Lamenting Lack of VU Releases...

[MJG196]

While Bleach and I were catchin' up/eating/drinking in Soho earlier this month, we both lamented the lack of VU releases over the past year. While the Stooges have seen release after release (including a reissue of their legendary Complete Funhouse Sessions box), VU releases seem to be forever caught in limbo. We haven't even heard any rumors! Hell, even a rumor would be welcome at this point.

Does anyone share our pain? Or...better yet...does anyone have any rumors?! Any VU-related Wikileaks out there?

[iaredatsun]

MG, I do share your sentiment but then wonder what is there that hasn't been released?

You're right ? the stooges fanbase (include me) have had a bumper fun-packed time this last 12 months or so. 3 concert sets of recordings that weren't widely known to have existed or have only recently come to light have all come out very quickly. A limited edition out of print boxset re-issue and even a ( dodgy) re-issue of 1st LP's Cale mix. Plus a lovely remaster of Raw Power (with some more concert material and studio outtakes) that put The Carrot Topped One's contribution right back up where it belonged. Wow. But then all this mainly due to the recent and massive Stooges Media Rock Engine and World Tour.

I think we already enjoyed this activity and more with the VU but spread out over a longer period.

70's saw Foggy Notion, Ostrich, Max's, Live 1969 and Live 1966 on vinyl
80's saw two official LPs of studio work and 'Everything?' boot box.
90's saw, WGO set and a huge official boxset with demos and all. This all as a result of the Re-union and massive surge of interest. Many booted concert LPs surfaced from the 90s on (and much of all of it available already from the VUAS) and then became CDs.

Then this last decade we also had Quinne tapes, Wahol tapes (thank-you!), 1st Acetate and most recently the Gymnasium.

So the big question ? what is left? The odd studio outtake? An official Warhol Factory tape? The so-called 3rd deluxe which we know will be a re-package of closet and valentine with the odd extra.

I feel that the Matrix makes no financial sense to release now, as although it is the best 69 recording, the market is already well saturated with VU live 69-era material ? Quinne, Live 69 LP and various CD boots.

The Gymnasium came out not so long ago, but it didn't exactly set the world alight. I can't remember anyone get much excited here about it. Ditto the long awaited 'other' mix of I Heard Her Call My name.

But I want more too. And what might it be? I agree with MG that any news or rumour would be nice to hear.

[MJG196]

MG, I do share your sentiment but then wonder what is there that hasn't been released?

You're right ? the stooges fanbase (include me) have had a bumper fun-packed time this last 12 months or so. 3 concert sets of recordings that weren't widely known to have existed or have only recently come to light have all come out very quickly. A limited edition out of print boxset re-issue and even a ( dodgy) re-issue of 1st LP's Cale mix. Plus a lovely remaster of Raw Power (with some more concert material and studio outtakes) that put The Carrot Topped One's contribution right back up where it belonged. Wow. But then all this mainly due to the recent and massive Stooges Media Rock Engine and World Tour.

I think we already enjoyed this activity and more with the VU but spread out over a longer period.

70's saw Foggy Notion, Ostrich, Max's, Live 1969 and Live 1966 on vinyl
80's saw two official LPs of studio work and 'Everything?' boot box.
90's saw, WGO set and a huge official boxset with demos and all. This all as a result of the Re-union and massive surge of interest. Many booted concert LPs surfaced from the 90s on (and much of all of it available already from the VUAS) and then became CDs.

Then this last decade we also had Quine tapes, Warhol tapes (thank-you!), 1st Acetate and most recently the Gymnasium.

So the big question ? what is left? The odd studio outtake? An official Warhol Factory tape? The so-called 3rd deluxe which we know will be a re-package of closet and valentine with the odd extra.

I feel that the Matrix makes no financial sense to release now, as although it is the best 69 recording, the market is already well saturated with VU live 69-era material ? Quinne, Live 69 LP and various CD boots.

The Gymnasium came out not so long ago, but it didn't exactly set the world alight. I can't remember anyone get much excited here about it. Ditto the long awaited 'other' mix of I Heard Her Call My name.

But I want more too. And what might it be? I agree with MG that any news or rumour would be nice to hear.

Very good points, indeed. As for the Stooges, I just ordered the Ungano's show!

It would be nice to have the 3rd LP and the odds & sods collections, Another View and VU, all remastered. First things first, treat the entire back catalog properly, then move on to live shows. Funny, but while so many of Lou's contemporaries have completely upgraded their back catalogs (or at least the major releases), Lou's is still floundering.

I think I disagree with you about the Matrix show. Give it proper publicity and good packaging, and it will sell. Even if only a limited run - a la Unganos - it would sell. I think the way the Gymnasium show dribbled out, plus its horrendous packaging, led to the underwhelming response.

[iaredatsun]

It would be nice to have the 3rd LP and the odds & sods collections, Another View and VU, all remastered. First things first, treat the entire back catalog properly, then move on to live shows. Funny, but while so many of Lou's contemporaries have completely upgraded their back catalogs (or at least the major releases), Lou's is still floundering.

I think I disagree with you about the Matrix show. Give it proper publicity and good packaging, and it will sell. Even if only a limited run - a la Unganos - it would sell. I think the way the Gymnasium show dribbled out, plus its horrendous packaging, led to the underwhelming response.

