The Velvet Underground News

News archive

January - December 2002

The Velvet Underground Web Page
December 12, 2002
Sonic Book

Velvet Underground - 1965-1970, The Story, The Lyrics is now avalaible in the Italian CD-size Sonic Book series. It has VU story and lyrics in English and Italian. It has a bonus CD with 6 pre-Velvet Underground tracks: Afterhours by Carol Lou Trio (actually no Lou Reed involvement), Leave Her For Me and So Blue by The Jades, Why Don't You Smile by The All Night Workers, The Ostrich and Sneaky Pete by The Primitives.

http://www.stampalternativa.it
http://www.pickuprecords.it

December 8, 2002
Ram's Head Tavern

John Cale performs tonight at Ram's Head Tavern, in Annapolis, Maryland.

http://www.ramsheadtavern.com

December 7, 2002
Breakaway Angel

Nils Lofgren has a 12-song acoustic opus, Breakaway Angel, out on Hypertension Music, including a co-write with Lou Reed (Driftin' Man).

[Source: Record Collector, December 2002, No 280]

December 6, 2002
Lou Reed photos

Cooper Owen will be holding a Limited Edition Photographs auction on the 12th December which contains several Lou Reed photographs, signed by the photographer Mick Rock. Please see lots 192-193, 198, 201 and 206 or click here for further information and images.

Commission bids can be placed online now at http://www.cooperowen.com and the auction will culminate with a live event at Proud Camden on the 12th December at 6.30pm GMT.

[Source: Kaz Simmons - http://www.cooperowen.com]

November 27, 2002
Nico competition

VIP-24.com is running a competition to win a copy of Nico's An Underground Experience / Heroine, two unique, very different films re-issued on one DVD. Visit the site at www.vip-24.com and click the Competitions link on the first page for details.

November 25, 2002
Releasing Rock Albums Again and Again

The re-re-releasing of Lou Reed's Transformer album is discussed in Releasing Rock Albums Again and Again by Chris Nelson in The New York Times.

"BMG added just two of a possible 15 extra songs onto the rerelease of Mr. Reed's "Transformer." Can fans look forward to yet another edition of the album? Don't rule it out, Mr. Miller said. "What's going to happen in 5 or 10 years I couldn't tell you."

November 23, 2002
MOJO's 100 greatest drug songs ever
December issue of MOJO UK has a feature on the best songs about drugs of all time - Velvet Underground's Heroin comes in 3rd, and Waiting For The Man makes an appearance at #27.
November 22, 2002
Lou Reed Explores The Richness In Being Poe
Lou Reed Explores The Richness In Being Poe at CMJ.com
November 9, 2002
Reed Taps Bowie for "Raven"

"Lou Reed will release his new album, The Raven, on January 28th, on Sire/Reprise. The ambitious collection features Reed's musical interpretations of the poetry of Edgar Allen Poe (including actor Willem Dafoe's reading of the classic poem which serves as the title track) in addition to his own original Poe-inspired lyrics."

Read more at Reed Taps Bowie for "Raven" on RollingStone.com.

November 8, 2002
Positions

Released in France on 15 October on Discograph Records DGCD 81047 is the fictional song cycle Positions by Trash Palace. The CD features the co-written John Cale song The Insult featuring John Cale on lead vocal. Cale is listed as a member of the band Trash Palace, which also features Brian Molko (Placebo) Alison Shaw (The Cranes) and Cozette.

[Source: Gary]

November 7, 2002
Gold Wax - part 2

Monthly Japanese magazine Gold Wax No.90, November 2002 issue, has the sequel to the Symphony of Sound article published in the previous issue - see below. This 4-page second part covers the 1967-68 era.

http://www.gizumo.co.jp/goldwax

[Thanks: Shiroh Kouchi - Lou Reed Guitar Archive]

October 26, 2002
The Raven

AOL Music is doing a Halloween feature on Lou Reed's new track and forthcoming record The Raven.

Listen to Willem Dafoe recite this harrowing updated version of the Poe classic The Raven - with new words and music by Lou Reed. The Raven is included in the forthcoming album of the same name, due in January, 2003. AOL Music will be debuting The Raven and a bonus track Burning Embers from the forthcoming album starting on Monday, October 28, 2002 (AOL Keyword: Lou Reed; www.aolmusic.com).

