The Velvet Forum

Sheila Klein wrote:I'm confused by the instrumental lineup on "Melody Laughter" on the Valleydale Ballroom version, in particular by who is playing the piano. The natural choice would be John Cale, yet I believe I hear his viola screeching throughout most of the track, and it's doubtful he played both. Then again, it's possible that what I'm hearing as viola is actually Reed's guitar feedback. I like to imagine the piano being played by Nico, but that seems pretty unlikely. Perhaps it is instead Sterling -- I don't make out his guitar at all, which, if true, would free him to sit and plunk the rudimentary piano part.

But it does sound like Cale's style if anyone's. Maybe Sterling was playing the viola? Or perhaps Andy Warhol at the piano? Please help, before I lose my mind from pondering these possibilities!

--Phil M.

There was a photo posted on this forum a long while ago that shows Nico playing the piano onstage.

Yeahh, I hardly remember that picture Mark,but i've been looking for all over my PC corners whith any sucess....
meanwhile came across this cool Columbus photoset,posted by Alfredo time ago....i like the picture which Nico uses her hands to deeper her voice,likely on a jam !!!











Enjoy !!!

The photo:

http://www.ianmaceachern.com/images/vel ... vu01v.html

And the thread:

http://www.velvetforum.com/viewtopic.ph ... nico+piano

Wow,thank you Mark .....such a cool artyphotoset this deserves a place in museum and remind us the threat also....

nick257 wrote:The sound quality of Olivier's 12/12/69 Sister Ray is better quality though, so I would think that his versions are a digital transfer from the master tapes.

He told me that that was the case in an e-mail but how can you tell personally when it's such a heavily compressed audio file?

Hi VU fiends,

Lurked here for some months and couldn't help noticing that you were discussing the "Beautiful Friend" 4 CD boot, and so far nobody has confirmed that he has it. Well, I have it - would never thought it is THAT rare. If there is an interest, I can share my copy (FLACs with artwork, no idea of lineage as one track - "The Last Mile" B-side - shows some digital damage, but everything is lossless) with you.

I must say that while it's a very enjoyable fan compilation, its recording of the Columbus show is not the solution but rather the same old problem. I've checked "Melody Laughter", and it's the same as on the regular "If It's Too Loud..." bootleg. It has EXACTLY the same timing, 28'26".983, the waveforms look identical in Soundforge and in EAC "spectral Analysis", so it must be the same (haven't compared 2 waveforms in EAC because the offset difference was rather large for that, but it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, so...). Now, the "remastered" version of "If It's Too Loud" is 29'25" and shows a different EAC spectrum, so indeed it had been processed in some way.

Lastly, "...Twisted Stars", I have as 2 different FLAC sets. One is 30'06", another is a tad shorter (30'02"). The longer version was ripped by a person who paid due attention to gaps and pauses. His version has the loss of signal (sounds like 0.5 sec gap) at 6'33" - the shorter version has that AND another one, at 0'49" (and it cannot be ruled out that the longer version has the gap at 0'49", but it was edited out - not too hard to do).

In conclusion, I should say that I haven't tried any comparisons re: completeness or possibilities for synching - and that it would be great to hear if other people have "Melody Laughter" on their FLAC sets of "...Twisted Stars" with gaps at the positions I've mentioned, or without.