Live MCMXCIII
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''Live MCMXCIII'' ("1993" in
Roman numerals Roman numerals are a numeral system that originated in ancient Rome and remained the usual way of writing numbers throughout Europe well into the Late Middle Ages. Numbers are written with combinations of letters from the Latin alphabet, eac ...
) is a live album by the American rock band
the Velvet Underground The Velvet Underground were an American Rock music, rock band formed in New York City in 1964. Its classic lineup consisted of singer and guitarist Lou Reed, Welsh multi-instrumentalist John Cale, guitarist Sterling Morrison, and percussionis ...
, released in 1993 by
Sire Records Sire Records (formerly Sire Records Company) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Warner Records. History Beginnings The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gotteh ...
. It was released simultaneously in single and double CD/ cassette formats on October 26, 1993 (with the single CD being an abridged version). In 2006, a DVD version of the concert was released as ''Velvet Redux Live MCMXCIII'' by Warner Music Vision and Rhino Home Video.


Background

In late 1992, the Velvet Underground 1965–1968 core line-up of
Lou Reed Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician and songwriter. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. Althoug ...
,
John Cale John Davies Cale (born 9 March 1942) is a Welsh musician, composer, and record producer who was a founding member of the American rock band the Velvet Underground. Over his six-decade career, Cale has worked in various styles across rock, dr ...
,
Sterling Morrison Holmes Sterling Morrison Jr. (August 29, 1942 – August 30, 1995) was an American guitarist, best known as one of the founding members of the rock band the Velvet Underground, usually playing electric guitar, occasionally bass guitar, and ...
and
Maureen Tucker Maureen Ann "Moe" Tucker (born August 26, 1944) is an American retired musician, singer, and songwriter who achieved international fame as the drummer of the rock band the Velvet Underground. Tucker occasionally sang lead vocals with the group, ...
suddenly decided to reform. The decision was unexpected because the relationship between Reed and Cale had been sour ever since the late 1960s, and though it had ameliorated after back catalogue royalty renegotiations in the mid-1980s, it had hit another low after their 1990 collaboration ''
Songs for Drella ''Songs for Drella'' is a 1990 studio album by Lou Reed and John Cale, both formerly of the American rock band the Velvet Underground; it is a song cycle about Andy Warhol, their mentor, who had died following routine surgery in 1987. Drella was a ...
''. Nevertheless, an impromptu one-song reunion in
Jouy-en-Josas Jouy-en-Josas () is a commune in the Yvelines department in the Île-de-France region in Northern France. It is located in the southwestern outer suburbs of Paris, from the centre of Paris, on the departmental border with Essonne. Jouy- ...
, France, later that year for an
Andy Warhol Andy Warhol (;''Random House Webster's Unabridged Dictionary''"Warhol" born Andrew Warhola Jr.; August 6, 1928 – February 22, 1987) was an American visual artist, film director and producer. A leading figure in the pop art movement, Warhol ...
exhibition set the scene, and by 1993 the band had started to rehearse for a world tour. Lou Reed's then-current record company,
Sire Records Sire Records (formerly Sire Records Company) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Warner Records. History Beginnings The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gotteh ...
, agreed to release a live album from the European leg, and plans were made for both an ''
MTV Unplugged ''MTV Unplugged'' is an American television series on MTV. It showcases recorded live performances of popular music artists playing acoustic instrument, acoustic or "unplugged" variations of songs. The show aired regularly from 1989 to 1999. F ...
'' appearance with accompanying album and a subsequent studio album. The album was recorded during a three-night residence in the Paris venue
L'Olympia The Olympia (; commonly known as L'Olympia or in the English-speaking world as Olympia Hall) is a concert venue in the 9th arrondissement of Paris, France, located at 28 Boulevard des Capucines, equally distancing Madeleine church and Opéra ...
. John Cale later said, "During the second night we hit the home run". ''Live MCMXCIII'' captures the band playing most of their classics from the back catalogue, with emphasis on the more structured songs. The band also performed two new songs: "Velvet
Nursery Rhyme A nursery rhyme is a traditional poem or song for children in Britain and other European countries, but usage of the term dates only from the late 18th/early 19th century. The term Mother Goose rhymes is interchangeable with nursery rhymes. Fr ...
", a short tongue-in-cheek reunion theme song where Reed introduces the members of the band, and "Coyote", a Reed/Cale collaboration. Emphasis is on the band's first three records and the "lost fourth album" (see '' VU'' and ''
Another View ''Another View'' is an album by the Velvet Underground. It was released in 1986 by Verve Records and is composed of material recorded between 1967 and 1969. Composition and collection When the Velvet Underground moved from Verve Records (who ha ...
''), with only two songs from '' Loaded''. During the six-week European leg, relationships quickly soured again and by the end of the tour all other plans were off, never to rematerialise. The band's latest breakup proved final when Sterling Morrison died in the summer of 1995. The Velvet Underground's reunion itself met with critical praise from the mainstream rock press, and generated heavy publicity for the band (resulting in the six-week European leg having many sold-out venues or near capacity), but the album received mixed reviews. After its release, Cale expressed disappointment in the album's mix:


