TOTAL NOTHING

a couple weeks ago, i picked up this velvet underground album
with a bunch of recorded rehearsals they did in andy warhol's
factory. i prided myself in thinking i had all the unreleased
recordings and demos by the velvet underground until i found
this one that got away. it's got a bunch of preparative rough
recordings of songs that would eventually make it to their first
self-titled album, along with cover songs and instrumental jams.
they were at the beginning stages of finding their distinctive "sound".
it's so great to hear the rough sketches, how innocent they were, and
to see the leap from what they were to become.

here is their recording of venus in furs with my favorite bo diddely
(quite possibly most favorite of all time) guitar riff. i think it's fucking
beautiful to be able to hear bands rehearse and study their dynamic.

with all art, i think a lot of us enjoy viewing/hearing/knowing about the process
and how it evolves, grows and becomes it's own. finding the source of things
and trying to get to the source of things is what drives us (i think, maybe).
like i think it's great to know that lou reed started off writing doo wop songs
and recording his own doo wop songs. a year before above track was recorded,
they recorded demos that were more polished or at least recorded in an actual
studio, where lou reed was doing his best bob dylan impression. i love that.
but what i love about above rehearsal track is the "jam session" quality to it.
to be able to sneak into seeing the practice and watch/hear them play.
it's constantly almost falling apart.or maybe it's just because i love that
bo diddley song (crackin' up).

maybe i got it all wrong, but either way i think it's great to hear above song
become this