“Black humour”: the 1992 Lou Reed lyric that epitomised his comic edge
Dark.
The Velvet Underground
Credits: Far Out / Album Cover
Avant-garde and proto-indie, you might say that The Velvet Underground were ahead of their time, but that would be a misnomer that implies their time has, indeed, since arrived.
With the literary iconoclasm of Lou Reed, the baroque wizardry of John Cale, the scrappy punk sound of Sterling Morrison’s guitar, Moe Tucker’s melodic drumming, and the uber-artistry of Nico in the mix, they were fated to be New York arthouse band too ahead of the counterculture curve to ever make it big in their own time.
The Velvet Underground News
The 1967 song The Velvet Underground wrote after being “up all night on crank”
The ultimate comedown anthem.
The 1967 song David Bowie called the future of music: “It was serious and dangerous”
The beginning of rock’s new age.
More About The Velvet Underground
The Velvet Underground were an American rock band formed in New York City in 1964, widely regarded as one of the most influential groups in the history of alternative and experimental rock.
What is The Velvet Underground's most famous album? => 'The Velvet Underground & Nico', released in 1967, is widely considered the band's defining work and one of the most influential albums in popular music.
Who were the original members of The Velvet Underground? => The original line-up consisted of Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison and Maureen Tucker. Nico collaborated extensively on the band's debut album but was not a permanent member.