great post bendy - I think one's own VU sequence narrative is maybe super important to how one ranks the albums. I became a big fan of Lou Reed in a vacuum, I had no outside information on him other than the records I could find (I was 13) which were Transformer & Coney Island Baby & Rock and Roll Animal. Thought he was the greatest thing ever. Heard about the Velvet Underground and for what seemed like an eternity (was probably 1-2 months, lol teenagers) I was looking for somebody who owned the records so I could hear them. Finally got to a friend's house and heard the first one, liked it, but it was when a friend brought White Light back from France that I really felt floored. Third album took another year to hear (after the same friend went back to France with his family, he brought me a copy). At this point I was pretty excited to hear Loaded, I knew its hits and assumed that the album versions would be great. Instead they sounded - breezy, airy. That was not what I wanted from "Sweet Jane" - I liked the Rock and Roll Animal version. I know that's not everybody's style of "Sweet Jane" but I liked & like crunchy riffy 70s shit like Steve Hunter. I bought Steve Hunter solo albums. And I still prefer Lou & Some Guys Who Can Really Play to Lou And His Artist Friends Who're Also Musicians, that's just me.
― tempestuous alaskan nites! (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:22 (twelve years ago) link
I dont think you can really not like a band if you're like "Oh, track 8 on the 3rd album is crap". Sort of implies that you've listened to at least that album a bunch.
― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:24 (twelve years ago) link
in the mid-late 60s, eclecticism became the theme, plus I once saw a Cale quote indicating he and maybe they felt competitive w the Beatles--Lou dubbed acid rock rivals "California Trash," though I've heard Grateful Dead's '66 live versions of "Cream Puff War" which I'd swear were VU, good VU
― dow, Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:28 (twelve years ago) link
Eclecticism became a big deal w a lot of bands, I meant--could amount to resume rock, or something much more.
― dow, Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:30 (twelve years ago) link
yeah but eclecticism for a bands in the 60s meant "we have a folk number *and" a hard rock number!", not "here's a beautifully crafted pop ballad oh and by the way here's 8 minutes of what sounds like a subway car hitting a bag full of cats"
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:35 (twelve years ago) link
I dunno, in addition to the Velvets, I can think of at least three other 60s bands who did exactly that (the latter).
― Dancing with Mr. T (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:36 (twelve years ago) link
Make us a list please?
― dow, Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:37 (twelve years ago) link
Who, Small Faces, Grateful Dead, Beatles, Jimi Hendrix
― Dancing with Mr. T (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:39 (twelve years ago) link
the Dead are kinda the classic example I think - Live/Dead & Aoxomoxoa & Anthem of the Sun are all several kinds of intense in the same "we do art and we play rock" ways
― tempestuous alaskan nites! (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:40 (twelve years ago) link
it's causing my internal teenage self to shake his damn head when I admit that I'd probably take the Dead over the Velvets at this point in my life
― tempestuous alaskan nites! (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:41 (twelve years ago) link
there's just no way to respond to something like that
― iatee, Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:41 (twelve years ago) link
yeah I mean I love the Dead and all but
― dies irate (loves laboured breathing), Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:43 (twelve years ago) link
Loaded is a roots move not unlike Workingman's Dead or American Beauty.
― Mike Love Costume Jewelry on Etsy (C. Grisso/McCain), Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:43 (twelve years ago) link
But you can have both. "Over the bridge we go...It's a New Age!"
― dow, Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:43 (twelve years ago) link
well this is from a guy who thought it was a good idea to record "I don't want to miss a thing" so
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:44 (twelve years ago) link
really interesting take!
― tempestuous alaskan nites! (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:44 (twelve years ago) link
I mean we're not talking about creedence clearwater revival here.
good thing we aren't, aero hates them
xp
― You big bully, why are you hitting that little bully? (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:46 (twelve years ago) link
what???
aero that hurts my feelings
― the penultimate prophets (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:47 (twelve years ago) link
haha sorry man it's the truth
― tempestuous alaskan nites! (underrated aerosmith bootlegs I have owned), Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:48 (twelve years ago) link
I mean I don't HATE em hate em like the Cranberries or whatever but they're v. boring to me
i listened to white light/white heat THIS MORNING
sup
― Lamp, Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:49 (twelve years ago) link
lol @ u
loaded and the 1st album are my faves. don't really listen to the other 2 anymore. or haven't in a long time. years.
