The Velvet Underground - "1966" Bootleg LP

Bernd Baierschmidt's girlfriend was the cover girl.

As Olivier Landemaine notes on the The Velvet Underground Webpage, this bootleg was originally issued in the US in 1981 by Bernd Baierschmidt.  Each side is a single track of music taken from the much-bootlegged 1966 Valleydale Ballroom show in Columbus, OH.  In fact, this was the first time these improvisations appeared on vinyl.

Personally, I find this stuff pretty unlistenable, but I know some of the more pretentious of you will lovingly call it "avant-garde!"   Whatever you pleasure, HERE it is (lossless).  Enjoy, and feel free to torrent this somewhere - just give my little site some credit!

Velvet Underground 1966
Recorded at the Valleydale Ballroom, Columbus OH - 4 November 1966

01 Melody Laughter

02 The Nothing Song

Doug Snyder:  This time one of us - Dick Felton - took a tape recorder...their equipment manager Dave Faison helped us with an extension cord for our mono recorder...The tape Dick made of the concert ends with him saying, "I'm scared to play it back. I really am."  Dick's tape has been bootlegged many times over the years - but never by him.  The best known boot is Velvet Underground 1966, which was put out by Bernd Baierschmidt.  The LP had Melody Laughter on one side, and The Nothing Song on the other - but were just called "side one" and "side two."  Bernd's girlfriend was the mysterious cover girl.  Bernd died as the result of a motorcycle crash a couple years later, so I can tell this about him.  He had been the one to see the Velvets before the rest of us - probably before anyone else in Ohio, and for years was the cultural arbiter of Cincinnati from his perch at Kidd's Books...A few months after the EPI came to Ohio, Bernd Baierschmidt and Dick Felton took the Valleydale tape to New York.  They called the Factory and asked for Andy.  The voice said, "This Is Andy."  They took Andy Warhol the tape, and he made a copy.

John Cale:  "We worked a huge place in Columbus, OH, filled with people drinking and talking.  We tuned up for about ten minutes, tuning, fa-da-da, up, da-da-da down.  There's a tape of it.  Played a whole set to no applause, just silences."

John Cale Hates Frank Zappa

Taken from an UNCUT Magazine in 2010.

Mick Jagger on the New York Dolls (1974)

From an NME interview in '74, recently reprinted in UNCUT magazine.

Velvet Underground: 15-Page Article & Free CD (12/2009)

It's pretty rare to find recent articles on the VU that contain new photos and information.  It seems that most magazines have been posting the same photos and band bio for the past dozen years (at least).  You know, they played at the Cafe Bizarre, were discovered by Andy Warhol, Exploding Plastic Inevitable, the Factory, Reed vs. Cale, etc...  As a die-hard VU fan, I have really tired of all the half-assed attempts at summarizing the VU's legacy.  I know it's difficult to encapsulate such an important band, but too often the coverage the Velvet Underground receives is more "introduction" than in-depth feature.  This author - Allan Jones - is meticulous and writes with passion...exactly like the band he is writing about!

This article has plenty of new interviews from Factory personalities, Cale, Moe Tucker, and others.  Plus, Jones uses archival interviews he conducted in the 70s.  There are plenty of photos (UNCUT says they're previously unseen) from the first two lineups (Mk. I with Angus McLise, and Mk. II with Cale), and perhaps surprisingly, a few with Edie Sedgewick.  Why Edie?  Not because she was all that interesting I'm sure...but probably because she was fucking Cale (amongst other Factory-types).

Download the article in .PDF HERE.

And as a bonus, HERE is the CD which was included with the magazine:

01. The Feelies - Slipping (Into Something) (5:58)
02. Thee Oh Sees - Destroyed Fortress Reappears (5:22)
03. Orange Juice - Blue Boy (2:55)
04. The Black Angels - Never-Ever (8:36)
05. Suicide - Rain Of Ruin (4:06)
06. Vivian Girls - Tension (2:32)
07. Magik Markers - Risperdal (2:30)
08. Espers - That Which Darkly Thrives (5:14)
09. Fursaxa - Tyranny (4:20)
10. Smog - Natural Decline (7:30)
11. Hush Arbors - Fast Asleep (4:23)
12. Loop - Too Real To Feel (5:19)
13. Hope Sandoval & The Warm Inventions - Wild Roses (3:37)
14. 801 - Third Uncle (5:11)
15. The War On Drugs - Show Me The Coast (9:56)

Japanese Anime Rock 'N' Roll Chick

Be sure to hit "pause" at 1:10, then just close your eyes and dream...

