Loaded (album)

Infobox Album |
Name = Loaded
Type = Album
Artist = The Velvet Underground


Released = September 1970
Recorded = April-August 1970, Atlantic Recording Studios, New York City
Genre = Rock and roll, pop
Length = 40:35
Label = Cotillion Records
Producer = Geoff Haslam,
Shel Kagan and
The Velvet Underground
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:oehqoaeabijv link]
*Robert Christgau (A) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=1560&name=The+Velvet+Underground link]
*"Rolling Stone" [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thevelvetunderground/albums/album/312655/review/6067471/loaded 12/24/1970]
*Pitchfork (10.0/10) [http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/22942-loaded 4/1/1997] |
Last album = "The Velvet Underground"
(1969)
This album = "Loaded"
(1970)
Next album = "Live at Max's Kansas City"
(1972)

"Loaded" is the fourth album released by American rock band The Velvet Underground. The album was released in September, 1970, one month after Lou Reed had left the band, by Atlantic Records' sub-label Cotillion Records.

Background

"Loaded" is a commercial effort aimed at radio play, another step away from the Warhol-influenced days. The album's title refers to Atlantic's request that the band produce an album "loaded with hits". Doug Yule said, "On "Loaded" there was a big push to produce a hit single, there was that mentality, which one of these is a single, how does it sound when we cut it down to 3½ minutes, so that was a major topic for the group at that point. And I think that the third album to a great extent shows a lot of that in that a lot of those songs were designed as singles and if you listen to them you can hear the derivation, like this is sort of a Phil Spector-ish kind of song, or this is that type of person song."

After its release, Reed complained that the record had been edited and resequenced without his consent. Reed's claims are somewhat dubious, as the generally accepted date that he left the Velvets is August 23, 1970; with "Loaded" having been released in September 1970, it is very likely that the album's final mix and master had already been completed when Reed left the group, making him well aware of the edits.

Reed states that one of his sore points was that the "heavenly wine and roses" melody was cut out of "Sweet Jane." Interestingly, Reed's later solo performances of the songs left out the verse, while the post-Reed, Doug Yule-led Velvets performed the songs "with" the verse. This is confirmed by Reed's 1974 live album Rock n Roll Animal and the box set Final V.U., a collection of post-Reed Velvets bootleg recordings.

Reed was also initially irked by being listed third in the credits on the album; the large photo of Yule playing piano; and all the songwriting credits going to the band, rather than Reed himself. Reed was also critical of the album's mix. Newer releases have satisfied many of Reed's concerns--he now has sole songwriting credit for the album; he is listed at the top of the band line-up, and since the 1995 box set Peel Slowly and See, another mix is available, restoring "Sweet Jane," "Rock and Roll" and "New Age" to their full-length versions.

The album holds two of the best-known Velvet Underground songs, the aforementioned "Sweet Jane" and "Rock and Roll." These are two of the few Velvets songs that appear regularly on Classic Rock FM radio stations still to this day.

The album does not feature Velvets stalwart, drummer Maureen Tucker, as she was pregnant at the time (she is still credited on the album sleeve, however). Drumming duties were performed mainly by bassist Doug Yule and a number of stand-ins, including recording engineer Adrian Barber and Doug Yule's brother Billy. Lou Reed has commented that "Loaded" didn’t have Maureen on it, and that’s a lot of people’s favorite Velvet Underground record, so we can’t get too lost in the mystique of the Velvet Underground...It’s still called a Velvet Underground record. But what it really is something else." Sterling Morrison had mixed feelings about "Loaded", saying "The album came out okay, as far as production it’s the best, but it would have been better if it had real good Lou vocals on all the tracks." Doug Yule claimed that "Lou leaned on me a lot in terms of musical support and vocal arrangements. I did a lot on "Loaded." It sort of devolved down to the Lou and Yule recreational recording."

The album was covered live in its entirety by rock band Phish as one of their "Halloween " concerts on October 31, 1998.

In 2005, Loaded was #109 on Rolling Stone's reissue of their 500 greatest albums of all time.

The computer game Civilization IV uses a quote from "Rock & Roll" when the Rock & Roll world wonder is built.