[Source: Scott Richman, AOL Music - Marketing]

September 20, 2002
Gold Wax

Japanese bootleg review magazine Gold Wax No.89 (October 2002 issue) features a Velvet Underground special.

[Source: Shiroh Kouchi]

Gold Wax #89
September 15, 2002
Grey Room

Two articles on Andy Warhol's collaboration with the Velvet Underground and the Exploding Plastic Inevitable have appeared in the latest issue of the art journal Grey Room. Grey Room 08 (Summer 2002) contains an article by art historian David Joselit entitled "Yippie Pop: Abbie Hoffman, Andy Warhol, and Sixties Media Politics" which discusses Warhol's work and the EPI in relation to the media theories of the infamous Yippie. A second article by Branden W. Joseph entitled "'My Mind Split Open': Andy Warhol's Exploding Plastic Inevitable" discusses all phases of Warhol's collaboration with the Velvet Underground, as well as Warhol's lesser-known musical collaborations with composer La Monte Young, filmmaker Barbara Rubin, and the brief rock group project with Claes and Patti Oldenburg.

Subscriptions and individual issues of Grey Room are available from the MIT Press at http://mitpress.mit.edu/grey.

[Source: Joseph]

September 8, 2002
Lou Reed heritage

Two vintage Lou Reed albums will be rereleased this fall by BMG Heritage.

The 1978 live album Take No Prisoners receives its first CD release in the U.S. on September 24, its two discs capturing Reed's May 1978 live performance at the Bottom Line in New York City. Featuring new liner notes by Rolling Stone magazine's David Fricke.

On October 22, Reed's 1972 album Transformer will be rereleased, also sporting new liner notes (in this case, by Michael Hill) and an array of unreleased bonus tracks, including acoustic demo versions of Perfect Day and Hangin' 'Round.

BMG Heritage, which has previously rereleased Reed's Rock And Roll Heart, Metal Machine Music, and The Bells, plans a 2003 issue for 1976's Coney Island Baby and 1978's Street Hassle, both with improved sound and bonus tracks.

September 8, 2002
Your pain shall be a music

The very rare John Cale track Your pain shall be a music has been re-issued in Japan on the various artist Yohji Yamamoto CD YOUR PAIN SHALL BE YOUR MUSIC on Consipio records. Catalogue number AGCA 10005. This CD issue contains eight tracks, the original not containing the Wolfgang Wagner track.

John Cale also sings the Gordon Gano song Don't Pretend on Gano's solo CD Hitting the Ground released this month.

[Source: Gary]

September 1, 2002
Hyundai's sticking with you

The music featured in the Hyundai's latest TV comercial in UK is I'm Sticking With You by the Velvet Underground, with Mo Tucker on vocals - they have used the outtake version released on Loaded - Fully Loaded Edition.

View Hyundai's TV advert at Hyundai Cars - UK Official Site.

August 26, 2002
Reed rarities

BMG plans a deluxe edition of Lou Reed's Transformer with outtakes and previously unreleased session material.

[Source: MOJO 106, September 2002, p. 152]

August 13, 2002
Record Collectors

September 2002 issue of Japanese magazine Record Collectors has a Velvet Underground & Nico special.

It features stories (about VU, Andy, Nico), reviews for each songs from the banana album, review of the Deluxe Edition of The Velvet Underground & Nico, VU album discography, Nico original album guide.

[Source: Shiroh Kouchi - Lou Reed Guitar Archive]

August 13, 2002
BBC2

This Saturday at 8 o'clock UK time there is a one hour documentary on Lou Reed on BBC Radio 2, www.bbc.co.uk/radio. It includes new interviews and features his new doubles CD Poetry.

[Source: Kevin Chippendale]

August 11, 2002
Doug Yule Live

Doug Yule Live: New release now available! One CD - Two live sets from 2000 including VU tunes and new original material. 12 tracks plus 2 bonus cuts. Please contact Sal Mercuri at mercuri8@yahoo.com for ordering info. Supplies are limited.

CTCD-401
August 10, 2002
The buzz

According to MOJO 105 (August 2002 issue) Warners shoulmd release a box set collection of solo material by Lou Reed. It's likely to be a 4-CD affair due in September.

