VU (album)

Last updated
VU
TheVelvetUndergroundVU.png
Compilation album by
ReleasedFebruary 1985 (1985-02)
Recorded1968–69, New York City
Genre
Length35:16
Label Verve
Producer The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground chronology
1969: The Velvet Underground Live
(1974)
VU
(1985)
Another View
(1986)
Singles from VU
  1. "Foggy Notion / I Can't Stand It"
    Released: 1984

VU is a 1985 album by the American musical group the Velvet Underground, a compilation album of outtakes recorded 1968-69. It was released in February 1985 by Verve Records.

Contents

Composition and collection

When the Velvet Underground moved from Verve Records (which had released their first two albums) to parent company MGM Records, they signed a two-album deal, releasing their third album The Velvet Underground in March 1969. Later that same year there was a management change and MGM Records' new CEO, Mike Curb, was brought in to try to rescue the financially struggling label. He decided to purge the record company of its unprofitable acts. The Velvet Underground quickly became one of the groups targeted and were released from their contract. The band had in the meantime recorded 14 tracks for possible release as their second MGM album. All of these were shelved and forgotten by their record company until the early 1980s.

Mo Tucker later said, "We didn’t say we'll just go in and lay down anything and screw 'em. There was a sense that it probably wouldn't be released by them. I think I figured it would just get picked up by the next record company, not realizing that MGM would own it. But when we switched labels, MGM wouldn't give up the tapes." [1]

As Verve (by then an imprint of Polygram) prepared to re-release the band's three Verve/MGM albums on vinyl and CD, they found nineteen previously unreleased tracks: five Cale-era tracks and the 14 "lost album" tracks, some of them in two-track mixdown format, some of them even on multitracks. The cream of the nineteen tracks was released in 1985 as VU; the rest was released as Another View in 1986.

VU is a selection from the 1969 tracks as well as two previously unreleased Cale-era songs—"Temptation Inside Your Heart" and "Stephanie Says". Since most of the material was available on multitrack (only "Ocean" is included in its original 1969 mix), engineers were able to clean up and remix the tracks.

As the Velvet Underground moved from MGM to Atlantic, they re-recorded two of the songs on VU, "Ocean" and "I'm Sticking with You", for possible inclusion on Loaded . Neither made the cut, but six of the VU songs were recycled by Lou Reed during his solo career: "I Can't Stand It", "Lisa Says" and "Ocean" on Lou Reed , 1972; "Andy's Chest" on Transformer , 1972; "Stephanie Says" (as "Caroline Says II") on Berlin , 1973; and "She's My Best Friend" (which was originally sung by Doug Yule), [2] was included on Coney Island Baby , 1976.

VU peaked in the US at #85, the band's best placing. [3] As of October 2013 it had sold 90,000 copies according to Nielsen Soundscan. [4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [5]
Christgau's Record Guide A [6]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [7]
Rolling Stone Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [8]

VU was ranked number 3 among the "Albums of the Year" for 1985 by NME . [9] Village Voice rock critic Robert Christgau wrote, "It's goofy, relaxed, simultaneously conversational and obscure, an effect accentuated by the unfinished feel of takes the band never prepared for public consumption. As a result, especially given PolyGram's state-of-the-art remix, it's their most listenable record." [6]

Mick Farren of Spin wrote of the recordings, "As a piece of rock archeology, they are clearly invaluable, filling a crucial gap in the Velvet Underground canon. As a piece of entertainment — even a period piece — they provoke the feeling that, if it had been released in sequence, the album probably would have been greeted as an almost unqualified dog." [1]

Track listing

All songs written by Lou Reed, except "Foggy Notion" by Reed, Sterling Morrison, Doug Yule, Maureen Tucker and Hy Weiss.

Side one
No.TitleRecording dateLength
1."I Can't Stand It"May 20, 19693:21
2."Stephanie Says"February 13, 19682:49
3."She's My Best Friend"May 14, 19692:47
4."Lisa Says"October 1, 19692:53
5."Ocean"June 19, 19695:10
Total length:17:00
Side two
No.TitleRecording dateLength
1."Foggy Notion"May 6, 19696:41
2."Temptation Inside Your Heart"February 14, 19682:30
3."One of These Days"September 23, 19693:50
4."Andy's Chest"May 13, 19692:49
5."I'm Sticking with You"May 13, 19692:26
Total length:18:16

*The CD issue of VU omits the first few seconds of "Foggy Notion", which includes a practice guitar lick and the band members talking.

