Velvet Underground, The

Brian Eno said it best: "The first Velvet Underground album only sold 10,000 copies, but everyone who bought it formed a band." Founded in New York City in 1965, the Velvet Underground were largely unsuccessful in their initial incarnation, as they were completely out of step with the "peace and love" generation. Led by sardonic, cerebral frontman and chief songwriter Lou Reed, their songs chronicled a raft of taboo topics and conflicted characters. They played an aural equivalent of film noir, detailing the gritty and often harrowing aspects of city life. They embraced confrontation, as evidenced in an amusing antidote from an early performance at Café Bizarre in NYC's Greenwich Village. Told they would be fired if they played the room-clearing "The Black Angel's Death Song" again, the decided to open their next set with it. They were fired immediately, but not before making an impression on artist provocateur Andy Warhol, who was in the audience.

Recognizing them as kindred spirits, Warhol began acting as the band's manager, including them in events at his studio enclave, The Factory. He also paired them with German-born actress and singer Nico, with whom they recorded their self-titled debut album. However, they soon broke away from both Warhol and Nico to pursue their stark, singular vision on their own. They released three albums through MGM Records and were working on a fourth when they were suddenly dropped from the label during a regime change. The group recorded one album for Atlantic subsidiary Cotillion before Lou Reed left to pursue a solo career and, after briefly carrying on without him, they ground to a halt.

Time eventually caught up with the band, as their musical disciples spread and prospered. They were belatedly hailed as one of the most influential groups in rock history, progenitors of punk, new wave, industrial and more. Sundazed offers painstakingly remastered reissues of the band's prime studio work as well as incendiary live performances captured by prominent musician and major Velvets fan Robert Quine. Lou Reed once sang that his "life was saved by rock 'n' roll." After one listen to these timeless recordings, you'll understand completely.