The Velvet Underground Chart a Singular Path in Trailer for Todd Haynes’ New Documentary

Filmmaker also helped curate the movie’s accompanying soundtrack, featuring classic and rare tracks

By JON BLISTEIN

Apple TV+ has released the trailer for Todd Haynes’ upcoming documentary, The Velvet Underground, which will arrive in theaters and on the streaming platform October 15th.

The new clip offers a concise overview of the film’s scope, starting with the unique New York City milieu of art, music, film and opportunity that birthed the band (John Cale, the band’s Welsh multi-instrumentalist, quips with a laugh that he was “appalled” the first time he arrived in the city: ‘This place is filthy!”). The trailer then touches on the Velvet Underground’s radical sound, Lou Reed’s singular approach to rock and roll, and how this band of outsiders became one of the most influential acts in music history.

The Velvet Underground will feature interviews with surviving members of the group and other key players. It also boasts a trove of previously unreleased performances and other footage.

The film will be accompanied by a massive soundtrack featuring both classic Velvet Underground tracks and rarities. Haynes curated the soundtrack with the film’s music supervisor, Randall Poster. It will be released October 15th digitally and as a two-CD set.

Watch the trailer here: [www.youtube.com]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 2021-09-01 14:09 by tatters.

thanks sounds good
hope the cd set eventally is paired with a dvd or blu ray

This is great...very much look forward to it.

Looking forward to this. One of the earliest bands I got into via a friends older brother, He saw them twice on that reunion tour in 93. Said they weren’t great. Anyone here catch them on that run of gigs?

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Paddy

Looking forward to this. One of the earliest bands I got into via a friends older brother, He saw them twice on that reunion tour in 93. Said they weren’t great. Anyone here catch them on that run of gigs?

We never got a reunion tour here in the States. Closest we got was the Reed/Cale Songs for Drella shows in 1989. I saw two of those, including one where Maureen showed up to sing "Pale Blue Eyes" as an encore.

Streaming services sure are a blessing and a curse - I always seem to have the wrong one LOL.

This seems to be getting excellent reviews. I'm excited to see it's playing at my local theater this weekend. Anyone seen it yet?

[www.bbc.com]

THE AGE ---- 14 October 2021



ROCKMAN

God, I love the VU. Back in the day when they did the reuion & I was in the music biz I had it all set up to see them at the Whiskey A Go Go. Sadly they started bickering & cancelled the tour. Lou Reed bummed a cig from once.

White Light White Heat was always
best way ta clear a room of boring people .....



ROCKMAN

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Rockman
White Light White Heat was always
best way ta clear a room of boring people .....

I'm very boring but o do i love that record.
Great great stuff.
First heard it in a record store on earphones on one of those listening benches you used to have.
Immediately took it home.
I was about 17 or so.
And played it to death.

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Rockman
White Light White Heat was always
best way ta clear a room of boring people .....

“Heard her call my name” might be my favourite Velvets track. I watched this doc on Maureen Tucker recently, it’s pretty cool.
[m.youtube.com]

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tatters

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Paddy

Looking forward to this. One of the earliest bands I got into via a friends older brother, He saw them twice on that reunion tour in 93. Said they weren’t great. Anyone here catch them on that run of gigs?

We never got a reunion tour here in the States. Closest we got was the Reed/Cale Songs for Drella shows in 1989. I saw two of those, including one where Maureen showed up to sing "Pale Blue Eyes" as an encore.

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crholmstrom
God, I love the VU. Back in the day when they did the reuion & I was in the music biz I had it all set up to see them at the Whiskey A Go Go. Sadly they started bickering & cancelled the tour. Lou Reed bummed a cig from once.

Velvet Underground Reunion! A blast from the past...

No, I didn’t see it. As you know, only the U.K. and Europe got it.
We heard insider information afterwords that a tour of Japan had been informally decided. I gave a sigh...

Later, I obtained the live CD’s and LD of the reunion show from Paris Olympia. I was slightly disappointed TBHWY. What’s in there was a clean, sanitized version of what was once the epitome of an arty and sleazy rock and roll band. Kind of similar feeling many people get from the modern Stones as opposed to the vintage Stones.
Fast forward to May 2005. I saw the much hyped Cream Reunion at the Royal Albert Hall, the first and last of the four dates. While I got emotional to see the legendary trio playing in front of my eyes, I felt they were not the same group I had indulged in through the records for umpteen years. They were great in their own right, but they were the “modern Cream”.

