Sunday, April 15, 2012

The Velvet Underground & Nico


The Velvet Underground & Nico can easily be agreed upon as “...The most influential rock group of the 60’s” (http://www.veoh.com/watch/v18444087ZF6xZy9c). Overtime, The Velvet Underground & Nico eventually gave birth to Punk Rock. Andy Warhol played as a heavy influence on The Velvet Underground, reaching them and bending their minds on the concept of “pop art”; becoming more of an art band. After further hearings on The Velvet Underground and each character, Lou Reed and John Cale were the glue to this group. As a main songwriter for the group, Reed normally wrote on personal happenings concerning sex and drugs, which hadn’t normally happened much in Rock. John, being the co-founder of the band, wrote most of the songs sung by the group themselves. What many don’t know, is John biggest contribution was the electrically amplified viola, which in turn assisted in helping the band take off – “…using chords, tones, and great texture”(The Velvet Underground & Nico (audiobook) by Joe Harvard). While there were many differences and personal issues with each other, Andy Warhol & David Bowie kept things abroad as he heavily supported, promoted and produced the Velvet Underground & Nico. No one really praised the band, compared to as much as the band contributed to the genre of Rock, Pop, and Punk with its homosexuality, drug uses and way of life, which eventually gave birth to their lack of success. In 1966, speaking on those subjects was intriguing, yet ballsy move by The Velvet Underground. Not many really understood their real meaning of why they spoke on those subjects until later listening to it, having to ignore their preconceptions of the band while letting the music do the explaining.
As The Velvet Underground plays as the Grandfather of Punk Rock, It has too influenced me as, mainly, Lou Reed & John Cale changed and established Art, Rock, and music all together with the blend of negligence and compliance with each other. I was affected by them coincidently; 1986 Post modem Compilation VU.