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{{more footnotes|date=February 2015}}
{{Infobox album
{{Infobox album
| name = VU
| name = VU
| type = compilation
| type = studio
| artist = [[the Velvet Underground]]
| artist = [[the Velvet Underground]]
| cover = TheVelvetUndergroundVU.png
| cover = TheVelvetUndergroundVU.png
| alt =
| alt =
| released = {{Start date|1985|02}}
| released = {{Start date|1985|02}}
| recorded = 1968–69, New York City
| recorded = 1968–69
| venue =
| venue =
| studio = [[A & R Studios]] and [[Record Plant]], New York City<ref name=RoughG/>
| studio =
| genre = {{flatlist|
| genre = {{flatlist|
*[[Experimental rock]]
*[[Experimental rock]]
Line 16: Line 15:
}}
}}
| length = 35:16
| length = 35:16
| language = English
| label = [[Verve Records|Verve]]
| label = [[Verve Records|Verve]]
| producer = The Velvet Underground
| producer = The Velvet Underground
Line 31: Line 29:
}}
}}


'''''VU''''' is a 1985 album by the American musical group [[the Velvet Underground]], a [[compilation album]] of [[outtakes]] recorded 1968-69. It was released in February 1985 by [[Verve Records]].
'''''VU''''' is an album by the American musical group [[the Velvet Underground]], recorded in 1968 and 1969 and released sixteen years later in February 1985 by [[Verve Records]]. Some sources refer to ''VU'' as a [[compilation album]], while music critic [[Robert Christgau]] called it an unofficial Velvets' [[studio album]]. Most avoid both of these labels, as well as other terms occasionally used when discussing the album such as archival album or collection of outtakes.


''VU'' has been critically acclaimed both in contemporary and retrospective reviews.
==Composition and collection==
When the Velvet Underground moved from [[Verve Records]] (which had released their first two albums) to parent company [[MGM Records]], they signed a two-album deal, releasing their third album ''[[The Velvet Underground (album)|The Velvet Underground]]'' in March 1969. Later that same year there was a management change and MGM Records' new [[CEO]], [[Mike Curb]], was brought in to try to rescue the financially struggling label. He decided to purge the record company of its unprofitable acts. The Velvet Underground quickly became one of the groups targeted and were released from their contract. The band had in the meantime recorded 14 tracks for possible release as their second MGM album. All of these were shelved and forgotten by their record company until the early 1980s.


==Background==
⚫
Mo Tucker later said, "We didn’t say we'll just go in and lay down anything and screw 'em. There was a sense that it probably wouldn't be released by them. I think I figured it would just get picked up by the next record company, not realizing that MGM would own it. But when we switched labels, MGM wouldn't give up the tapes."<ref name=mo>{{cite magazine| magazine= [[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] | title=Spins|author=Mick Farren| date=May 1985|issue=1|page=28}}</ref>
When the Velvet Underground moved from [[Verve Records]] (which had released their first two albums) to parent company [[MGM Records]], they signed a two-album deal, releasing their third album ''[[The Velvet Underground (album)|The Velvet Underground]]'' in March 1969. This was their first record with multi-instrumentalist [[Doug Yule]], who replaced previous member [[John Cale]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Richie |first=Unterberger |title=The Velvet Underground Biography |website=[[AllMusic]] |author-link=Richie Unterberger |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/the-velvet-underground-mn0000840402#biography}}</ref> Later that same year there was a management change and MGM Records' new [[CEO]], [[Mike Curb]], was brought in to try to rescue the financially struggling label. He decided to purge the record company of its unprofitable acts.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The MGM Records Story |url=https://www.bsnpubs.com/mgm/mgmstory.html |access-date=December 13, 2024 |website=Both Sides Now Publications |first1=P. |last1=Preuss |first2=M. |last2=Callahan |first3=D. |last3=Edwards |first4=P. |last4=Eyries |date=January 25, 2000}}</ref> The Velvet Underground were already inclined to leave the label by then and would later sign with [[Atlantic Records]], who released their fourth studio album ''[[Loaded (The Velvet Underground album)|Loaded]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Unterberger |first=Richie |url=http://www.richieunterberger.com/vumyth.html |title=What Really Goes On: 22 Myths and Legends about the Velvet Underground |website=Richieunterberger.com |access-date=December 13, 2024 |author-link=Richie Unterberger}}</ref>


