Academy Award nominee Todd Haynes has just teased his latest cinematic outing, a deep-dive expose on the rock band The Velvet Underground.
For the uninitiated, The Velvet Underground burst onto the music underground in the mid-1960s. Lead by guitarist/singer (and noted bisexual) Lou Reed, the group became a favorite of artist Andy Warhol and pioneered work on the idea of concept albums; that is, albums that tell a loose story about a group of characters, and that mediate on different real-world themes. Despite the art-house cred–and the support of popular musicians including Marianne Faithful and Mick Jagger–The Velvet Underground never quite found mainstream stardom and disbanded in 1970. That didn’t stop the group’s music or members from becoming widely influential, particularly in the Glam Rock genre. Lou Reed, in particular, would prove highly influential to David Bowie.
Related: Lou’s Legacy: 7 Queer-Ass Velvet Underground Songs
Haynes, director of Velvet Goldmine, Carol and Far From Heaven, now chronicles the rise and fall of the band in the director’s first-ever documentary. Utilizing new interviews, archive footage and rare concert materials, Haynes retraces the origins of the band, their avant-garde rise, and the tensions that eventually force them to disband.
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Given Haynes’ love for queer rock in the films Velvet Goldmine, I’m Not There, and Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story, we are so ready to see him cut loose with the Underground.
The Velvet Underground arrives on AppleTV+ October 15.
ShiningSex
Not a big Velvet Underground fan, but love many bands they influenced like BRMC, Warlocks, Brian Jonestown Massacre, Lilys, etc.
Lou Reed was a total prick.
Total mean queen.
His solo work sucked.
Nico was great.
DennisMpls
I’ve been a huge VU fan since high school. It’s the sort of music where if it hits you in the right spot, and you get it, it’s phenomenal. While for others (probably a huge majority) it’s virtually unlistenable. My favorite song: “Sister Ray,” all 17+ glorious minutes of it!
Lou Reed as a solo artist was hit or miss. Some awesome songs and some that I don’t like at all. I’m guessing he and I wouldn’t have been friends, but the world needs people like him.
Meanwhile, it’s depressing to know that Moe Tucker has moved ever more right wing as she’s gotten older. Though, she shares that with a lot of other boomers who were rebels in their younger years and right wingers in their older years.
Altaclipper
This is why I wouldn’t go to a gay site for information. The list of “gay” Velvet Underground songs includes at least one based on the writings of a straight Austrian, hence not gay, and leaves out the one about the drag queen junkie hooker. Is “Sister Ray” not gay enough got you? Too gay? Too graphic? Why wasn’t that the first to come to mind?
TimidTim
Kurt from Lilys and all the studs in the Dandy Warhols, so many hunks I’m sure would have given Lou quite the perfect day. All the epic punk and shoegaze legends influenced by Lou and the Velvets yet it’s some generic, formulaic, top 40 girly pop star that gets the comment section up in arms. Where’s that Kevin Sorbo DISAPPOINTED meme when you need it?