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Velvet Redux: Live MCMXCIIIVelvet Underground
It’s become almost a cliché that if they survive and the demand is there, they will eventually reunite at some point. I’m speaking, of course, about the mass influx of vintage rock bands from the 60s, 70s and 80s that have cracked the seal and reconnected in recent years. Even the original members of Velvet Underground, considered one of the most important bands of its time, put any and all past issues aside and played a few select European gigs in the early 90s. The fall-out is Velvet Redux: Live MCMXCIII, a pulsating and pivotal DVD with live performances filmed at the Paris Olympia in the summer of 1993. Lou Reed, John Cale, Moe Tucker and the late Sterling Morrison join at the hip and launch into riveting renditions of VU classics like “I'm Waiting For The Man,” “Venus in Furs” and “Heroin.” They also dive into latter day material ala “Sweet Jane” and “Rock And Roll,” along with obscure and lofty numbers such as the haunting instrumental “Hey Mr. Rain,” the ensemble vocalizations of “I'm Sticking With You,” (both unreleased for years after the band's breakup), and the unveiling of Reed's playful “Coyote.” The absence of seminal epics like “Sister Ray” might raise a few pierced eyebrows, but other superfluous, minor omissions scarcely addle the historical and tactical ramifications of this rare gathering. The interplay, while expectedly ragged and at times downright somber, is tight-fisted, yet loose and leathery-like throughout. Unfortunately, the inflated egos that lead to the group’s demise in the late 60s made an unsolicited riposte and killed plans for subsequent American dates. Morrison passed away in 1995, and all hopes were dashed of any further legitimate, full fledge VU reunions. The days of Andy Warhol’s Exploding Plastic Inevitable seem ever distance in life’s rearview mirror; but as the punk-infested embers of Velvet Underground’s influence flow infinitely into the modern age, the surreal and awkward stance of the band's appeal remains forever perched on the verge of blossoming. Velvet Redux: Live MCMXCIII reawakens VU's morose and embolic grip with an alluring aftertaste that's sure to inspire for years to come. ~ Shawn Perry ©Copyright 1997, 2008 Vintage Rock
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