Best Solo Album by Former Member of the Velvet Underground - Poll

Paris 1919, ahead of Desertshore and Metal Machine Music.

― EZ Snappin, Wednesday, September 18, 2013 2:50 PM (42 minutes ago)

paris 1919 yet there's still marble index and desertshore and lol lulu

Got to go with EZ, though would sub Desertshore for 'all of the first three Nico records'.

That's fair. I just have an extra soft spot for Desertshore

God help me but I'm tempted to go with new sensations.

― da croupier, Wednesday, September 18, 2013 4

― first I think it's time I kick a little verse! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, September 18, 2013 4:53 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Others:

Paris 1919
Fear
Slow Dazzle
Coney Island Baby
Life in Exile...
The Blue Mask
Legendary Hearts

but, yeah, I love the casual philosophizin' peeking behind the great riffs, awful drum sound, and popcraft on NS.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ga4q6IycZqg

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8cITKh5dlhQ/UQ58vvhINMI/AAAAAAAAJVA/6h9q0Dr3jr0/s400/Willie+Alexander+&+The+Boom+Boom+Band+-+Pass+The+Tabasco+cd+front+2.jpg

I thought this meant you wouldn't be including solo stuff in your VU poll, but that one would be songs, so two separate things...Estimate I have 12-15 of these. Overall, Paris 1919; my three favourite songs are from other albums. Not a fan of Reed's solo career.

I'm not either until 1982.

madness.
actually, looking at lou's records, i dunno if there are any that i don't enjoy on some level. i'm not gonna rep hard for mistrial or anything, but I ... I enjoy it.

i'll consider repping hard for ecstasy. for all you lulu lovers, it's like lulu: the prequel.

I like the big seventies songs and "The Bells" and Coney Island Baby but he's so slovenly that it's hard to pay attention. In the seventies it's Cale >>>> Reed until 1982 when it's Reed >>>>>>> Cale

And, yeah, Mistrial has the title track and "Tell It to Your Heart"!

Ecstacy is pretty excellent.

I did, at one point in my life, like Street Hassle a lot, and the title song still moves me as used in The Squid & the Whale. But I haven't played the album in ages. The Blue Mask was where I lost interest. Christgau's love for it (which I think was stepped back a bit when the '80s book came out--even maybe by the time of Pazz & Jop) baffled me at the time. "The Gun" was the only song I liked on the whole thing.

i think transformer, coney island baby and street hassle are the essential 70s studio albums...used to love Berlin, but don't know if I ever want to hear it again.

Berlin is a guy trying to sound like he's watched the right porn and Fassbinder movies.

i love the VU but never really got into most of reed's solo stuff -- 'transformer' is good i guess. are any of the mo tucker albums any good?

this is worth it for sure. also includes the only studio reunion of cale, reed, morrison & tucker
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51m9HKZ1nyL._SY300_.jpg

This is from Life in Exile:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wh-tWcC0rkM

With very few words, says a great deal.

which is the one with "Spam Again"? It's a raucous little garage record, and better than Reed's output at the time.

Berlin is a guy trying to sound like he's watched the right porn and Fassbinder movies.

I half-watched the recent live film thing with Antony and your boy Fernando and Steve Hunter and parts of it sort of work, but for the most part its overwrought and fussy.

"The Kids" is where it gets really effective.

my 12" of Disco Mystic = VERY EFFECTIVE

imho except for Coney Island Baby and Transformer all of Reed's albums are flawed and full of warts, failed experiments, poor production choices etc. but he always had at least one (and often a few) absolutely stunning, really emotionally heavy songs on each (on the Bells it's "Families" altho yeah "Disco Mystic" is a lot of fun).

all of his 70s albums, that should say

not as big a fan of Fernando Saunder's farting trombone lines as Alfred is

I love a lot of John Cale but Coney Island Baby is an all-time record for me - it may not be perfect, but it is to me, you know?

no it is perfect

I'm not a fan of fretless bass, but the way it's mixed on Reed's eighties records and the lines he plays he's a second guitar -- a crucial one once Reed fired Quine.

he = Saunders

really one of the few records that continues to afford greater and greater pleasure to me year after year. "crazy feeling" such a groove, such a perfect lead-off track. I don't think he was ever better than he is on Coney Island Baby, really. xp Saunders is wonderful imo - really brought a lot to the sound.

I should listen to more Cale and Nico. Right now, this is honestly Metal Machine Music.

I can't bear solo Nico, sorry. It makes perfect sense she bedded Jackson Browne: that dolorous self-regard.

Spam Again? Exile/abdication, yeah I voted that one.

you wouldn't think it'd be easy to be the worst human being in a band with lou reed in it, but somehow nico managed it.

paris cause duh

i think songs for drella is up there with anything they've done and it's maybe my #2

is there really a disco mystic 12" and where can i hear this

i mean is it an extended version or...?

Berlin is a guy trying to sound like he's watched the right porn and Fassbinder movies.

― first I think it's time I kick a little verse! (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, September 18, 2013 6:53 PM Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

But the orchestrations are gorgeous. I used to listen to berlin continuously but I don't think I've put myself through the whole thing in years.