Personnel

The Velvet Underground
Technical staff

Charts

VU is The Velvet Underground's highest charting album in the US, peaking at number 85 in the US Billboard charts on April 13, 1985. It remained in the Charts for 13 weeks. [3]

Related Research Articles

<i>The Velvet Underground & Nico</i> 1967 studio album by the Velvet Underground and Nico

The Velvet Underground & Nico is the debut studio album by the American rock band the Velvet Underground and the German singer Nico, released in March 1967 through Verve Records. It was recorded in 1966 while the band were featured on Andy Warhol's Exploding Plastic Inevitable tour. The album features experimental performance sensibilities and explicit lyrical topics, including drug abuse, prostitution, sadomasochism and sexual deviancy.

<i>The Velvet Underground</i> (album) 1969 studio album by the Velvet Underground

The Velvet Underground is the third studio album by the American rock band the Velvet Underground. Released in March 1969 by MGM Records, it was their first record with multi-instrumentalist Doug Yule, who replaced previous member John Cale. Recorded in 1968 at TTG Studios in Los Angeles, California, the album's sound—consisting largely of ballads and straightforward rock songs—marked a notable shift in style from the band's previous recordings. Lead vocalist Lou Reed intentionally did this as a result of their abrasive previous studio album White Light/White Heat (1968). Reed wanted other band members to sing on the album; Yule contributed lead vocals to the opening track and the closing track "After Hours" is sung by drummer Maureen Tucker.

<i>White Light/White Heat</i> 1968 studio album by the Velvet Underground

White Light/White Heat is the second studio album by the American rock band the Velvet Underground. Released on January 30, 1968 by Verve Records, it was the band's last studio album with multi-instrumentalist and founding member John Cale. Recorded after band leader Lou Reed fired Andy Warhol, who had produced their debut album The Velvet Underground & Nico, they hired Steve Sesnick as a manager and hired producer Tom Wilson, who had worked on the band's debut. White Light/White Heat was engineered by Gary Kellgren.

<i>Loaded</i> (The Velvet Underground album) 1970 studio album by the Velvet Underground

Loaded is the fourth studio album by the American rock band the Velvet Underground, released in November 1970 by Atlantic Records subsidiary Cotillion. It was the final album recorded featuring the band’s remaining original members, including the lead singer and primary songwriter Lou Reed, who left the band shortly before the album's release, and the guitarist Sterling Morrison, who left the band in 1971 along with the drummer Maureen Tucker. For this reason, it is often considered by fans to be the last "true" Velvet Underground album. The multi-instrumentalist Doug Yule remained and released the album Squeeze in 1973 before the band's dissolution the same year.

<i>Peel Slowly and See</i> 1995 box set by the Velvet Underground

Peel Slowly and See is a five-disc box set of material by the Velvet Underground. It was released in September 1995 by Polydor.

<i>Bootleg Series Volume 1: The Quine Tapes</i> 2001 live album by The Velvet Underground

Bootleg Series Volume 1: The Quine Tapes is a triple live album by The Velvet Underground. It was released on October 16, 2001, by Polydor, the record label overseeing the band's UMG back catalogue. It was recorded by Robert Quine, a fan of the band who would later become an influential guitarist, playing with Richard Hell, Lou Reed, and Lloyd Cole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moe Tucker</span> American musician and singer (born 1944)

Maureen Ann "Moe" Tucker is an American musician and singer-songwriter who was the drummer for the New York City-based rock band the Velvet Underground. After they disbanded in the early 1970s, she left the music industry for a while, though her music career restarted in the 1980s, and continued into the 1990s. She has released four solo albums, where she played most of the instruments herself, and has periodically toured. She was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 as a member of the Velvet Underground.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sterling Morrison</span> American musician (1942–1995)

Holmes Sterling Morrison Jr. was an American guitarist, best known as one of the founding members of the rock group the Velvet Underground, usually playing electric guitar, occasionally bass guitar, and singing backing vocals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Doug Yule</span> Musical artist

Douglas Alan Yule is an American musician and singer, most notable for being a member of the Velvet Underground from 1968 to 1973, serving as the bassist, guitarist and occasional lead vocalist.

<i>The Very Best of The Velvet Underground</i> 2003 greatest hits album by The Velvet Underground

The Very Best of The Velvet Underground is a compilation album by The Velvet Underground. It was released in Europe on March 31, 2003, by Polydor, the record label that oversees the band's Universal Music Group back catalog.

<i>Squeeze</i> (The Velvet Underground album) 1973 studio album by the Velvet Underground

Squeeze is the fifth and final studio album by the Velvet Underground, recorded in the autumn of 1971 and released in February 1973 by Polydor Records. The album features Doug Yule from the Lou Reed-era lineup of the group, who wrote and recorded the album almost entirely by himself. Yule had joined the Velvet Underground in October 1968, prior to the band recording their self-titled third album, and Yule had also contributed significantly to the fourth album, Loaded. Following the departures of the remaining founding members, Yule was positioned as the de facto leader of the band. Longtime drummer Maureen Tucker was slated to appear on Squeeze by Yule, but she was dismissed by the band's manager, Steve Sesnick.

