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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.

Velvet Underground, The

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Nico - The Drama Of Exile - Lavender Vinyl LP
Availability: In Stock
Item #: LP-MH-8230C -

    Nico’s iconic post-Velvets return to rock! As one critic memorably put it, when Nico spoke it was like coffin-lids creaking. When she sang it was like listening to ravens taking off 13 at a time. Nico was like nothing rock music had ever seen or heard before or since. In Paris in the seven year gap between the recording of The End and the release of Drama Of Exile, Nico appeared to be doing little more than feeding a heavy heroin habit. When she met Aura Records founder Aaron Sixx after a gig...

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    Nico - The Drama Of Exile - Black Vinyl LP
    Availability: Out of Stock
    Item #: LP-MH-8230 -

      Nico’s iconic post-Velvets return to rock! As one critic memorably put it, when Nico spoke it was like coffin-lids creaking. When she sang it was like listening to ravens taking off 13 at a time. Nico was like nothing rock music had ever seen or heard before or since. In Paris in the seven year gap between the recording of The End and the release of Drama Of Exile, Nico appeared to be doing little more than feeding a heavy heroin habit. When she met Aura Records founder Aaron Sixx after a gig...

      Tucker, Moe - Im Sticking With You - LP
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      Tucker, Moe - I'm Sticking With You - LP
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      Item #: LP-MH-8073 -
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      Diminutive perpetual heartbeat of the Velvets! The unmistakable beat of the Velvet Underground was malleted out on the unconventional kit of Moe Tucker. Her (at times) childlike, fallen angelic voice also shines on some VU fan favorites. Here Moe reinterprets some Velvet gems, sometimes playing all instruments, other times accompanied by the likes of Jonathan Richman, Jad Fair, Kim Gordon and more. In addition to VU faves, we’re treated to rough and jubilant covers of her favorite early rock &...

      Velvet Underground, The - Velvet Underground - CD
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      Velvet Underground, The - Velvet Underground - CD
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      Item #: CD-SUND-6322 -

        The original overview/collection from the legendary band. On Sundazed compact disc and 180gm vinyl, from the original masters. Originally released as part of MGM's "Golden Archive Series," this 1970 album (simply referred to as Velvet Underground) is a terrific sin-and-salvation selection from the first three VU albums ? just the kind of thing to take along to a desert island or to the end of the world. It's essentially their earliest greatest hits collection, and the perfect encapsulation of...

        Velvet Underground, The - Singles 1966-69 7 x 7" Box Set
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        Velvet Underground, The - Singles 1966-69 7 x 7" Box Set
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        Item #: SI-SUND-7002 -

          Box set contains seven (7) 45 rpm 7" vinyl singles, with exact repros of rare VU picture sleeves and labels, liner notes, rare photos, and more. Sundazed is proud to release The Velvet Underground Singles 1966-69, a 7 x 7" single box set honoring the legendary New York combo's 7" vinyl output in their rare mono versions. The set features exact reproductions of Velvet Underground singles, two of them with their original picture sleeves. The singles are packaged in a distinctively designed box,...