The Velvet Underground

[nghst]

I came across this article ranking all Velvet Underground and Lou Reed albums. I only have listened to the first four VU albums as well as Lou Reed's Transformer. I would rank them this way: tied for first VU and Nico, and the third self titled album 3. White Light/White Heat 4th Transformer then 5th Loaded. I can't judge his later albums, but the article critiques some of them as among the worst ever recorded. I have a hard time believing that, but I be curious to see what others think about his solo work.

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/lou-ree ... ms-ranked/

[catweazel]

Aside from possibly having one of the worst LP covers in history, the live double album 'Take No Prisoners' is (in my view) Lou Reed's best recording from the 1970s. It's Lou completely at ease in what sounds like a tiny venue somewhere in NY, and he's clearly playing to a home crowd. There's more real raw emotion and soul in that album than anything he ever did before or after - by a wide, wide margin.

The first side of Transformer is great, the second side, less so. But I find most of his output post-Velvets sporadic at best. There are some great tunes on each album (in the 70s) but the albums don't really hold up on their own.

His 1980s output is best forgotten - barring his best return-to-form with New York - that album is classic Lou Reed all round and there's not one tune I don't like. Songs For Drella is great - takes a few listens to get through, but it's a good one once you do. Ditto the Bataclan live set from the 70s, that is essential listening in my opinion. Again, not a duff track on it. But barring New York, they're all collaborations and not strictly solo albums.

But solo Lou Reed in general? Really hit and miss. His creative juices were at full flow in the Velvets (I'd even put the shelved album up there with the official ones - and I'd argue that it's better or as good as them) But Lou Reed's creative spark just wasn't there after the VU - He captured moments here and there (Walk on the Wild Side, Coney Island Baby, to name two) but not like when he was in the VU - that was one great tune after another for a good few years. Even the weaker tunes were mind blowing. But, to be fair, he did start consuming far more drugs in the 1970s so maybe that also played its part in how things panned out. In fact, I'm sure it did... to say that the train had come off the rails by that point would be a serious understatement

[angel-sighs]

I lean towards the early Velvet Underground myself. There's something about John Cale's avant garde influence and drones rubbing up against Lou's traditional songwriting. That first album is an utter classic, and also has a good amount of variety on there as it really sets out the different types of music they will dig into during their career. Nico isn't the greatest singer but her voice also gives variety.
WLWH may be my favourite though. still sounds unhinged and noisy today

I am probably in the minority here but don't find the self titled all that great. Some excellent songs on it, and definitely very influential in it's own way. But there's some songs I don't care for, and it's never the Velvets album I reach for first

Loaded is basically a Lou Reed solo album, but it's his best solo album. only a couple of naff songs and full of classics.

[runcible]

As I get older the harsher more challenging songs on earlier Velvets are a tougher listen. Stuff like I Heard Her Call My Name, a lot of Sister Ray and even European Son are all a little too grating these days. Classics for sure but less appeal for me now. I find the 2 albums I head for are Loaded which I love all the way through, and the Live 69 double, plus an occasional appearance by the 3rd album and also the VU collection. For Lou's stuff I love what I think of as a double live in Lou Reed Live and Rock 'n Roll Animal, plus a chunk of Transformer. The performances for those 2 live albums must have been pretty amazing. I saw him just once, on the New York tour, which was enjoyable but a tad hit and miss.

[Aquarian-Time]

Completely agree, as i have got older I have leant far more towards melody and light rather than just noice and experimentation.
Loaded is bona fide classic as is the unrealesed album that was to follow. absolute masterpieces the both of them

[BzaInSpace]

I fucking love the VU. The older I get the more I appreciate how forward thinking they were. Focus, determination and hedonism. Amazing…

Recently I picked up this thing which at first I suspected was a bootleg (it’s not, and it’s beautiful):

https://www.discogs.com/release/1114425 ... -Collected

Banana coloured vinyl and numbered. MOV stuff always sounds great. Apart from missing anything from Loaded, and including ‘The Murder Mystery’ instead of ‘I Can’t Stand It’ or ‘Foggy Notion’ or ‘Ocean’ or that John Cale take of ‘Beginning to see the light’ or….

it’s almost a perfect sampler of them - for me. Oh yeah, and the Matrix 69 shows, I get lost in those.

Anyway, they remain by some margin one of most trusted go to stuff. Lou? His solo stuff is often underrated. I had no idea shortly before he died he created his own record label (Sister Ray Records) and one of the last releases was his own master
Blu-Ray of Metal Machine Music. Perfect. The sleeve notes are something else, and I meditate on that shit.

[angel-sighs]

what do people think of the reunion concert? when I first watched it I actually enjoyed it a fair bit, I think I was just glad it wasn't a trainwreck or something. but since then I find it very bland and not enough of the noise and tension that I enjoy in their sound (as I mentioned above). it seemed more like a backing band for Lou or something- always a danger when bands reform

[BzaInSpace]

To be honest I’ve never watched it or listened to the live album… the photos of Lou with that dreadful headless guitar put me off forever!

[Rokkenwithdokken]

Oh man that headless guitar! Fucking gross!

I saw Lou live twice. The first time was in 2000 at a festival. He played the same time as the Cure and I rushed over to catch his set on the 2nd stage because the Cure weren’t great. Lou’s band were really tight and he played some new songs from Ecstasy as well as I’m waiting for the man, sweet Jane, dirty Blvd, vicious and perfect day plus a few other ones from his 80s/90s solo records. It was such a great up beat set. I remember he wore leather pants and played a Tele (with a headstock that his guitar tech gave him a fresh cigarette after every song to put into it). I’m so happy I left the cure to see him.

I then saw him again in 2003 and it was fucking painful. It was at the state theatre and a beautiful venue but he didn’t have a drummer but had a cello player, a tai chi master and Antony with him to sing on some songs. That one was a drag. I was a piss poor student and the ticket was a lot of money but I decided to go last minute. That was regrettable!

Album wise, I’m pretty sweet on White Light/White Heat and I love Sister Ray. Loaded is good and the debut has its great moments. I generally find his solo albums pretty mediocre, often there’s some good songs here and there but the albums overall are not great. Transformer is good and I really enjoy the Rock n Roll animal and Lou Live records from the early 1970s - they’re probably my favourites actually. I think the guitarists on them were from Alice Cooper’s band. There’s some great guitar work on those live ones.

[angel-sighs]

yup that headless guitar is super naff. your instinct is right if that's put you off.

I mean, I am not adverse to a middle aged dadcore look when bands reform either but it just didn't seem like the same band.

[BzaInSpace]

I will get around to listening watching one day. I was interested that there was a new song played - ‘Coyote’?

What’s everyone’s thoughts on LULU? There’s some amazing moments on there. It totally shouldn’t work: the Metallica fans hated it, hell the Lou Reed fans hated it.

But it’s awesome. Monolithic, misanthropic and
Dark, yet ‘Junior Dad’ is one of Lou’s best

[toomilk]

Magic and Loss is incredibly powerful. Definitely worth a listen. It's probably my favorite Lou Reed record.