Here is my latest Netflix addiction - Mezzo DSA (Danger Service Agency).  Mikura is just your run-of-the-mill hot animated Japanese chick that's a deadly shot.  She'll break your neck, carve you up, then go to a karaoke bar to wind down!  Sorta like a Japanese A-Team, DSA is always up for a job...as long as the pay is good.  Theme song is "Suki Mami Mai Tai" by the Barnabys.

Best. Video. Ever. - Armand Van Helden's NYC Beat

My god...this video is the greatest video ever created.

White Light/White Heat Review - Crawdad Magazine 1968

Photo by Ken Greenberg

Although the Velvet Underground's importance has been reflected by mainstream media almost solely in hindsight (since around the mid-80s), it's always nice to read what the VU was thought of in their own time.  Here's a June 1968 article from Crawdad magazine.

Download HERE.

Pulp Will Reunite for 2011

Although I would love to see them live, I can't imagine such a quintessentially British band doing an extensive tour over here.  Where they'll be able to sell out stadiums in dear old Blighty, here in the land of shit music homogenization, they'd probably struggle to sell out 1500 capacity clubs. 

Classic Thunders - by Lars Wallin

Sid Vicious Gets Appreciated (11/2010)

On the way to Heathrow Airport, I picked up a copy of the 12 November edition of The Independent newspaper.  Lucky for me, inside the Arts/Books section were a couple dozen musicians selecting their all-time favorite live albums.  Although I was disappointed to see Lou Reed's Rock 'N' Roll Animal didn't make an appearance, at least The Stooges, Heartbreakers, Johnny Thunders, and New York Dolls were all mentioned in a review by The Charlatans' (that's Charlatans UK to us Americans) Tim Burgess!

The Inbetweeners

I just returned from a trip to London and came home with a new favorite show.  I don't think it's possible to find a more realistic show about high school boys than the Inbetweeners.  Essentially, high school is all about trying to pull girls and jerking off, and the Inbetweeners is able to capture that through brilliant dialogue, great actors, and a kick-ass soundtrack.

Here is part 1 of the first episode.  Sorry about the quality, but there are better uploads on PooTube.   If you aren't immediately hooked, then you don't remember what it's like to be a kid...and that would be pretty fucking sad.

Extended Batusis December Tour!

BATUSIS DECEMBER TOUR DATES ANNOUNCED!!

Chicago, IL, November 2 – Smog Veil Records announces Batusis first sweep through the Midwest and down to Texas.  The band, featuring Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls and Cheetah Chrome of Rocket From The Tombs and Dead Boys, continues to tour in support of their self-titled EP (Smog Veil Records).  The new tour runs from December 2nd through December 10th. These glam and punk guitar heroes are backed by former Blackhearts bassist Sean Koos and drummer Lez Warner from The Cult.

Thursday, 12/2 at Shank Hall in Milwaukee, WI
Friday, 12/3 at Reggie’s Music-Joint in Chicago, IL
Saturday, 12/4 at Melody Inn in Indianapolis, IN
Sunday, 12/5 at Off Broadway in St. Louis, MO
Tuesday, 12/7 at Bombay Bicycle Club in Clive, IA (w/ The Jitz)
Wednesday, 12/8 at TBA
Thursday, 12/9 at Lovejoy’s in Austin, TX
Friday, 12/10 at Mango’s in Houston, TX

Visit the band online at myspace.com/batusis and Smog Veil Records.

Smog Veil Records was founded in Cleveland, Ohio in 1991.  The label is distributed by Revolver, CTD, Ltd., Forced Exposure, Get Hip, Sonic Unyon (Canada), Code 7 (UK), IODA (digital). Radio promotions handled in-house. The label roster includes The New Hope v/a compilation, Complaints Choir, Peter Laughner, Tin Huey, Easter Monkeys, Pistol Whip, Unknown Instructors, The Pagans, Teacher’s Pet, Thor, Rocket From The Tombs, Amps II Eleven, New Christs (featuring Rob Younger of Radio Birdman) and Rubber City Rebels.

Reality Show Cunt Has Style

I found this in my wife's gossip rag.  I wonder if that cunt in the middle knows who is on her shirt?

Lou Reed - Screen 'N' Heard Magazine - December 1972

There's lots of cool stuff in this .PDF (not the whole magazine).  Concert reviews (Lou Reed, Stephen Stills/Manassas, Mott), album reviews (Jimmy Cliff, Lou, Bo Hansson (?!), and an interview w/ Lou after his Mile End Sundown gig.

Dowload it HERE.