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THE VELVET UNDERGROUND - SINGLES 1966-69 "On September 29, 2009, Sundazed will release The Velvet Underground Singles 1966–69, a seven-disc box set honoring the legendary New York combo's 7" vinyl output in their rare mono versions. The set features exact reproductions of Velvet Underground singles, two of them with their original picture sleeves. The singles are packaged in a distinctively designed box, along with rare vintage photos and new liner notes by Rolling Stone's David Fricke (who also penned the acclaimed notes for the historic 1995 Velvets CD box set Peel Slowly and See).
The Velvet Underground—whose membership included Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison, Maureen Tucker, Doug Yule and Nico—introduced numerous sonic and thematic innovations that laid much of the groundwork for punk and alternative rock. Although they're now acknowledged as one of the most influential bands in rock history, during their existence the Velvets barely registered on mainstream radar, and were often reviled by mainstream observers as well as hippie-era arbiters of cool. But, as Fricke writes in the new set's liner notes, "Somewhere, in another rock & roll universe, the Velvet Underground are more than a legendary band. They are stars, with hit singles—the original seven-inch masterpieces inside this box." Although they never came close to scoring a hit, the Velvet Underground was ideally suited to the 7" single format. "The Velvet Underground were a great singles band," David Fricke notes, adding that the Velvets "invented modern rock with searing guitar distortion, throbbing improvisation and brutally realistic tales of life on the wild side. But they did it all in these classic pop songs—compact miracles of raw drive, intimate beauty and Top 40 ecstasy, heard again in the original, thrilling mono single mixes." The seven singles included in The Velvet Underground Singles 1966–69 comprise the four Velvets singles originally released in the U.S. on the Verve and MGM labels, plus an additional pair of singles that were prepared for release but never made it to the marketplace and a special radio-only promotional single. The singles feature alternate mono versions that differ in significant ways from the songs' better-known stereo album versions. For instance, the band's 1966 debut single "All Tomorrow's Parties" appears here in a special mono edit that amplifies the song's melodic beauty and sonic tension, and a mono mix of their sophomore single "Sunday Morning" emphasizes the song's haunting quality. Meanwhile, the mono single version of "White Light/White Heat" exemplifies the vintage Velvets' stark, distortion-laden fury, while a mono edit of "What Goes On" accentuates that song's inherent pop jangle. The Velvet Underground Singles 1966–69 also includes two unissued singles, one with a never-released pairing of "White Light/White Heat" backed by "I Heard Her Call My Name," and the other with "Temptation Inside Your Heart" and "Stephanie Says," recorded in the waning days of the band's classic Reed/Cale/Morrison/Tucker lineup and unheard by the public for nearly two decades thereafter. The set's seventh single is a reproduction of a vintage promotional disc, a two-and-a-half-minute radio spot promoting the band's eponymous third album and featuring legendary disc jockey Bill "Rosko" Mercer, with excerpts from "I’m Set Free," "What Goes On" and "Beginning to See the Light," as well as a picture sleeve with an un-airbrushed variation on the album's iconic cover art. By presenting the Velvets as a singles band, The Velvet Underground Singles 1966–69 shows, in David Fricke's words, "rock history the way it should have been: the Velvet Underground as the New York Beatles, guaranteed to blow up your radio and your mind." For more information and to see images of the box set contents, please visit Sundazed website. Format: 7 x 7" Single Box Set. |
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THE VELVET UNDERGROUND - AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY OF A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE New VU book by Jim DeRogatis due out soon! "Hardly anyone bought the Velvet Underground's albums when they were released, but most everyone who did formed a band. This was the kind of influence the Velvets exerted, and it persists to this day in the sounds of groups as diverse as Patti Smith, Talking Heads, Sex Pistols, R.E.M., My Bloody Valentine, and Sonic Youth—all of whom claim the Velvets as their most important influence. And then there are such soundalikes as Yo La Tengo, Luna, and the Strokes, to name a few. Published on the forty-fifth anniversary of the Velvet Underground's founding, this is the first illustrated