Velvet Underground Trainspotting Question

UPDATE: My speaker wire was connected to the right main and right remote outputs. I fixed the problem.

I'd like to thank everyone who was with me from the beginning, without your help this project may have never been completed. I'm confident that with the teamwork displayed in the last couple of days our dream of sending an ex-member of the Velvet Underground to the moon will soon become a reality.

This seems as good a place as any to ask this question ... has anybody bought that new VU seven inch singles thing that Sundazed just put out? I don't really want to buy it, BUT: the mix of "I Heard Her Call My Name" is apparently vastly different. Would like to hear this ... mp3 anywhere?

haha I was wondering which thread to revive to discuss the "Nuns Are On The Seawall" blog...

i.e Velvets bootlegs S/D

the 'Ultimate Mono and Acetates Album' has some of those singles but not all. it does have the mono WL/WH which is really different at least on Lady Godiva's Operation, I guess I should listen to it. that may be the version of "Call My Name" you refer to.

also loving:

the Pre-VU Preview, all the demos of early 60's Reed/Cale pop music
Problems In Urban Living (Cleveland 68)
CDs from a certain minimalist composr who shall remain anonymous

Yeah, I've got that Ultimate Mono Acetates thing -- from what I understand, this mix of "Heard" is unheard until now? Less of Lou's guitar, more of the band. Or something ... But anyway -- yeah! Pre-VU is crazy, really incredible. Drop in some references to methamphetamine and "Do The Ostrich" could be on White Light/White Heat, easy. Crazy that, according to the Unterberger VU Day By Day book, there's a solo version of "Heroin" recorded during the Pickwick era. Probably sounds similar to the versions on the 1st disc of "Peel Slowly" but I'd still love to hear it.

I've got it on order, will let you know...

Cool!
Someone over on the Velvet Forum sez: "the mix of I Heard Her Call My Name is insane. At first I thought that there was a mistake in the pressing as Lou's opening vocals ("here comes count down...' ) are way down in the mix and actually sound muffled. Then they pick up a little with 'Ever since...'. Sterling's guitar is up and so it Cale's bass. For the first 30 seconds or so it sounds like a kind of lo-fi garage sound and then later the sound gets bigger with more of the impact we know. But overall the balance is restored so that you can hear Sterling's lovely rhythm guitar work and Cale's bass, which is really great. Cale's bass sound is amazing on this mix and then also makes you realised how low the bass is in the mix on most of the White Light LP."

Hmm
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0847833550/ref=pe_5050_13305760_snp_dp
$189
Little bit annoying that they're putting out all of this collector-bait stuff these days and not putting out unreleased stuff. Or barely any unreleased stuff.

A while ago, I did my own mix of "Heard Her Call My Name" with less Lou and more of the band just for fun, anyone can do it

ysi?

From that Velvet Forum, here's a list of uncirculated VU stuff that seems to actually exist.

-The demo tape Cale took to England
-Summit High School tape
-Bizarre footage
-Delmonico´s tape
-Boston Tea Party footage(any news on this, by the way?)
-La Cave 68 tape
-Hippodrome 68 tape
-Nelson Video tape 70
-Rhode Island School of Design, Providence, Rhode Island
-May 11, 1965 Pickwick Studios, near Long Island City, New York
-Donald Jackson VU footage
-Danny Williams VU footage
-The Primitives tape
-Ronald Nameth Vu footage
-Matrix Tapes
-Seattle 69 tape

I don't know how to do that! (xp)

-The demo tape Cale took to England

I'd be surprised if this still existed! Very! The Matrix Tapes is what we want!!!!!

xpost

what the hell is that? a 304-page hardback book, yeah, but what about the single with it?

hate it when Amazon has no info about the product.

and hey that Seattle 69 show is on the Nuns Are On The Seawall blog, it's listed as Retinal Circus. first new show (to me) to surface since the Gymnasium.

