1967 Gymnasium tapes

[velvetfan]

my theory: coupla hundred of these will be put on vinyl and sell out. then the genuinely "complete" version comes out, with clean, "no vinyl pops" sound, on silver CD and we pay for it all over again.

I don't mind if a CD comes out. Even the 'evil' bootleggers have to see a return on their investment and without them we wouldn't have even had this recording (or a bunch of others over the years). But funny how it comes out and then people start talking about having had a first gen DAT copy on their shelves for hundreds of years.

The only thing I minded is that I paid ?21 for a green copy and then find that there's a ?12 black copy. But I don't mind too much as I was eager and wanted it there and then. (I do wonder if the black copy is less crackly than the green?)

I will always buy a CD or LP even if I can download a lossless audio file as I'm old fashioned and like material artefacts (they sound better and has anyone really ever got any pleasure from looking at a FLAC?).

*****

I am like that myself. I am a sucker for VU bootlegs and official. I bought a green and a black and will buy a cd also. I have 1 room FULL of VU/Lou including every LP & CD bootleg listed on Olivers pages! BTW, has anyone heard the version of Sunday Morning done by country singer Elizabeth Cook? Here is a Youtube link. http://youtube.com/watch?v=mdifDtBuPbw

[ferges]

BTW, has anyone heard the version of Sunday Morning done by country singer Elizabeth Cook?

if she had boobs like Dolly Parton, I would love this version

[bobbldr]

I don't mind if a CD comes out. Even the 'evil' bootleggers have to see a return on their investment and without them we wouldn't have even had this recording (or a bunch of others over the years). But funny how it comes out and then people start talking about having had a first gen DAT copy on their shelves for hundreds of years.

I have always believed, even going back to the early VUAS days, that these tapes are being held by some very familiar names, past and present, and production of boots is connected to them as well. I am very happy that the Gymnasium tape has finally come to see the light of day, let's just hope that the rest of this show follows soon.

[lurid]

I agree 100% with Bobbldr's comment....

[discoscrudos]

This is interesting in the Dime discussion:

there is another recording from the same venue on a different night with another version of "guess i'm falling in love" (which cale played the tape of on a radio show in the 80s), and "the booker t", which is an instrumental version of "the gift", amongst others....the two recordings were both done by the same guy (rumoured to be jonathan richman - he took photos of lots of vu gigs too).

Some time ago I read here that Jonathan was allegedly "The Professor" credited in some BTP audience recordings. As I read on Wikipedia, he moved from Massachusetts to Sesnick's coach in NYC in 1969.
Of course I don't know what really happened at the Gymnasium, but for me it's hard to imagine a 15-16 years old Jonathan Richman in 1967 having that kind of access to the Velvets soundboard's recorder. I guess it's more plausible that the sound man himself made the recording for the band or for himself, IMHO. Let me know your opinion on this issue.

BTW, many many many many many thanks to Ferges and Upsetter for being so helpful and diligent. We love you!!!

The recording has AMAZING sound, very crunchy and powerful, awesome indeed. They downright blew everybody's mind away that night:

Uptight pag 70
Chris Stein
"...It was a giant gymnasium(...) and everything was echoing(...) They (The Velvets) just completely filled up the whole room with their sound.They were really into this huge fucking volume, and it was completely awesome.(...) There were maybe thirty people there."

This makes me feel GOOD

Oh, and, yeah... I WANT THAT DAT TORRENTED.

[Warlock]

Oh man! I'm going nuts about this
Thank you a million times Ferges and Upsetter!
I love you all

[Andrew]

Copped fir this from another board - but full respec to those true believers ferges and the upsetter for sending it out to the world. Excellent behaviour!

[Guest]

so i've been doing a little sound tweaking to the gymnasium gig (taking out clicks and pops and smoothing transitions and such for my own personal use, since i've already listened to this thing like 12 times) and i decided to cut off the little wisp of backwards tape at the end of SR. listened to it and it's...

nothing to be excited about. a second and a half of piano. have no idea the song, but there was always the chance it could be incredibly important!

btw, i'd certainly get the cd and whatever other versions of this come out, altho i hope tranehead/maggie beat the retailers to it!

to all involved...

[wellclay]

Thank you for the upload to dime and VU torrents. I just listened to this twice, back to back. It is amazing. Truly stunning.

Being a long time vinyl collector, I am bummed I missed this on Ebay. Does anyone know where else to procure a copy?


****
Thanks for the tip. I got a copy. This release is truly amazing. I do hope there is more to come!!

[bleach]

Hello wellclay
There are still black vinyl copies being offered on Ebay UK

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/THE-VELVET-UNDERG ... dZViewItem