The band had in the meantime recorded 14 tracks for possible release as their second MGM album. All of these were shelved and forgotten by their record company until the early 1980s.<ref name=mo/> The band's drummer [[Moe Tucker]] later said:
⚫
As Verve (by then an [[imprint (trade name)|imprint]] of [[Polygram]]) prepared to re-release the band's three Verve/MGM albums on vinyl and CD, they found nineteen previously unreleased tracks: five Cale-era tracks and the 14 "lost album" tracks, some of them in two-track [[audio mixing (recorded music)|mixdown]] format, some of them even on [[multitrack recording|multitracks]]. The cream of the nineteen tracks was released in 1985 as ''VU''; the rest was released as ''[[Another View]]'' in 1986.
⚫
{{Blockquote |text=We didn't say we'll just go in and lay down anything and screw 'em. There was a sense that it probably wouldn't be released by them. I think I figured it would just get picked up by the next record company, not realizing that MGM would own it. But when we switched labels, MGM wouldn't give up the tapes.<ref name=mo>{{cite magazine |magazine=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] |title=Spins |first=Mick |last=Farren |date=May 1985 |issue=1 |pages=28–29 |url=https://archive.org/details/spin-01-may-1985/page/28/mode/1up}}</ref>
}}


==Release and contents==
⚫
''VU'' is a selection from the 1969 tracks as well as two previously unreleased Cale-era songs—"Temptation Inside Your Heart" and "Stephanie Says". Since most of the material was available on multitrack (only "Ocean" is included in its original 1969 mix), engineers were able to clean up and remix the tracks.
⚫
In the early 1980s, as Verve (by then an [[imprint (trade name)|imprint]] of [[Polygram]]) prepared to re-release the band's three Verve/MGM albums on vinyl and CD, they found nineteen previously unreleased tracks: five Cale-era tracks and the 14 "[[The Velvet Underground#Year on the road and the "lost" fourth album (1969)|lost album]]" tracks, some of them in two-track [[audio mixing (recorded music)|mixdown]] format, some of them even on [[multitrack recording|multitracks]]. The cream of the nineteen tracks was released in 1985 as ''VU''; the rest was released as ''[[Another View]]'' in 1986.<ref>{{cite web |last=Deming |first=Mark |title=Another View – The Velvet Underground – Review |website=[[AllMusic]] |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/another-view-mw0000192322#review}}</ref>


⚫
''VU'' is a selection from the 1969 tracks as well as two previously unreleased Cale-era songs—"Temptation Inside Your Heart" and "[[Stephanie Says]]".<ref name="Weisbard"/> Since most of the material was available on multitrack (only "Ocean" is included in its original 1969 mix), engineers were able to clean up and remix the tracks.<ref name=RoughG>{{cite book |last=Hogan |first=Peter |author-link=Peter Hogan |title=The Rough Guide to The Velvet Underground |location=New York |year=2007 |page=150 |publisher=[[Rough Guides]] |isbn=978-1-84353-588-1 |url=https://archive.org/details/roughguidetovelv0000hoga/page/150/mode/1up |url-access=registration}}</ref>
⚫
As the Velvet Underground moved from MGM to Atlantic, they re-recorded two of the songs on ''VU'', "Ocean" and "I'm Sticking with You", for possible inclusion on ''[[Loaded (The Velvet Underground album)|Loaded]]''. Neither made the cut, but six of the ''VU'' songs were recycled by Lou Reed during his solo career: "I Can't Stand It", "Lisa Says" and "Ocean" on ''[[Lou Reed (album)|Lou Reed]]'', 1972; "[[Andy's Chest]]" on ''[[Transformer (Lou Reed album)|Transformer]]'', 1972; "[[Stephanie Says]]" (as "Caroline Says II") on ''[[Berlin (Lou Reed album)|Berlin]]'', 1973; and "She's My Best Friend" (which was originally sung by [[Doug Yule]]),<ref name=sell>{{cite book |title=The Penguin Book of Rock & Roll Writing|last=Heylin |first=Clinton |authorlink= Clinton Heylin |publisher=Viking |year=1992 |page=586|isbn=9780670845590}}</ref> was included on ''[[Coney Island Baby]]'', 1976.