VU and Cream — they both belong to the 60’s, that mythical time that never comes back.

Remember, Mick said that the Stones pinched "the sound" of Stray Cat from the Velvets.

The Velvets amazing "rawness" remains so incredibly powerful. Sure, Heroin, All Tomorrow's Parties, Venus in Furs, Sweet Jane, Pale Blue Eyes, et al are amazing, iconic numbers. For me, however, it is the BONE-CRUNCHING intro and grind of "Sister Ray" that paints the picture that will forever blanket my mind's eye when my consciousness drifts to the Velvets.

I can't wait to see this, and I need to pull out my LPs and let it rock!

stonesstein

Kick me like you did before
I can't even feel the pain no more
Rocks Off, 1972

THE AUSTRALIAN --- 15 October 2021



ROCKMAN

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RisingStone

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tatters

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Paddy

Looking forward to this. One of the earliest bands I got into via a friends older brother, He saw them twice on that reunion tour in 93. Said they weren’t great. Anyone here catch them on that run of gigs?

We never got a reunion tour here in the States. Closest we got was the Reed/Cale Songs for Drella shows in 1989. I saw two of those, including one where Maureen showed up to sing "Pale Blue Eyes" as an encore.

Quote
crholmstrom
God, I love the VU. Back in the day when they did the reuion & I was in the music biz I had it all set up to see them at the Whiskey A Go Go. Sadly they started bickering & cancelled the tour. Lou Reed bummed a cig from once.

Velvet Underground Reunion! A blast from the past...

No, I didn’t see it. As you know, only the U.K. and Europe got it.
We heard insider information afterwords that a tour of Japan had been informally decided. I gave a sigh...

Later, I obtained the live CD’s and LD of the reunion show from Paris Olympia. I was slightly disappointed TBHWY. What’s in there was a clean, sanitized version of what was once the epitome of an arty and sleazy rock and roll band. Kind of similar feeling many people get from the modern Stones as opposed to the vintage Stones.
Fast forward to May 2005. I saw the much hyped Cream Reunion at the Royal Albert Hall, the first and last of the four dates. While I got emotional to see the legendary trio playing in front of my eyes, I felt they were not the same group I had indulged in through the records for umpteen years. They were great in their own right, but they were the “modern Cream”.

VU and Cream — they both belong to the 60’s, that mythical time that never comes back.

As someone that saw Cream, I don't disagree with you. I appreciate both on a certain scale. I actually grew to really like that VU reunion CD. Its unquestionably sanitized, but its not horrible. If anything, the only thing on there I DON'T like is the 15 minute Hey Mr. Rain which is arguably the only thing close to what they used to do in the 60s. I adore Lou Reed but I like that reunion disc cause I just wanted the songs and they give you basically everything you'd want, even though thats kind of the antithesis of the Velvet Underground. Seeing Cream in 2005 I thought it was one of the most boring shows I've ever seen. Like you said, it wasn't the REAL Cream, but it was nice to see and experience. Totally think you're right that both belonged in a different era, but I'm glad they at least got together to try it. Plenty of bands that never do and without actually seeing it you never know what it will be like.

Its also, in all honesty, not that different from what we get from the hybrid reunited Guns N Roses these days I think. Its a technically great show, but its missing that spontaneity and spark that belonged to a different time.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2021-10-15 16:48 by RollingFreak.

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RollingFreak

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RisingStone
Velvet Underground Reunion! A blast from the past...

No, I didn’t see it. As you know, only the U.K. and Europe got it.
We heard insider information afterwords that a tour of Japan had been informally decided. I gave a sigh...

Later, I obtained the live CD’s and LD of the reunion show from Paris Olympia. I was slightly disappointed TBHWY. What’s in there was a clean, sanitized version of what was once the epitome of an arty and sleazy rock and roll band. Kind of similar feeling many people get from the modern Stones as opposed to the vintage Stones.
Fast forward to May 2005. I saw the much hyped Cream Reunion at the Royal Albert Hall, the first and last of the four dates. While I got emotional to see the legendary trio playing in front of my eyes, I felt they were not the same group I had indulged in through the records for umpteen years. They were great in their own right, but they were the “modern Cream”.

VU and Cream — they both belong to the 60’s, that mythical time that never comes back.

