Lou Reed, John Cale & Nico - Le Bataclan '72

Style: Proto Punk, New Wave.
Similar Artists: Brian Eno, Leonard Cohen
Recording year: Get Back Records, 2004.

After decades of being circulated on inferior-sounding bootlegs, the January 1972 reconvergence of Velvet Underground (VU) co-founders Lou Reed (vocals/acoustic guitar), John Cale (guitar/viola/piano/vocals), and Nico (vocals/harmonium) in Paris at Le Bataclan has been committed to CD. A suitably noir mood hangs over them as they stonily amble through VU staples and key entries from their concurrent solo endeavors.

They commence with a slow and almost methodical "Waiting for the Man" as Cale offers up a simple piano accompaniment to Reed's casual guitar and lead vocal. Reed aptly describes the bleak torch reading of "Berlin" as his "Barbra Streisand song" before unveiling a profoundly minimalist interpretation. It captures the unnerving mood inescapably defining the city in the wake of WWII. They return to the early VU for an inspired "Black Angel Death Song." Reed's rhythmic chiming guitar incongruously fits beside Cale as he whittles away an austere viola counterpoint. Back briefly to Reed's eponymously titled debut for a very Dylanesque delivery of "Wild Child."

The reconnection between the duo begins to gel significantly if not audibly throughout an intense "Heroin," immediately recalling what makes the Cale/Reed combo so appealing. Cale seizes the reigns for the melodically and lyrically involved "Ghost Story" from Vintage Violence (1970). One rarity is Cale's "Empty Bottles," which he contributed to Jennifer Warnes' Jennifer (1972) album. Nico finally takes the spotlight for a healthy sampling of her work, couching a trio of post-VU efforts around three of her most memorable sides during her brief time in the band. They saunter into an intimate and warmly received mini-set featuring "Femme Fatale," "No One Is There," and "Frozen Warnings" of off Marble Index (1969), as well as "Janitor of Lunacy" from Desertshore (1970).

The show concludes with another trip into the VU songbook on a comparatively optimistic "I'll Be Your Mirror" duly juxtaposed against an edgy and sinister "All Tomorrow's Parties." While fans and pundits hopefully proclaimed the performance as the return of the Velvets, alas it would not be so. Le Bataclan '72 (2004) is a no-brainer for all dimension of VU, John Cale, Lou Reed, and/or Nico enthusiasts.

Fields Of Haze... Underground for all.

The Velvet Underground

Género: Experimental rock, Proto punk

Artistas similares: Television, The Stooges, David Bowie

Año de grabación: Verve, 1969

The Velvet Underground fue una banda de rock formada en Nueva York en el año de 1964, es una de las bandas de rock más influyentes de la historia y posee un intenso culto, a pesar de haber durado pocos años en el escenario. Integrado por Lou Reed (Voz, guitarra, composición), John Cale (Bajo, teclado, voces), Sterling Morrison (guitarra, bajo) y Nico (voz).

Fue una de las primeras bandas en experimentar con la forma e incluir influencias avant-garde y, especialmente, el ruido de guitarras que los hizo definir el uso del noise dentro del rock.

El nombre de la banda surgió del título de un libro sobre sadomasoquismo de Michael Leigh titulado The Velvet Undeground que Jim Tucker, amigo de Reed y Morrison y hermano de Maureen Tucker, encontró tirado en la calle.

Este es el tercer disco de la banda y fue grabado a finales de 1968 y editado en marzo de 1969. El sonido representa un gran cambio respecto de los dos discos anteriores. Tiene un estilo más tradicional, tranquilo, parecido al sonido que caracterizaría más tarde la carrera solista de Lou Reed. Este cambio se debe a que el control creativo de la banda había sido tomado completamente por Reed con el detalle de sus contribuciones multiinstrumentales en el piano y la viola eléctrica.


The Velvet Underground was a rock band formed in New York in 1964, is one of the more influential bands of rock of history and owns an intense cult, in spite to have lasted few years in the scene. Integrated by Lou Reed (Voice, guitar, composition), John Pierces (Low, keyboard, voices), Sterling Morrison (guitar, under) and Nico (voice).

One of the first bands in experimenting with the form and to include influences avant-garde and especially, the noise of guitars made that them define the use of noise within the rock.

The name of the band arose from the title of a book on sadomasochism of Michael Leigh titled 'The Velvet Undeground' who Jim Tucker, friend of Reed and Morrison and brother of Maureen Tucker, found in the street.

This it is the third work of the band and was recorded at the end of 1968 and published in March of 1969. The sound both represents a great change with respect to previous discs. It has a more traditional, calm style, seemed to the sound that would characterize the race later soloist of Lou Reed. This change due to the creative control of the band had been taken completely by Reed with the detail from its multiinstrumental contributions in the piano and the electrical viola.




Fields of Haze.