A complete Velvet Underground collection

Lots of rarities on this. I've been looking for a copy for a while.

 

Good companion IMO to the Peel Slowly boxed set.

 

Hopefully a seller at a record fair I go to still has his copy for sale, I'll check for you this weekend

 

I think the Val Valentine mix of the third album (available on the stand alone cd) is pretty essential after you've digested the "closet mix". It's a different sound, a lot more open and a bit poppier, and it's great to hear the album as it stood before Reed went in and did a remix.

 

This is a band whose whole output was essencial. Agree on the VUAN mono mix relevance.

 

There's a ton of great Velvets stuff on "unofficial" recordings, like the shows at LaCave in Cleveland recorded by Jamie Klimek.

 

Yes, the 1968 La Cave version of "What Goes On" which appears on Peel Slowly and see is incredible!! Unfortunately it's had a lot of life sucked out of it due to NR. You need to seek it out from an "unofficial" source to hear it's full power.

 

so i seem to miss this Original Mix of the third album ( i have the Box set version ) and the mono version of the first album .
Are those really essential ?

 

In my opinion, yes both the MONO first album and the Valentin third album are essential. I prefer them over the other mixes for those albums.


The Valentin mix especially. It has a completely different version of "Some Kinda Love", and slightly longer "What Goes On" with the organ mixed way up. I love it.

 

Depends on the level of your addiction. For me, they're essential. As are a lot of the "unofficial" recordings. In fact, some of those recordings constitute peak Velvet Underground.

 

i am a fan, well i have the Peel Slowly box set , Fully Loaded deluxe , VU and Another View ( for the songs not on box set ) , the 2 Live 1969 cd 's but still on the edge about getting the Quine Tapes and stuff like that

 

The Quine tapes are excellent, a bit rough, but the long versions of "Sister Ray" are worth the price. Add me to the list of those who love the La Cave tapes, wonderful, especially for the 40 minute "Sweet Sister Ray". Yes, "Sister Ray" is their "Dark Star", but don't tell Lou or John. Also worth searching out is the 30 minute version of "Melody Laughter" from 1966, very rough sounding, but it's an essential piece of Velvets music.

 

Thanks Ralph and Mike for the tips
i know the mono version of the first album does exist as a stand alone cd ( but may have as well to get the deluxe in that case )
regarding the third album , current cd in print = valentine mix for sure ?

 

That may be the way to go for me. I could sell off the Greatest Hits and 3rd Album (CD). Hum...

 

2 boots you need are Live at the Gymnasium 1967 (The April Sounds cd of this also adds various acetate tracks) and Live at End Cole Avenue 1969. I think these are the best quality you'll get for live VU.

 

Yes. Also, as I recall, there are a handful of tracks from 'VU' that are presented in slightly longer edits on 'Peel Slowly and See' ("Foggy Notion" and "One of These Days" are the two that come to mind immediately, but I think there might be more). Am I correct about this?

The 'Gold' compilation has vintage mixes of "Stephanie Says" and "Temptation Inside Your Heart".

The '20th Century Masters' compilation has the so-called "swan mix" of "Sister Ray"-- but I've never been entirely clear on what exactly the swan mix is, if indeed there is anything new or interesting about it.

 

Also, the VU version of Ocean and the Another View version of Ride Into the Sun are missing, replaced by a Loaded-era takes. Most of the Another View album is missing from the PSAS box, although it has less essential stuff on it. I was surprised that they left Andy's Chest off the box, though - I think that's probably the most surprising omission.

Also, I for one prefer the original edits of Sweet Jane and New Age on Loaded, and I don't care what Lou Reed says. The 'restored' versions sound unfinished and/or unnecessary, and mess up the flow of the songs. I like the 'heavenly wine and roses' section of Sweet Jane but it was obviously not recorded properly by the time Lou left the band and/or finished the album. Rather than being an act of sabotage, I think they had no choice but to edit it out. Personally I would keep an 'original' version of Loaded around, too.

I'd also cast a vote for the OP acquiring 1969 Velvet Underground Live.

 

A few years ago some members of the VU put out a call for bootleg recordings, with the intention of collecting the best of them into a box set. Haven't read anything about it since, so I assume Lou nixed the project.

 

Has the third album been remastered? I just looked on Amazon and it's listed as "Original Recording Remastered."

What is the best version of this album?

 

I must grab the mono mix of 'The VU & Nico' as I only have the stereo single CD remaster of this title. How is the sound of the Deluxe 'The VU & Nico'?

 

Is any of the Nico solo material "essential" VU? Did members of the VU write & play on her first album?

 

The tracks they played on are included in the Deluxe VU&N album.

 

You NEED the 1973 studio album "SQUEEZE". Oh, sure, others will tell you to pass on this, they will say that it isn't a "true" VU album, but trust ME - it is a great Velvet Underground album!! ONE OF THE BEST, in fact!

This is a VERY little known Velvet Underground album due to the fact that it was never released on CD, and was only released overseas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squeeze_(The_Velvet_Underground_album)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Squeeze_(The_Velvet_Underground_album)

 

I heard this. I thought it was very good. I wish they would release it on CD. I saw a Box Set from this version of VU. All live material. I almost picked it up, but the price was a little high ($50.00). The packaging was cool. Some nice photos.

 

Chelsea Girl is awesome and includes contributions from Cale, Reed and Morrison...it's like chamber music for a lower east side shooting gallery.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chelsea_Girl_%28album%29