⚫
As the Velvet Underground moved from MGM to Atlantic, they re-recorded two of the songs on ''VU'', "Ocean" and "I'm Sticking with You", for possible inclusion on ''[[Loaded (The Velvet Underground album)|Loaded]]''. Neither made the cut, but six of the ''VU'' songs were recycled by the band's lead musician [[Lou Reed]] during his solo career: "I Can't Stand It", "Lisa Says" and "Ocean" on ''[[Lou Reed (album)|Lou Reed]]'', 1972; "[[Andy's Chest]]" on ''[[Transformer (Lou Reed album)|Transformer]]'', 1972; "Stephanie Says" (as "Caroline Says II") on ''[[Berlin (Lou Reed album)|Berlin]]'', 1973; and "She's My Best Friend" (which was originally sung by [[Doug Yule]]),<ref name=sell>{{cite book |title=The Penguin Book of Rock & Roll Writing|last=Heylin |first=Clinton |authorlink= Clinton Heylin |publisher=Viking |year=1992 |page=586|isbn=9780670845590}}</ref> was included on ''[[Coney Island Baby]]'', 1976.
⚫
''VU'' peaked in the US at #85, the band's best placing.<ref name="BillboardChart">{{Cite magazine|title=The Velvet Underground|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-velvet-underground/chart-history/tlp/|access-date=2021-06-14|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> As of October 2013 it had sold 90,000 copies according to Nielsen Soundscan.<ref name="rip">{{cite web|title=Lou Reed RIP: What If Everyone Who Bought The First Velvet Underground Album Did Start A Band?|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/legal-and-management/5770584/lou-reed-rip-what-if-everyone-who-bought-the-first|last=Gensler|first=Andy|website=Billboard|date=October 28, 2013}}</ref>

''VU'' is called a compilation album by some sources,<ref name="Larkin8"/> an archival album by other,<ref name="Weisbard"/> and a Velvets' unofficial studio album ("A ''[[Basement Tapes]]'' for the '80s") by [[Robert Christgau]].<ref name="Xgau"/> Most avoid classifying the album in any of the mentioned categories.<ref name="AllMusic"/><ref name="RollingStone"/><ref name=RoughG/><ref name=mo/> Mark Denning of [[AllMusic]] wrote: {{blockquote|No one seems to know if the Velvet Underground were making an album or just cutting demos when they went into the studio in 1969 not long before their contract with MGM Records ran out -- even the members of the band didn't agree on the particulars years after the fact -- but when the tapes were rediscovered in Polygram's vaults in the early '80s, it led to the first major archival release from the Velvets since ''[[1969: Velvet Underground Live]]'', and one that was every bit as important.<ref name="AllMusic"/>}}

⚫
''VU'' peaked in the US at number 85, the band's best placing.<ref name="BillboardChart">{{Cite magazine|title=The Velvet Underground|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/the-velvet-underground/chart-history/tlp/|access-date=2021-06-14|magazine=Billboard}}</ref> As of October 2013, it had sold 90,000 copies according to [[Nielsen Soundscan]].<ref name="rip">{{cite web|title=Lou Reed RIP: What If Everyone Who Bought The First Velvet Underground Album Did Start A Band?|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/news/legal-and-management/5770584/lou-reed-rip-what-if-everyone-who-bought-the-first|last=Gensler|first=Andy|website=Billboard|date=October 28, 2013}}</ref>