Where's Squeeze?

damn this poll is hard. really could use a points system instead of just the one. lots of incredible records, lots of spotty records, lots of records that have great songs that sound much better live, and others that are conceptually great but to wearying to listen to.

this reminds me of how much of lou's 1970s and 80s catalog that i haven't listened to in too long and how much of cale's recent catalog i haven't paid attention to.

or at least devoted enough repeated listens to.

Where's Squeeze?

it was put out of its misery for the purposes of this poll

In any case, it's a Velvet Underground album.

(ps, I know)

Favourite Velvet Underground album (with extra facility)

It got two votes in the 'favourite' poll, one on the 4th fav and one on the 5th fav.

new sensations over ecstasy

damn this poll is hard. really could use a points system instead of just the one

on the poll thread most people said they wouldn't bother voting in a VU solo-only poll. so when the VU poll rolls around, it will be for both VU album material plus solo material. I expect that that will result in most of the solo stuff getting shunted aside (and Sister Ray as #1 lol) but what can I do, the great unwashed masses have spoken.

though I've grown to like a lot of other stuff on this list more, not voting for Transformer (or Rock N Roll Animal) feels like a betrayal of 14-year-old me when I'd buy whatever the freaks behind the counter at the used record shop down the block from school told me was cool. Luckily they were good freaks. Parts of Transformer feel a little cornball to me now - but as a sign-post to the whole world of VU, it was a good place to start..

Going from thinking "wow, these record collector freaks are so cool" to "bah, these record collector assholes are so annoying" at used record stores is a sad byproduct of the inevitable teenage hardening of the heart/wising up.

It is apart from the song the record company made him put on it. Looks like "Paris 1919" is walking this but the lurkers will no doubt have their say. This is too painful a poll to vote in for me.

I kind of thought blue mask would walk it

Legendary Hearts is underrated Lou (but I prefer Quine's "betrayed" solo on Live in Italy)

http://thriftyvinyl.files.wordpress.com/2011/01/img_1601.jpg

RCA Special Value!

Ha, the only two eight-tracks I ever owned were Sally Can't Dance and Berlin.

voting for a lou album on the basis of quine's guitarywork seems silly. there's plenty of other great places to hear quine.

didn't you just give an album a nod for underrated "orchestration"

there are plenty of other great places to hear orchestration

good point. its all boston pops for me from here on out.

and The Blue Mask was my intro to Quine.

Like Quine fine on that record but not a big fan of the whale song bass lines.

Voted Marble Index.

xp yes. i want Blue Mask with a fretted bass, stat.

the whale song bass lines
this is called "Fernandizing" FYI

Ha, the only two eight-tracks I ever owned were Sally Can't Dance and Berlin.

Then you know that the 8-track version of "Berlin" has an extra instrumental coda not on the LP?

I owned the tape first and was baffled when I later bought the vinyl and found it slightly shortened.

OK wow @ Scooby

I love Fernando Saunders bass style unapologetically and don't really get what people dislike in it - it's a beautiful sound to me.

btw from the wiki it seems we've been missing a lot by not keeping up w/Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated:

A ghostly Puritan judge named Hebediah Grim begins terrorizing Crystal Cove and judging its female citizens, forcing Mystery Incorporated to investigate. At first they turn to Gary and Ethan, but both claim to have fought the monster themselves. Ethan suggests Doogle McGuinness, but the monster attacks as the gang is investigating him. Grim then turns his judgment upon Daphne, but Brad Chiles and Judy Reeves offer to help Fred protect her, and they set up a trap to capture Grim. They encourage Fred that he will be a great "trapsman" claiming it is "in his blood" and to believe in himself as they do. It is also shown that Daphne still has strong feelings for Fred, as well as that there are feelings between Mayor Nettles and Sheriff Stone. The episode ends with Cassidy Williams spying on the gang, Brad, and Judy.

Villain: Hebediah Grim/Gary and Ethan

Note: This episode is a parody of the slasher genre. The costume Scooby wears while he and Shaggy are spying on Ethan at the soccer field is similar to that of Ariel from Disney's The Little Mermaid (1989).

A family vacationing in the Burlington Library is attacked by a shadowy fiend wearing a head similar to that of Anubis and is scared off when it assumes a werewolf-like form. Later, a landslide forces the gang to abandon their ski vacation and detours them to the same library, where they are greeted by its caretaker Dan Fluunk who explains to the gang the history behind the mansion, including that its builder and namesake had a fascination with groups of four people and an animal. Soon, strange things begin happening to the gang as their stay in the mansion progresses. Eventually, their experiences are revealed to be hallucinations brought on by the burning of a special kind of wood called Terror Wood. Meanwhile, Cassidy Williams continues her search for the truth behind what is happening to the gang now and what has happened to other mystery-solving groups in the past — including the Darrow family.

Overarching Mystery Events: The repeating pattern of mystery-solving groups, including the Darrow family and both incarnations of Mystery Incorporated, being haunted by the Planispheric Disk and the treasure it leads to, all of them consisting of four sleuths and an animal mascot; the Planispheric Disk user manual.

