Review of Velvet Underground's "White Light / White Heat" album (1968)

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4 жыл бұрын

Review of the 1968 album "White Light / White Heat" by The Velvet Underground...."the quintessence of articulated punk, and no one goes near it" (Lou Reed).

Пікірлер: 36

@stevecarlsonvinylcommunity9147 4 жыл бұрын

This was great. That is a favorite album of mine. I got into them in the mid 80s due to an employee at a record store in Waterloo IA. That person expanded my horizons and I expanded their profit. You are a great story teller and I love the talk about the licks and guitar. I never thought about Shine and Lady Godiva. Really enjoyed this.

@CalicoSilver 4 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Steve! Nice to meet other fans of this great music. Funny that we both got into VU in the '80s. I forgot to mention the side story about how the engineer in the studio during Sister Ray said something like "I can't listen to this stuff any more - when you're done, just push this button - I'm outta here!" Haha! Thanks again for the nice words. Jeff

@Zach-bt2ky 4 жыл бұрын

Mind blowing that this came out in 68 right?

@CalicoSilver 4 жыл бұрын

So true, Zach. The VU were charting NEW territory for sure.

@michaeldowd5115 Жыл бұрын

Hey there Jeff, Great job at reviewing White Light/White Heat. Gonna have to revisit that album.

@CalicoSilver Жыл бұрын

Me too, Michael. It has been a little while since I've had a Velvet Underground aural voyage. (I listen to music that way.....I'll hear an album or a band almost exclusively for a week or two, then move onto the next....)

@userseleven5047 3 жыл бұрын

I suscribed immediately...i'm a Big fan of WL/WH but I suscribed because of your narrative. A natural born youtuber

@CalicoSilver 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks, Mariano! I appreciate your kind and encouraging words. I think my 20 years of lecturing to college students probably trained me to be a confident speaker. Cheers! Jeff

@TomCwimpRock 4 жыл бұрын

I had a roommate in college back in 80’ who discovered Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground at that time...he was obsessed, actually, and he accumulated the whole catalog, basically, during a period of a few short months - this was during the time that “Growing Up In Public” had come out, so I got to know that particular album really well, but I heard everything Lou related, and it was then that I developed an appreciation - the song “Coney Island Baby” actually, was the first thing that grabbed me,, and also that 2 record “1969 Velvet Underground Live” album particularly, but I eventually, over the next few years accumulated my own Lou collection... Last year, I played “White Light/White Heat” for the first time in many years - I was expecting not to like it very much anymore, because my musical tastes have softened quite a bit over time, and I didn’t think that I would appreciate the dark, heavy element anymore, but I was blown away by it, and how well the record, and the music, has held up over the years, remarkable. Great insightful, review Jeff - take care.

@CalicoSilver 4 жыл бұрын

Wow, amazing how so many of us, even those of us who were around in the '60s and '70s as kids, got into Lou during the '80s. But I really think his '80s stuff was fantastic (unlike that of most other '60s and '70s artists who put out '80s stuff, haha!). Anyway, yeah, WL/WH holds up surprisingly well. I too had not listened to it for several years until recently, and I agree with you: it still blows me away too. Thanks, Thomas.

@natelivas3961 3 жыл бұрын

I thought I was the only one who heard the similarity between “Shine” and my favorite song off the album Lady Godiva’s Operation. So similar yet their opposites.

@CalicoSilver 3 жыл бұрын

Hey, nice to hear from someone else that heard the similarity in Shine and Godiva. Thanks for your comment.

@matt13classic 3 жыл бұрын

Really great review, I got into The Velvet Underground very recently and at first White Light was certainly a shock to the system, it has grown on me massively since.

@CalicoSilver 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks, matt13. I really appreciate your comment. Yes, The Velvet Underground is timeless. I didn't get into them until the late '80s, but it was as if they'd just recorded the music. Timeless, indeed. Cheers. Jeff

@FlipSideCT 4 жыл бұрын

Always great to hear Lou / Velvets get exposed. I am so glad some of the young bands today are letting the younger fans know their true influence, as Velvet's sales are booming. Not sure if you seen any tributes I have done, but you might get a kick out of it. I did get a chance to spend hours in the NYC library going thru Lou's archives. there is a video on that also.

@CalicoSilver 4 жыл бұрын

Steve, I recently went to a very "hip" local eating establishment (i.e., I felt very out of place, haha!), and the young 20-something gal who waited on our table had a TATTOO of Lou Reed on her arm. I was amazed. Like I said on my "ranking Lou Reed studio albums" video, I do believe that Lou's legacy will continue to expand with each generation. And yeah, I've enjoyed all of your Lou videos very much! Thanks. Jeff

@FlipSideCT 4 жыл бұрын

@@CalicoSilver My apologies Jeff, yes, You did comment and mention the young gal with the Tattoo prior. Sorry for not remembering that. Glad you tune in and also spread the word. Like you, we do this to spread the good word. It is not about us!

