Peel Slowly and See

[Salman]

Is this boxset worth getting for $50? I've already have the four Velvet Underground studio albums so is it worth buying twice?

[Patrick]

Tons of great extra stuff here ... the box set is one way to get it (possibly the only way these days)... don't forget there's an entire "lost album" basically between the third album and 'Loaded'.

Another way to get this stuff is on the 'V.U.' and 'Another View' LPs that Verve put out in the late '80s (and many high-quality bootlegs from before that). I don't know if these are available in this form on CD.

Once you've absorbed those recordings, you need the live stuff - notably the official material on the '69' double LP and 'Live at Max's Kansas City', as well as the monster double bootleg LP 'Sister Ray', which contained 4 live versions of that classic (one per side).

Velvets are one of those bands where the unofficial/live/bootleg/outtake stuff is absolutely essential.

One of the more CD-clued-in people will doubtless fill in the gaps here, since I picked up most of this stuff on vinyl. I did get the box but now can't remember exactly how it matches up with the above, though it definitely includes much, if not all, of the 'V.U.' and 'Another View' LPs.

A p.s. on the digital tip: avoid the much-hyped (including by me) 'Quine Tapes' CD box released by Polydor last year. The material may well be great, but it was mastered from cassette and sounds like it. Essential for hardcore fans, but there's tons and tons of more essential stuff - outlined above - to get first.

Patrick

[earl grey]

great post patrick - i need to print this out. the only VU i know past the four main LP's is '1969' - which absolutely blew my mind when i first heard it. it's actually the one i listen to the most these days....

i've been wanting to hear that "lost" album for ages - i need to motivate. the 'sister ray' bootleg though - that's the one i'm really curious about....

[earl grey]

oh BTW - have you heard the newish rerelease of the bataclan reed/cale/nico show? is it worth seeking out?

[9000]

Originally posted by Patrick

Another way to get this stuff is on the 'V.U.' and 'Another View' LPs that Verve put out in the late '80s (and many high-quality bootlegs from before that). I don't know if these are available in this form on CD.


"another view" is available on CD - i've got it. it rocks.

[SlangKing]

Originally posted by 9000
"another view" is available on CD - i've got it. it rocks.

As is "V.U." (or at least it was a couple of years ago). As far as content- the box has just about everything on these two albums. The only exception that is springing to mind right now is "Andy's Chest".

[Patrick]

earl, have not heard it, sorry. Glad to be of help otherwise.

Patrick

[Miss Tasty Princess]

Originally posted by SlangKing
As is "V.U." (or at least it was a couple of years ago). As far as content- the box has just about everything on these two albums. The only exception that is springing to mind right now is "Andy's Chest". Only one of the two versions of "Hey Mr. Rain" from Another View made it to the box and it's the inferior one, IMO. I think a few others are missing from the box, too, but I don't recall which though I'm fairly certain the useless instrumental versions of songs which have lyrics failed to make the cut (no biggie) and "Ferryboat Bill" is also missing (and that's a shame).

[9000]

the instrumental version of "Guess I'm Falling in Love" is so raw and incredible. talk about first wave punk rock.

[pitpat]

I heard Max's at KC is being remastered, rereleased, and generally spiced up sometime soon (or already out)

[Miss Tasty Princess]

Originally posted by pitpat
I heard Max's at KC is being remastered, rereleased, and generally spiced up sometime soon (or already out) They've been saying the same thing about the eponymous one.

[Salman]

Great. Thanks for the info everyone. I'll be getting the boxset and some live albums once I get a chance.

[Funk]

Originally posted by 9000
the instrumental version of "Guess I'm Falling in Love" is so raw and incredible. talk about first wave punk rock.

It's a shame that's not on the box set. I can never find the LP/CD that this is on in stores and am stuck with the terrible live recording with vocals on the box. Well, I got the instrumental off Napster back in the day and burned it to a disc, so I'm not suffering, but it really should've been on the box.