The Velvet Forum

I came across this book sept. 2006 do you now something about it?
Any review...........?
http://www.equinoxpub.com/books/showbook.asp?bkid=20

see you

taxine wrote:I came across this book sept. 2006 do you now something about it?

Yes, I was sent a review copy by the publisher. I have read it and plan to write a full review about it, but time constraints tell me it will take some time until I can put it up on my website.

In short, the book places both Reed's songwriting and musical tastes and Cale's musical skills in their respective traditions (blues, Beat poetry and folk for Reed and avant-classical LaMonte/Fluxus for Cale) and paints a picture about what elements from the first two albums are derived from what tradition.

Tone is serious, no easy read like Bockris and Malanga. Think the "Sister Ray" article in Zak. Focus is on Reed, Cale and Andy Warhol(!), little about Morrison and Tucker, almost nothing about the post-Cale years (Yule is mentioned only twice and dismissed as either "simplistic" or "over-ornate" in his contributions/arrangements, in itself an achievement; and Walter Powers III gets to be called "Powell").

Many bits of info are fascinating, some parts' direction/aim/focus are confusing, the lack of consideration of post-Cale developments is infuriating (especially as the book is called "The Velvet Underground", a band which continued for a full 4 years after Cale left, or still two if you are a Reedist) and the author doesn't seem have made his mind up whether to praise Cale and Reed's fusion of the popular and the classical or to slag them off for being derivative.

By the way, Taxine, did you ever get the Screentests book? How did you like it?

Hi Jerone, no I still haven't cause also wanna get 'Girl on Fire' a new one about Edie Sedgwick,and this isn't available until nexy moth,so I got to
wait . But I'm so ANXIOUS.......when I get two I'll give you a large
feedback.....

and thanks a lot for your excellent review/info. arjan

The Screentest book is neat, it's a monster of a book. Every single screen test Warhol made (600+) and every person (with the exception of five or six) is identified, and there's a little biography and description of their relationship to Warhol and the Factory as well as a couple of frames. Nico and all the Velvets sat for a couple, so they're in there. Sterling's even on the cover (underneath the Edie picture sleeve.) I give it a 10/10 on the look at it at Border's scale but only buy it if you're a huge Factory fanatic.

Nat Finkelstein has a new book out called "Edie: Factory Girl." It's a psuedo-biography of her, mainly her Warhol years, with a lot of pictures. Little VU stuff. I was thinking about buying it but it's like $30. I'm also excited for "Girl on Fire." They have a neat website: http://www.edienation.com/

I'm a huge factory Freak.But I think about Nat Finkelstein's "Edie: Factory Girl"book just like as bunch of pics that you'll find later on internet, I bet for "Girl on Fire."
and amaizing link thanks..