@CalicoSilver 4 жыл бұрын

@@FlipSideCT Haha!! Steve, I can't even remember what day it is, much less who I have already told my limited number of stupid stories. Sorry for the repetition.... Indeed, you are right. I always try to be very respectful to any artist I talk about here. The whole reason I even started this channel was to talk about Bob Dylan's music, in fact - that was all I was going to do....then it grew to some other stuff....Reed, Beefheart, Rypdal, etc., and the occasional silliness. Just having fun.

@rrrockfrog2702 4 жыл бұрын

Unique, influential, ahead of their time...Those are the words that come through my mind when I think about The Velvet Underground !!! White light/White heat, yeah, a good album !!! I especially love "Here she comes now" which is probably a top 5 favorite Velvet song for me, love the melody (fine guitar and vocals) !!! Also really like "Lady Godiva's operation" (yeah, pretty good lyrics) and the title track, these are my 3 favorites from the album but the rest is fine too !!! Great review Jeff !!! Congratulations for 300 subscribers !!!

@CalicoSilver 4 жыл бұрын

Hi Marc. I think some people think that VU are popular because they are "hip" for music elitists or something, but you are right: they were (and still are!) completely "unique, influential, ahead of their time". Right on! (haha, thanks for the subscriber congrats....haha, I never thought I'd ever see the day when I'd have more than maybe 20 subscribers)

@NathanielAhart 3 жыл бұрын

Hey Jeff! I'd argue White Light/White Heat is just as good as The Velvet Underground & Nico! One of the best albums of all time for sure. Lou Reed was one hell of a genius.

@CalicoSilver 3 жыл бұрын

I certainly wouldn't argue with that, Nathaniel. I think the only reason I tend to "rank" the debut higher is that it was my intro to VU.....and for good or bad it seems that the album that converts me to a band always seems to retain a bit of extra enthusiasm in my mind. But yeah, the 2nd album is just as good, I agree.

@malegrissusran8847 2 жыл бұрын

The Story of "" The Gift"" renains to an ojd children song ! =============================== "" I''m a gonna wrap myself in paper i''m a gonna stick myself with glue ...... I'm a gonna mail myself to you !"" =================================== i know this from a Pete Seeger album !!

@CalicoSilver 2 жыл бұрын

Classic tale/song, indeed.

@michaelvalentini4869 4 жыл бұрын

I go near it and I even try to pet it.Everybody forgets about the VU's first drummer, Angus MacLise. He quit the band because he thought they were''selling out''.In 1999,the Siltbreeze label released two albums by Angus that are completely mind blowing. The first is a soundtrack called ''Invasion of Thunder Bolt Pagoda'', the second is titled ''Brain Damage in Oklahoma City''. Both albums were recorded in the late 1960's. These albums contain manic hand drumming, flutes,strange strings and more. After hearing these albums, the White Light/ White Heat album sounds almost mellow.

@CalicoSilver 4 жыл бұрын

Hey, thanks for the heads-up about the MacLise albums. I was not even aware of them, Michael. I will certainly seek them out. If they make WL/WH sound mellow, I am definitely interested! Haha.

@harryzlotzlottos5715 4 жыл бұрын

Greetings Jeff.....have you seen The lusty men .1952..Bob Mitchum puts in a surprisingly good effort under the direction of Nicholas Ray.....my copy’s not original...but it’s still viewable...

@CalicoSilver 4 жыл бұрын

I don't think I've ever seen that one, Harry. It is a "modern western", right? I do think Nicholas Ray was a very unique director, and I love Mitchum and Susan Hayward, so I should see it. Thanks for the rec. What about The Velvet Underground reminded you of this movie? Haha!

@harryzlotzlottos5715 4 жыл бұрын

@@CalicoSilver your right..it’s a modern western..just like The misfits and Lonely are the brave...I liked it....as for the velvet underground...I need to hear them on Spotify...I’m not acquainted with their music whatsoever...

@CalicoSilver 4 жыл бұрын

@@harryzlotzlottos5715 I loved Lonely Are The Brave, but have never seen The Misfits (even with Marilyn in it!). Need to see it.

@harryzlotzlottos5715 4 жыл бұрын

Really...no Misfits..? I’m impressed with the cinematography....The story line is a bit melancholy..But Montgomery Clift’s performance is far from average....under the guidance of John Huston.....