1969 Velvet Underground Live is getting its first vinyl reissue in over 40 years. Out September 13, the 2LP is composed of recordings from concerts at Dallas’ End of Cole Ave and San Francisco’s The Matrix. The collection includes raw versions of beloved songs like “I’m Waiting for the Man,” “Femme Fatale,” “Pale Blue Eyes,” and “I’ll Be Your Mirror.” Few recordings of Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground exist pre-1970, making this compilation a rarity.
The late 1960s were a transitional period for the Velvet Underground as they parted ways with vocalist Nico and Andy Warhol following the release of the band’s 1967 debut, The Velvet Underground & Nico. Violist/organist/bassist John Cale left the band following their second album, 1968’s White Light/White Heat. He was soon replaced by Doug Yule. Following the release of their third album, 1968’s The Velvet Underground, the band spent much of 1969 touring the United States and Canada, building up a sizable fan base along the way.
With permission from the band, those new fans occasionally recorded the concerts using lo-fi handheld recorders. The show at The Matrix was captured on the venue’s four-track recording desk. Some of the recordings featured on 1969 Velvet Underground Live were sourced from acetates following the loss of the original tapes.
1969 Velvet Underground Live was originally released in September 1974 by Mercury Records following the band’s dissolution. Three songs featured on the album—“We’re Gonna Have a Real Good Time Together,” “Over You,” and “Sweet Bonnie Brown”/“It’s Just Too Much”) never featured on any of the band’s albums. The tracks “Lisa Says” and “Ocean” appeared on Reed’s eponymous 1972 solo debut while “New Age” and “Sweet Jane” differed from the studio versions that eventually appeared on the Velvet Underground’s 1970 album Loaded.
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