Track listing

All tracks written by
Lou Reed Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician and songwriter. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. Althoug ...
, except as noted.


Double CD edition

Disc one #"We're Gonna Have a Real Good Time Together" – 3:14 #"
Venus in Furs ''Venus in Furs'' () is a novella by the Austrian author Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, and the best known of his works. The novel was to be part of an epic series that Sacher-Masoch envisioned called '' Legacy of Cain'' (). ''Venus in Furs'' was ...
" – 5:19 #"Guess I'm Falling in Love" (Reed,
John Cale John Davies Cale (born 9 March 1942) is a Welsh musician, composer, and record producer who was a founding member of the American rock band the Velvet Underground. Over his six-decade career, Cale has worked in various styles across rock, dr ...
,
Maureen Tucker Maureen Ann "Moe" Tucker (born August 26, 1944) is an American retired musician, singer, and songwriter who achieved international fame as the drummer of the rock band the Velvet Underground. Tucker occasionally sang lead vocals with the group, ...
,
Sterling Morrison Holmes Sterling Morrison Jr. (August 29, 1942 – August 30, 1995) was an American guitarist, best known as one of the founding members of the rock band the Velvet Underground, usually playing electric guitar, occasionally bass guitar, and ...
) – 3:08 #" Afterhours" – 2:41 #"
All Tomorrow's Parties "All Tomorrow's Parties" is a song by the Velvet Underground and Nico, written by Lou Reed and released as the band's debut single in 1966. The song is from their 1967 debut studio album, ''The Velvet Underground & Nico''. Inspiration for the so ...
" – 6:36 #"Some Kinda Love" – 9:06 #" I'll Be Your Mirror" – 3:06 #"Beginning to See the Light" – 4:59 #" The Gift" (Reed, Cale, Tucker, Morrison) – 10:33 #" I Heard Her Call My Name" – 4:37 #"
Femme Fatale A ( , ; ), sometimes called a maneater, Mata Hari, or vamp, is a stock character of a mysterious, beautiful, and Seduction, seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers, often leading them into compromising, deadly traps. She is an archetype ...
" – 3:23 Disc two #"Hey Mr. Rain" (Reed, Cale, Tucker, Morrison) – 15:42 #" Sweet Jane" – 5:21 #"Velvet Nursery Rhyme" (Reed, Cale, Tucker, Morrison) – 1:31 #" White Light/White Heat" – 4:21 #"I'm Sticking with You" – 3:23 #"
The Black Angel's Death Song "The Black Angel's Death Song" is a song by the Velvet Underground, from their 1967 debut album ''The Velvet Underground & Nico''. It was written by Lou Reed and John Cale. In a footnote to the lyrics, Lou Reed wrote: "The idea here was to string ...
" (Reed, Cale) – 4:12 #"
Rock 'n' Roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock-n-roll, and rock 'n' roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from African ...
" – 6:13 #"I Can't Stand It" – 4:21 #"
I'm Waiting for the Man "I'm Waiting for the Man" is a song by American rock band the Velvet Underground. Written by Lou Reed, it was first released on their 1967 debut album, '' The Velvet Underground & Nico''. The lyrics describe a man's efforts to obtain heroin in H ...
" – 5:15 #"
Heroin Heroin, also known as diacetylmorphine and diamorphine among other names, is a morphinan opioid substance synthesized from the Opium, dried latex of the Papaver somniferum, opium poppy; it is mainly used as a recreational drug for its eupho ...
" – 9:59 #"
Pale Blue Eyes "Pale Blue Eyes" is a song by American rock band the Velvet Underground, written and sung by Lou Reed. He recorded a demo with John Cale in May 1965. It was included on the band's 1969 album ''The Velvet Underground''. Despite the name, "Pale ...
" – 6:14 #"Coyote" (Reed, Cale) – 5:25


