The Velvet Underground 3rd - back cover editions

[Kent532]

Hi Velvet's lovers. I'm back on the forum after a couple of years napping. I had to register again though.

The topic that forces me to start this thread, is that I just got another copy of the third album. In theory it is a first edition from the Netherlands (1972) - closet mix - .

The back cover is exactly the same pic as the front cover, instead of the regular asymmetrical half pics of Lou.

I have loose memories of reading some things about different European back covers, but I don't remember much ...

Any experts out there that can help with this?

Thanks in advance

[iaredatsun]

You mean this 'un?

https://www.discogs.com/The-Velvet-Unde ... se/1859723

Never seen it before. Nice find.

[threechordwonder]

With "Story" credits to Cale Tucker & Morrison - is that legit?

[iaredatsun]

With "Story" credits to Cale Tucker & Morrison - is that legit?

I think it is a Cale era song. How to look this stuff up on BMI ore ASCAP? I can never get the results.

[Kent532]

You mean this 'un?

https://www.discogs.com/The-Velvet-Unde ... se/1859723

Never seen it before. Nice find.

I'm surprised to not have seen some of these before. This is the back cover of mine:

[peppergomez]

Yep, most of the 3rd album songs were performed live when Cale was still in the band

He'd only been out of the band for about 2 months when they recorded the album

[simonm]

Interesting find.

Idle thoughts:
On the uk first press and 1971 MGM Select reissue the whole band are credited with songs and arrangements, with Copyright Control on the first press and Sunbury Music as publishers on the 2nd. This Dutch version is '72 has Oakfield Ave Music, including the band-credited 'Story'.

At what point did Lou get exclusive writing credits for the 3rd album (and Loaded), I wonder? Is that process documented in any of the biogs? This release suggests it started in 1972 but didn't happen with all the songs at the same time. Did the rest of the band resist the change? I have a '77 US pressing of Loaded and it still has VIRPI on the sleeve, no publishing info on the label. All versions of Loaded seem to have Oakfield in the credits after 1981, but I also noticed this Dutch mid-'80s cassette of the 3rd album with the Cale/band credit remaining (but no publishing info):


https://www.discogs.com/The-Velvet-Unde ... e/16122681

publishing details seem to mostly stop being a thing in the '80s....

[Kent532]

With "Story" credits to Cale Tucker & Morrison - is that legit?

Yes. It's written on the Vinyl label ("Story" credits include Reed as well).

[falconwhit]

May I ask - how does it sound? Compared to an original US closet mix.
Thanks!

[Kent532]

May I ask - how does it sound? Compared to an original US closet mix.
Thanks!

It sounds great to me. My copy of the US original is not is such good shape, so this mint copy sounds certainly better.

What gets me is that the back cover is different and I cannot find any information about it: