Velvet Underground & Nico - 2020 European Verve Label Reissue 11-track LP - Original Artwork

2020 reissue of the debut album by legendary New York based and Andy Warhol managed noise and psychedelic rock combo - originally recorded in 1966 while the band were featured on Andy Warhol's Exploding Plastic Inevitable tour and issued in spring 1967 displaying experimental performance sensibilities and controversial lyrical topics, including drug abuse, prostitution, sadomasochism... the album and initially almost completely ignored by critics at the time, the record has since become one of the most influential and acclaimed rock albums in history -  labelled the "most prophetic rock album ever made" by Rolling Stone in 2003.

Vinyl is manufactured using the - then - newly remastered from the original tapes 2012 45th Anniversary Version remastering - presented with the original gatefold artwork - faithfully and in detail recreated - including the Andy Warhol designed "peel-off" banana - and first pressing back cover featuring a picture of The Velvet Underground performing on stage in front of the projection of actor Eric Emerson upside-down on the wall behind the band. Having recently been arrested for drug possession and desperate for money, Emerson threatened to sue over this unauthorized use of his image, unless he was paid - the cover was withdrawn and re-marketed with a sticker across the photo which was ultimately airbrushed covering Emerson on the second issue.

Robert Christgau place a very rare 'A' grading on the album in his retrospective 1977 Village Voice review stating that the record had been difficult to understand in 1967, "which is probably why people are still learning from it. It sounds intermittently crude, thin, and pretentious at first, but it never stops getting better." In 1982, musician Brian Eno stated that while the album initially only sold approximately 30,000 copies, "everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band."

Tracklisting

Side 1
1. Sunday Morning (Lou Reed, John Cale) 2:53
2. I'm Waiting for the Man 4:37
3. Femme Fatale 2:35
4. Venus in Furs 5:07
5. Run Run Run 4:18
6. All Tomorrow's Parties 5:55

Side 2:
1. Heroin 7:05
2. There She Goes Again 2:30
3. I'll Be Your Mirror 2:01
4. The Black Angel's Death Song" (Lou Reed, John Cale) 3:10
5. European Son" (Lou Reed, John Cale, Sterling Morrison, Maureen Tucker) 7:40

All songs written by Lou Reed, except where noted.
 

Recorded April, May & November 1966 at Scepter Studios, New York City, and at TTG, Hollywood, Ca. and at Mayfair Studios, New York City, NY.

    
Credits:
The Velvet Underground & Nico:
Lou Reed - vocals, guitar and ostrich guitar
John Cale - electric viola, piano, celesta on Sunday Morning, bass guitar, backing vocals
Sterling Morrison - Rhythm guitar, bass guitar, backing vocals
Nico - chanteuse, lead vocals on Femme Fatale, All Tomorrow's Parties and I'll Be Your Mirror, backing vocals on Sunday Morning
Maureen Tucker - percussion

Technical credits:
Andy Warhol - production, cover design
Tom Wilson - post-production supervisor - Editing And Remix, Sunday Morning production
Val Valentin - Director of engineering
Ami Hadami (Credited as Omi Haden) - T.T.G. Studios Recording engineer
Gene Radice - post-production editing, remix
David Greene - post-production editing, remix
Gary Kellgren, Norman Dolph, John Licata - Scepter Studios engineers (uncredited)
The Velvet Underground - Arrangements

Artwork:
Acy R. Lehman - Cover Design
Andy Warhol - Banana Cover Painting 
Hugo - Color Show Photography
Billy Linich, Nat Finkelstein - Liner Photography
Paul Morrissey - Portraits Photography