Single CD edition

#"Venus in Furs" – 5:30 #"Sweet Jane" – 5:23 #"Afterhours" – 2:44 #"All Tomorrow's Parties" – 6:37 #"Some Kinda Love" – 9:08 #"The Gift" (Reed, Cale, Tucker, Morrison) – 10:34 #"Rock 'n' Roll" – 6:12 #"I'm Waiting for the Man" – 5:16 #"Heroin" – 9:50 #"Pale Blue Eyes" – 6:18


Personnel

The Velvet Underground *
Lou Reed Lewis Allan Reed (March 2, 1942October 27, 2013) was an American musician and songwriter. He was the guitarist, singer, and principal songwriter for the rock band the Velvet Underground and had a solo career that spanned five decades. Althoug ...
 – guitar, vocals *
John Cale John Davies Cale (born 9 March 1942) is a Welsh musician, composer, and record producer who was a founding member of the American rock band the Velvet Underground. Over his six-decade career, Cale has worked in various styles across rock, dr ...
 – bass guitar, keyboards,
viola The viola ( , () ) is a string instrument of the violin family, and is usually bowed when played. Violas are slightly larger than violins, and have a lower and deeper sound. Since the 18th century, it has been the middle or alto voice of the ...
, vocals *
Maureen Tucker Maureen Ann "Moe" Tucker (born August 26, 1944) is an American retired musician, singer, and songwriter who achieved international fame as the drummer of the rock band the Velvet Underground. Tucker occasionally sang lead vocals with the group, ...
 – drums, vocals *
Sterling Morrison Holmes Sterling Morrison Jr. (August 29, 1942 – August 30, 1995) was an American guitarist, best known as one of the founding members of the rock band the Velvet Underground, usually playing electric guitar, occasionally bass guitar, and ...
 – guitar, bass guitar Technical * Mike Rathke – producer, mixing * Roger Moutenot – engineer, mixing * Charlie Dos Santos – assistant engineer * Sylvia Reed – art direction, design * Spencer Drate – art direction, design * Dennis Ascienzo – additional design * Jükta Salavetz – additional design * Ted Chin – photography *
Bob Ludwig Robert Carl Ludwig (born December 11, 1944), is a retired American mastering engineer. He mastered recordings on all the major recording formats for all the major record labels, and on projects by more than 1,300 artists, including Led Zeppeli ...
– mastering * Brian K. Lee – editing * Bill Fertig – house mixer * Nick Davis – Eurosound Mobile 4 engineer * Peter Brandt – Eurosound Mobile 4 assistant engineer * Henk van Helvoirt – assistant to Peter Brandt * Bram de Groot – assistant to Peter Brandt


References


External links


The Velvet Underground Web Page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Live Mcmxciii 1993 live albums The Velvet Underground live albums Sire Records live albums Films directed by Declan Lowney