The Velvet Forum

This is an album with several VU connections. Besides being the guy who wrote the '1969 Live' very passionate liner notes, according to Creem Magazine (March '75), 'Lou Reed turned down the invitation to produce Elliott Murphy's next album'.
Steve Katz, who produced a couple of Lou's 70s albums, ended up being the producer on Night Lights and also providing some backing vocals.
Doug Yule is also credited as guitarist and/or vocalist in five out of nine songs.

Thank you!

Elliott interviewed Lou in 1975 for Circus magazine, the interview is republished in the book "My Week Beats Your Year: Encounters with Lou Reed" [2018, very good compilation of lesser known interviews through the years, by Michael Heath and Pat Thomas]
Here's a picture of Lou and Elliott from the original interview:
https://longislandweekly.com/wp-content ... ouReed.jpg

On Elliott's website are some of his his 1972 handwritten notes, incl.some background, for what became the liner notes for the Velvet Underground 1969 Live album.
https://elliottmurphy.com/writings/velv ... ner-notes/

Elliott Murphy is apparently 70 and living in Paris, according to The Quietus https://thequietus.com/articles/28058-1 ... pes-review. Actually he is only mentioned in passing, the rest of the article extols the virtues of 1969 Live.

threechordwonder wrote: ↑01 Sep 2020 19:12 Elliott Murphy is apparently 70 and living in Paris, according to The Quietus https://thequietus.com/articles/28058-1 ... pes-review. Actually he is only mentioned in passing, the rest of the article extols the virtues of 1969 Live.

Thanks for that - a good read. Thought this was an interesting comment -

"In chronological terms The Complete Matrix Tapes is the last great document of The Velvet Underground live. I’ve heard some good live recordings from early the next year but for all intents and purposes - despite how brilliant they’d clearly just become - by 1970 it was all over. And the thing that finished them? The temporary absence of Moe Tucker, who had taken maternity leave. It was the lack of the no-nonsense, heads-down-over-the-skins drumming that warped the group into an entirely different entity. This is to the extent that Loaded isn’t really a Velvet Underground album, it’s a dry run for Lou Reed’s solo career. While Tucker is credited on the sleeve, it’s actually Yule’s kid brother Billy behind the kit. It seems obvious to me now that Maureen Tucker was the true heart and soul of the group. You could take away Nico. You could take away Warhol. You could take away Cale. You could wear Morrison down entirely until he simply acquiesced to everything Reed demanded, just so he could have a quiet life. You could take away the Factory. You could introduce Yule. You could let Reed’s ego run wild. But remove Tucker and you’re fucked. Hail, hail rock & roll."

Great article!

There’s something bordering on cruel, listening to Nico’s original demos for the VU, to the extent that I won’t even link to them here.

Would that be the Scepter Sessions (April '66, the takes that appear in Unripened CD) or are there any earlier Nico recordings?

leandro wrote: ↑03 Sep 2020 23:01 Great article!

There’s something bordering on cruel, listening to Nico’s original demos for the VU, to the extent that I won’t even link to them here.

Would that be the Scepter Sessions (April '66, the takes that appear in Unripened CD) or are there any earlier Nico recordings?

I think it's probably referring to the January 3rd 1966 rehearsal of Nico attempting "There She Goes Again", as officially released on the 45th anniversary Deluxe and Super Deluxe editions of the first album.

searchin4mymainline wrote: ↑04 Sep 2020 19:00

leandro wrote: ↑03 Sep 2020 23:01 Great article!

Would that be the Scepter Sessions (April '66, the takes that appear in Unripened CD) or are there any earlier Nico recordings?

I think it's probably referring to the January 3rd 1966 rehearsal of Nico attempting "There She Goes Again", as officially released on the 45th anniversary Deluxe and Super Deluxe editions of the first album.

Thank you!

Lou sent a "shout-out" to Murphy in his WPIX guest-DJ appearance of Jan. (I think it was) '79.

FYI, the song Night Lights song "Crow" is about Patti Smith.