- Paperback: 368 pages
- Publisher: Jawbone Press; 1 edition (Jun 1 2009)
- Language: English
- ISBN-10: 1906002223
- ISBN-13: 978-1906002220
- Product Dimensions: 26.7 x 21.3 x 2.5 cm
- Shipping Weight: 1.3 Kg
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: #289,161 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
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Product Details |
Product Description
Book Description
By turns fiercely confrontational, literate, primitive and sweetly melodic, The Velvet Underground remain one of the most influential bands in the history of rock. The ultimate cult band and the ultimate art rock experience, the VU's music and style have served as a blueprint for everyone from David Bowie to The Jesus and Mary Chain. Yet for all their enduring importance, they were unsuccessful in their day, selling minute numbers of records, with their monochrome look and photo-realist lyrics at odds with the garish colors and peace fantasies of the hippy era. It was only when David Bowie started to champion the band in the early 70s, after they had split up, that the VU's reputation started to spread. In White Light/White Heat, noted rock writer and historian Richie Unterberger analyses the band's career and influence in forsensic detail, drawing on many new interviews with band members and associates, previously undiscovered archive sources and a vast knowledge of the music of the times. The result is a comprehensive, articulate, immensely detailed history - the most thorough work on the band yet published.
About the Author
Richie Unterberger is an acclaimed author and music historian, renowned for his meticulous research. A regular contributor to the All Music website, Mojo, Record Collector and many other publications, he has also written dozens of liner notes for CD reissues of classic 60s and 70s albums. His previous books include Unknown Legends of Rock'n'Roll, Eight Miles High and Turn! Turn! Turn!
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7 reviews
23 of 24 people found the following review helpful
The Best Book Ever on the Velvet Underground
Jun 11 2009
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
While there are many good books out on the Velvet Underground, and it might seem that there's really nothing more to write on this deeply influential band, this book adds a great deal of material to the well known saga on the band's long and often tortured history, with a literal day by day chronicle of their gigs, recordings, film work (with Andy Warhol), and internal struggles. As someone who saw the band during their gigs at The Dom way back in 1966, and also at their last stand at Max's Kansas City in the summer of 1970, I have to say that the superb detail and remarkable research of this volume lifts it above conventional rock and roll biography, into the level of serious musical scholarship. Well written, densely detailed, and carefully considered, and happily missing the tone of the frenzied fan, this is the definitive book on the Velvets, and should remain so for some time to come. It doesn't list the new Gymnasium tapes that recently surfaced, with a previously unknown song included in the set -- "I'm Not A Young Man Anymore", a great song -- but that's probably because it happened so recently. Other than that, which is a minor quibble, this is an incredible piece of work, and an absolute must for anyone interested in the Velvets, rock and roll, or popular music in the 20th century.
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
You have to be a diehard
Sep 24 2010
Format:Paperback
This is for people who are interested in VU and want to know all the details. It doesn't go into the band members opinions much but mainly puts the facts down and gives a little (insightful) commentary. It seems like it would be dry but I read it all in 3 days. Loved it.
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
The Velvet Underground Bible
Sep 17 2010
Format:Paperback
Simply put, this is the Velvet Underground Bible. Alongside the hundreds of photos, flyers, newspaper clippings, promotional ads and record covers, is a day-by-day account of one of the most influential bands of all time, The Velvet Underground. From the pre-VU days, all the way to their reunion in 1993, author Richie Unterberger has meticulously compiled all of the happenings related to the members of the VU.
All gigs, recording sessions, rehearsals and reviews are assembled in chronological order - from Lou Reed's days as a house songwriter at Pickwick Records, to John Cale's avante-garde performances with John Cage, to Nico's entrance/exit and the days under the wings of Andy Warhol.
This book is mammoth and not for the casual Velvets fan. I found myself skipping over the monotonous sections pertaining to early drummer Angus MacLise and John Cale collaborator LaMonte Young - it was a bit extraneous and skipping did not take away from the overall effect of the book.
Lots and lots of VU trivia to be gained from these pages. Drummer Maureen Tucker first rehearsed with the band on the very same day as her first gig with them. She was asked to join the band because the first drummer quit and Maureen had a car and an extra guitar amp. The original drummer, MacLise, quit because he found out the band was getting a paid gig and didn't want to get paid or commit to showing up at a set time for the gig.
From the same publisher that brought us Bowie in Berlin: A New Career in a New Town (Book), Jawbone Press has once again done a fantastic job. This edition is similar in size to a school textbook - 8 x 10 inches, with full page, high quality photos.
All gigs, recording sessions, rehearsals and reviews are assembled in chronological order - from Lou Reed's days as a house songwriter at Pickwick Records, to John Cale's avante-garde performances with John Cage, to Nico's entrance/exit and the days under the wings of Andy Warhol.
This book is mammoth and not for the casual Velvets fan. I found myself skipping over the monotonous sections pertaining to early drummer Angus MacLise and John Cale collaborator LaMonte Young - it was a bit extraneous and skipping did not take away from the overall effect of the book.
Lots and lots of VU trivia to be gained from these pages. Drummer Maureen Tucker first rehearsed with the band on the very same day as her first gig with them. She was asked to join the band because the first drummer quit and Maureen had a car and an extra guitar amp. The original drummer, MacLise, quit because he found out the band was getting a paid gig and didn't want to get paid or commit to showing up at a set time for the gig.
From the same publisher that brought us Bowie in Berlin: A New Career in a New Town (Book), Jawbone Press has once again done a fantastic job. This edition is similar in size to a school textbook - 8 x 10 inches, with full page, high quality photos.
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