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Velvet Underground & NicoThe alternative version of the Velvet's first album (acetate)The Velvet Underground's first album spawned an entire genre of music. How the 'alternative' version was discovered on an acetate and what tracks it contained.
Think of the ten most influential albums of all time and its almost guaranteed that the Velvet Underground's debut album, "The Velvet Underground & Nico", will feature in your list. There can be few people who have not bought, listened to, borrowed from a friend, or browsed in a record shop, the eponymous album with the banana on the sleeve and the design by Andy Warhol. The agenda set by that album leads directly to David Bowie, the New York 70s scene, the New York Dolls, punk and an entire generation of musicians. The Acetate RediscoveredAs with most albums, a variety of versions of the songs were recorded. In the days before digital recording, artists and producers would be given an acetate (a soft pressing of the recordings) containing 'in-progress' versions of the work being undertaken in the studio. This was done so they could be taken home and listened to for artists and producers to reflect on what had been achieved, decide whether improvement could be made and, if so, what those improvements should be. They played a part in deciding what would happen next. They are very rare items. It is thought that only two acetates from the Velvet's first album have survived. One of them came to light in a Montreal flea market in 2002 where it was bought for the princely sum of 75 cents! When it was placed on ebay earlier in 2007, bidding stopped at $155,401, but the sale was never finalised and the acetate was sold through a process of closed bidding. This acetate contains alternative takes of the tracks on the album. These are versions of the tracks that didn't make it onto the final commercial release. Now, thanks (presumably) to the buyer of the item, the tracks have been converted to mp3 files and are available for free download. This immeasurably selfless act of generosity means that you can now listen to the album that could have been. The Contents of the AcetateThere are previously unheard takes and mixes of songs, and there are recognisably different guitar or vocal parts. The website says that 'Velvet Underground fans will find this a revelatory listen, while those who don't really know what's going on will probably not understand the true value of this recording.' On a personal note, having listened to the album, I have to agree with the first statement, whilst demurring at the second. Most people will appreciate the scale of this find. The tracklisting is:
For a while, the album was on the web and available to anyone who knew where to find it. Unfortunately, it has now been taken down. However, the advice of this writer is, get hold of a copy if you can and listen to this amazing piece of rock history.
The copyright of the article Velvet Underground & Nico in Rock Music is owned by Alistair McCulloch. Permission to republish Velvet Underground & Nico in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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