MG, yes ? it's interesting that Lou has had his whole (?) back solo catalogue remastered. This relates to my other post about a refocussed boxset, recently. Other artists like Pere Ubu are doing 24/96 remasters within a decade of a previous remastering job. These new remasters that we are hearing now, to my ears, sound like we're have access to the masters on our stereos. Reed went to a lot of trouble recently with a new MMM remaster and re-release. So I'm kind of surprised too that Lou Reed does not take more interest in the VU catalogue. But I still think that there are political and /or legal issues. It's been said many times that Reed is the reason that no VU material is coming out. Whether that is true or not I think that a. ? Reed wants to be recognised as a solo artist so that is his main focus and that b. ? the VU legacy is not something that he has sole control of artistically (or legally) and that might be a sticking point.

I do agree about the Another View and VU and yes in the right hands (ie. a small artistically dedicated label ? like Sundazed) the Matrix would be a lovely set.

[lostblues]

I am afraid that we have to wait at least 9 more years to get a proper Matrix release. That's when the 50-year copyright expires. This may open a lot of new possibilities, I guess!

[MJG196]

MG, yes ? it's interesting that Lou has had his whole (?) back solo catalogue remastered.

Not the whole back catalog: Street Hassle and Lou Reed Live are the two I am waiting for. I can wait for The Bells and the Blue Mask.

[velvetfan]

MG, yes ? it's interesting that Lou has had his whole (?) back solo catalogue remastered.

Not the whole back catalog: Street Hassle and Lou Reed Live are the two I am waiting for. I can wait for The Bells and the Blue Mask.

I know I have said this before, but the Buddah release of The Bells really surprised me. The Bells was probably my least listened to solo Lou and when I put the cd on and realized the incredible jazzy Lou, I was a convert. Give it a listen, you will be pleasantly surprised with it, including the quality. Lou can do it all.

[django70]

In all fairness, I spent a awful lot of time reading around the internet, and I've really heard nothing but great feedback about the gymnasium show. It seems to me that people were pretty excited about it, it surely got a lot of solid write ups on a ton of blogs and even print mags. I think the big difference with the gymnasium show to all of the official releases that you speak of is just that. The Gymnasium was really a internet phenomenon. It was written up in Rolling Stone Magazine/Rag as being one of the huge downloads of the year and a great one at that. I know if it came out as an official release with other tracks, I would rush to buy it. However as far as bootlegs go...forget it. I've got the music, I'm not going to pay some guy in France or wherever to make a "product" for me. I own the official albums on vinyl. I would die without the VU in my life. However if the bootleggers want to release the same set 32 times...imho then they can stick 31 of them in their pie hole.

All that aside, the current state of VU legal affairs is not going to make for much in the way of official releases anytime soon. I know that Universal was less than thrilled with the Quine tapes sales ( which had as much to do with poor post 9/11 record sales, as it did with being really geared at the fanatic as opposed to the mass market ). Inspite of that they were trying to release the 3rd album as an extended deluxe edition, complete with Cale era "I'm Beginning To See The Light". However the legal issues in the VU camp killed it. Lou does not seem too keen on seeing anymore official releases any time soon. Mind you this was information relayed to me by several individuals involved with the Quine tapes, so I will take it as fact.

[MJG196]

In all fairness, I spent a awful lot of time reading around the internet, and I've really heard nothing but great feedback about the gymnasium show. It seems to me that people were pretty excited about it, it surely got a lot of solid write ups on a ton of blogs and even print mags. I think the big difference with the gymnasium show to all of the official releases that you speak of is just that. The Gymnasium was really a internet phenomenon. It was written up in Rolling Stone Magazine/Rag as being one of the huge downloads of the year and a great one at that. I know if it came out as an official release with other tracks, I would rush to buy it. However as far as bootlegs go...forget it. I've got the music, I'm not going to pay some guy in France or wherever to make a "product" for me. I own the official albums on vinyl. I would die without the VU in my life. However if the bootleggers want to release the same set 32 times...imho then they can stick 31 of them in their pie hole.

All that aside, the current state of VU legal affairs is not going to make for much in the way of official releases anytime soon. I know that Universal was less than thrilled with the Quine tapes sales ( which had as much to do with poor post 9/11 record sales, as it did with being really geared at the fanatic as opposed to the mass market ). Inspite of that they were trying to release the 3rd album as an extended deluxe edition, complete with Cale era "I'm Beginning To See The Light". However the legal issues in the VU camp killed it. Lou does not seem too keen on seeing anymore official releases any time soon. Mind you this was information relayed to me by several individuals involved with the Quine tapes, so I will take it as fact.

Great info. I thought the Quine box was superb. However, Rhino seems to understand that - when packaged properly - releases aimed at the mega-fans can still create profit. There's no other reason why they would have released the new "Have Some Fun" Ungano's show and a second run of the Complete Funhouse Sessions.

As for Lou, I'm hard pressed to think of another Rock musician of his stature who seems to hate his own past as much as he does.

[iaredatsun]

django. You really looked into this re. the Gymnasium tape. My comment about the lack of excitement over the tape was based on this forum ? maybe not a thermometer that tells us the health of the VU phenomenon in the public eye. I'm glad to hear that it was so successful as an online download event. I kind of agree about not bothering with a bootleg when you can download it but this relates to MJG's following comment about the Quine tapes. I'm a sucker for great packages and design and I think the poor sales of the Quinne box was a reflection of their (Universal/Seagram/Vivendi - whoever is behind them these days) bored uninspired attitude to the release itself. They only had themselves to blame for poor sales and if the the Sundazed set had come first I would have jumped on it for it's beauty alone. Universal don't deserve to be custodians of the VU catalogue.

MJG, for your info, re. the Lou Reed back catalogue. I tracked down a remaster of Lou Reed Live. It was a Japan mini LP sleeve release. See your PMs