The Velvet Underground & Nico

The Velvet Underground & Nico
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Name	The Velvet Underground & Nico
Artist	The Velvet Underground and Nico
Released	March 12, 1967
Recorded	March - May 1966
Genre	Art rock, Experimental rock, Proto-punk
Length	48:51
Label	Verve Records
Producer	Tom Wilson, Andy Warhol

The Velvet Underground & Nico is a seminal album in the history of rock music, created by The Velvet Underground and Nico, a German singer, songwriter, and model. The album was produced by Tom Wilson and Andy Warhol, a renowned artist and filmmaker, who was also the manager of the band at the time, and was heavily influenced by the New York City art scene and the Factory, Warhol's famous studio. The Velvet Underground & Nico was released on Verve Records in 1967, and although it was not a commercial success at the time, it has since become a highly influential and iconic album, cited by many artists, including David Bowie, Iggy Pop, and Lou Reed's contemporaries, such as John Cale and Sterling Morrison.

Background

The Velvet Underground & Nico was recorded in New York City in 1966, with the help of Tom Wilson, who had previously worked with Simon & Garfunkel and Bob Dylan. The album was created during a time of great cultural and artistic change, with the counterculture movement and the hippie movement gaining momentum, and was influenced by the works of William S. Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, and other Beat Generation writers. The band's music was also influenced by the avant-garde scene, with composers like John Cage and Karlheinz Stockhausen experimenting with new sounds and techniques, and the pop art movement, led by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein. The Velvet Underground & Nico was also influenced by the folk rock scene, with artists like Bob Dylan and Joni Mitchell creating a new kind of singer-songwriter music, and the psychedelic rock scene, with bands like The Doors and Pink Floyd experimenting with new sounds and techniques.

History

The Velvet Underground & Nico was formed in New York City in 1965, with Lou Reed and John Cale as the core members, and was soon joined by Sterling Morrison and Maureen Tucker. The band was discovered by Andy Warhol, who became their manager and helped them to secure a recording contract with Verve Records. The album was recorded in March and May 1966, with Nico joining the band for the recording sessions, and was produced by Tom Wilson and Andy Warhol. The Velvet Underground & Nico was released on March 12, 1967, but it was not a commercial success, due in part to the explicit content of some of the songs, which were considered too risqué for the time, and the experimental nature of the music, which was not widely understood or appreciated. Despite this, the album has since become a highly influential and iconic album, cited by many artists, including David Bowie, Iggy Pop, and Talking Heads, and has been named as one of the greatest albums of all time by Rolling Stone and other music publications.

Music and Style

The Velvet Underground & Nico is a highly experimental and influential album, with a unique sound that blends rock music, art rock, and avant-garde music, and features a range of instruments, including guitar, bass, drums, and viola. The album includes songs like Heroin, I'll Be Your Mirror, and All Tomorrow's Parties, which are considered some of the greatest songs of all time, and have been covered by many artists, including The Jesus and Mary Chain and Nirvana. The Velvet Underground & Nico was also influenced by the poetry of William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg, and the art of Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, and features lyrics that are highly literary and poetic, and explore themes of love, death, and addiction. The album's music and style have been highly influential, and have been cited as an influence by many artists, including Punk rock bands like The Ramones and The Sex Pistols, and New Wave bands like Blondie and The Cars.

Reception and Legacy

The Velvet Underground & Nico was not a commercial success when it was first released, but it has since become a highly influential and iconic album, cited by many artists and critics as one of the greatest albums of all time, and has been named as one of the greatest albums of all time by Rolling Stone and other music publications. The album has been highly influential, and has been cited as an influence by many artists, including David Bowie, Iggy Pop, and Talking Heads, and has been covered by many artists, including The Jesus and Mary Chain and Nirvana. The Velvet Underground & Nico has also been recognized as a highly important and influential album by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Library of Congress, and has been added to the National Recording Registry, which recognizes albums that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". The album's influence can be heard in many genres of music, including Punk rock, New Wave, and Alternative rock, and continues to be celebrated and recognized as a highly influential and iconic album.

Tracklisting

The Velvet Underground & Nico features the following tracks: Sunday Morning, I'm Waiting for the Man, Femme Fatale, Venus in Furs, Run Run Run, All Tomorrow's Parties, Heroin, There She Goes Again, I'll Be Your Mirror, and The Black Angel's Death Song. The album was released on Verve Records in 1967, and has since been re-released on several occasions, including a deluxe edition that features bonus tracks and outtakes. The album's tracklisting has been widely praised, and is considered one of the greatest tracklistings of all time, with many critics and artists citing it as a highly influential and iconic album. Category:1967 albums