== Critical reception ==
== Critical reception ==
{{Album reviews
{{Album reviews
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="AllMusic">{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r21119}}</ref>
| rev1score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="AllMusic">{{AllMusic |class=album |id=r21119 |title=V.U. – The Velvet Underground – Review |last=Deming |first=Mark}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s|Christgau's Record Guide]]''
|rev2 = ''[[AllMusic#The All Music Guide series|All Music Guide: The Definitive Guide to Popular Music]]''
|rev2score = {{rating|5|5}}<ref name=Unterberger/>
| rev2Score = A<ref name="Xgau">{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|chapter=V|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=V&bk=80|access-date=November 21, 2021|via=robertchristgau.com|title=Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s|title-link=Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s|publisher=[[Pantheon Books]]|year=1990|isbn= 0-679-73015-X}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]''
| rev3 = ''[[Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s|Christgau's Record Guide]]''
| rev3Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite book|last=Larkin|first=Colin|author-link=Colin Larkin|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|year=2007|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|edition=4th|isbn=978-0195313734|title-link=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music}}</ref>
| rev3Score = A<ref name="Xgau">{{cite book|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|chapter=V|chapter-url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_chap.php?k=V&bk=80|access-date=November 21, 2021|via=robertchristgau.com|title=Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s|title-link=Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s|publisher=[[Pantheon Books]]|year=1990|isbn= 0-679-73015-X}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
| rev4 = ''[[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]''
| rev4Score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="Larkin8">{{cite book|last=Larkin|first=Colin|author-link=Colin Larkin|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|year=2007|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|edition=4th|volume=8|isbn=978-0195313734|page=415|url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofpo0008unse/page/415/mode/1up}}</ref>
⚫
| rev4score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="RollingStone">{{cite magazine|last=Fricke|first=David|date=March 14, 1985|title=The Velvet Underground: VU|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thevelvetunderground/albums/album/113385/review/5942275/vu|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070428134334/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thevelvetunderground/albums/album/113385/review/5942275/vu|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 28, 2007|magazine=Rolling Stone}}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[MusicHound|MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide]]''
| rev5score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite book |title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide |date=1996 |publisher=[[Visible Ink Press]] |page=710 |chapter=Velvet Underground |first=Greg |last=Kot |author-link=Greg Kot |editor-last=Graff |editor-first=Gary |editor-link=Gary Graff |isbn=9780787610371 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/musichoundrockes0000unse/page/710/mode/1up}}</ref>
| rev6 = ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
⚫
| rev6score = {{Rating|5|5}}<ref name="RollingStone">{{cite magazine|last=Fricke|first=David|date=March 14, 1985|title=The Velvet Underground: VU|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thevelvetunderground/albums/album/113385/review/5942275/vu|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070428134334/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thevelvetunderground/albums/album/113385/review/5942275/vu|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 28, 2007|magazine=Rolling Stone|author-link=David Fricke}}</ref>
| rev7 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]''
| rev7Score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="Sheffield">{{cite book|last=Sheffield|first=Rob|author-link=Rob Sheffield|editor1-last=Brackett|editor1-first=Nathan|editor1-link=Nathan Brackett|editor2-last=Hoard|editor2-first=Christian|editor2-link=Christian Hoard|chapter=The Velvet Underground|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t9eocwUfoSoC&pg=PA847|access-date=November 22, 2011|title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide|title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide|location=New York City|publisher=[[Simon & Schuster]]|edition=4th|year=2004|isbn=0-7432-0169-8|pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/847 847–848]|archive-date=June 10, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210610004547/https://books.google.com/books?id=t9eocwUfoSoC&pg=PA847|url-status=live}}</ref>
| rev8 = ''[[Spin Alternative Record Guide]]''
| rev8Score = 9/10<ref name="Weisbard">{{cite book |last=Weisbard |first=Eric |author-link=Eric Weisbard |editor1-last=Weisbard |editor1-first=Eric |editor2-last=Marks |editor2-first=Craig |chapter=Velvet Underground |title=Spin Alternative Record Guide |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/spinalternativer0000unse/page/425/mode/1up |location=New York |publisher=[[Vintage Books]] |year=1995 |isbn=0-679-75574-8 |pages=425–427}}</ref>
}}
}}
''VU'' was ranked number 3 among the "Albums of the Year" for 1985 by ''[[NME]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.nme.com/bestalbumsandtracksoftheyear/1985-2-1045389 |title=Albums and Tracks of the Year |date=2018 |magazine=[[NME]] |access-date=August 30, 2018 }}</ref> ''[[Village Voice]]'' rock critic [[Robert Christgau]] wrote, "It's goofy, relaxed, simultaneously conversational and obscure, an effect accentuated by the unfinished feel of takes the band never prepared for public consumption. As a result, especially given PolyGram's state-of-the-art remix, it's their most listenable record."<ref name="Xgau"/>
''VU'' was ranked number 3 among the "[[NME Album of the Year|Albums of the Year]]" for 1985 by ''[[NME|New Musical Express]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.nme.com/bestalbumsandtracksoftheyear/1985-2-1045389 |title=Albums and Tracks of the Year |date=2018 |magazine=[[NME]] |access-date=August 30, 2018 }}</ref> In the [[Pazz & Jop]] year-end critics poll, it was ranked the 12th best album of 1985.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/pjres85.php |title=The 1985 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll |first=Robert |last=Christgau |author-link=Robert Christgau |magazine=[[The Village Voice]] |date=February 18, 1986}}</ref> [[Robert Christgau]] placed it at number 6 on his "[[Robert Christgau#"Dean's Lists"|Dean's list]]" of the best albums of that year.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Christgau |first=Robert |title=Pazz & Jop 1985: Dean's List |url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/pnj/deans85.php |magazine=[[The Village Voice]] |date=February 18, 1986}}</ref>