!!! Had no idea ... Thanks! Is it good?

more from that Velvet Forum:
-the full Gymnasium tape
-the cale/sterling/reed rehearsals from cale loft 1966
-uncut recent Factory 66 tape

here's a list of uncirculated VU stuff that seems to actually exist.

i'm still hoping that footage of them on Upbeat! shows up somewhere. Lots of clips from that show are in circulation, but considering they made a handful of appearances i'm surprised nothing's around. About one of the shows: "The Velvets performed live on the Upbeat TV show in June 1968 (not June 1967). Moreover, contrary to Sterling Morrison's recollection, they performed a blistering, buzzsaw version of Run Run Run. Their rendition of Run Run Run went beyond their alloted time: thus, Upbeat cut away to a commercial while the Velvets were engaged in feedback frenzy with Lou's back to the camera."

that would be awesome. There was some comment (I think from Moe Tucker) that she couldn't believe, with all the cameras the Warhol crew had going all the time, no one just filmed a straight ahead version of one of the EPI shows.

Is it good?

here's wl/wh:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/8j4j7c

it's a soundboard!!! the only one I know of besides those Matrix tapes. as a result the vox are too loud and the guitars a bit subdued, but the overall recording is much clearer. I still think Problems In Urban Living (Cleveland Oct. 68) is my favorite live boot, love the guitar sound on that.

that's a flac btw

Already downloading from The Nuns site ... So weird that this stuff just keeps showing up. One thing I'm super interested in (that hasn't seen the light of day afaik) is a studio version of "Beginning to See the Light" with Cale.

WHAT????!??!

those Velvets Forum trainspotters mean business man.

http://www.paulvates.com/images/gatwickshuttle.jpg

But yeah, the "Beginning" with Cale is mentioned in the Unterberger book - recorded at the "Mr. Rain" session apparently? With "fuzz bass"? There was talk of it appearing on a projected WL/WH "deluxe edition, I think. Which never came out obv.

LOL, yeah, obv.

But ... maybe now that this singles set has come out, there's a chance of more VU material coming out officially? I think I read that Lou wasn't into having any more live stuff come out.

Hmmm, so I'm listening to this "Retinal Circus" VU show -- and I'm pretty sure some of these takes are the same as appear on Live 1969. Haven't a/b'd them or anything. It's an uncut tape of the show, though, which hasn't circulate as far as I know ... I think that those songs were thought to be from the Matrix, wonder what the deal is! MYSTERY. Sounds great, anyway.

yeh, the wh/wh posted above is the same as the version on the live 69 album

er wl/wh

Yeah, same w/ "heroin", "what goes on", "new age" so far. it's funny to hear these songs w/ audience applause -- on 1969 they cut off almost immediately, sort of giving the impression that the VU was playing to barely anyone. But here they've got a totally enthusiastic crowd. And why not, considering the godlike awesomeness of this "What Goes On."

oh he's kind of dismissive of the more avant side of the band — nothing major, but I think that stuff is just not his bag.

Yeah, folk-rock is his special bag---wrote a big book about it, the Leaves et al.
Haven't watched that doc yet, but mostly what I recall is for inst Lou to Moe, "And you have your little gigs." Moe to Lou: "Oh yeah Louie, my little gigs!" And the three of them sitting and playing and singing "Last Night, I Said Goodbye to My Friend." Then at the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, "looking gutted," as Alfred said.

Man, the 35+ minute Sister Ray on the Matrix Tapes is…. just, like, holy smokes

Around ten minutes this smoking guitar blasts in and lumbers around the song like Godzilla stomping around a city, just beautiful.

I assume Lou is lumbering while Sterling is playing the clean licks in the background

speaking of Matrix Tapes I was listening to them the other day & the version of Black Angel's Death Song completely blew me away, imagine being in that audience

apparently a little footage of the VU at the Fillmore in 66 has been uncovered. hasn't been posted yet, but some stills:
https://scontent-den2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t39.30808-6/702201610_1442944274536606_3021590093909650587_n.jpg?_nc_cat=102&ccb=1-7&_nc_sid=127cfc&_nc_ohc=6gIHdlpQG58Q7kNvwFrJLqM&_nc_oc=AdqzfvHXuZcElNWI15e5rNWwYgEdw7E-IE1cnCwsBWStXjazII3A_SQVte9dlBlq1IU&_nc_zt=23&_nc_ht=scontent-den2-1.xx&_nc_gid=YqLGXhL0SY8k0f6zEaHuWg&_nc_ss=7b2a8&oh=00_Af5x3SGQcWiUUrX47b7NGUVnnI9si6fpmcTXvy26NLU3dQ&oe=6A13DAE9

wow

don't get too excited, I think it's like a minute. but still!

How in the world where they making that sound?

