Rolling Stone

The Velvet Undergroun­d and Nico

Velvet Undergroun­d

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Verve, 1967

much of what we take for granted in rock would not exist without this New York band’s debut: the androgynou­s sexuality of glam; punk’s raw noir; the all-black ennui of goth. Lou Reed documented carnal desire and drug addiction with pop wisdom; bassistvio­list John Cale added pulse and drone; Nico, a German vocalist brought on by manager Andy Warhol, added an icy femininity. Rejected as nihilistic by the love crowd in 1967, it’s the most prophetic rock album ever made.

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