...ahhh its love at first sight!
Recently I have discovered how I can define my favorite bands. I mean it can be as simple as the fact that I like them best out of all the music that’s out there, but if you put some time into how it is personally definitive to you, you can have some fun. I’ve realized that my favorite bands are comprised of musicians that have gotten me to look and listen to music in an entirely new way. New ways that I could never have imagined without these minds. And I know we call it a top five, but right now I am stuck with just four. One of which is the Velvet Underground.
I’ve never discovered a band from an era that I thought I knew so well so late in the game. The Velvet Undeground is responsible for a lot of musical genres, movements, experimentation and adventures. People call them the first punk band. Their earlier records feature John Cale’s electric Viola droning in and out in sync with the guitars. They can appeal to everyone if you keep your mind open enough and give them a chance. I knew about them forever because they always ranked in the “…greatest of all time” lists. But I think it came at a later point when I was mentally ready for it. It was then that I realized how Lou Reed’s lyrics are like poetry.
The Velvets are not a mainstream band- and well, they are underground. Which sometimes makes their, I can’t find a better word here, memorabilia very hard to find and usually more expensive than you ever expect it to be. When I just saw this, I was excited at the thought of learning more about a band that only really loving fans seem to know anything about. But when I saw the price at $300, I was disappointed.
Of course coming from the New York Times Magazine, the Style Magazine nonetheless, it chronicles alternate record covers, ticket stubs, lyric notes, film stills and letters. It is a big book I hope to get my hands on soon. I have also recently discovered a love for cultural histories of New York City- and if you didn’t know, the Velvet Underground are a big contributor to that.
–Now, I read the biography of Andy Warhol and a lot of people associate this band with him. And I would like to set readers straight that he did fund and design their first imfamous record cover. He is also why Nico was included in the first place. She was a commodity (one of Warhol’s earliest muses)- she had to sing solo, or along with Reed, and be featured in the record of Warhol was not going to fund anything. This is how she won her American fame. She was already a popular German singer-songwriter.
Even though their music can be depressing, I truly, really love this band because the Velvets are the ultimate poets of the 60s. It is euphoric. Maybe that is due to Lou Reeds addiction to heroin, but I like to look beyond that. I recommend going for The Velvet Underground, the self titled record. Or even Loaded which is a lot of people’s favorites, including mine. Once you understand those, you can get the full effect of The Velvet Underground & Nico. One of the most musically layered and complicated records that exists. I now understand why it always made those “….greatest of all time” lists.
Do something new this break. New to your brain. Try out the velvets. I hope they don’t disappoint you. (Also, let me know how it goes.)