July 31, 2002
Trash Palace

News item in the French weekly magazine Les Inrockuptibles N° 349 (July 31-August 6): John Cale, Asia Argento, Brian Molko, Jean-Louis Murat and some other artists have recently taken part in the recording of a mysterious concept-album about sex, under the name of Trash Palace. The project directed by French musician Dimitri Tikovoi is scheduled for a show on August 10 at La Route du Rock in Saint-Malo, France.

June 29, 2002
John Cale date

John Cale is playing a one-off London show at the Royal Festival Hall on July 13th. He will be playing a specially prepared set at the invitation of The Wire magazine who are celebrating their 20th anniversary. He will be joined on stage by Andy Green. Support act are the Jananese avant rock unit The Boredoms. This is Cale's only Euro date

Box Office Telephone Number: 0207 960 4242

[Source: Gary]

June 28, 2002
Moe And Doug

Check out http://plaza14.mbn.or.jp/~captaintrip/new9.html for more info about Moe and Doug's new releases - see below. They should be out on July 10.

[Source: Sal Mercuri]

June 28, 2002
Peel Slowly And Read

Les Inrockuptibles Hors-série
The Velvet Underground

100-page (!!) special issue now available.

It offers The Velvet Underground & Nico review, member portraits, interview, artilces, discography, timeline, fully illustrated and including previously unseen photos by Adam Ritchie, Donald Greenhaus and Henri Ter Hall.

Les Inrockuptibles hors-série
June 28, 2002
Super Freaks
Q 191

Q #191 (June 2002) has a 2-page review of The Velvet Underground & Nico - read p. 128-129.

June 25, 2002
La Peau et l'Éros

The Velvet Underground makes the cover of this week's issue of Les Inrockuptibles (Nº 344 - June 26-July 2). It offers a 7-page review of The Velvet Underground & Nico by Bruno Juffin. The article is illustrated with classic pictures from Malanga archives but also with previously unseen photos by Donald Greenhaus and Adam Ritchie. Same issue has a full page ad for the deluxe edition of The Velvet Underground & Nico.

A 100-page Velvet underground special issue will be published later this week on June 28th.

Les Inrockuptibles #344
June 24, 2002
Deluxe banana
Deluxe Edition

The Deluxe Edition of The Velvet Underground & Nico is today available (Polydor 314 589 624-2).

June 23, 2002
Bowie reviews The Velvet Underground & Nico

MOJO #104 - July 2002 issue - has a half-page review of The Velvet Underground & Nico by David Bowie - read p. 117.

June 7, 2002
Recording Musicien

Recording Musicien #12 - June 2002 issue - has a 8-page Velvet Underground article part of a New York special.

Recording Musicien 12
June 1, 2002
Deluxe review

Record Collector No 274 - June 2002 issue - has a half-page review of the forthcoming deluxe reissue of The Velvet Underground And Nico by Andy Neill - read p. 131.

May 20, 2002
John Cale singles-and-rarities

According to Midheaven Mailorder:

"Birdman Records expects a John Cale singles-and-rarities CD to swoop into your life this summer. No promises yet, but early guesses estimate that the material dates from 1975-80."

[Source: Jim]

May 16, 2002
Velvet Underground solo works

From the June issue of ICE magazine:

One of the most significant rock debuts and seminal experimental albums ever, "The Velvet Underground and Nico" is re-serviced June 25 on Polydor. This digitally remastered Deluxe Edition encompasses the album stereo version on Disc One, along with five selections from "Nico - Chelsea Girl" (on which the Velvets reunited and performed with the chanteuse). Disc Two features the album mono version - available in the U.S. for the first time - and four mono A- and B-sides: "All Tomorrow's Parties," "I'll Be Your Mirror" (with alternate ending), "Sunday Morning" and "Femme Fatale." Originally scheduled to appear on the set was the previously unreleased 1966 rehearsal song "Miss Joanie Lee," touted as the group's first known recording. Universal Senior VP of A&R Bill Levenson tells ICE, "We've got a situation that hasn't resolved itself, and we'd either have to hold onto the package until it's cleared - which we don't know will ever happen - or move forward with what we think is a very good package, but minus that track." Featured on the cover of the special digipak version is the Velvets' trademark peelable banana designed by benefactor Andy Warhol.

