The Velvet Underground - A Walk with the Velvet Underground (1997)

Limited numbered edition of 1000. 20-page booklet with photographs and liner notes. "The ultimate rare collection includes soundtracks, demos, acetates, rehearsals, unreleased and more…".

Sal Mercuri says: "Just when you thought it was safe…

I've come to realize that it will never end. Things will get to a point where we all will lose track of what's been put out and bootlegged and just start believing that everything that comes out is new! Well there's very little in this set that is 'new'. That doesn't mean it is without merit. The package is very slick, professional looking, if somewhat unimaginative. The Peel Slowly and See sized box includes a numbered insert card with extract of judicial decision regarding question of legality. I guess it's presented in defense of the bootleggers.

The booklet's essay provides nothing in the way of information about specific tracks and nothing new. It reprints some fairly common photos; many of which come, rather inexplicably, from the 1993 reunion although there's not one track from that tour.

Inside the box are 3 jewel cases enclosing the 5 discs grouped thus: 1 and 2 So Blue; 3 and 4 Afterhours; 5 VU a Paris. The CD liners and tray cards contain color and black and white photos and each disc is imprinted with a rather dopey looking brocade upholstery motif which is the background graphic of the box. Sound quality is generally very good owing to the sources which are mostly demos and acetates (and in some cases, official recordings). Sound suffers when sources are tapes and older vinyl. Almost nothing new in this set except the inclusion of some tracks which have previously only been available on tapes and vinyl bootlegs. It is generally a very handy set which collects some of the more interesting 'non-live' material from some no-longer available vinyl bootlegs in their entirety. It is, however, a lazy production. The entire set could probably have made it onto 4 or even 3 discs with some judicious editing for example is there any need for the entire East Village Other when there's only about 30 seconds worth of VU on it? Also, why not include the entire Drella set from Cartier 1990 instead of 15 tracks of John and Lou's soundcheck?

Not a perfect set but not a total rip-off either and of course the die-hard psychos (like this writer) will go and plunk down $100 to $125 smackers for it just to have another neat Velvet Underground box in our already bloated collections."

Tracklist
CD 1
01. Leave Her For Me - The Jades - 1957    [ 02:14 ]
02. So Blue - The Jades - 1957    [ 02:09 ]
03. Why Don't You Smile - The All Night Workers - 1964    [ 02:29 ]
04. Sneaky Pete - The Primitives - 1965    [ 02:02 ]
05. Cycle Annie - The Beachnuts - - 1964    [ 02:21 ]
06. I've Got A Tiger In My Tank - The Beachnuts - 1964    [ 02:10 ]
07. You're Driving Me Insane - The Roughnecks - 1964    [ 02:20 ]
08. Foggy Notion - Demo Version    [ 06:18 ]
09. Inside Your Heart - Demo Version    [ 02:21 ]
10. Ferryboat Bill - Demo Version    [ 02:07 ]
11. (Do) The Ostrich - The Primitives - 1965    [ 02:30 ]
12. I'm Sticking With You - Acetate    [ 02:11 ]
13. Countess From Hong Kong - Acetate - 1970    [ 03:19 ]
14. Ride Into The Sun - Acetate - 1970    [ 03:45 ]
15. Real Good Time Together - ACetate - 1970    [ 02:35 ]
16. I Found A Reason - Acetate - 1970    [ 03:14 ]
17. Falling In Love With The Falling Spikes (Part 1) - The Falling Spikes - Screentest - 1965    [ 17:47 ]
18. It's All Right (The Way That You Live) - Recorded In An Unheated Studio On Broom St., NYC - Winter 1966    [ 02:47 ]
19. One Of These Days - Recorded In A Studio That MGM Had Set Up As An Office On 57th St., NYC - Winter 1966    [ 04:08 ]
20. I'm Not Too Sorry (Now That You're Gone) - Recorded In An Unheated Studio On Broom St., NYC - Winter 1966    [ 02:14 ]
21. Stephanie Says - Recorded In The RCA Studio In NYC - May 1968    [ 02:45 ]

CD 2
01. Sheltered Life Take #2    [ 02:56 ]
02. Here She Comes Now    [ 02:25 ]
03. Andy's Chest    [ 02:58 ]
04. Rock 'N Roll    [ 05:08 ]
05. She's My Best Friend    [ 03:07 ]
06. Loop    [ 06:50 ]
07. A Symphony Of Love    [ 19:10 ]
08. Falling In Love With The Fallike Spikes    [ 13:39 ]
09. I'm Free    [ 01:06 ]
10. I Found A Reason    [ 04:32 ]
11. Walk And Talk It    [ 01:54 ]
12. Head Held High    [ 04:12 ]
13. Diaries, Notes & Sketches    [ 03:51 ]

CD 3
01. Pale Blue Eyes    [ 06:01 ]
02. I Cant Stand It    [ 08:03 ]
03. Sister Ray    [ 13:05 ]
04. White Light White Heat    [ 04:34 ]
05. Im Waiting For The Man    [ 04:08 ]
06. Noise By The Velvet Underground (Part 1)    [ 16:18 ]
07. Noise By The Velvet Underground (Part 2)    [ 16:17 ]
08. Lou Reed Interview    [ 05:27 ]

CD 4
01. There She Goes Again    [ 02:42 ]
02. Black Angels Death Song    [ 03:18 ]
03. European Son    [ 08:06 ]
04. European Son Afterthoughts    [ 00:33 ]
05. The Gift    [ 08:27 ]
06. What Goes On    [ 04:46 ]
07. Jesus    [ 03:19 ]
08. Thats The Story Of My Life    [ 02:01 ]
09. After Hours    [ 02:08 ]
10. Afterthoughts    [ 00:40 ]
11. VU Advertisement    [ 00:55 ]
12. Chelsea Girls    [ 04:31 ]
13. Walk On The Wild Side    [ 03:06 ]
14. Sweet Jane    [ 03:41 ]
15. NY Conversation    [ 04:11 ]
16. Wagon Of Wheel    [ 03:02 ]
17. Walk On The Wild Side    [ 02:29 ]
18. What Goes On>Follow The Leader    [ 05:00 ]
19. Candy Says    [ 04:03 ]
20. Im Set Free    [ 04:54 ]

CD 5
01. Im Waiting For The Man    [ 05:25 ]
02. Wild Child    [ 04:54 ]
03. Berlin    [ 04:45 ]
04. Heroin    [ 04:40 ]
05. Tired And Hungry    [ 01:57 ]
06. Femme Fatale    [ 02:47 ]
07. Ill Be Your Mirror    [ 02:25 ]
08. Black Angels Death Song    [ 03:17 ]
09. Heroin    [ 06:28 ]
10. Forever Changed 1    [ 02:24 ]
11. Forever Changed 2    [ 00:44 ]
12. Forever Changed 3    [ 01:28 ]
13. Forever Changed 4    [ 02:05 ]
14. Nobody But You 1    [ 01:24 ]
15. Nobody But You 2    [ 02:47 ]
16. Nobody But You 3    [ 02:25 ]
17. Slip Away    [ 01:37 ]
18. Hello Its Me 1    [ 01:01 ]
19. Hello Its Me 2    [ 01:03 ]
20. Forever Changed 5    [ 01:49 ]
21. Forever Changed 6    [ 00:36 ]
22. Forever Changed 7    [ 00:37 ]
23. Forever Changed 8    [ 02:15 ]
24. Forever Changed 9    [ 00:44 ]
25. Heroin    [ 10:14 ]