― scott seward, Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:51 (twelve years ago) link
The Godz, Cromagnon
― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:52 (twelve years ago) link
Some of the bonus jams on the CCR reissues of a few years ago actually have VU appeal, like remastered VU Live In '69 appeal--Fogarty could get into some one-chord/no-chord gnarl.
― dow, Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:52 (twelve years ago) link
Fogerty, even.
― dow, Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:53 (twelve years ago) link
"Ramble Tamble" is their "What Goes On."
― Dancing with Mr. T (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:53 (twelve years ago) link
creedence rules. so goth. fuck a nick cave.
― scott seward, Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:53 (twelve years ago) link
If it has VU appeal, it would be Fogarty
― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:53 (twelve years ago) link
Loaded vs. American Beauty
― tylerw, Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:55 (twelve years ago) link
Fogpoparty!
― dow, Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:56 (twelve years ago) link
revoke aero's citizenship asap imo
― shur fine (am0n), Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:56 (twelve years ago) link
I can't understand not liking CCR it's like u hate america
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:57 (twelve years ago) link
lol am0n
I could imagine "Who Loves The Sun," "Lonesome Cowboy Bill," and maybe "Train Comin' Round The Bend" on American Beauty.
― dow, Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:58 (twelve years ago) link
I mean jesus man
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2K80kVwEOw
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Thursday, 29 March 2012 18:59 (twelve years ago) link
The Dead should invite Doug Yule to tour--lives in the Northwest, plays, records and maybe builds folkie instruments, according to "Fricke's Picks."
― dow, Thursday, 29 March 2012 19:00 (twelve years ago) link
anyway I dunno bands like the who and the beatles messed around with noise but VU just got into it up to their elbows, it's the difference between "I dropped acid once in college, it was weird" and "I am an orange don't juice me lucifer"
like maybe if the who had an entire album side that sounded like the last 20 seconds of their smothers brothers appearance
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Thursday, 29 March 2012 19:01 (twelve years ago) link
idk I love certain CCR songs and all, but I put on Cosmos Factory and any song that wasnt Ramble Tamble and Up Around the Bend kinda made my eyes glaze over.
That being said, Ramble Tamble & Up Around the Bend justifies the existence of any band (along with Green River, Fortunate Son, and Bad Moon Rising)
xposts to whomever
― dies irate (loves laboured breathing), Thursday, 29 March 2012 19:02 (twelve years ago) link
I only brought up aero's CCR hate so that everyone else would feel more comfortable dismissing his weird-o opinions
― You big bully, why are you hitting that little bully? (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 29 March 2012 19:04 (twelve years ago) link
total Velvets jam:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_y-CHghv3w
― You big bully, why are you hitting that little bully? (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 29 March 2012 19:05 (twelve years ago) link
loaded is totally the best CCR album
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Thursday, 29 March 2012 19:06 (twelve years ago) link
Check those CCR reissues, from mid-/late-00s. As for the Who making musical noise, Ever heard "The Ox", on The Who Sings My Generation? (American title, sorry). That was, what, '65, '66? Also, some of the live stuff in The Kids Are Alright doc.
― dow, Thursday, 29 March 2012 19:07 (twelve years ago) link
xp lolol
― dies irate (loves laboured breathing), Thursday, 29 March 2012 19:07 (twelve years ago) link
Michael Yonkers might have the VU beat in that noise dept.
― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Thursday, 29 March 2012 19:08 (twelve years ago) link
i went through this period of time where i didn't like the album "velvet underground" but now i'm digging it all over again
the mellowness rules
― Emperor Cos Dashit (Adam Bruneau), Thursday, March 29, 2012 2:08 PM (7 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
this album is so tite y'all
http://learningcurverecords.myshopify.com/products/cold-town-soft-zodic-lp-cd
― the penultimate prophets (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Thursday, 29 March 2012 19:09 (twelve years ago) link
this rare white light/white heat outtake smokes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WApBW55-4l0
― diamanda ram dass (Edward III), Thursday, 29 March 2012 19:10 (twelve years ago) link
I was thinking of dragging Loaded out of the dust, but this thread has got me hankering for CCR instead
― Sanford, Thursday, 29 March 2012 19:55 (twelve years ago) link
Were the records that hard to find in the U.S. until their CD releases in the eighties?
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 29 March 2012 19:57 (twelve years ago) link
cassettes were widely available by 1986. have no idea about earlier.
― You big bully, why are you hitting that little bully? (Shakey Mo Collier), Thursday, 29 March 2012 19:58 (twelve years ago) link