Classic Albums-The Velvet Underground and Nico The VElvet Underground

For this week's classic album segment let's have a look at the debut album of American rock group the Velvet Underground in 1967 called the Velvet Underground and Nico. The recordings of the album were @ Scepter Studios in NEw York City in April 1966, T.T.G Studios in Hollywood California in May 1966 and Mayfair Studios in New York in November 1966 and it was released on March 12th 1967 on the Verve label which went to number 171 in the USA. The producer on this album was Andy Warhol with Tom Wilson who produced the track Sunday Morning and Andy also did the cover album of the Banana Peel. The album was not a success which many radio stations refused to play it, magazines refused to carry advertisements for it and the record label Verve who failed to promote and distribute the album as well as many of the songs were too daring for commercial radio to play it as Underground radio had just started at that time but yet this album is one of the great albums ever made. It is a great album with great songs that still endure to this day with stuff like Venus In Furs with great viola playing by John Cale, Waiting For the Man, Heroin, All Tomorrow's Parties, I'll BE Your Mirror, Run Run Run and many others written by Lou Reed and despite the dark subjects of those songs it holds up very well to this day which Nico sang 3 leads on the album as she joined the group who been formed since 1965 at the instigation of Andy Warhol and she sounds great on those 3 songs as well as great playing by Sterling Morrison on guitar, Maureen Tucker on Drums, John Cale who besides from playing electric viola played bass guitar, piano and celesta on Sunday Morning and Lou Reed on guitar and lead vocals. Just this week the music industry lost a great icon with the sad passing of Lou Reed at age 71 but the great work he made with the Velvet Underground as well as his solo work later on will live on forever and I thought it would be appropriate to do this album dedicate to his memory. This album is still in the shops and be sure to buy it which I'm sure you will enjoy listening to it.

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