The Lemonheads’ Evan Dando names the best songs by The Velvet Underground
Although Evan Dando led the charge around the same time as Nirvana, he couldn’t have been more different from his peer Kurt Cobain. While the latter appeared more poetically tragic and reserved as a result, Dando exuded boisterous energy and confidence, enjoying the Hollywood parting scene and everything it had to offer.
Of course, such a lifestyle always comes with unwanted shortcomings, but Dando enjoyed the spotlight as much as he could while knowing full well that the rug could be pulled from beneath his feet at any moment. Enjoying the exuberant nightlife and appearing in movies like Reality Bites and Heavy meant that he quickly connected with some of the biggest names in the business.
As The Lemonheads’ frontman, however, the devil-may-care attitude only served to suit the aloof rock ‘n’ roll attitude he had effortlessly crafted, the music and fun of it all distracting from the fact that all good things do, in fact, eventually come to an end. However, Dando stood on the shoulders of those who came before, creating genuinely good music that thrives with a good ol’ sense of, “well, who cares anyway?”
These influences were rooted in the underground scene, with acts like The Velvet Underground demonstrating that unconventional vocal styles and urban noir aesthetics could harmonise and guide an entire generation into the realm of edgy, existential rock. Being a fan of such bands often meant identifying with the peculiar outsider realm, where appearance and demeanour conveyed a sense of belonging to a unique subculture.
For Dando, one of the Underground’s most endearing qualities is that you never knew what Lou Reed would do next. “My friends and I got into the Velvet’s third record first – the quiet one, with ‘Candy Says’ – which was weird,” the musician told The Line of Best Fit. “We were 14 and would get stoned and listen to that record every night. It was a great time. But ‘Cool It Down’ is more of a Stones-y Velvet’s song. It’s the loose double that I love. Lou even changes up the lyrics sometimes. He always keeps you guessing, that Lou Reed.”
In a strange way, the uncertainty the band often make you feel is something that Dando knows well and something that came to feel akin to safety, even though it might seem strange to say it out loud. The Velvet Underground always kept you guessing, but their songs felt familiar, even if you were hearing them for the first time. “The Velvets have songs like ‘European Son’ and ‘The Black Angel’s Death Song’ that are full of broken glass and toilets flushing,” Dando explained. “There’s always a heavy bassline, too. So it’s definitely comfort music.”
Moreover, despite the fact that some of their material became slightly divisive due to the over-polished production, Dando regards their genuine artistry as a consistent thread. “I think Loaded is a great album,” he stated. Adding: “They were going for it, though they didn’t cross over until VU, which is kind of funny. It took the starkest, most intense record. The drumming on ‘Foggy Notion’ is just…Wow.”
Although the musician also enjoyed various aspects of the 1960s alternative rock scene like The Kinks, his appreciation for The Velvet Underground reflected his relationship with nostalgic music and how gritty and grainy soundscapes can be just as complex and hard-hitting as something as simple as an attitude.
