Wanting to Compile a Comprehensive List of the Band's Gear from 1966 to 1970

[falconwhit]

I know this is highly unrealistic commercial venture, but it would be incredible to collect all this gear info into a book (like the Beatles and Stones gear books by Andy Babiuk). I would certainly buy it...

[camforrester]

Hey Alfredo!

I got the film date from 'Up-Tight' by Victor Bockris & Gerard Malanga...but the uncertainty of this has been bugging me for years - I never noticed the short sleeve shirts worn by the cops, but what I DID notice was Lou Reed shown to be sweating during a close-up after the jam was over, and a fan on somewhere in the background. Given that most sources claim it to be either January or the more vague 'Fall 1966', I was inclined to believe the January date more, because it's right after they signed with Warhol, plus the film was supposed to have been made for use in the EPI shows in the subsequent months...but the sweating/fans/shirts do make it appear to be summer. I wondered if perhaps the heat from the lighting equipment, and playing while wearing a leather jacket (in Lou's case) could have explained the sweating, but The Factory must have been freezing in January...so upon second thought I actually believe you are right about the June date.
Looking at EPI photos up to mid-'66, I can't see ASOS among the projections; only Moe In Bondage, Vinyl and various screen tests - so it appears it was one of the later films made for the EPI.

The Vox endorsement is so poorly documented, that I've essentially had to go by photos for equipment identification (and the respective photo dates naturally, when available), as well as accounts from the band and/or associates, to build a rough timeline.

So, it appears those initial Vox amps were received slightly later than I mentioned in my last post, but certainty no later than March 1966, as the Foundation stack can be seen in photos of the band playing at Paraphernalia, and the AC100 was used the following month during the Scepter sessions (though not on the WLWH sessions the following year - the later solid state models were used on that album).
The band then definitely visited the Thomas Organ factory in May during the EPI stay, so it appears they received the guitars and organ either during or shortly after the visit, as the Continental can be seen in Steve Schapiro's photos of the band on stage at The Trip - https://carnegiemuseums.org/wp-content/ ... t-hero.jpg - and John plays one of the Phantom basses at The Fillmore. Sterling plays his Phantom guitar in the ASOS film back in NYC, so that further validates the June date of the film.

Precisely when they received the new solid-state models is difficult to pinpoint; I would guess early 1967.

Hello Cam

Thanks a lot your post. Great information as always!
Just a quick one. "Shymphony of Sound" has always been dated incorrectly as January 1966. Date coming probably from Stephen Koch´s fantastic 1973 book on Warhol Films, as he dated the film as Jan 1966.

In the past I used to argue that the January date had to be wrong just looking at the outfit the NY Policemen are wearing, impossible to wear short sleeves shirts January in New York!

Only recently I weas able to get into a more accurate date for the film. If you go to the film at about 1h 00m 30s you can see someone (sorry I do not identify him) showing Reed something on the East Village Other newspaper which last page has a full page ad for the Paradox restaurant. I have only been able to find this ad in the Jun15-July 1, 1966 issue. So film has to be dated after June 15 , 1966

[alfredovu]

Thanks Cam

I am pretty confident with the June shoting of the Film. In addition on Dorothy Gees Seckler´s tape recently surfaced, recorded August 31-September 4, 1966 at The Chrysler Art Museum, Provincetown you can ear them discussing about the film and Cale saying "that film was last that we did" and Seckler saying "the one with the little child" (Ari)

IMO, the most iconic VOX pictures are the 3 shots from Lisa Law at the Trip. John and Ster on the Phantom bass and guitar and Lou on the Continental organ.

April at The Open Stage they had a piano and you can see Cale playing it in one of the Adam Ritchie pictures. So yes, it seems the organ came in May.
However, they kept using the piano at the Fillmore and also at The Balloon Farm in September and November at McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario were Nico can be seeing playing the pìano.

[Mark]

We discussed this a few years ago - viewtopic.php?f=1&t=2071&p=15742&hilit=Trim#p15742

The problem with it being June 1966 is that they were out in Chicago playing Poor Richard's that month (into early July), and Lou was out of action with hepatitis.

With the new evidence (East Village Other cover and the interview) I think we can pin it down to July/August.

[Mark]

On a separate note, I've just been watching a video on the Vox V251 guitar organ and I'm amazed they never gave Lou one of these to play with. Absolutely nuts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S5S_xWVzMYM

[camforrester]

(From Up-Tight - The Velvet Underground Story by Victor Bockris/Gerard Malanga):

STERLING MORRISON:
Al [Aronowitz] had bought Brian Jones around to Ludlow Street on an earlier occasion to score some acid. Brian stayed in the limo with two babes while Al came up to get us. We all wanted to meet him but since there was no room for the three of us in the car, and since John had the connection, he got to ride in the front seat. Lou and I followed in Lou's mother's car so we could get John and head elsewhere. We were interested in a guitar/organ made by Vox. The Stones endorsed Vox and Brian played a Vox Phantom, so we wanted John to ask him about it.
John: Have you ever played one of those Vox guitar/organs?
Brian: Yes.
John: Do they work?
Brian: No.
End of conversation.

[simonm]

fuzzy '66 studio pic - looks like a UK-built Vox AC100 mk2 (not the Super Beatle used later) at bottom right