Were even

Around ten minutes this smoking guitar blasts in and lumbers around the song like Godzilla stomping around a city, just beautiful.

I don't know, Lou playing three notes for ELEVEN minutes doesn't really do it for me tbh. The bit later on when he starts changing chords at random and everyone follows him is genius though.

Gonna use AI to make a Sister Ray that plays for the rest of my life and ends just as I draw my last breath

"Just like what, dad? Just like what? Dad? Dad!! Oh God, he's gone" *sobs*

apparently a little footage of the VU at the Fillmore in 66 has been uncovered. hasn't been posted yet, but some stills:

except i don't think that's THEE Fillmore?

Could be another one of Bill Graham's clubs like Fillmore West or Winterlong.

lol Winterland

(too much Neil, sorry)

yes Fillmore West ... isn't that THEEE Fillmore? It's the OG!

nope:

THEE Fillmore: 1805 Geary (@ Fillmore), still standing and located next door to the former HQ of the Peoples Temple (Jonestown, et.al. which is now a post office).

Fillmore West: 10 S Van Ness (@ Market), it was a Honda dealership/showroom for most of the 2000s before behing turned into an interactive Van Gogh museum? no idea what it is now.

yeah, but this would be the original fillmore that the VU played in 66 that we're talking about. (not sure what we're talking about anymore)

anyway, new vu footage incoming

and..... back to my previous post: i don't think that's THEE Fillmore in that still photo.

looks like Fillmore West or Winterland?

the footage is from these shows:
https://recordmecca.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/Screen-Shot-2020-12-14-at-10.03.36-AM.png

well damn, there it is. apologies tylerw.

i had no idea they ripped out those walls and installed new windows and mezzanine/balconies and sconces and remodeled the entire side of an old ass building.

(ok, the reason behind that not looking like the venue that i've been seeing shows at for the past 30+ years is because in the 1980s the fillmore became dilapidated and derelict and suffered major damage when Loma Pietra hit in 89. after BG died, his family spent 3-5 years seismic retrofitting and remodeling the venue to what it looks like today.)

Do we know if there is sound?

I want to go back in time and give Jonathan Richman a movie camera

seems like there's a little bit of sound — a snippet of "venus in furs" and maybe something else. Again, though, it's literally a minute and a half ...

"Nico - pop girl of '66"? No, she would have to wait for the release of The Marble Index to claim that title.

It worked out beautifully but Nico getting paired up with the Velvets is pretty damn funny.

Moe: "We have a statue in our band." Label meant for her to be pop girl of '67, sweetened the hell out of most of Chelsea Girl, but the strings grew on me, and of course we've always had thee key stark ones (and strings p. integral to opener).

"The Velvet Underground and Nico and the Mothers"! Think way upthread here, I pasted in Cale's Frank comments from the main Cale thread, and we talked about FZ etc.

strings *and other orchestral things* p. integral to opener/near-title track(was title track for Warhol's movie---how is that movie btw?)

"NO FLUTE" button is a must for Nico

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSPLetqB_q8

(i think the flute is fine, personally)

The Velvet Underground and Nico
Had the best place around
But some stupid with a flare gun...

Chelsea Girls
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkXhqfJrYhg
Seems to start w split screen: Ingrid and the Pope Ondine (obnoxiously hyper twerp)/Nico in the kitchen w 2 busy little guys, one of whom seems to be cool Ari.

No prob focusing more on the Nico crew.

New thread idea, can you show us Nico + weirdos

This may well have already been posted upthread, but what hasn't:
"Miss Joanna Lee" rehearsal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B95uGs1z6x0

xpost I was just finally curious about the movie.

Fillmore West footage

WHY DOES THE AUDIO CUT OUT LIKE THAT

can anybody contextualize this? how much film footage even exists of this iteration of the band? i've seen the WTEN footage but nothing else springs to mind

Just read Bill Graham's wiki, his bio is so crazy. I wonder if he and John Kay ever talked about their childhoods

Extremely cool.

What is this!?

https://imgur.com/a/eLvxqOX

Did ballrooms for ballroom dancing have hymnal-like boards to let you know which steps were coming up next?

Yep

Imagining Nico announcing from the stage, "that was, 'All Tomorrows Parties', our Oxford Minuet Schottische, or rather Walisisch. Next we play 'Run, Run, Run', ein Frug." '

lol

Thanks, Moodles!