The Velvet Underground To Be Reissued As 6CD Super Deluxe Edition In November

The Velvet Underground is widely considered one of the most influential band in Rock and Roll history despite the obvious fact that few people will know who you’re talking about when you mention them. Say, “The Beatles, or “The Rolling Stones”, and you will get heads nodding in emphatic agreement, usually from all sources. But few know that the sound of The Velvet Underground is still evident in today’s music, a trait that The Beatles cannot boast much of. So why the obscurity? That’s a valid question, and is one I don’t have the answer for.

Over this last decade, there has been gorgeous updating of several of their catalog titles that include The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967), released as a 6CD Super Deluxe Box in 2012, and a 3CD 45th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition of White Light/White Heat (1968, and last with John Cale) released in 2013.

On November 24, Universal will continue the 45th Anniversary recognition with several iterations of the band’s third album, The Velvet Underground, which was released in 1969. The Velvet Underground was not as well received as their previous two, however, to call it a wated effort would be incorrect. The album is noteworthy in every aspect. Although many of the songs found here seem to take a back seat  in memory to the band’s more popular tunes, they are well-crafted gems.

For the 45th Anniversary celebration, Universal will reissue The Velvet Underground in a 6CD Super Deluxe Edition, a 2CD package, and a single CD set, while also offering the contents in digital form for the single CD, and the 6CD sets. Previously, White Light/White Heat was packaged also as a standalone BD-Audio release. I expect that The Velvet Underground may eventually get this treatment as well. The Super Deluxe Edition will offer a case-bound book with photos, credits, notes, and new liner notes by (GROAN!) David Fricke.

The 2CD Deluxe Edition of The Velvet Underground will feature the original album remastered on one CD, with the other CD containing the 12 performance tracks from Live At The Matrix (November 26, 27, 1969).

 CD1:

1. Candy Says
2. What Goes On
3. Some kinda love
4. Pale Blue Eyes
5. Jesus
6. Beginning To See The Light
7. I’m Set Free
8. That’s The Story Of My Life
9. The Murder Mystery
10. After Hours

CD2:

1. I’m Waiting For The Man
2. What Goes On
3. Some Kinda Love
4. Over You
5. Beginning To See The Light
6. Lisa Says
7. Rock And roll
8. Pale Blue Eyes
9. I Can’t Stand It Anymore
10. Heroin
11. White Light/White Heat
12. Sweet Jane

The 6CD Super Deluxe Edition will feature the remastered original album in three mix forms that include a “Val Valentin” mix (the 2014 remastering engineer), a “Closet” mix, and the promotional Mono mix of the album, including the 2-side mono single of “What Goes On” b/w “Jesus”. One of the bonus disc include 1969 and 2014 mixes of their Sessions 1969, all previously unreleased.  Like the 2CD set, there will be the previously mentioned Live At The Matrix set, but spread out over two CDs and containing an additional six performance tracks from the two nights.

TRACK LISTING:

DISC ONE: THE VELVET UNDERGROUND
(“The Val Valentin Mix”)

1. CANDY SAYS
2. WHAT GOES ON
3. SOME KINDA LOVE
4. PALE BLUE EYES
5. JESUS
6. BEGINNING TO SEE THE LIGHT
7. I’M SET FREE
8. THAT’S THE STORY OF MY LIFE
9. THE MURDER MYSTERY
10. AFTER HOURS

DISC TWO: THE VELVET UNDERGROUND
(“The Closet Mix”)

1. CANDY SAYS
2. WHAT GOES ON
3. SOME KINDA LOVE
4. PALE BLUE EYES
5. JESUS
6. BEGINNING TO SEE THE LIGHT
7. I’M SET FREE
8. THAT’S THE STORY OF MY LIFE
9. THE MURDER MYSTERY
10. AFTER HOURS
11. BEGINNING TO SEE THE LIGHT (alternate “Closet Mix”)

DISC THREE: THE VELVET UNDERGROUND
(“Promotional Mono Mix”)

1. CANDY SAYS
2. WHAT GOES ON
3. SOME KINDA LOVE
4. PALE BLUE EYES
5. JESUS
6. BEGINNING TO SEE THE LIGHT
7. I’M SET FREE
8. THAT’S THE STORY OF MY LIFE
9. THE MURDER MYSTERY
10. AFTER HOURS

Mono Single released April 1969
11. WHAT GOES ON
12. JESUS

DISC FOUR: 1969 SESSIONS

1. FOGGY NOTION (original 1969 mix) +
2. ONE OF THESE DAYS (new 2014 mix) +
3. LISA SAYS (new 2014 mix) +
4. I’M STICKING WITH YOU (original 1969 mix) +
5. ANDY’S CHEST (original 1969 mix) +
6. CONEY ISLAND STEEPLECHASE (new 2014 mix)+
7. OCEAN (original 1969 mix)
8. I CAN’T STAND IT (new 2014 mix) +
9. SHE’S MY BEST FRIEND (original 1969 mix) +
10. WE’RE GONNA HAVE A REAL GOOD TIME TOGETHER (new 2014 mix) +
11. I’M GONNA MOVE RIGHT IN (original 1969 mix)
12. FERRYBOAT BILL (original 1969 mix)
13. ROCK & ROLL (original 1969 mix)
14. RIDE INTO THE SUN (new 2014 mix) +

+ previously unreleased mixes

DISC FIVE: LIVE AT THE MATRIX
November 26 & 27, 1969 (Part 1)

1. I’M WAITING FOR THE MAN *
2. WHAT GOES ON *
3. SOME KINDA LOVE **
4. OVER YOU *
5. WE’RE GONNA HAVE A REAL GOOD TIME TOGETHER *
6. BEGINNING TO SEE THE LIGHT **
7. LISA SAYS **
8. ROCK & ROLL **
9. PALE BLUE EYES *
10. I CAN’T STAND IT ANYMORE *
11. VENUS IN FURS *
12. THERE SHE GOES AGAIN *

DISC SIX: LIVE AT THE MATRIX
November 26 & 27, 1969 (Part 2)

1. SISTER RAY ***
2. HEROIN *
3. WHITE LIGHT/WHITE HEAT **
4. I’M SET FREE *
5. AFTER HOURS *
6. SWEET JANE **

All mixes previously unreleased.

* previously unreleased performance

** different source mix of this performance appears on 1969: The Velvet Underground Live

*** different source mix of this performance appears on The Quine Tapes Box Set