The Velvet Underground

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New York City (1965 – 1973, 1992 – 1995)

The Velvet Underground was a pioneering experimental rock band from New York City first active from 1965 to 1973. Its best-known lineup consisted of vocalist/guitarist Lou Reed, bassist/violist John Cale, guitarist Sterling Morrison and drummer Maureen Tucker. The band also collaborated with Nico for their debut album in 1967, under the supervision of producer and pop artist Andy Warhol.

Some see The Velvet Underground as being a bridge between the pacifist themes of the late 60s and the sheer chaos and indifference of the mid-70s punk movement.

The Velvet Underground was one of the first rock music groups to experiment heavily with the form by incorporating avant-garde influences. The group’s often raw, sometimes difficult sound would influence many later punk, noise rock, and alternative music performers, and singer Lou Reed’s lyrics brought new levels of social realism and sleaze to rock. Critics Scott Isler and Ira Robbins argue that “The Velvet Underground marked a turning point in rock history. After the release of The Velvet Underground & Nico knowing the power of which it was capable, the music could never be as innocent, as unselfconscious as before.”

Pre-history (1964-1965)

The foundations for what would become The Velvet Underground were laid in late 1964.

Tagged as:

rock, classic rock, psychedelic, proto-punk, alternative
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MrLJM wrote:
11 hours ago

Quick, hide the Jews!

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Julian_pa wrote:
yesterday afternoon

here comes hitler

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schoenburger wrote:
Friday evening

I think they sound quite different. Yule has a stronger and technically 'better' voice than Lou, whose slightly bland voice I find endearing. They have the same range, but I think there are noticeable timbral differences.

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TheSurftones wrote:
Friday afternoon

Actually Dough Yule would often fill in for Lou live whenever his voice went out, I can't tell the difference between their voices either.

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ekimiki wrote:
Friday morning

Super band.

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schoenburger wrote:
Thursday evening

Start at the beginning. The first album is amazing, even though Nico's presence is quite divisive. I think Doug Yule sings lead vocals on four or five songs from Loaded.

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nick-33 wrote:
Thursday evening

looking to get into VU, where should i start? listened to a few albums that havent really caught my attention but then again it takes me forever to start to like an album

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MrLJM wrote:
Thursday evening

Doug Yule sung lead vocals on Loaded?! I always thought that Lou was singing on all of them. I have to say, I couldn't tell the difference between the two. I know it's Lou Reed on "Sweet Jane" and "Rock & Roll" and Yule does sound...similar. There are moments when he sounds exactly like Reed.

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schoenburger wrote:
Thursday afternoon

I never 'got' Oh! Sweet Nuthin. Loaded just doesn't do anything for me, but I can understand where you're coming from. Lou as a songwriter was constantly developing in the late-1960s/early 1970s, and I find his work during that period qute hit-and-miss for that reason (needless to say, Loaded and TVU both go into the misses category fo me). I don't think he reached his full potential as a songwriter until Berlin.

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lewisbaines wrote:
Thursday afternoon

Yule was good, just listen to Oh! Sweet Nuthin' John Cale leaving was probably the best way it could have went, otherwise Lou's songwriting might not have fully flourished under Cale, the first and second albums were great but where could The Velvet Underground with Cale really have gone after White Light/White Heat? Instead we have four brilliant, incredibly diverse albums and Lou Reed's solo career.

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schoenburger wrote:
Thursday afternoon

The Velvet Underground reunion in the 1990s was terrible crap. Needless to say, it'd be even worse without Sterling Morrison, but this is not a reunion. Thankfully. It's hopefully just Lou Reed and Doug Yule fighting to the death.

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schoenburger wrote:
Thursday afternoon

I would agree that Yule is underappreciated if I liked any of the songs he penned. But I don't, so I don't think he deserves much appreciation. Although having said that, I haven't heard Squeeze. I want it to be my favourite Velvet Underground album, so I might delude myself into liking it.

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TheSurftones wrote:
Thursday afternoon

Actually it's that Lou reed quote that makes me appreciate Yule. He was also kept out of the hall of fame which the other members were put in. He just seems underappreciated, and I think it was because of the album squeeze (which was apparently made at the whim of a manager).

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riigo wrote:
Thursday morning

ain't no reunion, without morrison

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Bambi2803 wrote:
Thursday morning

reunion?????

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schoenburger wrote:
Wednesday evening

I've read about it, but I still haven't gotten around to listening to that album. gah. If he still feels that way about Yule, this could be a very interesting event.

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rottmadgers wrote:
Wednesday afternoon

Have you heard that interview with Reed from "American Poet" where the DJ asks him where Yule is and Reed replies, "Dead, I hope..."? Great stuff.

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schoenburger wrote:
Wednesday afternoon

The change in direction isn't something I have a problem with--I like quite a lot of Lou Reed's solo work, which is often just as poppy as Loaded, if not even more so. I just don't think the material from the third and fourth albums is particularly impressive, aside from The Murder Mystery, but it's obviously a matter of personal taste. It doesn't help that I dislike Doug Yule's voice, I guess.

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rottmadgers wrote:
Wednesday morning

The polarization between Cale and Yule is fascinating. Sure the self-titled and "Loaded" are different (i.e., not avant-garde), but they are certainly not without their merits. By the way, to clarify my earlier comment, "WL/WH" is my favorite VU album, but I think the third (first without Cale) is also really good.

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schoenburger wrote:
Tuesday evening

shit band

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