These posts made me think, is there anywhere that all known Velvets recordings are listed with who the tapers were? If not, this would be an interesting bit of trivia that could be compiled. If it does exist, I apologize for not knowing.schnittstelle wrote:It would be great to see Dick Felton post here!
I have to assume that the VU Anniversary release of the Valleydale performance is from a copy of the original tape which I had made and hand delivered to the Velvet Underground (Lou Reed) at Andy Warhol's 47th street "factory" in early January of 1967. The Velvet Underground gave me permission to tape the performance with the spoken agreement that I would give them a copy of the tape. This was exciting for me because it meant a trip to NYC (my first) and entree to Warhol's "factory".
There have been other releases of long sections of the tape; a vinyl record in the early 80's, and also CD distributed in Japan and produced by Doug Snyder. Through a series of events, Doug is now in possession of the original tape and has been unofficial curator and historian of that event. There are several pictures of the performance with Lou Reed and Nico which were taken by another person in the small group of us who went to the Valleydale together that November evening (we were a group of 6 college design students).
The vinyl from Bernd Baierschmidt's along with Doug's "Move Back" are the only versions that I know of - the mid nineties CD version of Bernd's is news to me. Bernd, who I had loaned the tape to, was killed in a motorcycle accident in the early eighties. The tape passed on to Doug (by that time I was not in touch with these old friends) hence Doug took over all the care taking. Doug contacted me in the late 1990's and that was the first we discussed the tape and it's history. At that time there was word that the tape may be released by EMI, so I think Doug was really wondering about any legal issues and wanted me to be informed just in case. Anyway, nothing happened until this new release.
The web page you alerted me to is amazing, I have never seen this. Doug's "blurb" for the Columbus show is accurate.
The big event for me in regard to this tap was going to NYC for the first time, staying a the Chelsea Hotel, and spending a day at the Factory meeting all the VU and the Warhol "superstars". Doug did not make the trip, it was Bernd and I along with 2 others.
Hello Mark,
Doug Snyder here. Dick Felton forwarded your messages.
Dick's tape was recorded at Valleydale Ballroom outside Columbus, Ohio (I was the driver). We saw the Exploding Plastic Inevitable the night before (if memory serves) at Cincinnati Music Hall's Topper Club, a large space under the actual Music Hall, where I saw Dylan's '66 tour (Dylan rated the actual Music Hall, I guess). We talked to "the band" who told us they'd be in Columbus (about a hundred miles away) the next night. We went ? without actually knowing where they'd be! Ah, youth.
I have no idea where Universal sourced their "Valleydale" tape for the recent set. They didn't get in touch with me. Although about ten years ago, a Universal producer got in touch with me about the tape. (By default, I had become the keeper of the flame, since I actually had the tape and copies of another classmate's slides). They were looking for a follow-up to the Quine Tapes. I sprang into action for them. I got in touch with Dick Felton to get his approval. I found Al Brandenberger, our classmate who shot 35mm slides of the EPI. Then it all came to naught when (I've heard) Lou Reed said "No more live recordings!" I know that Andy Warhol (his estate) has a copy of the tape, because Dick and some other guys (Bernd Baierschmidt, for instance) took it to NYC, and called Andy up! Yes, Universal just probably used a copy of "Move Back!" for their source.
The CD you mentioned with Bernd's LP graphics was made (without my permission or input) from a tape I had mastered in the process that would result in "Move Back!". Since there were long gaps between the songs (it wasn't a "rock concert"!), I was experimenting with fading in and out between songs, or just editing out the "dull" stuff (a little of which remains) and butting everything together like that was the way it really happened (if that makes sense). Ultimately, I chose the latter for "Move Back!", but I submitted the former to The Velvet Underground Appreciation Society in Stewart, Florida as a possibility. They were the go-betweens between me and the Japanese people who ultimately pressed Move Back! The CD with Bernd's graphics (his girlfriend, by the way ? she paid for the original LP) was made from the cassette I submitted to the Appreciation Society ? just for their feedback (no pun intended) ? then this CD shows up! Surprise!
I'm glad the Exploding Plastic Inevitable came through Cincinnati, then Columbus, and that we were hip enough college students to attend. And I'm glad Dick took his recorder! We got to Valleydale early, and Dave Faison (sp?), the road manager, loaned us an extension cord, saying "maybe your tape can be their record!" And it kinda turned out that way. I'm also glad that we (we, we band of brothers) recognized that the music was interesting ? and valuable! And its been fun telling this story from time to time.
I don't know if you're aware of a recent movie called "CBGB," about the New York club of that name. With actors playing all the roles. Alan Rickman (of Harry Potter fame) as club owner Hilly Krystal (sp?). But, when I lived in NYC, I played there a couple times, and I certainly went there a bunch of times. I realize the dis-connect between actually having been somewhere, and the feeling it engendered ? and any kind of re-creation (the movie). It happens all the time with movies of historical subjects, and it's just not the same as having been there. So I can only say so much about seeing the Velvets in '66. I was young, and the world was at least a little younger. It turned out to be maybe one of the dozen most interesting things to happen to me!
Best,
Doug
The Peel Slowly box ? another surprise. I've never compared their pressing to anything else, but no, they didn't get in touch ? but that would have been after the "release" of "Move Back!" ? and it was the best mastering our local studio could muster ? so, the best place for the Valleydale recording is Move Back! I guess that's where Universal got it. It was after their producer was in touch with me about releasing the whole thing ? the project that was ultimately killed. If I really was curious about the more recent Universal release of Valleydale, I would have checked the edits I made with the edits on that set. I may have actually done that to a degree and thought, yep, those are my edits. Just as I recognized my fade ins and outs on the CD with Bernd's cover. Come to think of it, I may have been the one who labeled that particular piece, "Melody Laughter," because of a reference in Andy Warhol's Index Book! The Universal guys may not have even known, otherwise! (Who knows?)