May 5, 2002
Velvet Underground solo works

new releases from Captain Trip Records - release date: June 25, 2002

Maureen Tucker Band / Terrastock
live at Terrastock IV Festival, Nov 4, 2000
CTCD-400

Doug Yule Band / Terrastock
live at Terrastock IV Festival, Nov 4, 2000
CTCD-401

Willie Alexander / Solo Loco Redux
CTCD-410

[Source: Shiroh Kouchi - Lou Reed Guitar Archive]

April 22, 2002
Femme Fatale

Nico - Femme Fatale
Jungle Records FREUDCD069, UK

This CD - released today April 22 - has live tracks from different 80's UK shows, and the 2 studio tracks produced by Martin Hannett which were originally put out on a 12" in the 80's.

[Source: Jan Bruun]

April 22, 2002
What's Welsh for Cancelled?

The play What's Welsh for Zen based on Cale's best selling autobiography to be staged at the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith London this Autumn has been cancelled.

[Source: Gary]

April 20, 2002
Deluxe Edition?

Some UK acetate CDR copies of the forthcoming deluxe edition of The Velvet Underground & Nico - which is now due June 24 - are already circulating.

Miss Joanie Lee, the previously unreleased track from a rehearsal at Andy Warhol's Factory early 1966 is however missing on those promo copies - it seems to confirm that rumour going around that the inclusion of the track in the double CD set (see official press release below) has unfortunately been cancelled.

March 15, 2002
Velvet Overground

The Velvet Underground Web Page is (positively) reviewed in the April 2002 (#416) issue of the French Rock & Folk magazine.

March 9, 2002
Velvet Overground

Record Collector No.271 (March 2002) has a news item regarding the forthcoming deluxe edition of The Velvet Underground And Nico. Same issue features a review of the Final V.U. box set by Peter Doggett - read p. 118.

February 24, 2002
Innocent & Vain
Innocent...

An Introduction to Nico - Innocent & Vain
CD Polydor 589 421-2

1. I'll Keep It With Mine / 2. All Tomorrow's Parties (Alternate Single Voice Version) / 3. You Forget To Answer / 4. Wrap Your Troubles In Dreams / 5. Valley Of The Kings / 6. Femme Fatale / 7. Eulogy To Lenny Bruce / 8. Secret Side / 9. Little Sister / 10. It Was A Pleasure Then / 11. Innocent And Vain / 12. The End (Live).

This new collection offers 12 tracks selected from The Velvet Underground And Nico, Chelsea Girl, June 1, 1974, and The End.

All Tomorrow's Parties is a remastered version of the alternate "single voice" version which originaly appeared on the 1980s editions of The Velvet Underground And Nico album.

The CD comes with a 12-page booklet with liner notes by Simon Goddard and photos by Gerard Malanga.

Record Collector No 270 (February 2002) has a review of this collection by Trevor King (read p. 134).

February 19, 2002
Metal Machine Music live!

According to the Norwegian newspaper Dagsavisen, Lou Reed will be present in Berlin, when the German ensemble Zeitkratzer will perform his Metal Machine Music live!... March 17th.

See http://www.dagsavisen.no/nyetakter/2002/02/638411.shtml?string=lou%20reed

[Source: Jan Bruun]

February 18, 2002
Banana deluxe reissue postponed

Universal US has changed release date for The Velvet Underground And Nico deluxe reissue to 14th May.

[Source: Yazid]

February 18, 2002
Lost Track on Velvets Reissue

See RollingStone.com News: Lost Track on Velvets Reissue.

February 16, 2002
Even More Moe

Additional date for Moe Tucker at the Pilot Light, Knoxville, tonight February 16.

February 15, 2002
'VU & Nico' Debut To Be Reissued In March

Billboard.com daily music news: 'VU & Nico' Debut To Be Reissued In March.

[Source: Gregory R. King - www.nwmusicsource.com]

February 10, 2002
Warhol event

Andy Warhol's Silver Factory:expanded cinema event at London's Scala Cinema King's Cross on Thursday March 21st. Doors open 8pm. Ticket price £8 tel: 020 7887 8888

includes screenings of

  • "The Chelsea Girls", 1965 (210 mins)
  • "The Velvet Underground & Nico", 1966 (33 mins)
  • "Nico", 1966 (33 mins)
  • "Lupe", 1965 (73 mins)
  • "My Hustler", 1965 (67 mins)

[Source: Gary]

February 2, 2002
More Moe

Moe will be playing with Jonathan Richman on the following dates:

