Episode 164: “White Light/White Heat” by the Velvet Underground
A History of Rock Music in 500 Songs
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The Importance of Improvisation in Music
The new line up of the group gelled almost instantly, Mo Tucker played simple but powerful rhythms holding down the bottom and steady as a rock. Reed would sing his lyrics about heroin and sadomasochism, in a monotone voice that bore some resemblance to his Bob Dylan impression. This R&B chord to the velvets work is overlooked, as if you listen to the few recordings that have surfaced of their rehearsals from this period. You can hear a clear link between, for example, them running through bodid they are cracking up.
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