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Baby Jane Holzer & Velvet Underground recording?
Posted: 23 Jan 2026 04:49
by dirul
I've been catching up on all the posts on a newish Substack by a Scottish writer Grant McPhee (
https://grantmcphee.substack.com/) which mostly revolves around a series 'The Velvet Underground Popularity Myth' where McPhee is posting, in sequence, month by month, newspaper.com findings related to the Velvet Underground (as of last night he was up to Pt. 27 May 1968), so it is both a regional and a reception history of the group. Although I sort of disagree with some of McPhee's premise/arguments behind the project which he outlines in a few posts, it is a great exercise in VU research and an interesting way to approach the group with fresh eyes.
In Part 3 (Feb and March 1966 -
https://grantmcphee.substack.com/p/the- ... larity-548) there is something interesting which I don't recall being mentioned anywhere (though I don't have the Bockris/Malanga or the Unterberger day-by-day book at hand to check, but it hasn't been discussed on the forum); An Los Angeles Times article on Baby Jane Hozler which mentions ‘"more recently she cut her first record, singing before the group, the Velvet Underground’, a group in which Warhol was ‘interested’.
Holzer did release one single (and a tv appearance) slightly later, but definitely not with the VU as backing band. Wondering if anyone has anymore info on this. Perhaps this acetate (assuming it exists) is sitting unlabeled or part-cataloged in Warhol or Holzer archives?)
Re: Baby Jane Holzer & Velvet Underground recording?
Posted: 13 Feb 2026 00:43
by iaredatsun
dirul wrote: ↑23 Jan 2026 04:49
I've been catching up on all the posts on a newish Substack by a Scottish writer Grant McPhee (
https://grantmcphee.substack.com/) which mostly revolves around a series 'The Velvet Underground Popularity Myth' where McPhee is posting, in sequence, month by month, newspaper.com findings related to the Velvet Underground (as of last night he was up to Pt. 27 May 1968), so it is both a regional and a reception history of the group. Although I sort of disagree with some of McPhee's premise/arguments behind the project which he outlines in a few posts, it is a great exercise in VU research and an interesting way to approach the group with fresh eyes.
In Part 3 (Feb and March 1966 -
https://grantmcphee.substack.com/p/the- ... larity-548) there is something interesting which I don't recall being mentioned anywhere (though I don't have the Bockris/Malanga or the Unterberger day-by-day book at hand to check, but it hasn't been discussed on the forum); An Los Angeles Times article on Baby Jane Hozler which mentions ‘"more recently she cut her first record, singing before the group, the Velvet Underground’, a group in which Warhol was ‘interested’.
Holzer did release one single (and a tv appearance) slightly later, but definitely not with the VU as backing band. Wondering if anyone has anymore info on this. Perhaps this acetate (assuming it exists) is sitting unlabeled or part-cataloged in Warhol or Holzer archives?)
Interesting. I cannot acess that substack at the moment. But curious to read more.
Re: Baby Jane Holzer & Velvet Underground recording?
Posted: 13 Feb 2026 12:16
by Mark
Interesting indeed. There is at least one unreleased acetate from Holzer, circa 1965 - a version of Frankie Valli's 'You're Gonna Hurt Yourself':
https://www.45cat.com/record/nc933706uk
There's a video posted on the link above and it doesn't sound like the VU. But maybe it does show that there was more than one attempt to launch herself as a singer.
I guess the most likely scenario is that the report is a mistake - either referring to something that was planned but didn't come to pass, or getting her mixed up with Nico somehow. But how cool would it be if an acetate turned up of her singing Femme Fatale or There She Goes!
Re: Baby Jane Holzer & Velvet Underground recording?
Posted: 13 Feb 2026 13:20
by iaredatsun
I'm not entirely sure what the wording implies. 'Singing
before a group, the Velvet Underground...'
Re: Baby Jane Holzer & Velvet Underground recording?
Posted: 13 Feb 2026 13:23
by Mark
Well, she's still alive, I wonder if there's a way to ask her!
Re: Baby Jane Holzer & Velvet Underground recording?
Posted: 13 Feb 2026 16:46
by iaredatsun
Mark wrote: ↑13 Feb 2026 13:23
Well, she's still alive, I wonder if there's a way to ask her!
You'd need to interview her about her career, or at least about the Warhol years, and sneak the question in.
Re: Baby Jane Holzer & Velvet Underground recording?
Posted: 14 Feb 2026 00:17
by simonm
https://youtu.be/7xZjncoSvIo?si=UJI3RsUFwcCm0ion
interview with Holzer from 2001
i'm pretty sure the journalist was mistaken, maybe getting her mixed up with Nico?
Re: Baby Jane Holzer & Velvet Underground recording?
Posted: 14 Feb 2026 01:26
by Mark
For those of us who can't quite be arsed, how far into the video should we be looking?
Re: Baby Jane Holzer & Velvet Underground recording?
Posted: 14 Feb 2026 13:24
by bobbydriver
Mark wrote: ↑14 Feb 2026 01:26
For those of us who can't quite be arsed, how far into the video should we be looking?
13:40 she starts talking about Nico. Mentions the Velvets but you'd expect at that point she might mention any musical collaboration
Re: Baby Jane Holzer & Velvet Underground recording?
Posted: 14 Feb 2026 13:42
by Mark
Thanks! Hmm. It's very fleeting - there actually seems to be a jump cut there too. Maybe a record that never got released while there was a whole load of other stuff going on isn't something that readily comes to mind all those years later?