The Velvet Underground / 45th anniversary super deluxe edition

For the third year in a row Universal/Polydor will reissue a Velvet Underground album as a 45th Anniversary super deluxe edition box set.

Having ticked off 1967’s The Velvet Underground & Nico (in 2012) and White Light/White Heat (2013), the album under the microscope this year is the band’s third album, The Velvet Underground which was originally issued in March 1969.

This record, which presented a new softer side to the band, didn’t feature co-founder John Cale with 21-year old Doug Yule stepping in to fill his shoes.

This new super deluxe set is a generous six-CD package and features two different stereo mixes of the record (including Reed’s own ‘Closet Mix’) and a promotional mono mix. A disc of 1969 sessions on the fourth disc includes 10 previously unreleased mixes including Andy’s Chest which was re-recorded for 1972’s Transformer and Rock & Roll which in a different form featured on the next VU album, Loaded.

Eighteen live tracks (eleven of them unreleased performances) from a two gigs in late 1969 at San Francisco’s The Matrix complete this set. These performances are compiled and mixed from the original 1969 multi-track recordings made by club manager Peter Abram. The final CD only has six tracks on it, but it does include a nearly 37-minute-long Sister Ray!

This will be packaged to be consistent with the previous releases, so it will be a stylish case-bound book. Liner notes are by Rolling Stone’s David Fricke.

The Velvet Underground 45th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition is released on 24 November 2014. Update: new shot of the packaging can be found here.

• • UK Pre-order: The Velvet Underground – Super Deluxe Edition
• • USA Pre-order: The Velvet Underground – Super Deluxe Edition
• • CANADA Pre-order: The Velvet Underground (Super Deluxe 6 CD)
• • GERMANY Pre-order: The Velvet Underground (45th Ann.) Ltd.Super Dlx.
• • ITALY Pre-order: The Velvet Underground

Tracklisting

DISC ONE: THE VELVET UNDERGROUND
(“The Val Valentin Mix”)

1. Candy says
2. What goes on
3. Some kinda love
4. Pale blue eyes
5. Jesus
6. Beginning to see the light
7. I’m set free
8. That’s the story of my life
9. The murder mystery
10. After hours

DISC TWO: THE VELVET UNDERGROUND
(“The Closet Mix”)

1. Candy says 
2. What goes on 
3. Some kinda love 
4. Pale blue eyes 
5. Jesus 
6. Beginning to see the light 
7. I’m set free 
8. That’s the story of my life 
9. The murder mystery 
10. After hours 
11. Beginning to see the light (alternate “closet mix”)

DISC THREE: THE VELVET UNDERGROUND
(“Promotional Mono Mix”)

1. Candy says 
2. What goes on 
3. Some kinda love 
4. Pale blue eyes
5. Jesus 
6. Beginning to see the light
7. I’m set free
8. That’s the story of my life
9. The murder mystery
10. After hours

Mono Single released April 1969
11. What goes on
12. Jesus

DISC FOUR: 1969 SESSIONS

1. Foggy notion (original 1969 mix) +
2. One of these days (new 2014 mix) +
3. Lisa says (new 2014 mix) +
4. I’m sticking with you (original 1969 mix) + 
5. Andy’s chest (original 1969 mix) + 
6. Coney island steeplechase (new 2014 mix)+
7. Ocean (original 1969 mix) 
8. I can’t stand it (new 2014 mix) +
9. She’s my best friend (original 1969 mix) + 
10. We’re gonna have a real good time together (new 2014 mix) +
11. I’m gonna move right in (original 1969 mix) 
12. Ferryboat bill (original 1969 mix) 
13. Rock & roll (original 1969 mix) 
14. Ride into the sun (new 2014 mix) +

+ previously unreleased mixes

DISC FIVE: LIVE AT THE MATRIX
November 26 & 27, 1969 (Part 1)

1. I’m waiting for the man *
2. What goes on *
3. Some kinda love **
4. Over you *
5. We’re gonna have a real good time together *
6. Beginning to see the light **
7. Lisa says **
8. Rock & roll **
9. Pale blue eyes *
10. I can’t stand it anymore *
11. Venus in furs *
12. There she goes again *

DISC SIX: LIVE AT THE MATRIX
November 26 & 27, 1969 (Part 2)

1. Sister ray ***
2. Heroin *
3. White light/white heat **
4. I’m set free *
5. After hours *
6. Sweet jane **

All mixes previously unreleased.
* previously unreleased performance
** different source mix of this performance appears on 1969: The Velvet Underground Live
*** different source mix of this performance appears on The Quine Tapes Box Set

• • UK Pre-order: The Velvet Underground – Super Deluxe Edition
• • USA Pre-order: The Velvet Underground – Super Deluxe Edition