The Velvet Underground "Loaded: The Fully Loaded Edition"

So, everyone knows The Velvet Underground is great. Right? If not, what the fuck?! They've inspired so many bands and clones that it's ridiculous. The Velvets' influence stretches far and wide. Bands like The Strokes, Longwave, and all of their look-a-likes barrow heavily from VU. They WERE sex, drugs and rock 'n roll; Lou Reed was one of, if not the first to write and sing overt lyrics about shooting up drugs and getting freak nasty. He just put it all out there. Just listen and you'll get it. Velvet Undergrounds "Loaded" in it's self is a great album, but with two CDs full of sweet goodies "Loaded: Fully Loaded Edition" is a music lovers wet dream... the first CD is the original classic plus 6 bonus tracks. The second CD features alternative and demo versions of the original 10 songs featured on "Loaded" plus another 7 tracks not seen before on the album; including an alternative demo of one of my favorite Lou Reed songs ever "Satellite of Love". "Loaded", the fourth album, would be VU's last, and most commercially successful offering as a band. By the time of this records production VU was pretty much in a state of limbo, and had begun to fall apart... the days of Andy Warhol, Nico and John Cale were long gone, drummer Maureen Tucker was on haitus to take care of her newly born daughter, and Lou Reed himself had quite the band a month before "Loaded" was submited to Atlantic Records. Many fans concider "Loaded" to be the weekest of VU's studio albums for lacking the same raw intesity of their earlier works, but it's undeniable the record is a triumph of catchy uncrompramising pop sensibility. The might of the song "Rock and Roll" sais it all. Don't doubt the Velvet Underground! Even in a state of explosion they could cut a record worth praise and worship. In honor of my buddy Rob and his music blog "Oh Sweet Nothing" (linked to the right) I'm posting the song "Oh! Sweet Nuthin" plus a couple other tracks from this beast.

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