history of the band that rocked rock—one of the most inspired and influential rock 'n' roll bands of all time. The book follows this icon of Sixties rock from its heady first days with Lou Reed, John Cale, German chanteuse Nico, drummer Moe Tucker, and guitarist Sterling Morrison; through its management by pop artist Andy Warhol, who made the band the siren of his Factory and part of his traveling multimedia show, the Exploding Plastic Inevitable; to its later incarnations in the early Seventies. "They opened wounds worth opening with brutal imagery, without apology," Patti Smith said, upon the band's 1996 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. And this book offers a unique behind." Format: Book, hardcover, 9.25 x 10.875, 192 p. buy from Amazon |
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13 MOST BEAUTIFUL... SONGS FOR ANDY WARHOL'S SCREEN TESTS The Andy Warhol Museum presents Warhol's Screen Tests, available for the first time on DVD, with new soundtracks by Dean & Britta. 13 of Andy Warhol's legendary Screen Tests: Paul America, Ssan Bottomly, Ann Buchanan, Freddy Herko, Jane Holzer, Dennis Hopper, Billy Name, Nico, Lou Reed, Richard Rheem, Edie sedgwick, Ingrid Superstar, Mary Woronov. With new soundtracks by Dean Wareham & Britta Phillips. Extras: Behind the scenes video about the new soundtracks & 40-page book with liner notes and biographies. "Only in the Scren Tests does Andy Warhol on film achieve the ethereal beauty of his best paintings." - The Guardian Format: DVD, All Region, NTSC, feature 60 mins + bonus footage 12 mins. buy from Amazon |
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ROCK 'N' WARHOL - ANDY WARHOL & LA MUSIQUE Latest issue of Volume - French musical magazine by Les Inrockuptibles - features 9-page special by Chistophe Conte about Andy Warhol and music, including of course The Velvet Underground. Illustrated with poster repros and photos by Hervé Gloaguen and Steve Schapiro. Plus a banana cover. "Il est celui qui aura mis de l'art dans la pop et de la pop dans l'art. Des plus radicales aux plus commerciales, toutes les musiques ont traversé l'œuvre d'Andy Warhol et déterminé certaines étapes cruciales de sa vie personnelle et mondaine. Le génial metteur en scène du premier Velvet Underground reste le seul des grands musiciens du XXe siècle à n'avoir jamais touché un instrument." Format: magazine, Volume #8, March 2009. |
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THE VELVET UNDERGROUND - WAITING FOR SUCCESS Fully Warhol-devoted special issue of French magazine Télérama - features 10-page Velvet Underground article by Laurent Rigoulet plus Lou Reed interview by Philippe Barbot, with photos by Stephen Shore, Hervé Gloaguen & Nat Finkelstein. "En se déclarant manager d'un groupe inconnu, Warhol pense jouer sur du velours. Erreur. Jusqu'à l'explosion du Velvet en 1969, et pour des années encore, Lou Reed et sa bande resteront désespérément "underground"." Format: magazine, Télérama Hors Série - Andy Warhol Pop Tsar, March 2009. |
IN 1966 THERE WAS... THE VELVET UNDERGROUND New bootleg available from the same Velvet Records label that released the now famous Live at the Gymnasium LP. Format: double LP, either on blue or red vinyl. | |
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LOU REED - PASS THRU FIRE - THE COLLECTED LYRICS Re-issued, updated edition of Lou Reed's PASS THRU FIRE: The Collected Lyrics, just put out by Da Capo Press. The book is updated to include The Raven, five new songs, and an original preface by Reed. "This is a comprehensive chronicle of the work of the master, with Reed's lyrics reading like poetry, capturing the darkest thoughts of a man "caught between the twisted stars," struggling with addiction, grief, desire, love, and depression. In Pass Thru Fire: The Collected Lyrics, you'll get a closer look at the lyrics that made the legend. Spanning over 40 years of work - from his time with the Velvet Underground to the classics Transformer, Berlin, and New York; from the elegiac Magic and Loss to the caustic, dark soul of Ecstasy and beyond - here are the lyrics that achingly reflect Reed's own triumphs and failings." Format: paperback, 608 p. buy from Amazon |
