The Velvet Underground: The Matrix Tapes 4CD Box Set

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by DeeThomaz, Sep 4, 2015.

  1. melstapler

    melstapler Reissue Activist

    Good point. I'dl be fine with some material being duplicated as long as this music stays in print. In a day and age where the music market is flooded with many choices new and old, I'm quite happy to see a preservation of the legacy of The Velvet Underground.
     
    Jimmy B., jay.dee, DeeThomaz and 2 others like this.
  2. Syscrusher

    Syscrusher Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto

    I doubt they would use the Guitar Amp tape.
    Yes, the freeman tape was a bit of a stretch, but still hoping it gets released some day.

    What about a show that features 'Some Kinda Love' from the Peel Slowly Box? Can't remember where that was from..
     
  3. DeeThomaz

    DeeThomaz Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    In The Felony Room
    That was Max's (the 2CD version) and will be on the Loaded box. My favorite performance from the show!
     
  4. Syscrusher

    Syscrusher Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto
    From January 22, 1969 in Unterberger's book.
    "Four decades later, former Tea Party manager Steve Nelson reveals that he has recently heard newly mastered live recordings of three VU shows at the club from late 1968 and early 1969, and says that they are notably superior to other recordings of the band from the same period."
    "Nelson says, 'I've been sort of dying to have them released...I will say that to me, those are the best Velvet Underground live performances recorded anywhere."

    Must Release!
     
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  5. DeeThomaz

    DeeThomaz Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    In The Felony Room
    Couldn't agree more about the Freeman tape. Sadly, if it didn't happen on the Loaded box, hard to imagine the circumstances how it'd be released now (especially since it now seems a Max's box is off the table).

    Unless Freeman chooses to post it online after it falls out of copyright?
     
  6. RayS

    RayS A Little Bit Older and a Little Bit Slower

    Location:
    Out of My Element
    Now that you've posted that, I recall reading it. Is he misusing the term "mastered"? Mastered for WHAT?
     
  7. Syscrusher

    Syscrusher Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto
    That's a good idea. I was hoping someone else would put up the money.
     
  8. Syscrusher

    Syscrusher Forum Resident

    Location:
    Toronto
    The full quote I posted is "I'm sort of dying to have those released. But apparently it's tied up with various kinds of things with personnel and record companies and all that drivel. " So he must of got the tapes to a record company, heard them mastered and then nothing. They gotta just be waiting for all this other stuff to be released. He could be talking about the demise of the Bootleg Series and now that these new deluxe sets seem to be selling we'll get the whole lot. Here's hoping.
     
  9. warewolf95

    warewolf95 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Greenville, SC
    I' m a big VU fan, but I've never heard of the Matrix Tapes. Anyone care to enlighten me? :)
     
  10. R. Totale

    R. Totale The Voice of Reason

    Probably referring to the "professor tapes" which are pretty widely distributed at this point.
     
  11. RayS

    RayS A Little Bit Older and a Little Bit Slower

    Location:
    Out of My Element
    If they are "notably superior" in terms of performance, they could be the Professor Tapes (performance quality being subjective).

    If they are "notably superior" in terms of sound quality, they are surely something else.
     
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  12. bobbydriver

    bobbydriver Forum Resident

    Keyhole seem to have released most of the other listenable live tapes (La Cave, Cole Ave x 2, BTP x 2 and Hilltop) as semi-legit bootlegs. And by semi-legit I mean that Amazon seem quite happy to list them and don't appear to have been slapped down yet.

    Are there really better quality versions of these out there for "official" remastering?
     
  13. bluesbro

    bluesbro Forum Hall of Shame

    Location:
    DC
    You are not a big VU fan

    :p:D
     
  14. citizensmurf

    citizensmurf Ambient postpunk will never die

    Location:
    Calgary
    Even if that wasn't a serious insult, the prevailing opinion on forums such as this one, is that an ignorance of the minutia of bands unreleased recordings and matrix numbers equates with a one not being a "real" fan.

    I'm sure you were kidding, but the cold reality is many would not be, and would actually condemn someone who admitted their lack of knowledge, even though they truly loved the music.

    Funny how back in the 70s, the "real" VU fans probably wouldn't know a thing about the Matrix Tapes, yet now that knowledge can be disguised as a passion for the music.
     
  15. mBen989

    mBen989 Senior Member

    Location:
    Scranton, PA
    See post 101.
     
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  16. DeeThomaz

    DeeThomaz Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    In The Felony Room
    Did they do Hilltop? I know they did Squeeze, but I don't recall seeing anything about H/O.
     
  17. bobbydriver

    bobbydriver Forum Resident

  18. DeeThomaz

    DeeThomaz Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    In The Felony Room
    The best description of them currently available:

    http://www.richieunterberger.com/vuexc10.html

    But in short, if you like LIVE 1969, you'll probably love The Matrix Tapes. They include most of the performances from that album, but in considerably higher quality. Plus much, much more additional material.
     
  19. DeeThomaz

    DeeThomaz Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    In The Felony Room
    One small element I'm curious about is the fact the Matrix Tapes apparently include two versions of "Afterhours." Don't get me wrong, I love the song and the Matrix recording heard on the 3rd LP box was a true delight. But it doesn't seem to be a song that inspired much interpretation or variation from The Velvets. And yet Abram clearly felt a need to preserve two performances, at a time when tape was expensive and he reluctantly discarded many of his other VU recordings. I wonder if the alternate "Afterhours" might be a real surprise?
     
  20. Brett Stampley

    Brett Stampley Well-Known Member

    Location:
    Louisiana
    Well it's the first day after the long weekend so maybe we will hear something something official. A press release, a carrier pigeon or perhaps someone screaming into a tin can on a string. Anything would be nice, the promotional machine for this release is contained to this thread so far.
     
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  21. DeeThomaz

    DeeThomaz Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    In The Felony Room
    For a while the set was as high as #130 or so on the Amazon music sales list. It's since dropped significantly. An announcement would surely rectify that (hint, hint...).

    Twitter has noted the thread, with:


    [​IMG]Erik Highter ‏@EZSnappin Sep 5
    The Steve Hoffman forum is all over this hypothetical Matrix Tapes box set: http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/the-velvet-underground-the-matrix-tapes-4cd-box-set.461616/…
     
  22. DeeThomaz

    DeeThomaz Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    In The Felony Room
    Great post. I believe this strongly too. The same principle applies to so much other great music by other artists as well.
     
    melstapler likes this.
  23. klaw

    klaw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Denmark
    Where is the Peel box live version of "What Goes On" from? That one is sooo good.
     
    TeddyB likes this.
  24. DeeThomaz

    DeeThomaz Senior Member Thread Starter

    Location:
    In The Felony Room
    That's the widely-bootleged La Cave show. It would make for a nice stand-alone release.
     
  25. klaw

    klaw Forum Resident

    Location:
    Denmark
    Thanks. I know that show is available from Keyhole, and I've been tempted many a time to order that and the others from that label... But with all this deluxe VU release activity I've been hoping for official editions instead.
    I hope people are right about the copyright thing and that we'll see some more stuff come out (officially) soonish!
     

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