2. 'The Velvet Underground & Nico' by the Velvet Underground
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qK82JvRY5s In 1967, psychedelic rock was at its peak (see the entry on The Doors, not to mention Sgt. Peppers again...), and that sound was selling very well. But as good as that style was, it still had room for improvement. Enter the Velvet Underground, a ragtag crew assembled by Andy Warhol, featuring then-unknown underground musicians Lou Reed and John Cale, and a German born singer who went by the stage name Nico. Given complete control over their own sound in the studio, they went on to create one of the most incredibly immersive albums ever recorded. The music was completely original in sound and style, thanks heavily to John Cale's emphasis on experimentation, in addition to Lou Reed's so-called "ostrich tuning", which meant every string of his guitar was tuned to the same note. This style was used to great effect in several songs - most notably Venus In Furs - and allowed for an unusual slide guitar sound throughout. The lyrics were odd for the time as well. Lou Reed (the principal songwriter) was a fan of many postmodern poets and novelists, and his writing reflected it. Songs on the album focused on topics such as drug abuse (and not in a poppy Day Tripper manner), masochism, and a host of other more dark themes. This contrasted well with the happier songs on the album, such as I'll Be Your Mirror which was apparently inspired by Reed's friendship with Nico. Naturally, the album didn't sell well at all on first release, but its acclaim has grown considerably in the following years. Despite only selling 30,000 copies, fellow musician Brian Eno stated "everyone who bought one of those 30,000 copies started a band."
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