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Not many bands deserve to have their story recounted day-by-day, but The Velvet Underground are definitely one of the few bands that rightfully inspire such fanaticism. Author Richie Unterburger has done a heroic job with this book, compiling a history of over 350 pages from interviews, museum archives, rare photos, magazines and recordings (both audio and video). His knowledge and fact-checking goes so insanely in-depth that he's often even able to contradict information given by the band members themselves (whose memories of the events are somewhat clouded by drugs, ego and time). The author leaves no stone unturned in chornologizing the band's studio work, concerts (including set lists, opening bands and critique of the show whenever bootleg recordings were available), and business dealings during their brief five year initial existence. He even digs beneath the surface to report on all the band member's pre-VU musical activities, what band members did after leaving the group (including original drummer Angus MacLise), the preposterously bad post-Lou Reed version of The Velvet Underground led by Doug Yule from 1971 until 1973, and the equally bad reunion of the classic 1966-1968 era lineup in 1993. While the book largely maintains a coldly factual perspective of VU history, the personalities of the individual players can be felt throughout; especially Reed's amphetamine-driven harsh dominance over the rest of the group which ultimately drove away Nico, Andy Warhol, and John Cale leaving only those (Sterling Morrison, Mo Tucker and Doug Yule) who would follow Reed's direction. It's a fascinating story, given a new life through obsessive detail, and it's truly the last book on the group that any fan of The Velvet Underground will need to buy.
DAVID MANSDORF
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