[Source: Sal Mercuri]

February 2, 2002
Moe Tucker at Variety Playhouse

Moe Tucker is going to be playing February 15th at the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, GA. Here's a link: http://www.variety-playhouse.com/schedule.html

[Source: Darin]

January 30, 2002
Lou Reed Now Featured on BravoTV.com

Take a walk on David Wild's side as the legendary Rolling Stone editor provides Web-exclusive, behind-the-scenes gossip from his interview with Lou Reed on Bravo Networks' new weekly series MUSICIANS. BravoTV.com also features photos of Reed's appearance and background on his career and recordings. MUSICIANS premieres on Bravo on February 4th at 10 pm. Find it online at: http://www.bravotv.com/sections/shows_mus_reed.php

[Source: Leah]

January 23, 2002
Head Held High

New bootleg LP circulates - all tracks pirated from the official Loaded - Fully Loaded Edition.

Head Held High - The Atlantic Sessions
Status Rock Records BNS 526308, Europe, 2001

Side 1: 1. Ride Into The Sun (demo) / 2. Ocean (demo) / 3. I'm Sticking With You (alternate mix) / 4. I Love You (demo) / 5. Rock 'n' Roll (alternate mix) / 6. Head Held High (alternate mix).

Side 2: 7. Satellite Of Love (alternate demo) / 8. I Love You (outtake) / 9. Oh Gin (demo) / 10. Walk And Talk (demo) / 11. Sad Song (demo) / 12. Love Makes You Feel Ten Feet Tall (demo).

January 17, 2002
The Connection

National Public Radio will broadcast a one hour special on The Velvet Underground. The show, The Connection, will air live in Boston on Friday 1/18 from 11 a.m. to noon and on tape later in the day on other NPR stations (WNYC in New York). Moe Tucker, Doug Yule, and Rolling Stone editor David Fricke will all be on hand for live discussion on the VU phenomenon and the recent release of the Quine tapes. Selections from the Quine set and other VU music will be played. Anyone who has ever heard an NPR feature knows that this will not be the typical rehash or fluff piece you'd expect from commercial radio.

To find broadcast times for your local affiliate go to theconnection.org or wnyc.org

Tune in and Turn on.

[Source: Sal Mercuri]

January 11, 2002
Legendary 1967 album The Velvet Underground & Nico reissued

"LEGENDARY 1967 ALBUM THE VELVET UNDERGROUND & NICO REISSUED IN TWO-CD DELUXE EDITION INCLUDING MONO VERSION MAKING ITS U.S. CD DEBUT PLUS PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED TRACK"

The Velvet Underground's debut album, 1967's The Velvet Underground & Nico, is among the most important and influential ever made--and every new generation, as the Sex Pistols, David Bowie, R.E.M. and Sonic Youth have previously, rediscovers it. With the now two-CD, digitally remastered The Velvet Underground & Nico (Deluxe Edition) (Polydor/UME), released March 5, 2002, yet another generation will be astonished to discover rock's original cutting edge. New fans will also discover the original album's famous Andy Warhol-designed peelable banana gracing a special digipak version.

Disc One includes the originally released stereo version of the album, marked by the classic tracks "I'm Waiting For The Man," "Venus In Furs," "Run Run Run" and "Heroin." Appended are the five selections from Nico's subsequent 1967 Chelsea Girl album which reunited her with VU's Lou Reed, John Cale and Sterling Morrison. The result is a complete portrait of the group's first recorded line-up.

Disc Two brings together the band's own mono mix (issued on CD for the first time in the U.S.), the mono singles "All Tomorrow's Parties"/"I'll Be Your Mirror" and "Sunday Morning"/"Femme Fatale," and the previously unreleased "Miss Joanie Lee," recorded at a January 1966 rehearsal and likely the group's earliest recording in existence.

[Source: Yazid]

January 8, 2002
danse avec le lou

Bruno Juffin reviews The Velvet Underground Bootleg Series Volume 1: The Quine Tapes in the current issue of Les Inrockuptibles (N° 320, January 8-14, p. 44)

"Grand recensement des saintes écritures de Lou Reed, avant, pendant et après le Velvet Underground : plutôt tordu mais tordant."

See also: http://www.lesinrocks.com/DetailCritique.cfm?iditem=123267&idheading1=2


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