As someone that saw Cream, I don't disagree with you. I appreciate both on a certain scale. I actually grew to really like that VU reunion CD. Its unquestionably sanitized, but its not horrible. If anything, the only thing on there I DON'T like is the 15 minute Hey Mr. Rain which is arguably the only thing close to what they used to do in the 60s. I adore Lou Reed but I like that reunion disc cause I just wanted the songs and they give you basically everything you'd want, even though thats kind of the antithesis of the Velvet Underground. Seeing Cream in 2005 I thought it was one of the most boring shows I've ever seen. Like you said, it wasn't the REAL Cream, but it was nice to see and experience. Totally think you're right that both belonged in a different era, but I'm glad they at least got together to try it. Plenty of bands that never do and without actually seeing it you never know what it will be like.

Its also, in all honesty, not that different from what we get from the hybrid reunited Guns N Roses these days I think. Its a technically great show, but its missing that spontaneity and spark that belonged to a different time.

...and I don’t wholeheartedly disagree with your views, either.
Cream and VU reunited with the original members, at least, and in that respect both groups were genuine and we were lucky, even though I couldn’t see the latter.

As regards GNR...hmm, it is a different case for me. I saw them in 88, 93 (Ronnie sit in for Heaven’s Door that night) and 02. I lost my enthusiasm or motivation to follow them thereafter. Just too many member changes — I think one time Axl Rose was the only original member left wasn’t he?

I just like when bands at least get back together once. Its selfish, but just because most bands don't really get closure and a reunion feels like closure. In addition to Cream and VU, I like that Talking Heads got back together once at their Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. It clearly didn't work, they are, as David Byrne puts it "miles apart musically", but we as fans got to see them one last time. They put their differences aside and did it one last time. Similar to Cream, similar to VU. Didn't have to be perfect, but at least we got it, and basically could see why we didn't need more!

As for GNR, yes, everyone but Axl left after the 93 tour. They left in 96 but they didn't tour for 3 years before that so essentially the band died in 93. Axl took it on the road then in 2002 (after a 9 year absence), 2006/7, then like 2009-2014 pretty constantly. None were really worth seeing. HE sounded good in 06, and kinda 2010, but it was just him so that didn't make it worthwhile. Then in 2016 Duff and Slash came back which was basically enough. Its not exactly the reunion fans wanted, but it was enough. And I saw the first show and basically it was heartbreaking because I was finally seeing what I always wanted to and it was the safest thing they could have done. It was EXACTLY what you expected, but with no danger which was a huge part of their appeal. In the end, like VU and Cream, I'm happy its happened, and they are good shows if you don't try to harp on that they aren't moving forward anymore and are firmly living in the past. Its technically a fine show, but its not the REAL GNR experience. Its just the best we could get now. Bands are so crazy.

Anyway, I feel I've taken us far off course even though I'm enjoying this discussion. I am hoping to watch the documentary for VU later today!

Was unfortunately pretty underwhelmed by this. The obvious sadness is that Lou Reed isn't alive to speak on it. I know thats obviously unavoidable, but listening to John and Maureen reflect on this time now I'd love to hear Lou's thoughts on this official document. I know there's a million interviews of him discussing the Underground, but just feels incomplete without his input. I'd also kinda argue without Lou it put too much emphasis on the John Cale side of things. Not that he wasn't massively important, he was of course. I guess that his backstory and way of talking about the band felt less relevant. Lou could maybe have stayed more on topic.

On that note, I also thought pretty much the first hour was just a huge lead up that didn't super payoff. 30 minutes in it was like "ok, already, get to the band and get to New York!" I thought there was a lot of wasted time there, and less than focusing on the albums once it got there, it was more focused on the scene. It was a choice, and I get it, but I feel there's been more than enough said about that whole Warhol era. It didn't get as into it as other things I've seen, and I know thats part of the story, but just feel like it could have been weaved in differently. Was hoping for more stories like Moe Tucker's random stopping of drumming in Heroin and others of that nature that we may not have heard before.

Lastly, and unsurprisingly, Doug Yule was fairly glossed over, all things considered. They seem to always do that to him, which is sad because he was part of half the band's history. It wasn't the groundbreaking era, but the songs on those two VU albums he's on are fantastic and he sings a lot! Sad that he didn't get any on screen camera time, and in general I thought all the interviews were fairly mundane and oddly chosen. Some people were really interesting and good finds. Others felt sorta random and pointless, especially for an official doc. I also thought the way they conducted the interviews and a lot of the footage and presentation was strange and offputting. Kinda like a knockoff Woodstock. Again, a choice which is to be respected of something of this series (you gotta make it your own) but just didn't think paid off. My dad and I were both fairly underwhelmed, although always good to see Lou as always revered. Just had way higher expectations based on the hype and I thought reviews coming in that were good.

