The Velvet Forum

While I heard the VU & Nico first, I didn't explore the other albums or solo work right away, mostly because I didn't realize it was a proper band with more albums - I just thought it was an Andy Warhol project because I learned about it in art class. Later on I listened to Transformer when I found out Bowie helped produce it, loved it right away, and got into Lou's solo work and more of the Velvets, Cale, Nico, and Moe Tucker from there. So yes.

But the Velvets are my favourite, so I don't think anything else is quite as good just by definition. It's one of those greater than the sum of their parts deals, and nothing is going to be as good without Moe and Sterling. Still, I think enough of Lou's (and Cale's) albums are great on their own. Transformer, Coney Island Baby, MMM, Street Hassle, The Bells, and the Blue Mask are among my favourites, as are Paris 1919, Fear, and some others, and I think the New York/Drella/Magic and Loss 'trilogy' is a pretty impressive body of work.

I discovered both with two 1974 albums, RNR Animal & THE VELVET UNDERGROUND LIVE 1969 WITH LOU REED. I had the chance to meet one of the greatest music collectors in the world, who was living not so far from home and we quickly became friends. He explained me Lou was in a band before his solo LPs, named the VU and all the fun began, records, tapes, magazines articles, concerts by Cale-Reed-Nico. His music as a solo artist is less interesting, except from 1972 to 1974, because he changed producers, sound and style. But even after 1974, it's still largely better than Bowie who after the demise of the Spiders, became a clone of Bryan Ferry.
But of course his essential work was done with Cale-Mc Lise-Morrison-Nico-Tucker-Yule, & perhaps more than the band has done for Dylan, together they were magic...

As a lyricist Lou reached a new level post-1988. I think he's a better songwriter in this post-1988 period than he was in the sixties.
Musically his 70's stuff falters because he stopped playing lead guitar, and he suffered creatively by drinking too much. But once he gave up the booze and took up the guitar again everything was back on track for one of the greatest songwriters on the century. I say give 'How Do You Think It Feels?' for the Animal Serenade album and you'll know exactly what the VU would've sounded like had they stayed together through to the 2000's.

Well, are you really serious ! After 1975, it was terminal boredom, lyrically and musically : and don't talk me about his guitar "playing", horrible, worst than Ron Wood (if possible). I'm a musician myself ! Be honest : who here, listen to post 1974 albums (well I can for example listen to 'Coney island baby', but I prefer some bonus tracks rather than 'oh baby' -perhaps this title...- or 'Charley's girl') and live tapes from his 1980 tour ! Be honest !