''[[Village Voice]]'' rock critic Robert Christgau wrote, "It's goofy, relaxed, simultaneously conversational and obscure, an effect accentuated by the unfinished feel of takes the band never prepared for public consumption. As a result, especially given PolyGram's state-of-the-art remix, it's their most listenable record."<ref name="Xgau"/> ''[[Rolling Stone]]'''s [[David Fricke]] claimed that "''V.U.'' captures the band at the height of its powers, refining the edginess of the early records with a polished, accessible sound that doesn't compromise its spirit of adventure."<ref name="RollingStone"/>

⚫
In a minority opinion, [[Mick Farren]] of ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' wrote of the recordings, "As a piece of rock archeology, they are clearly invaluable, filling a crucial gap in the Velvet Underground canon. As a piece of entertainment — even a period piece — they provoke the feeling that, if it had been released in sequence, the album probably would have been greeted as an almost unqualified dog."<ref name=mo />


In a retrospective review, [[AllMusic]]'s Mark Demming wrote, "The 1969 recordings on VU rank with some of the most accessible but potent rock & roll the Velvet Underground ever recorded; [...] 'I Can't Stand It,' 'Foggy Notion,' and 'One of These Days' are memorable, punchy rock tunes," and claimed that the music in this album "is a reminder that this band wasn't as alienating as many writers like to suggest; [...] they could also play tough but joyous rock & roll that made people want to dance."<ref name="AllMusic"/> [[Richie Unterberger]] opined, "Many of the tracks were re-recorded by Reed on his early solo albums, and in every instance, The Velvets' versions are better."<ref name=Unterberger>{{Cite book |last=Unterberger |first=Richie |title=All Music Guide: The Definitive Guide to Popular Music |chapter=The Velvet Underground: VU / 1985 / Verve |year=2001 |edition=4th |page=431 |publisher=[[Backbeat Books]] |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/allmusicguidedef00bogd/page/431/mode/1up |isbn=0-87930-627-0 |author-link=Richie Unterberger}}</ref>
⚫
[[Mick Farren]] of ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]'' wrote of the recordings, "As a piece of rock archeology, they are clearly invaluable, filling a crucial gap in the Velvet Underground canon. As a piece of entertainment — even a period piece — they provoke the feeling that, if it had been released in sequence, the album probably would have been greeted as an almost unqualified dog."<ref name=mo />
{{clear}}


==Track listing==
==Track listing==
All tracks written by [[Lou Reed]] except where noted.
All songs written by [[Lou Reed]], except "Foggy Notion" by Reed, [[Sterling Morrison]], [[Doug Yule]], [[Moe Tucker|Maureen Tucker]] and [[Hy Weiss]].


{{tracklist
{{tracklist
Line 88: Line 104:
|headline= Side two
|headline= Side two
|extra_column= Recording date
|extra_column= Recording date
|title1= Foggy Notion*
|title1= Foggy Notion
|writer1= Reed, [[Sterling Morrison]], [[Doug Yule]], [[Moe Tucker|Maureen Tucker]], [[Hy Weiss]]
|length1= 6:41
|length1= 6:41
|extra1= May 6, 1969
|extra1= May 6, 1969
Line 106: Line 121:
|total_length = 18:16
|total_length = 18:16
}}
}}
<nowiki>*</nowiki>The CD issue of VU omits the first few seconds of "Foggy Notion", which includes a practice guitar lick and the band members talking.
<nowiki>*</nowiki>The CD issue of ''VU'' omits the first few seconds of "Foggy Notion", which includes a practice guitar lick and the band members talking.


