Lou REED, John CALE @ NICO LE BATACLAN '72
I have
been a big Velvet Underground Fan for years.
Their music in my opinion has stood
the
Test of time and still sounds as good today as when it was first recorded.
Obviously
I am not the only one judging by the number of bands out there who are still
heavily influenced by their unique sound and front man Lou REED.
For obvious reasons there will never be any more new material.
The last track
they wrote together Coyote was back in the early 1990's to coincide with their
fantastic tour.
So with few opportunities given to us to hear any material in
recent years I leaped at the chance to get a copy of this live recording from
Paris in 1972.
Allegedly bootleg copies of this performance have been around
for a long time.
I never found one !! No need now that it has been released
legitimately at last.
Having heard it I wonder how many more recordings are out there hidden away,
because I just cannot get enough.
OK at a couple of points the sound quality
is not the best in the world but this is just fantastic.
Lou Reed is on top
form with 'Wild Child' and the uniquely different 'Black Angels Death Song'.
Nico's beautifully fragile vocals can be heard to great effect on 'Femme Fatale',
'I'll be your Mirror' and my all time favourite 'All Tomorrows Parties'.
However
the CD is worth buying for the version of Heroin alone.
An excellent rendition
of probably their most famous track with great vocals from Reed.
OK this is not strictly the Velvet Underground ( there is no Mo Tucker or Sterling
Morrison; John Cale sings some of his own songs and Wild Child is from Reeds'
first solo album) but it is a truly great moment in time. Three members of that
seminal group doing what they did best, singing great songs with a passion.
This is a must for all fans !!