The Velvet Underground

The Velvet Underground
Background Information
Also known as	The Warlocks, The Falling Spikes
Origin	New York City, New York, United States
Genre(s)	Rock Experimental Proto-Punk Noise Rock Art rock, Experimental rock Avant-garde Drone
Years active	1964–1973, 1990, 1992–1994, 1996
Label(s)	Cotillion Warner Records Atlantic Verve Polydor MGM Pride Mercury Kama Sutra Skydog Raven PolyGram Captain Trip Universal Music Group Sonic Book 50 Skidillion Watts
Associated acts	Nico, Theater of Eternal Music
Former members	Lou Reed John Cale Maureen Tucker Sterling Morrison Nico Doug Yule Willie Alexander

The Velvet Underground was an American rock band, active between 1964 and 1973, formed in New York City by Lou Reed and John Cale.

Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited by many critics as one of the most important and influential groups of all time. In a 1982 interview Brian Eno made the oft-repeated statement that while the first Velvet Underground album may have sold only 30,000 copies in its early years, "everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band."

Andy Warhol managed the Velvet Underground and it was the house band at his studio, the Factory, and his Exploding Plastic Inevitable events. The provocative lyrics of some of the band's songs gave a nihilistic outlook to some of their music.

Their 1967 debut album, The Velvet Underground & Nico (which featured German singer Nico, with whom the band collaborated), was named the 13th Greatest Album of All Time, and the "most prophetic rock album ever made" by Rolling Stone in 2003. In 2004, Rolling Stone ranked the band No. 19 on its list of the "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996, by Patti Smith.

Band Members

• Lou Reed
• John Cale
• Maureen Tucker
• Sterling Morrison
• Nico
• Doug Yule
• Willie Alexander

Includes Members of

• The Primitives
• The Dream Syndicate
• The Roughnecks
• The Jades
• The Lost
• American Flyer

Band History

One of the most important bands to come out of N.Y.C., featuring one of the most important songwriters to come out of the same city, the Velvet Underground are undeniably among the top 5 greatest rock groups in all of history.

Discography

Albums

• The Velvet Underground And Nico
• White Light/White Heat
• The Velvet Underground
• Loaded
• Squeeze
• 1969-Velvet Underground Live-Vol. 1
• 1969-Velvet Underground Live-Vol. 2

Singles

The Velvet Underground & Nico

"All Tomorrow's Parties" / "I'll Be Your Mirror" "Sunday Morning" / "Femme Fatale" "Venus in Furs / All Tomorrow's Parties"

White Light/White Heat "White Light/White Heat" / "Here She Comes Now" The Velvet Underground "What Goes On" / "Jesus" Loaded "Who Loves The Sun / Oh! Sweet Nuthin" "Sweet Jane / Who Loves The Sun" "Head Held High / Train Round The Bend" "Rock and Roll / Sweet Jane"

VU "Foggy Notion / I Can't Stand It"

Compilations

VU

Another View

Peel Slowly And See

Appears On

Compilations

• The Playlist: August 2006

Radio Shows

• Blue Jam Series 1 Episode 5
• Chris Morris Music Show Episode 11
• Chris Morris Music Show Episode 6: The programme that hits the air like a 7-litre Ford Capri driven by a speedfreak mandrill
• Chris Morris Music Show Episode 14: Tonight, with a later slot in the schedule, he can be even more outrageous than usual

Further Reading

(links to websites, label biographies, fansites, books, periodicals or any additional information on the artist)