*All tracks appear on the box set ''[[Peel Slowly and See]]'', except "She's My Best Friend", "Ocean" and "Andy's Chest". "Ocean" on ''Peel Slowly and See'' is a later version, recorded during the [[Loaded (The Velvet Underground album)|''Loaded'']] sessions April – June 1970.
*All tracks appear on the box set ''[[Peel Slowly and See]]'', except "She's My Best Friend", "Ocean" and "Andy's Chest". "Ocean" on ''Peel Slowly and See'' is a later version, recorded during the [[Loaded (The Velvet Underground album)|''Loaded'']] sessions April – June 1970.
Line 125: Line 140:


== Charts ==
== Charts ==
''VU'' is The Velvet Underground's highest charting album in the US, peaking at number 85 in the US Billboard charts on April 13, 1985. It remained in the Charts for 13 weeks.<ref name="BillboardChart" />
''VU'' is The Velvet Underground's highest charting album in the US, peaking at number 85 in the US [[Billboard charts|''Billboard'' charts]] on April 13, 1985. It remained in the Charts for 13 weeks.<ref name="BillboardChart" /> In the [[UK album charts]], ''VU'' peaked at number 47 and stayed on the Top 100 for 4 weeks.<ref>{{Cite web |date= |title=V.U. by Velvet Underground |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/albums/velvet-underground-vu/ |access-date=2025-01-01 |website=[[Official Charts]]}}</ref>


==References==
==References==
Line 140: Line 155:
[[Category:Albums produced by Maureen Tucker]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Maureen Tucker]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Sterling Morrison]]
[[Category:Albums produced by Sterling Morrison]]
[[Category:Albums recorded at Record Plant (New York City)]]
[[Category:The Velvet Underground albums]]
[[Category:The Velvet Underground compilation albums]]
[[Category:The Velvet Underground compilation albums]]
[[Category:Verve Records compilation albums]]
[[Category:Verve Records compilation albums]]

Latest revision as of 05:56, 9 January 2025

VU
Studio album by
the Velvet Underground
ReleasedFebruary 1985 (1985-02)
Recorded1968–69
StudioA & R Studios and Record Plant, New York City[1]
Genre
Length35:16
LabelVerve
ProducerThe Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground chronology
1969: The Velvet Underground Live
(1974) 		VU
(1985) 		Another View
(1986)
Singles from VU
  1. "Foggy Notion / I Can't Stand It"
    Released: 1984

VU is an album by the American musical group the Velvet Underground, recorded in 1968 and 1969 and released sixteen years later in February 1985 by Verve Records. Some sources refer to VU as a compilation album, while music critic Robert Christgau called it an unofficial Velvets' studio album. Most avoid both of these labels, as well as other terms occasionally used when discussing the album such as archival album or collection of outtakes.

VU has been critically acclaimed both in contemporary and retrospective reviews.

Background

[edit]

When the Velvet Underground moved from Verve Records (which had released their first two albums) to parent company MGM Records, they signed a two-album deal, releasing their third album The Velvet Underground in March 1969. This was their first record with multi-instrumentalist Doug Yule, who replaced previous member John Cale.[2] Later that same year there was a management change and MGM Records' new CEO, Mike Curb, was brought in to try to rescue the financially struggling label. He decided to purge the record company of its unprofitable acts.[3] The Velvet Underground were already inclined to leave the label by then and would later sign with Atlantic Records, who released their fourth studio album Loaded.[4]

The band had in the meantime recorded 14 tracks for possible release as their second MGM album. All of these were shelved and forgotten by their record company until the early 1980s.[5] The band's drummer Moe Tucker later said:

We didn't say we'll just go in and lay down anything and screw 'em. There was a sense that it probably wouldn't be released by them. I think I figured it would just get picked up by the next record company, not realizing that MGM would own it. But when we switched labels, MGM wouldn't give up the tapes.[5]

Release and contents

[edit]

