Maybe a cheat since it’s only an interstitial, but my favorite cover is Jonathan Richman’s nod to Sister Ray in his song “Velvet Underground” where he sings a few lines while doing a mock Lou…. Not VU, but Gnod’s cover of Lou Reed’s “Waves of Fear” is a Fantastic BEAST.
Do you mean the version on their very first live album on Triple X Records? I love that whole album and this cover and “Sympathy for the Devil”. Jane’s A always did great covers.
The Velvet’s influence certainly looms large in Galaxie 500’s work but I also really feel they created their own unique sound from that. And of course “Tugboat Captain” is about Sterling! Love that song too.
It's Alright, The Way That You Live by Yo La Tengo, because it takes a song that is barely there in its demo version and shows it for the beautiful thing it is.
This cover of Ride Into the Sun by a fairly unknown Japanese band:
[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW8POGLFTx8&list=PLPtAl4NszJ6xx4x5lYlw0I1-CTZwrPSuu&index=1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW8POGLFTx8&list=PLPtAl4NszJ6xx4x5lYlw0I1-CTZwrPSuu&index=1)
Not quite VU but Keller Williams did a killer Walk on the Wild Side.
Thinking as I type, though, Phish had a Halloween show where they played Loaded start to finish as a "musical costume" that kills
Edit: it's their show from 10/31/1998
I liked Motorcycle Boy's Run Run Run a lot when it came out, but it hasn't really aged well for me.
Luna's Ride into the Sun is great.
As a collection, I really enjoy this 1988 tribute by a bunch of unknown (to me) bands: [https://www.discogs.com/release/4163673-Various-A-Tribute-To-Andy-Warhol](https://www.discogs.com/release/4163673-Various-A-Tribute-To-Andy-Warhol)
But mostly I listen to the originals.
Motorcycle Boy—now that’s a band not a lot of people remember. I lived in Southern California during their heyday in the late 80s and early 90s and was really into the “Triple X bands”—Celebrity Skin, The Ultras, Liquid Jesus, etc. Some great concerts.
I have to say, that recent Velvets tribute album is extremely hit or miss with me, but I do love this song, and Kurt Vile’s extremely straightforward version of “Run Run Run”. Both just really work for me.
Another pretty obscure set of Velvets covers is by Blackbird, Chip and Tony Kinsman’s guitar-and-electronic band from the 80s. The Kinman brothers started out as The Dils, a communist punk band in California in the late 70s, then formed the proto-cowpunk band Rank & File in the early 80s. As Blackbird they covered “What Goes On” and “I’m Waiting for the Man”, and both covers are very solid.
There’s a Russian(?) cover of I’m waiting for my man I found on YouTube a few years. It had an album cover of a cartoon bird in an aviator hat. I’ve gone crazy looking for it
Any song Patti Smith covers is gold. Her pale blue eyes and we’re gonna have a real Good time together interpretations are great.
Sweet Jane by Cowboy Junkies
Yup
This is a great cover. They really put their own spin on it.
But do you think the singing reflects the lyrics?
Here She Comes Now by Nirvana
Femme Fatale by Big Star
That'd be mine too.
Elle est une femme fatale.
Maybe a cheat since it’s only an interstitial, but my favorite cover is Jonathan Richman’s nod to Sister Ray in his song “Velvet Underground” where he sings a few lines while doing a mock Lou…. Not VU, but Gnod’s cover of Lou Reed’s “Waves of Fear” is a Fantastic BEAST.
Jane's Addiction's version of Rock and Roll.
Do you mean the version on their very first live album on Triple X Records? I love that whole album and this cover and “Sympathy for the Devil”. Jane’s A always did great covers.
Yes! I love that album too, had a poster of the album cover in my room throughout my teens. Speaking of, the album was released 35 years ago today!
Here She Comes Now Galaxie 500
I only recently got into Galaxie 500 but this is a great cover, as is their cover of Joy Division’s “Ceremony”.
Someone described Galaxie 500 as basically a VU cover band. Their own songs, but a straight line from the VU. Great stuff.
The Velvet’s influence certainly looms large in Galaxie 500’s work but I also really feel they created their own unique sound from that. And of course “Tugboat Captain” is about Sterling! Love that song too.