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RollingFreak
Was unfortunately pretty underwhelmed by this. The obvious sadness is that Lou Reed isn't alive to speak on it. I know thats obviously unavoidable, but listening to John and Maureen reflect on this time now I'd love to hear Lou's thoughts on this official document. I know there's a million interviews of him discussing the Underground, but just feels incomplete without his input. I'd also kinda argue without Lou it put too much emphasis on the John Cale side of things. Not that he wasn't massively important, he was of course. I guess that his backstory and way of talking about the band felt less relevant. Lou could maybe have stayed more on topic.

On that note, I also thought pretty much the first hour was just a huge lead up that didn't super payoff. 30 minutes in it was like "ok, already, get to the band and get to New York!" I thought there was a lot of wasted time there, and less than focusing on the albums once it got there, it was more focused on the scene. It was a choice, and I get it, but I feel there's been more than enough said about that whole Warhol era. It didn't get as into it as other things I've seen, and I know thats part of the story, but just feel like it could have been weaved in differently. Was hoping for more stories like Moe Tucker's random stopping of drumming in Heroin and others of that nature that we may not have heard before.

Lastly, and unsurprisingly, Doug Yule was fairly glossed over, all things considered. They seem to always do that to him, which is sad because he was part of half the band's history. It wasn't the groundbreaking era, but the songs on those two VU albums he's on are fantastic and he sings a lot! Sad that he didn't get any on screen camera time, and in general I thought all the interviews were fairly mundane and oddly chosen. Some people were really interesting and good finds. Others felt sorta random and pointless, especially for an official doc. I also thought the way they conducted the interviews and a lot of the footage and presentation was strange and offputting. Kinda like a knockoff Woodstock. Again, a choice which is to be respected of something of this series (you gotta make it your own) but just didn't think paid off. My dad and I were both fairly underwhelmed, although always good to see Lou as always revered. Just had way higher expectations based on the hype and I thought reviews coming in that were good.

Doug Yule declined to participate. Evidently he works for some sort of enviromental concern & felt that was a more important way to use his time.

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RollingFreak
Was unfortunately pretty underwhelmed by this. The obvious sadness is that Lou Reed isn't alive to speak on it. I know thats obviously unavoidable, but listening to John and Maureen reflect on this time now I'd love to hear Lou's thoughts on this official document. I know there's a million interviews of him discussing the Underground, but just feels incomplete without his input. I'd also kinda argue without Lou it put too much emphasis on the John Cale side of things. Not that he wasn't massively important, he was of course. I guess that his backstory and way of talking about the band felt less relevant. Lou could maybe have stayed more on topic.

On that note, I also thought pretty much the first hour was just a huge lead up that didn't super payoff. 30 minutes in it was like "ok, already, get to the band and get to New York!" I thought there was a lot of wasted time there, and less than focusing on the albums once it got there, it was more focused on the scene. It was a choice, and I get it, but I feel there's been more than enough said about that whole Warhol era. It didn't get as into it as other things I've seen, and I know thats part of the story, but just feel like it could have been weaved in differently. Was hoping for more stories like Moe Tucker's random stopping of drumming in Heroin and others of that nature that we may not have heard before.

Lastly, and unsurprisingly, Doug Yule was fairly glossed over, all things considered. They seem to always do that to him, which is sad because he was part of half the band's history. It wasn't the groundbreaking era, but the songs on those two VU albums he's on are fantastic and he sings a lot! Sad that he didn't get any on screen camera time, and in general I thought all the interviews were fairly mundane and oddly chosen. Some people were really interesting and good finds. Others felt sorta random and pointless, especially for an official doc. I also thought the way they conducted the interviews and a lot of the footage and presentation was strange and offputting. Kinda like a knockoff Woodstock. Again, a choice which is to be respected of something of this series (you gotta make it your own) but just didn't think paid off. My dad and I were both fairly underwhelmed, although always good to see Lou as always revered. Just had way higher expectations based on the hype and I thought reviews coming in that were good.

