Velvet_Underground

American [[rock and roll]] band of the late 1960s.  Original members were:
* [[Lou Reed]] ([[guitar]]/vocals)
* [[John Cale]] ([[bass guitar]], [[viola]], [[keyboard]])
* Sterling Morrison ([[guitar]])
* Maureen "Mo" Tucker (drums/percussion)

Although never commercially successful, the Velvet Underground remain one the most influential bands of their time.  Whilst the West coast was undergoing the [[Summer of Love]], [[psychedelia]] and [[flower power]] the typically East coast Velvets concerned themselves with darker subject matter: transvestites, [[heroin]] addiction and [[sado-masochism]].  Also setting them apart from their contemporaries was their use of feedback and amplifier noise in a musical context, exemplified by the 17 minute "Sister Ray".

At first the band were managed by artist [[Andy Warhol]], at whose instigation they featured German chanteuse [[Nico]] on their debut album, which featured a mixture of obsessive love songs and tails of excess.  Nico had been jettisoned by the second album, which included the darkly comic "The Gift", narrated in Cale's deadpan [[Wales|Welsh]] accent.

Before the release of their third album Reed fired the classically trained Cale, who was replaced by [[/Doug Yule]].  This, and the theft of the band's equipment, resulted in a more orthodox sound for the record which showcased the songwriting styles that would inform Reed's later solo career.  After the equally accessible [[/Loaded]], the band split, with Yule recording one final album.

There was a brief reunion of the original lineup in 1993. Sterling Morrison died of [[cancer]] in 1995.

Discography:
* [[/The Velvet Underground and Nico]]
* [[/White Light White Heat]]
* [[/The Velvet Underground]]
* [[/Loaded]]
* [[/Squeeze]] (with none of the original members)

Later releases of archive material:
* [[/Live 1969]]
* [[/Live at Maxs Kansas City]]
* [[/VU]]
* [[/Another View]]