Which of the original four studio albums is your favorite? Mine is White Light/White Heat. "Sister Ray" is a mind blow.

First one, then s/t.

The third is my fave. Love it.

Then Loaded.

I think they are better when they try to write normal rock songs.

The debut is solid with a couple of stinkers.

White light white heat... I SHOULD like it but it bores me.

I respect those two first records more than I like them. For their historical importance and influence, mainly.

Debut for me. Most variety, some songs I like, Nico.

I like the atmosphere on WL, WH and 3rd but sitting through them from front to back gets pretty monotonous. Always found Loaded super dull.

Probably WLWH. But agreed that each of the first three records has a song, or moments, that pull me out of that feeling of perfection. But what the hell, they were experimenting and not everything is going to land. Loaded feels like it's from a different band.

I found The Velvet Underground & Nico as a pre-teen whilst trawling for records in my grandmother's basement and cannot overstate its importance in the way it unlocked music for me. If I may borrow from a different record: it split my mind right open.

rsmurphy wrote: Tue Aug 22, 2023 3:33 pm I found The Velvet Underground & Nico as a pre-teen whilst trawling for records in my grandmother's basement and cannot overstate its importance in the way it unlocked music for me. If I may borrow from a different record: it split my mind right open.

You must have had the coolest of all the grandmothers.
I also pick this as my favorite, as it is the one that also split my mind right open. I was older though, probably nineteen. Driving to work with a hangover, 'Heroin' just grafted itself to my core.

The way the very pleasant song with slightly deceiving lyrics (“Sunday Morning”) segues into a song about waiting for your drug dealer is nothing short of brilliant. Perhaps a bit shocking for the unexpecting listener back in the day.

Wish I could hear it again for the first time.

jfv wrote: Tue Aug 22, 2023 7:06 pm
Wish I could hear it again for the first time.

This is an understatement.

trey wrote: Tue Aug 22, 2023 6:51 pm

rsmurphy wrote: Tue Aug 22, 2023 3:33 pm I found The Velvet Underground & Nico as a pre-teen whilst trawling for records in my grandmother's basement and cannot overstate its importance in the way it unlocked music for me. If I may borrow from a different record: it split my mind right open.

You must have had the coolest of all the grandmothers.

She was super awesome but I don't think it was her personal record. A cousins maybe? Little Mama was the wife of a reverend. She owned a religious bookstore. I'd love it for her tho!