SCARCE UK VELVET UNDERGROUND WHITE HEAT Psych REED

$

27

RARE & CLEAN OLD  BRITISH COLLECTIBLE                                      

        VELVET UNDERGROUND

           = White Light White Heat =

                       UK - MGM (Verve) RECORDS - 2353024 

SCARCE old vintage BRITISH vinyl pressing in top minty condition with different cover from the USA pressing...also:

The sound quality, for whatever reason, seems to be a more clear mix from the (intentionally?) muddy USA Verve Records release...

This is where the experimental part of The Velvet Underground really shines through. This was the last album featuring John Cale. John plays viola, bass guitar and piano, with vocals on "Lady Godiva's Operation" and he's the one speaking on "The Gift". Sterling Morrison also contributes vocally on this album, and plays guitar and bass guitar. The head of the group is Lou Reed of course, and he is the lead vocalist as always, and also plays guitar and piano. Maureen Tucker on percussion, a female drummer. You know.

Nico left the gang after their debut to pursue a solo career, and they had some kind of argument with Warhol, so he was also gone. And when Warhol left them, their popularity dropped, and almost no one was interested anymore. This was an experimental/avant-garde-noise-art-rock/album, and it didn't help make them more popular amongst the general public. They played almost empty shows in New York after this release, even so, the album appeared on the Billboard 200, even though it only made it to #199.

The album starts off with speed, distortion and greatness. "White Light/White Heat", the title track, is about drugs, amphetamines to be more precise. And this was not the first Velvet Underground song to feature this theme, just take "I'm Waiting For the Man" and "Heroin" from the previous album for example. This song was actually an attempt at making the listener feel the effects of the actual drug, especially the end part, where a heavily distorted chord creeps under your skin and tears you apart.

Then follows "The Gift", which was written by Lou Reed as some kind of project during his college years. This song could be a "choose what you want to hear track", since the lyrics can be heard on one speaker, while the music can be heard on the other. So if you feel like just hearing a nice story about a boy being stabbed to death through a cardboard box, just plug out the right speaker. The story told in the song is fascinating, disturbing, "romantic" and funny/sad, depends what mood your in.

While listening to "Lady Godiva's Operation", one of the favorite songs on the album. This is a song, far ahead of it's time, and probably inspired all of those bands, twenty years later. A funny note in this song, is how Cale and Reed sings in total different keys, as if something is wrong with the recording speed or just a total production failure. It was probably intentional, cause it sounds awesome.

"Here She Comes Now" is the only "pop" sounding song on the album. The gentle guitar picking, and Reed's smooth voice makes the song memorable. It's also a nice break from the crashing sound on rest of the album, and a gentle pause before two mindblowing tracks.

Don't know what to say about "I Heard Her Call My Name" really. It's such a mindblowing piece by Reed, with the rest of the band is playing a simple beat in the background. It features two of the most memorable guitar solos in experimental rock history, and it is believed to have directly inspired the punk-rock sound, as well as metal(recorded in 1967 for crying out loud!), Reed yer a genius.

What should one say about "Sister Ray"? One of the most intense songs you will ever hear. It's a true jam session, since it was recorded in only one take. Tucker and Sterling plays their part without any flaws. But Reed and Cale is just all over the place. A dynamic duo that makes me sad had to part, but is immortalized with this song. Experimental rock did not exist before this song! Now we're gonna just using big words to  emphasize what a power-ride this truly is. The record engineer actually walked out of the studio while the band was recording this song, he said to Reed "'I don't have to listen to this. I'll put it in Record, and then I'm leaving. When you're done, come get me."

This might be their most personal record, since the band didn't suffer any outside influence, and were free to do whatever they wanted. Man! it sounds awesome. They never sounded like this again, mainly because Cale left the band afterwards. This is without a doubt one of the biggest milestones in alternative/experimental rock, and inspired countless of bands and artists.                        

1. "White Light/White Heat" – 2:47
2. "The Gift" (Reed, Morrison, Cale, Tucker) – 8:18
3. "Lady Godiva's Operation" – 4:56
4. "Here She Comes Now" (Reed, Morrison, Cale) – 2:04

5. "I Heard Her Call My Name" – 4:38
6. "Sister Ray" (Reed, Morrison, Cale, Tucker) – 17:27

CONDITION: The UK fragile cover has been taken care of, very nice M- with 4 sharp corners, no bends, no writing, no problem...

The vinyl is all glossy clean, M- ...plays very clear and smooth 

      A cool addition to anyone's music library!

SEE: SELLERS OTher items for similar cool sounds for "head" people...

EFFICIENT/CAREFUL GRADING

All imperfections are noted both cover & record