In the early 1980s, as Verve (by then an imprint of Polygram) prepared to re-release the band's three Verve/MGM albums on vinyl and CD, they found nineteen previously unreleased tracks: five Cale-era tracks and the 14 "lost album" tracks, some of them in two-track mixdown format, some of them even on multitracks. The cream of the nineteen tracks was released in 1985 as VU; the rest was released as Another View in 1986.[6]

VU is a selection from the 1969 tracks as well as two previously unreleased Cale-era songs—"Temptation Inside Your Heart" and "Stephanie Says".[7] Since most of the material was available on multitrack (only "Ocean" is included in its original 1969 mix), engineers were able to clean up and remix the tracks.[1]

As the Velvet Underground moved from MGM to Atlantic, they re-recorded two of the songs on VU, "Ocean" and "I'm Sticking with You", for possible inclusion on Loaded. Neither made the cut, but six of the VU songs were recycled by the band's lead musician Lou Reed during his solo career: "I Can't Stand It", "Lisa Says" and "Ocean" on Lou Reed, 1972; "Andy's Chest" on Transformer, 1972; "Stephanie Says" (as "Caroline Says II") on Berlin, 1973; and "She's My Best Friend" (which was originally sung by Doug Yule),[8] was included on Coney Island Baby, 1976.

VU is called a compilation album by some sources,[9] an archival album by other,[7] and a Velvets' unofficial studio album ("A Basement Tapes for the '80s") by Robert Christgau.[10] Most avoid classifying the album in any of the mentioned categories.[11][12][1][5] Mark Denning of AllMusic wrote:

No one seems to know if the Velvet Underground were making an album or just cutting demos when they went into the studio in 1969 not long before their contract with MGM Records ran out -- even the members of the band didn't agree on the particulars years after the fact -- but when the tapes were rediscovered in Polygram's vaults in the early '80s, it led to the first major archival release from the Velvets since 1969: Velvet Underground Live, and one that was every bit as important.[11]

VU peaked in the US at number 85, the band's best placing.[13] As of October 2013, it had sold 90,000 copies according to Nielsen Soundscan.[14]

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[11]
All Music Guide: The Definitive Guide to Popular Music[15]
Christgau's Record GuideA[10]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[9]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide[16]
Rolling Stone[12]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[17]
Spin Alternative Record Guide9/10[7]

VU was ranked number 3 among the "Albums of the Year" for 1985 by New Musical Express.[18] In the Pazz & Jop year-end critics poll, it was ranked the 12th best album of 1985.[19] Robert Christgau placed it at number 6 on his "Dean's list" of the best albums of that year.[20]

Village Voice rock critic Robert Christgau wrote, "It's goofy, relaxed, simultaneously conversational and obscure, an effect accentuated by the unfinished feel of takes the band never prepared for public consumption. As a result, especially given PolyGram's state-of-the-art remix, it's their most listenable record."[10] Rolling Stone's David Fricke claimed that "V.U. captures the band at the height of its powers, refining the edginess of the early records with a polished, accessible sound that doesn't compromise its spirit of adventure."[12]

In a minority opinion, Mick Farren of Spin wrote of the recordings, "As a piece of rock archeology, they are clearly invaluable, filling a crucial gap in the Velvet Underground canon. As a piece of entertainment — even a period piece — they provoke the feeling that, if it had been released in sequence, the album probably would have been greeted as an almost unqualified dog."[5]

In a retrospective review, AllMusic's Mark Demming wrote, "The 1969 recordings on VU rank with some of the most accessible but potent rock & roll the Velvet Underground ever recorded; [...] 'I Can't Stand It,' 'Foggy Notion,' and 'One of These Days' are memorable, punchy rock tunes," and claimed that the music in this album "is a reminder that this band wasn't as alienating as many writers like to suggest; [...] they could also play tough but joyous rock & roll that made people want to dance."[11] Richie Unterberger opined, "Many of the tracks were re-recorded by Reed on his early solo albums, and in every instance, The Velvets' versions are better."[15]

Track listing

[edit]

All songs written by Lou Reed, except "Foggy Notion" by Reed, Sterling Morrison, Doug Yule, Maureen Tucker and Hy Weiss.