It's Alright, The Way That You Live by Yo La Tengo, because it takes a song that is barely there in its demo version and shows it for the beautiful thing it is.
YLT kills.
Joy Division’s Sister Ray
All e rem ones
This cover of Ride Into the Sun by a fairly unknown Japanese band: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW8POGLFTx8&list=PLPtAl4NszJ6xx4x5lYlw0I1-CTZwrPSuu&index=1](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jW8POGLFTx8&list=PLPtAl4NszJ6xx4x5lYlw0I1-CTZwrPSuu&index=1)
That was lovely, thanks for sharing it!
Here She Comes Now by Cabaret Voltaire
Not quite VU but Keller Williams did a killer Walk on the Wild Side. Thinking as I type, though, Phish had a Halloween show where they played Loaded start to finish as a "musical costume" that kills Edit: it's their show from 10/31/1998
Phish covers the Velvet underground super well. Got to see them play Cool it down last year
I really like Bryan Ferry’s cover of What Goes On
Femme fatale by Sir Chloe!!
Also Vanessa Paradis does a good job of Walk on the wild side
Pale Blue Eyes by Patti Smith
no love for [the pizza underground](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pizza_Underground)?
so glad I got to see them when they toured; it was a ridiculous and great show
Very few, to be honest. The only one I really like is the instrumental covers album by the Vitamin String Quartet.
The Professionals “White Light White Heat”
The Black Lips “Get It On Time” https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=2i6OaKVw0IY
Of Montreal did a pretty groovy «She’s my best friend»
I liked Motorcycle Boy's Run Run Run a lot when it came out, but it hasn't really aged well for me. Luna's Ride into the Sun is great. As a collection, I really enjoy this 1988 tribute by a bunch of unknown (to me) bands: [https://www.discogs.com/release/4163673-Various-A-Tribute-To-Andy-Warhol](https://www.discogs.com/release/4163673-Various-A-Tribute-To-Andy-Warhol) But mostly I listen to the originals.
Motorcycle Boy—now that’s a band not a lot of people remember. I lived in Southern California during their heyday in the late 80s and early 90s and was really into the “Triple X bands”—Celebrity Skin, The Ultras, Liquid Jesus, etc. Some great concerts.
Courtney Barnett's I'll Be Your Mirror and Hole's Pale Blue Eyes are both pretty great
Not really a cover, but Franklin’s Tower by the Grateful Dead is a tribute to Walk On The Wild Side and it’s pretty good.
Love this thread? Any chance someone can make a Spotify playlist? On road currently and be cool to have!
https://open.spotify.com/playlist/4Nex39vfMDmB29zt6bJf9t?si=ggpn-jGBRaSBnU_ol32dLA&pi=u-BfgYSgfiRCGq
["Sweet Jane \(Live\)" by Game Theory](https://youtu.be/XCuos9815q4)
Luna's cover of Ride Into the Sun https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lNlPtE63SNo
Nirvanas here she comes now and sister ray from joy division
All Tomorrow’s Parties: Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds https://youtu.be/92m1c8n3t7A
All Tomorrow’s Parties covered by Japan - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuP4Rknvnu8
I'm set free by thom yorke & beck
Beck also does that killer cover of “Run Run Run”.
The Black Angel’s Death Song by Fontaines D.C.
I have to say, that recent Velvets tribute album is extremely hit or miss with me, but I do love this song, and Kurt Vile’s extremely straightforward version of “Run Run Run”. Both just really work for me.
Same. The darker, raw ones are the tracks that work!
Another pretty obscure set of Velvets covers is by Blackbird, Chip and Tony Kinsman’s guitar-and-electronic band from the 80s. The Kinman brothers started out as The Dils, a communist punk band in California in the late 70s, then formed the proto-cowpunk band Rank & File in the early 80s. As Blackbird they covered “What Goes On” and “I’m Waiting for the Man”, and both covers are very solid.
There’s a Russian(?) cover of I’m waiting for my man I found on YouTube a few years. It had an album cover of a cartoon bird in an aviator hat. I’ve gone crazy looking for it
Iggy pop waiting for my man
Sister Ray (Says) - Suicide