The Velvet Underground was a pioneering rock band because, in the words of guitarist Sterling Morrison, it “avoided convention and deception.”
Fired by the literary ambitions of Lou Reed and the avant-garde background of John Cale, the Velvets approached rock as an art form rather than an entertainment. At the same time, they refused to indulge in any sort of studio trickery or “deception” to enhance their sound-no overdubbing, no extra musicians, just the band recorded live and raw as possible.
So the Velvets were crucial in raising rock’s aesthetic stakes even as they embodied its unvarnished essence. Reed’s lyrics introduced the notion that no subject was off limits to rock artists, that pop songs could have the same content as fiction, film or opera.
In turn, the subject matter-however dark, seamy or potentially shocking it was-suggested the shape and mood of the music. The arrangements were noteworthy for their drama, dynamics and ebb-and-flow tempos, often dispensing with verse-chorus formula and ignoring the three-minute limit of most pop songs.
At times this called for guitars screeching like a New York subway train, as in “Sister Ray” or “White Light/White Heat”; or a sinister drone that evoked an opium den in “Venus in Furs”; or a lilting, after-hours ballad like “I’ll Be Your Mirror” or “Pale Blue Eyes”; or a hummable melody with a handful of easy-to-learn chords like “Sweet Jane” or “Beginning to See the Light”
Metal merchants, avant-garde experimenters, heavy-lidded balladeers, garage band-the Velvets were many things, and aspiring rockers found a wealth of inspiration in their albums.
David Bowie was among the first to champion Reed’s songwriting and the Velvets legacy, performing such songs as “White Light/White Heat” and helping Reed launch his solo career by producing the “Transformer” album, with its hit “Walk on the Wild Side.” In addition, Bowie revived the career of another important British band, Mott the Hoople, by having them cover “Sweet Jane” on their 1972 “All the Young Dudes” album.
Also taking many of their cues from the Velvets were Brian Eno and Bryan Ferry of Roxy Music, Patti Smith, the New York Dolls, Pere Ubu and Jonathan Richman and the Modern Lovers-artists who laid the groundwork for the punk revolt of 1976.
By the time the Sex Pistols arrived to proclaim the death of rock, about the only ’60s survivor they had any respect for was Reed. He was dubbed the “Godfather of Punk,” and the Velvets influence was openly acknowledged by important new bands such as the Fall, Talking Heads and the Cars.
In the postpunk ’80s and ’90s, Sonic Youth, the Psychedelic Furs, Stereolab and the Jesus and Mary Chain continue to build on aspects of the Velvets’ sound, and even superstar acts like U2 cover Reed’s material at stadium concerts.
Suzanne Vega says she was inspired to write songs by Reed, R.E.M.’s Peter Buck says Morrison’s rhythm guitar playing was a major influence, and countless women rockers point to Velvets drummer Maureen Tucker as a role model.
“There’s nothing sappy or dated about the band,” Morrison says. “No slang or jargon in the lyrics, no songs about feeling groovy as the result of good trips or good vibes. It was honest music recorded honestly, and it paid benefits we never could have anticipated.”
