I heard Lou Reed before I heard Velvet Underground. I knew about them but I didn't have any access to their stuff living in Nunawading in the early seventies. Transformer, Berlin..had all the Lou Reed solo albums until it all got a bit dodgy so it was a welcome relief when I finally find a copy of the Velvet Underground first album in a second hand store. The banana one. This was better than I ever expected. It was a very raw sound, pounding drums, heavy rhythm guitar and those dry vocals. Loved it. But behind it all was this amazing songwriting. These are twisted pop songs. Lots of hooks and melodies and great lines.
David Bowie used to perform this song live so Waiting For The Man was the song I was really looking for. I wasn't disappointed, but then again nothing from the Velvet's would disappoint me. (except the short stories set to music like The Gift). Later on in the 90s I was in New York City in Times Square listening to this song on a walkman. It really does capture the rythmn of the inner city. Even better at sunset.
On our last album Dig For Plenty the last song Velvet is my kind of homage to the VU. But in a Little Murders power pop way.
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