The Velvet Underground

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Biography

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

The Velvet Underground was a pioneering 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 movement.

The Velvet Underground was one of the first music groups to experiment heavily with the form by incorporating influences. The group’s often raw, sometimes difficult sound would influence many later , , and 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.
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  • njitetezero

    slaves of megadeth

    17 May 4:31pm Reply

  • LunaMaiden

    awesome sound

    16 May 4:20pm Reply

  • Lord_Kur

    VU was Lou, Sterling and MO... the rest were bit players and Cale was no big loss

    16 May 7:44am Reply

  • Jonas633

    Heroin <3

    12 May 2:21am Reply

  • Deardeadfriend

    So what, as long as it sounds good...

    11 May 11:47am Reply

  • HeroinVelvet

    Apart from that, hardly anything they did after John Cale left the band was "groundbreaking" at all. [2] Yeah, but Loaded is still a great album, it is just that it sounds "too normal" (compared to their other albums). Like, even Moe Tucker used the same words to talk about Billy Yule's drumming.

    11 May 8:07am Reply

  • thatboijuicyy

    I love you

    9 May 10:27pm Reply

  • Chadipoo

    white HEAT!

    9 May 11:40am Reply

  • hulkson

    Solo vengo a decir que los amo. Como generalmente hago cada 3-4 meses.

    9 May 8:15am Reply

  • BANDITOATTACK

    andy warhol was the banana of velvet underground

    2 May 1:32pm Reply

  • rewinddude

    They were still great without Cale too.

    2 May 10:16am Reply

  • Peeeons

    Groves, doesn't change the face on how kick ass they are

    2 May 4:01am Reply

  • Groves89

    Their influence is not a "sham". It's just overstated in the rock narrative touted by shit rags like the Rolling Stone or NME. Apart from that, hardly anything they did after John Cale left the band was "groundbreaking" at all.

    30 Apr 2:11am Reply

  • alicewondered

    white light/white heat ++

    29 Apr 12:33pm Reply

  • summeryhaze

    ~ oh and i do believe you're all what you perceive ~ pa pa pa

    29 Apr 7:37am Reply

  • Ponchera-

    And Lou was the damaged pineal gland of VU

    26 Apr 4:35pm Reply

  • Estranged_Ann

    Edie Sedgwick was the brain of VU

    26 Apr 3:44pm Reply

  • Ponchera-

    Andy Warhol was the soul of VU

    26 Apr 3:41pm Reply

  • Estranged_Ann

    So what, sugar?

    26 Apr 3:22pm Reply

  • Ponchera-

    You funny but too angry. [2]

    26 Apr 2:34pm Reply
    • All 4941 shouts

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