Side one
No.TitleRecording dateLength
1."I Can't Stand It"May 20, 19693:21
2."Stephanie Says"February 13, 19682:49
3."She's My Best Friend"May 14, 19692:47
4."Lisa Says"October 1, 19692:53
5."Ocean"June 19, 19695:10
Total length:17:00
Side two
No.TitleRecording dateLength
1."Foggy Notion"May 6, 19696:41
2."Temptation Inside Your Heart"February 14, 19682:30
3."One of These Days"September 23, 19693:50
4."Andy's Chest"May 13, 19692:49
5."I'm Sticking with You"May 13, 19692:26
Total length:18:16

*The CD issue of VU omits the first few seconds of "Foggy Notion", which includes a practice guitar lick and the band members talking.

  • All tracks appear on the box set Peel Slowly and See, except "She's My Best Friend", "Ocean" and "Andy's Chest". "Ocean" on Peel Slowly and See is a later version, recorded during the Loaded sessions April – June 1970.

Personnel

[edit]
The Velvet Underground
Technical staff

Charts

[edit]

VU is The Velvet Underground's highest charting album in the US, peaking at number 85 in the US Billboard charts on April 13, 1985. It remained in the Charts for 13 weeks.[13] In the UK album charts, VU peaked at number 47 and stayed on the Top 100 for 4 weeks.[21]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Hogan, Peter (2007). The Rough Guide to The Velvet Underground. New York: Rough Guides. p. 150. ISBN 978-1-84353-588-1.
  2. ^ Richie, Unterberger. "The Velvet Underground Biography". AllMusic.
  3. ^ Preuss, P.; Callahan, M.; Edwards, D.; Eyries, P. (January 25, 2000). "The MGM Records Story". Both Sides Now Publications. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  4. ^ Unterberger, Richie. "What Really Goes On: 22 Myths and Legends about the Velvet Underground". Richieunterberger.com. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  5. ^ a b c d Farren, Mick (May 1985). "Spins". Spin. No. 1. pp. 28–29.
  6. ^ Deming, Mark. "Another View – The Velvet Underground – Review". AllMusic.
  7. ^ a b c Weisbard, Eric (1995). "Velvet Underground". In Weisbard, Eric; Marks, Craig (eds.). Spin Alternative Record Guide. New York: Vintage Books. pp. 425–427. ISBN 0-679-75574-8.
  8. ^ Heylin, Clinton (1992). The Penguin Book of Rock & Roll Writing. Viking. p. 586. ISBN 9780670845590.
  9. ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 8 (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. p. 415. ISBN 978-0195313734.
  10. ^ a b c Christgau, Robert (1990). "V". Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s. Pantheon Books. ISBN 0-679-73015-X. Retrieved November 21, 2021 – via robertchristgau.com.
  11. ^ a b c d Deming, Mark. V.U. – The Velvet Underground – Review at AllMusic
  12. ^ a b c Fricke, David (March 14, 1985). "The Velvet Underground: VU". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on April 28, 2007.
  13. ^ a b "The Velvet Underground". Billboard. Retrieved 2021-06-14.
  14. ^ Gensler, Andy (October 28, 2013). "Lou Reed RIP: What If Everyone Who Bought The First Velvet Underground Album Did Start A Band?". Billboard.
  15. ^ a b Unterberger, Richie (2001). "The Velvet Underground: VU / 1985 / Verve". All Music Guide: The Definitive Guide to Popular Music (4th ed.). Backbeat Books. p. 431. ISBN 0-87930-627-0.
  16. ^ Kot, Greg (1996). "Velvet Underground". In Graff, Gary (ed.). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Visible Ink Press. p. 710. ISBN 9780787610371.
  17. ^ Sheffield, Rob (2004). "The Velvet Underground". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). New York City: Simon & Schuster. pp. 847–848. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. Archived from the original on June 10, 2021. Retrieved November 22, 2011.
  18. ^ "Albums and Tracks of the Year". NME. 2018. Retrieved August 30, 2018.
  19. ^ Christgau, Robert (February 18, 1986). "The 1985 Pazz & Jop Critics Poll". The Village Voice.
  20. ^ Christgau, Robert (February 18, 1986). "Pazz & Jop 1985: Dean's List". The Village Voice.
  21. ^ "V.U. by Velvet Underground". Official Charts. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
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