Villain: Fiend/Dan Fluunk

Notes: This episode bears similarities to the film The Shining. Though the monster is listed as "Fiend" in the credits, this is the only episode not featuring an in-show name for the monster. The gang's snow suits are similar to the ones they wore in the Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! episode "That's Snow Ghost". Also, the family vacationing is the exact same family who were vacationing in the episode "The Creeping Creatures".

Since her accident with the herd, Scooby has been visiting Nova regularly in the hospital. Meanwhile, a deceased ska band returns from the grave and hypnotizes partygoers at the local nightclub to dance to their music. The dancers are taken to hospital, whereupon the gang is called to solve the mystery before they dance themselves to death. Eventually, the band hypnotizes Fred and the girls, forcing Scooby and Shaggy to turn to the Hex Girls for help.

Overarching Mystery Events: The gang discovers a musical phrase which has appeared on the Planispheric Disk. When the Hex Girls sing the phrase, the Disk reveals another set of coordinates, which leads the gang to the restaurant owned by Skipper Shelton, whereupon they find that his hat (given to him by Handsome Jimmy from "Night on Haunted Mountain") bears the name "S. Llave" written under the brim. Scooby visits Nova in the hospital, only to see her flatline. Just afterward, she sits up in bed and says "Nibiru. Nibiru is coming", before regaining life.

Villains: Ska Zombies, Rude Boy and the Ska-Tastics

Notes: This is the second appearance of the Hex Girls, who have converted back to their original outfits as seen in Scooby-Doo! and the Witch's Ghost. The song "Who Do Voodoo?" from Scooby-Doo! and the Legend of the Vampire is featured in this episode. The song "Stuck in My Throat" is also heard once more, as it was last featured in "Battle of the Humungonauts". This episode shows many similarities Scooby-Doo! and the Legend of the Vampire; both have a band that has disappeared, and musicians being kidnapped. Martha Quinn plays herself, as the owner of Grooves from the Grave. The battle between the Ska Zombies and the Hex Girls is reminiscent of a scene in Scott Pilgrim vs. the World, where the music from two rival bands generates monsters that start fighting each other; the winning monster wins the music competition. Music for Rude Boy and the Ska-Tastics was written and performed by Dave Wakeling & The English Beat.[22]

omg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzW5ApHYglU

vintage violence just for the hell of it

i'll consider repping hard for ecstasy. for all you lulu lovers, it's like lulu: the prequel.

― tylerw, Wednesday, September 18, 2013 5:45 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

63 cent used copy on Amazon purchased

― chr1sb3singer, Thursday, 19 September 2013 21:16 (4 days ago) Permalink

money well spent!

― tylerw, Thursday, 19 September 2013 21:17 (4 days ago) Permalink

Spun it a few times this wknd, some of it is really great, some of it is really Lou, but yeah I'm digging it. "Like A Possum" is something.

for those complaining about Saunders, check out how he holds it down on "Big Sky"

I'm normally not a fan of that style of playing (nor of how far up in the mix he's normally mixed) but I must say it usually works in the context of Lou's work

after lou brought him back into the fold for set the twilight reeling, fernando's fernandizing was toned down quite a bit.

btw I don't meet many Set The Twilight Reeling fans but I think it's fun, throwaway, and has excellent gee-tar.

yeah, haven't listened to it in years, but i think it's pretty nice for the most part, kinda the 90s version of New Sensations.

Voting "Possum" cos while there are maybe some better albums as albums, it's the most interesting thing I've heard post-VU, and probably invents as many bands/genres as the first VU album.

I meant "Playing Possum". Yall need to listen to this if you haven't heard it yet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9e4voY_Vg-A

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

Blue Mask

Drella by a mile.

oooohhhh new sensaaaatioonnnnns

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

looooolll

hey, just noticing the absolutely lovely I spent a week there the other night by moe wasn't even listed.....at least ns got a few deserving votes......

i see u, two votes for lulu

the greatest disappointment

Thought about going with Street Hassle but can't remember if I voted. Glad it didn't get shut out.

Pulled out Magic & Loss last weekend for the first time in eons, liked it, even if it's a bit monochromatic in one go. Some really good Feelies-sounding solos, which made me smile.

I spent a week there the other night by moe wasn't even listed

it was listed, nobody voted for it

these results are ridiculous btw

i dunno, the best album definitely came out on top.

interesting that Reed got more votes overall tho

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

Reed coming out with more total votes interesting in light of this other poll: Lou Reed vs. John Cale poll - (solo careers only)

but bigger/different voting base I guess

All the Cale fans were voting here for Moe and Sterling solo albums...

would reed walk away with Best Live Album by Former Member of the Velvet Underground - Poll?
guess it'd be take no prisoners vs. sabotage (or fragments of a rainy season)

Well, I'd rep for "Oh no, they're recording this show" but I haven't heard it. I have heard them live, though.

it is a fun listen and certainly good to hear sterling morrison back on guitar.

Will have to track it down.

If it's anything like the gig I saw, it will contain the one time Sterling sings (one line) on his own!.