<i>1969: The Velvet Underground Live</i> 1974 live album by the Velvet Underground

1969: The Velvet Underground Live is a live album by the Velvet Underground. It was originally released as a double album in September 1974 by Mercury Records. The September 1988 CD re-release was issued as two separate single CD volumes, with one extra track per disc. Since many of the band's studio albums were out of print in the United States from the early 1970s through the mid-1980s, 1969 was one of the more popular albums by the band, and is a fan favorite. Spin magazine's Alternative Record Guide included it in the top 100 alternative albums of all time in 1995.

<i>Gold</i> (The Velvet Underground album) 2005 greatest hits album by The Velvet Underground

Gold is a two-CD compilation album by the Velvet Underground. It was released for the North American market on June 14, 2005, by Polydor, the record label that oversees the band's Universal Music Group back catalogue.

<i>Another View</i> 1986 compilation album by the Velvet Underground

Another View is an outtakes compilation album by the Velvet Underground. It was released in 1986 by Verve Records and is composed of material recorded between 1967 and 1969.

<i>Final V.U. 1971–1973</i> 2001 live album box set by the Velvet Underground

Final V.U. 1971–1973 is a box set by the Velvet Underground, comprising live recordings from after founding members Lou Reed and Sterling Morrison had left the group. It was released by Japanese record company Captain Trip Records in August 2001.

<i>The Best of The Velvet Underground: Words and Music of Lou Reed</i> 1989 greatest hits album by The Velvet Underground

The Best of The Velvet Underground: Words and Music of Lou Reed is a compilation album by The Velvet Underground. It was released in October 1989 by Verve Records.

<i>Live at Maxs Kansas City</i> 1972 live album by the Velvet Underground

Live at Max's Kansas City is a live album by the Velvet Underground recorded at the famous nightclub and restaurant at 213 Park Avenue South in New York City. It was originally released on May 30, 1972, by Cotillion, a subsidiary label of Atlantic Records.

<i>20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of The Velvet Underground</i> 2000 greatest hits album by The Velvet Underground

20th Century Masters – The Millennium Collection: The Best of The Velvet Underground is a compilation album by The Velvet Underground. It was initially released for the North American market by Polydor in October 2000 as part of their "20th Century Masters" series of budget compilations celebrating the turn of the century. The album was subsequently released with varying titles and covers in Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Velvet Underground</span> American rock band

The Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City in 1964. It originally comprised singer and guitarist Lou Reed, Welsh multi-instrumentalist John Cale, guitarist Sterling Morrison, and drummer Angus MacLise. In 1965, MacLise was replaced by Moe Tucker, who played on most of the band's recordings. Though their integration of rock and the avant-garde resulted in little commercial success, they became one of the most influential bands in rock, underground, experimental, and alternative music. Their provocative subject matter, musical experiments, and nihilistic attitude was also instrumental in the development of punk rock, new wave and several other genres.

<i>Andy Warhols Velvet Underground Featuring Nico</i> 1971 compilation album by The Velvet Underground

Andy Warhol's Velvet Underground featuring Nico is a compilation album of the Velvet Underground released by MGM Records in 1971 that features selections from the band's first three studio albums. Originally released as a double LP, the cover artwork and inside gatefold sleeve feature imitations of Andy Warhol's paintings of Coca-Cola bottles, but are credited to other artists on the back sleeve of the album. The album was released in the UK to capitalise on the interest from Warhol's Pork.

References

  1. 1 2 Mick Farren (May 1985). "Spins". Spin . No. 1. p. 28.
  2. Heylin, Clinton (1992). The Penguin Book of Rock & Roll Writing. Viking. p. 586. ISBN   9780670845590.
  3. 1 2 "The Velvet Underground". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  4. Gensler, Andy (October 28, 2013). "Lou Reed RIP: What If Everyone Who Bought The First Velvet Underground Album Did Start A Band?". Billboard.
  5. VU at AllMusic
  6. 1 2 Christgau, Robert (1990). "V". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN   0-679-73015-X . Retrieved November 21, 2021 via robertchristgau.com.
  7. Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN   978-0195313734.
  8. Fricke, David (March 14, 1985). "The Velvet Underground: VU". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 28, 2007.
  9. "Albums and Tracks of the Year". NME . 2018. Retrieved August 30, 2018.