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ANDY WARHOL - THE RECORD COVERS 1949-1987 - CATALOGUE RAISONNÉ Catalogue of the record covers by Andy Warhol as part of the Warhol Live - Music And Dance in Andy Warhol's Work exhibition at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Includes Velvet Underground-related material: The East Village Other - Electric Newspaper - Hiroshima Day - USA Vs Underground, Aspen Magazine Vol. 1 No. 3, The Velvet Underground And Nico, Andy Warhol's Index (book), White Light White Heat. "Count Basie, Tchaikovsky, Aretha Franklin, Lou Reed, Diana Ross, John Lennon, and the Rolling Stones all had their music promoted by Andy Warhol s record covers. This catalogue raisonné reproduces the fifty covers, front and back, designed over four decades that bear Warhol s unmistakable imprint. It also includes over 100 additional illustrations, featuring related works by Warhol, photographs of performances as well as documentary images identifying his visual sources. Paul Maréchal explores Warhol s creative process, his relationship with artists and his fascination with all kinds of music. The range of music represented through these record covers, from jazz to classical, and from rock to soul, reveals the breadth of Warhol s musical tastes and his extraordinary ability to combine his artistic vision with the music and the recording artist." Format: Book, 12.1 x 12.1 inches, hardcover, 244 pages buy English version from Amazon |
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WARHOL LIVE Catalogue of the Warhol Live - Music And Dance in Andy Warhol's Work exhibition at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, including a large amount of Velvet Underground material. "This catalog accompanying an exciting new exhibition reveals the myriad ways Warhol immersed himself in the music of his time. Tracing back to Warhol s introduction to music through the musical comedies, songs, and soundtracks of his youth, the book opens with Warhol s portraits of the great films stars of his childhood. As the fascinating essays collected in this volume discuss, Warhol s renowned portraits of pop music icons such as Mick Jagger, Debbie Harry, and Grace Jones are just one manifestation of his interest in music. Warhol collaborated with choreographer Merce Cunningham, served as producer for the Velvet Underground, incorporated music into his films, produced video-clips, designed dozens of record albums, filmed live concerts, and created multimedia spectacles. Although never a musician himself, Warhol appropriated the imagery of a pop icon for some of his most arresting and haunting self portraits. Designed to echo the music industry's most recognizable emblem the album cover this dynamic book includes more than 350 illustrations, offering a refreshing new way to appreciate the talent and evolution of an artist who mirrored society s ever-changing tastes and interests." Format: Book, 12.1 x 12.1 inches, hardcover, 292 pages buy English version from Amazon |
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THE VELVET UNDERGROUND & NICO - BACK TO BLACK VINYL 2008 UK limited edition 11-track LP pressed on 180gram VIRGIN VINYL, issued as part of the 'Back To Black 60th Anniversary' series celebrating the 60th anniversary of the vinyl record. Includes a voucher to download an MP3 version of the album, superbly presented in gatefold sleeve with screenprinted vinyl peelable banana sticker, plus the original 'torso' back cover, with repro 'Verve' blue & silver labels). "To celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the long-playing vinyl we are delighted to announce the re-release of classic albums on much-loved vinyl. All you have to do is enter your unique code, included in your package, to download the same album to your mp3 player." Format: LP |
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FEED-BACK - THE VELVET UNDERGROUND: LEGEND, TRUTH Book, 270 p. hardback "This selection of interviews and writings by Spanish Velvet specialist Ignacio Juliá draws a chronology of the band and its members from its inception in 1965 to today. Featuring the expanded and revised translation of his classic book on the band, the original 1986 Feed-Back - based on the longest interview ever granted by guitarist Sterling Morrison -, it has grown to be a deluxe edition crowded with pictures and memorabilia that now includes, amongst other features and reviews, exclusive interviews thru the years with Lou Reed (4), John Cale (3), Maureen Tucker (2), Doug Yule (1) and Nico (1)." buy from Munster Records buy from Amazon |
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STAR-CLUB PRÄSENTIERT THE VELVET UNDERGROUND CD compilation - part of new German Star-Club Mercury/Universal budget series. Format: CD 1. I'm Waiting For The Man (4:38) / 2. Run, Run, Run (4:20) / 3. Heroin (7:10) / 4. White Light/White Heat (2:44) / 5. Sister Ray (17:22) / 6. Beginning To See The Light (4:38) / 7. What Goes On (4:52) / 8. Pale Blue Eyes (4:38) / 9. I Can't Stand It (3:21) / 10. Sweet Jane live (3:58) / 11. Rock And Roll live (6:02). buy from Amazon |