Thanks for the review. I haven't seen it yet. I'm hoping to catch it Sunday at the local "art house" theater here in Ann Arbor. A couple of thoughts: The story of the VU is very much a tale of two bands; the band that made the first two albums with Cale, and the band that made the third and fourth albums with Yule. I consider both versions of the band to be equally great and equally important, so I have to wonder if maybe Cale offered his involvement with this film only on the condition that 1965-68 era be given the far greater emphasis. One of the reviews posted in this thread makes it sound as if Yule was interviewed for the film, but only for voice-over purposes and does not appear in any on-camera interview. Regardless of his environmental commitments, or whatever, it's hard to believe Doug couldn't have found a few hours of spare time to appear in a filmed interview if a certain someone (Cale) had given the okay for it. The other thing I find frustrating is the apparent absence of any decent live performance concert footage. I guess that shouldn't surprise me. If such footage existed it surely would have surfaced before now, but considering that Andy Warhol was a filmmaker (of sorts); it's literally the second thing listed in his bio after "painter," you'd think he might have taken the trouble to shoot a professional quality film of one of his band's performances. It certainly would have been far more interesting than watching the lights flickering on and off in the windows of the Empire State Building for 24 hours.

[www.youtube.com]



Edited 6 time(s). Last edit at 2021-10-16 14:34 by tatters.

Great review and responses there. Thank you for you all.
The film is on the art cinema in my local area until Thursday next week. RollingFreak’s report makes me think twice whether I should go or not. I will decide after checking other members’ posts on the flick if any more come.

In my post I commented Cream and VU belong to the 60’s. Knowingly contrary to that, on the other hand VU were an un-60’s band — as opposed to, for one example, the West Coast hippie type groups that were popular back then, an antithesis to their Love & Peace philosophy. VU were “yin” of the 60’s. There seems to be some inevitability as to why they became more recognized and influential into the 70’s and thereafter.

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RisingStone
Great review and responses there. Thank you for you all.
The film is on the art cinema in my local area until Thursday next week. RollingFreak’s report makes me think twice whether I should go or not. I will decide after checking other members’ posts on the flick if any more come.

In my post I commented Cream and VU belong to the 60’s. Knowingly contrary to that, on the other hand VU were an un-60’s band — as opposed to, for one example, the West Coast hippie type groups that were popular back then, an antithesis to their Love & Peace philosophy. VU were “yin” of the 60’s. There seems to be some inevitability as to why they became more recognized and influential into the 70’s and thereafter.

It's worth seeing if you are interested in the VU for sure. I liked it because it wasn't a cookie cutter rock documentary.

Thank you for recommendation. I’ll consider that.

Seems to be more interesting than the ‘Empire’ film — as it is

I don't think this is 'must theatre' watching, but I look forward to either paying for a streamed version or seeing it on Netflix/Amazon Prime in short order.

I love VU but nothing much get's me to the theatre these days, unless it's a 'must see' new Avengers sequel, and then only because the kids insist.

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treaclefingers
I don't think this is 'must theatre' watching, but I look forward to either paying for a streamed version or seeing it on Netflix/Amazon Prime in short order.

I love VU but nothing much get's me to the theatre these days, unless it's a 'must see' new Avengers sequel, and then only because the kids insist.

1 word: Dune ><

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crholmstrom

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treaclefingers
I don't think this is 'must theatre' watching, but I look forward to either paying for a streamed version or seeing it on Netflix/Amazon Prime in short order.

I love VU but nothing much get's me to the theatre these days, unless it's a 'must see' new Avengers sequel, and then only because the kids insist.

1 word: Dune ><

I don't suppose that is reference to Sting's 80s classic?!

It’s Dune Reunion...er, no, Remake.
The most talked-about flick at the moment.

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treaclefingers

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crholmstrom

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treaclefingers
I don't think this is 'must theatre' watching, but I look forward to either paying for a streamed version or seeing it on Netflix/Amazon Prime in short order.

I love VU but nothing much get's me to the theatre these days, unless it's a 'must see' new Avengers sequel, and then only because the kids insist.

1 word: Dune ><

I don't suppose that is reference to Sting's 80s classic?!

Not the one with Andy Dalton as one of the Harkonnens, the new one haha.

Watched this last night. There’s way too much that gets glossed over. I get the Factory & Warhol need mentioning but it spent too long with this narrative & the last 3 albums get mentioned all too briefly. There’s some talking heads that I don’t think add much. Yule is completely absent almost, which is a shame. I initially thought this was to be a documentary series in the band and not a movie. I think a 3 part series would have worked better.