Track listing

All songs written by Lou Reed.

ide one

#"Who Loves the Sun" – 2:50
#"Sweet Jane" – 3:15
#"Rock & Roll" – 4:47
#"Cool It Down" – 3:05
#"New Age" – 4:39

ide two

#

"Head Held High" – 2:52
#"Lonesome Cowboy Bill" – 2:48
#"I Found a Reason" – 4:15
#"Train Round the Bend" – 3:20
#"Oh! Sweet Nuthin' " – 7:23

Fully Loaded edition

Disc One (Original Album)

#"Who Loves the Sun" – 2:45
#"Sweet Jane" (full-length version) – 4:06
#"Rock & Roll" – 4:43
#"Cool It Down" – 3:04
#"New Age" – 5:07
#"Head Held High" – 2:56
#"Lonesome Cowboy Bill" –2:43
#"I Found a Reason" – 4:15
#"Train Round the Bend" – 3:21
#"Oh! Sweet Nuthin'" – 7:25
#"Ride Into The Sun (demo)" - 3:20
#"Ocean (outtake)" - 5:43
#"I'm Sticking With You (outtake)" - 3:06
#"I Love You (demo)" - 2:03
#"Rock & Roll (Alternate Mix)" - 4:41
#"Head Held High (Alternate Mix)" - 2:15

Disc Two (Alternate Album)

#"Who Loves The Sun (Alternate Mix)" - 2:59
#"Sweet Jane (Early Version)" - 5:22
#"Rock & Roll (demo)" - 4:45
#"Cool It Down (Early Version)" - 4:14
#"New Age (Full-Length Version)" - 5:44
#"Head Held High (Early Version)" - 2:48
#"Lonesome Cowboy Bill (Early Version)" - 3:14
#"I Found A Reason (demo)" - 3:16
#"Train Round The Bend (Alternate Mix)" - 4:36
#"Oh! Sweet Nuthin' (Early Version)" - 4:04
#"Ocean (demo)" - 6:27
#"I Love You (outtake)" - 2:03
#"Satellite Of Love (Alternate demo)" - 2:51
#"Oh Gin (demo)" - 2:54
#"Walk And Talk (demo)" - 2:47
#"Sad Song (demo)" - 3:43
#"Love Makes You Feel Ten Feet Tall (demo)" - 4.09

Reissues

Compact Disc

The album was officially released on CD on July 7, 1987 by Warner Special Products. It is of note that some of the running times located on the back of the CD case are incorrect. For instance, "Sweet Jane" is marked 3:55 while it is in fact about 3:18; "New Age" is marked 5:20 while it is closer to 4:39.

Peel Slowly and See

"Loaded" was compiled on the fifth disc of the comprehensive, five-year spanning box set "Peel Slowly and See", which was released on September 26, 1995 by Polydor Records. The disc features longer running versions of "Sweet Jane" and "New Age" as well as demos, outtakes and live performances.

Fully Loaded Edition

On February 18, 1997, Rhino Records released a "Fully Loaded" 2-CD reissue of "Loaded", which contained numerous alternate takes, alternate mixes and demo versions of "Loaded" songs and outtakes. Two of these also include performances by Maureen Tucker ("I'm Sticking with You" demo, vocals; "I Found a Reason" demo, drums) and one of these is even said to feature a cameo appearance by band member John Cale ("Ocean" demo, organ).

Personnel

The band

* Lou Reed – Vocals, guitar, piano
* Doug Yule – keyboards, guitar, bass guitar, drums, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Who Loves the Sun", "New Age", "Lonesome Cowboy Bill" and "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'"
* Sterling Morrison – guitar

Additional musicians

* Adrian Barber – drums on "Who Loves the Sun"
* Tommy Castanero – drums on "Cool It Down" and "Head Held High"
* Billy Yule – drums on "Lonesome Cowboy Bill" and "Oh! Sweet Nuthin'"
* John Cale - organ on "Ocean" demo version

Technical staff

* Geoff Haslam, Shel Kagan and The Velvet Underground – producers
* Adrian Barber – engineer