By the way, Bernd Baierschmidt, who died as the result of a single vehicle motorcycle accident over thirty years ago, had been Dick Felton's college room-mate, and saw the Velvets and Andy's EPI at the Dom in NYC ? sometime before it toured, and the rest of us saw it. Bernd was THE record collection guy and all-round cultural maven back then. He may have been Dick's inspiration for taping the Velvets. And of course, Bernd was the fIrst to put out a boot of parts of the tape, since he had access to it. He hoped it would pay for his house!
Regarding any "minor flaws," Dick's recorder was an early cassette device. Maybe the first commercial effort at enclosing a reel-to-reel tape so it would be easier to use. That particular format lasted just a few years. It was a "cassette," but it was twice the size of what we ultimately know as a cassette (of which I have hundreds I've recorded ? either record or CD compilations, or my own stuff). I don't know if that format had a name, but I had a recorder like that too. I had a high school friend who had the first one I knew of, a GE, so I got one of my own ? for Christmas, maybe Christmas 1962? I used it to make a tape I played in my high school English class, instead of writing a paper. It was a story that I wrote and narrated and had sound effects. Anyway, Dick had the same thing, but maybe branded Bell & Howell. What I'm getting at is that the cassette containing the quarter-inch tape had to be manually turned over when that particular side finished recording. And I know that that happened in the middle of at least one song. I think Dick was pretty quick in catching it during the EPI, so little was lost. Or maybe it was even automatic, come to think of it! You can tell, that particular song is missing a verse, or something. Also it was quarter-track mono, so I think you turned the tape over a couple times, and manually changed tracks. It would present a mystery to anyone trying to master that funny old tape! But, obviously, it's do-able. Bernd had a studio wind the tape onto a conventional reel, so better equipment could be used to access it. So, that's what I have.
When Dick got in touch with me about your questions, I sent him this: "You (Dick) crossed my mind at Christmas time ? because my wife Pat got me the Super Deluxe White Light/White Heat box (a book, actually) set. Three CDs: mono, stereo, and a live set from around that time. You came to mind because I remember how delighted (for lack of a better word) you were with that new VU record ? back in what? ? 1967-68? Your point, at the time, was that we already knew the first LP when it came out (through the Exploding Plastic Inevitable), but White Light/White Heat was new. And new to us! It was outrageous, and still is. I liked it then, and I like it now! Though I'm more likely to play something a little more mellow. Who would ever have thought at the time that WL/WH would rate 'super deluxe' packaging?"
While I'm blabbing about this stuff, I'll mention that I was inspired by the EPI to play music, myself. Remember what Brian Eno (I think) said about how the banana album didn't sell many copies, but everyone who bought one started a band? Well, that's me! Actually, it started out as an Art History project ? before any damn album, we just had our tape! ? where me and a few classmates (including Dick and Bernd) tried to kinda re-create the EPI as an Art History class project. We played the tape, and created original 8mm movies in the Warhol vein. They were actually pretty corny instead of New York decadent hip, but the cops did come to the door and asked what the pretty girl had on under her robe! Then we got more ambitious and formed a real band to put on "A Total Environment Experience," complete with slide projections over us, and maybe movies too. As it turned out, this was pretty much concurrent with the hippie ballroom scene ? with their projected images, etc. Bernd figures in again here, because he would lead us up (from Cincinnati ? I was again, the driver) to the Grande Ballroom in Detroit to see the Who, for instance, but most importantly the Stooges and the MC5! It was early Stooges ? pre first LP, and in fact we first saw the Stooges when we went up to see the MC5 record their first, live album, "Kick Out the Jams" at The Grande. I have the poster on my wall! We then followed the "5" back to their house in Ann Arbor, and still got back for classes at the University of Cincinnati the next day. No sleep, though.
What's really on my mind, here, is a mention of my own music. I was inspired by the Velvets, the Stooges, and avant guitarist Sonny Sharrock, to play a little louder and ultimately recorded an LP in 1972 that has proven to have some legs (it's been reissued several times, and seems to have a timeless appeal). It's called "Daily Dance," and its me on guitar and my old friend Bob Thompson on (great) drums. It's my musical claim to (deep underground) fame. We have a later CD called "The Rules of Play," which is also worthwhile (on a Scottish label, by the way) and they're both available on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss? ... b+Thompson (This was a plug!)
I think that's it for now. Sure, you can use any of my ramblings in a blog or whatever! Thanks for getting in touch!
Best,
Doug Snyder
Yes the "Bernd CD" was made from a cassette I submitted to the Velvet Underground Appreciation Society in Stewart, Florida (I wonder if they still exist in one form or another?) while we were working on what became the grey market "Move Back!". I just sent it to them for input, but they got carried away, I guess. I once got together with them and other interested parties at the Warhol Museum in Pittsburg. The museum was hosting a temporary VU exhibit. This was about 15 years ago. I forget the names, but I think they were also involved with the then-current band, Half Japanese.
I was thinking about Dick Felton's funny tape recorder. A quarter-inch quarter-track cartridge (no, not 8-Track!) which recorded in mono. Now that I think about it, you had the choice of speed (both slow), and the tape ran through once and auto-reversed itself, automatically switching to another track. When those two tracks were through, you had to turn the cartridge/cassette over, and it recorded two more mono tracks, one after another. The final tape contains four unrelated tracks, two going one way, and two going the other. When we mastered Move Back!, we had to turn the (now reel-to-reel) tape over a couple times to access all four tracks. The only technical glitch I recall was just when the original track ran out, and either switched to the next, or Dick had to turn it over. In the mastering process I tried to hide this particular glitch.
Doug
