfant appliqué, qui perd les pédales sue un Waiting For My Man pourtant "machinique" à souhait, avant de courber l'échine sur un Dirty Boulevard puissant de Lou l'invincible, étoile un temps de ce vaudeville macabre sur le thème du meurtre impossible du père. Bowie n'a plus qu'a se retirer. Une première fois sur le piano métronomique et les guitares en vrille de White Light/White Heat. (...)"

My wife and I talked ourselves into going to the Bowie Birthday BAsh at MSG last night. After being burned so many times in the last 13 years by The Dame we thought that at least we'd enjoy the guests - Frank Black, Sonic Youth, and Lou.
Well we got done again by Bowie but it was such a blast to see Lou on stage with him. Lou oozed cool and David just couldn't keep up. The funniest thing though was how obviously Bowie had 'ordered' the other guests to play cuts from his last horrific work 'Outside' (utter tripe) and soon-to-be-ignored upcoming release, 'Earthling'. 'I'll get these kids to sell my records for me.' Brilliant, Dave.
But he didn't count on Lou; four songs - 'Queen Bitch' (not more than a tarted up White Light/White Heat as Bowie acknowledges on his liner notes), 'Waiting for the Man', 'Dirty Blvd. (with Bowie pathetically attempting to croon his way through a song that is more spoken than sung), and 'White Light/White Heat'.
Lou was the only guest who played his own material, thankfully. Although it seemed that they either didn't rehearse or slept during it. Bowie especially blew the lines during Waiting for the Man and White Light. A friend who worked for the film crew told me that Bowie and Lou had a little argument during soundcheck because Bowie kept missing lines so Lou had to give him a lyric sheet. It also seems that during the show, Bowie's ultra intrusive, hyperbolic guitar player - Reeves 'I don't know when to stop' Gabrels, took a solo which logically should have been Lou's. Lou kept looking over to him trying to get his attention, but Gabrels was too wrapped up in his own pyrotechnics.
The show will be on pay-per-view in March so check it out if you can. I though the scene was pretty funny.
bye-bye,
Sal

The Bowie and Reed collaboration set included four songs: Queen Bitch, Waiting For The Man, Dirty Blvd. and White Light/White Heat.

Extensive review of Time Rocker with interview of Lou Reed about David Bowie's anniversary show rehearsals, Bob Wilson, creation... Lou will exhibit photographs at Boston Photographic Research Center in May.

"L'Odéon s'électrise. Dès ce soir, la musique de Lou Reed résonne au Théatre de l'Europe pour Time Rocker, un opéra contemporain (livret de Darryl Pinckney) dont Bob Wilson signe la mise en scène, les lumières et le décor". R. Solis et M.-C. Vernay.