The Velvet Underground and Nico

The Velvet Underground is a rock and roll group influenced by free form jazz and avant garde.  At the beginning of their formation they were considered very out of the ordinary, both in the way their music was  written and the way they conducted themselves outside of their performances.  They were not a popular band like the Beatles or the Beach Boys but countless artists will later claim to have been inspired by their music.  (The Southbank Show)

John Cale and Lou Reed, the songwriters for the Velvet Underground, both had a strong background in music creation.  Cale studied composition at Goldsmith College and later studied in the United States under scholarship funds.  He took special interest in modern experimental music and much of his writing was influenced by experimentation.  He played the viola which became a quintessential part of the Velvet Underground's sound.  Reed set his roots in avant garde jazz and poetry.  He studied at Syracuse University and acquired many influences from there as well.  Later he wrote pop and rock songs for Pickwick Records.  (It Began Here)

Andy Warhol played a huge part in the production and marketing of The Velvet Underground.  He reeled them in as a part of his desire to merge the creativity of art, music, and film.  Warhol insisted that the German actress Nico become a part of the band and this later produced classics such as "Femme Fatale".  Warhol's influence went hand in hand with much of the bands success.  For a time, The Velvet Revolver was essentially part of "The Factory" crew.  Warhol was also the chief negotiator for the band and allowed them to land record deals without giving the label control of their style. (The Southbank Show)

The Velvet Underground were vastly different from most bands under a label.  Many contract bound bands make clean cut pop music that is designed to sell the maximum number of units for the label.  This often requires them to sing songs about partying and relationships.  Without these restrictions, The Velvet Underground was able to sing about drugs and other controversial topics while writing their music in an abstract and different style.  The Velvet Underground did not follow the formula to gaining
popularity with their records but attracted many hardcore musicians and artists to their music thus becoming an influence to later bands.  (The Southbank Show)

One can appreciate The Velvet Underground's music much in the same way one can appreciate abstract art for its visual aesthetic.  The bands music is very experimental in nature and this can be a hit or miss genre especially in today's industry.  There will always be a cult following for these types of bands, but the average listener will often find The Velvet Underground's music unpleasing.
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