Velvet Underground 1969 - Live - your thoughts?

[Taverner]

Man, this is THE ULTIMATE classic rock album from the 70's! Deservers to be in the pantheon as much as Pink Floyd the Wall and Led Zeppelin IV.

From what I understand, this album was the only Velvet Underground album you could get during most of the 70s.

As a result, I understand Cowboy Junkies' version of Sweet Jane much more.

And yes, there are some awesome live moments.

I now understand what Phish was trying to do in the 90's, what the Flaming Lips are trying to do today and what every band in the 80's was trying to do, more or less.

This album is a massive amount of context that puts everything in place for this Gen Xer to understand.

[Cant trust em]

1. I don't really know that one.

I've never heard a live VU album, but I have all of their studio stuff. I'd give it a shot.

[Taverner]

2. I only recently heard of it - but when it came out it was the only VU record you could get

All others had been discontinued, so you had to go to a Used Record Store (plentiful in the 70's and 80's) to get their other stuff

[Cant trust em]

3. Is that pretty much the same as the Kinks?

I have a lot of trouble finding their stuff.

[mitchum]

4. It is a great record...

I had found Live at Max's a month before, but Velvet Underground 1969 was a much better quality recording. It doesn't let up.
However, at the time, I thought it was so weird to hear Lou Reed talk about...football (this was a couple of years before Coney Island Baby)

[gmoney]

5. What was the saying about the first album?

Went something like "Only about 1000 people bought the first Velvet Underground album, but every one of them went on to start a band."

[struggle4progress]

6. Hey! I remember them. I don't remember anything about them but I remember them.

It's like a lot of others things from back then that I remember without being able to remember what exactly I should remember

All I can really remember is Nico singing "Janitor of Lunacy" on one of their albums

[Taverner]

19. That means you must have enjoyed it

:thumbsup:

[rbnyc]

7. I'm so with you.

This album was one of my biggest influences when I was younger. It was transformative.

[UTUSN]

8. YOU were BORN at that time?!1 n/t

[Taverner]

17. Born in 1970

And definitely more of a product of my first 10 than any 10 since

[elshiva]

9. One of the greatest live albums ever.

I still have the cassette and I have to listen to this, again. Emotional honesty and intimacy. :)

[Gabi Hayes]

10. I like this a lot better. check the comments, many of which are quite

insightful

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FdWPeHFAMk

[elshiva]

11. I have that album, too. But I'VE NEVER LISTENED TO IT YET!

Now I have to give that a listen, thank you! :hi: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

[Gabi Hayes]

12. you are very lucky! I don't have it, but have heard a few of the cuts--some are

on youtube

you should read the backstory on that performance. wait'll you see who one of the guitar players (of whom Reed was apparently intensely jealous for upstaging him, basically) was with before this album

[elshiva]

13. Is this album hard to find? I didn't think it was. I have it on vinyl.

It isn't on CD or something? Hmmm?
I don't know about the guitar player, I'll have to dig it out. Very disorganized here, but I know the general area it's in... ;)

[Gabi Hayes]

14. by very lucky, I didn't mean as in 'hard to find,' or anything, if that's what you thought I meant.

lucky, as in, I'm jealous I don't have it

that version of Sweet Jane, especially maxvolcranked (to eleven), is one of the all time all time multi-guitar wonders

I think I'll get it from my library and Ipod it.

[elshiva]

15. I found it! STEVE HUNTER!

:)

Haven't listen to it yet, but I will before I go to sleep tonight. :)

[Gabi Hayes]

16. don't forget dick:

http://www.philbrodieband.com/muso_dick_wagner.htm

[mitchum]

18. Hunter also played with Reed during his 2008 performances of Berlin ...

check out Julian Scnabel's film of the NY performance (there are also clips on youtube)

[MiddleFingerMom]

20. Dick Wagner was the frontman for Frost Music... the first album I ever bought.

.
That "Rock & Roll Animal" dual guitar intro to "Sweet Jane" is, IMO, one of
the finest solo works anywhere, anytime.
.
Lou Reed had pretty much turned his back on playing guitar at that point, and
one of the websites where I was reading about that album said that his manager
used Lou's ego to get him to start playing again... by referring to that dual
guitar work and saying, "YOU are better than that."
.

[MiddleFingerMom]

21. Frost Music -- "Mystery Man" 1969

.
These guys were more eclectic and inventive than I remembered.
.
I think at the end of this song, John Philip Sousa might have been proud.
.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBHmGmpXfog&feature=related
.