LimeWire Music Blog

Don’t get too excited, as the title is a bit misleading. While Lou Reed and the remaining Velvets who can tolerate each other (Maureen “Moe” Tucker and Doug Yule) didn’t bust out “All Tomorrow’s Parties” in the New York Public Library, I had the rare and admittedly, totally amazing opportunity to see Rolling Stone senior editor David Fricke interview them in a 500-capacity room.

After sitting in relative darkness and listening to “Heroin” in its entirety, Fricke and the Velvets took the stage for more than an hour of reminiscing and plenty of snark, courtesy of Reed. Fricke set the tone for much of the interview by recounting the details of the Velvets’ first paid show at a high school in New Jersey in more detail than any of the band members seem to recall. Drummer Moe Tucker and replacement bassist Doug Yule seem vaguely amused by this, but Reed is not particularly impressed and this sentiment shows up in the form of caustic jabs at Rolling Stone later on.

Much of the interview covered familiar territory, such as the effect of becoming Andy Warhol’s pet band, but hearing stories straight from the proverbial horse’s mouth had its benefits, such as Reed’s imitation of Warhol’s thoughts on the now-famous cover of The Velvet Underground & Nico: “Ohhh… you need a cover! What are you going to do? Moe…?” However, during one of the brief moments in which he let down his guard, he showed the artist true reverence. “Warhol is one of the greatest people I’ve met my life. Without him, it’s just… it’s inconceivable, the path [the Velvet Underground] took.” In case you’re not familiar, Warhol gave the Velvets a big break by hiring them to play at his gallery shows and openings, often using them as a soundtrack to his art. Though credited as the producer of The Velvet Underground & Nico, Reed and Tucker stressed that Warhol’s producing consisted of him telling the band: “Don’t change anything.”

Fricke hit on many of the Who’s Whos of the Velvet Underground, starting with guitarist Sterling Morrison. Tucker and Reed expressed gratefulness at his preference to stay in the background of the band’s makeup, creating soundscapes, rather than solos. As for Nico, Reed mused that she was brought on as their “chanteuse” because “none of us were good-looking enough.” He and Moe referred to the dozens of songs they tried with her before settling on those at appear on The Velvet Underground & Nico, one rambler which Tucker referred to as “29 minutes of torture for Moe,” since she never knew quite when it would end.

I could keep going on for paragraphs, but something tells me Fricke’s version is already destined for the pages of Rolling Stone. Therefore, dear readers, I’ll treat you to a few of my favorite soundbites:

“It never felt like we were too loud, but my ears ring now.” – Maureen “Moe” Tucker

“We were always ourselves in all ways, including in music.” – Maureen “Moe” Tucker

“I’ve tried to get drummers to do what she did ever since then. It doesn’t work.” – Lou Reed on Moe Tucker’s tribal drumming

“We’re not outcasts. They’re stupid.” – Lou Reed

“If I could really sing, I’d be Nolan Strong.” – Lou Reed, on his early affinity for doo-wop music as a teenager and the seminal R&B group Nolan Strong & the Diablos

“I was not capable of thinking 40 years ahead.” – Lou Reed, when asked if he ever thought, 40 years ago, that he would be interviewed in the New York Public Library

“To this day, I don’t think there is anything that touches what the Velvet Underground did. Not in this universe.” – Lou Reed, to much applause

images courtesy of the New York Public Library