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ROUGH GUIDES - L'ESSENTIEL SUR THE VELVET UNDERGROUND French edition of Peter Hogan's Rough Guide To The Velvet Underground. Translation by Marc-Emmanuel Konigson. "Entre harmonies voilées et sons lourds, les Velvets ont lié l'art au rock, modifiant pour toujours la musique populaire, semant les graines pour le punk, le grunge et autres prodiges de la contre-culture. Cet ouvrage explore leur histoire (l'émergence de Lou Reed, Sterling Morrisson, John Cale et les autres de la scène new-yorkaise, leur succès et leurs excès, leurs carrières solo). L'auteur analyse leur musique (depuis les débuts en 1967 jusqu'en 1993) ; les personnages qui ont compté pour eux, d'Andy Warhol à David Bowie et Brian Eno ; les détails le New York des Velvets, les clubs, les influences, les pochettes, les sites et même les mots célèbres de Lou Reed. Une véritable mine d'or !." Format: broché, 310 p. buy from Amazon |
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A WALK INTO THE SEA "This is director Esther Robinson's riveting personal inquiry into the mysterious 1966 disappearance of Danny Williams, a promising young filmmaker, Warhol's lover, and Robinson's uncle. The film features intimate interviews with surviving Factory members and astonishing footage from Williams' recently discovered films. Winner of the prestigious "Teddy Award" at the Berlin Film Festival and "Best NY Documentary" at the Tribeca Film Festival." Featuring: Gerard Malanga, John Cale, Albert Maysles, Paul Morrissey, Brigid Berlin buy from Amazon |
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LOU REED - BERLIN LIVE AT ST. ANN'S WAREHOUSE Format: CD 1. Sad Song/Intro / 2. Berlin / 3. Lady Day / 4. Men Of Good Fortune / 5. Caroline Says I / 6. How Do You Think It Feels / 7. Oh Jim / 8. Caroline Says II / 9. Kids / 10. Bed / 11. Sad Song / 12. Candy Says / 13. Rock Minuet / 14. Sweet Jane. buy from Amazon |
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LOU REED'S BERLIN "Staging Berlin has been discussed for over 30 years and in December of 2006 it became a reality. Berlin was said to be one of the most depressing albums ever made and as it was brought to life it was far from dismal. Using the divided city of Berlin as its backdrop the story of Caroline and her lovers is told through the emotive and provocative words of Lou Reed. With performers like Fernando Saunders, Antony, Steve Hunter, Rob Wassermann, Rupert Christie and Sharon Jones, a seven piece orchestra and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus all working to create a captivating and enveloping world, Lou Reed is able to take the audience with him as he bares witness to Caroline's self-destruction. Julian's set design creates the backdrop of a hotel with greenish walls and Lola Schnabel's films display the beauty and tragedy of the nar- rator's leading lady (played by Emmanuelle Seigner), adding to the experience which is so devastating and beautiful at the same time." Director: Julian Schnabel http://www.artificial-eye.com/dvd/ART387dvd/main.html buy from Amazon |
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LOU REED - TRAVERSER LE FEU "Trente albums, du Velvet Underground aux derniers textes pas encore enregistrés. Derrière l'icône rock, une œuvre de poésie urbaine qui traverse un demi-siècle." Format: Book, 512 p. http://www.editionsduseuil.fr/ buy from Amazon |
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VELVET UNDERGROUND - PSYCHEDELIC SOUNDS FROM THE GYMNASIUM Format: CD (bootleg) 1. I'm Not A Young Man Anymore (7:15) / 2. Guess I'm Falling In Love (4:12) / 3. I'm Waiting For The Man (5:30) / 4. Run Run Run (6:55) / 5. Sister Ray (18:51) / 6. Booker T. (6:37) Live at the Gymnasium, New York City NY, April 1967 "The most important audio find from one of the most important bands" - New York Times |
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ART HOUSE 3 - A WALK INTO THE SEA "Director Esther Robinson's personal inquiry into the truth behind her Uncle Danny Williams' mysterious 1966 disappearance. Virtually unknown today, Williams was Andy Warhol's lover and a promising young filmmaker. The discovery of 20 never-before-seen films Williams made during his time at the Factory - and whose many subjects include Andy Warhol, Edie Sedgwick, Paul Morrissey, Brigid Berlin, Billy Name and what may be the earliest known footage of the Velvet Underground - reveals a luminous talent and a stark gap in the historical record. Combined with Robinson's intimate interviews of surviving Factory members, the film gets beyond the icons and quietly dismantles the Warhol myth-making machine, allowing a deeper examination of the human fragility on which Andy Warhol's empire was built." Actors: Danny Williams, Andy Warhol http://www.arthousefilmsonline.com/2007/10/a-walk-into-the-sea.html buy from Amazon |
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by Olivier Landemaine ©1996-2009 The Velvet Underground Web Page | |
