Unreleased Velvet Underground Material In New Box Set

The Velvet Underground’s self-titled third album, originally released in March of 1969, will be the focus of a new 65-track, six-CD package that will be unveiled as The Velvet Underground – 45th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition on November 24 via Polydor/Universal Music Enterprises.

The massive package is housed in a case-bound book and contains “several different mixes including the remastered stereo mix by MGM house engineer Luis Pastor ‘Val’ Valentin, a set of 1969 recordings, many of which were previously unreleased, from the Record Plant in New York City that were supposed to be the band’s fourth album, several of which ended up on Loaded and Reed’s first two solo releases, and unreleased live recordings from The Matrix in 1969,” according to a statement announcing the upcoming release.

In addition to the six-CD package, the remastered Valentin stereo mix of The Velvet Underground will also be made available as a single-disc CD, and as part of the two-CD Deluxe Edition version with a 12-track audio bonus disc featuring the best of Live At The Matrix, taped on November 26 & 27, 1969. Digital versions of both the single disc “Valentin mix” and the six-CD, Super Deluxe Edition will also be available through other digital partners including MFiT and HD Audio formats.

We’re particularly intrigued by the fourth disc of the box set, which offers a version of the unreleased fourth VU album, recorded in October 1969 at the Record Plant in NYC that the band intended to use to get out of their record deal at that time. We’ll get to hear 10 previously unheard mixes four original 1969 vintage mixes and six new mixes, including 2014 mixes of “Lisa Says” and “I Can’t Stand It,” and the original 1969 mix of “Ocean,” which eventually were re-recorded for Lou Reed’s 1972 self-titled solo debut. Also included are the original 1969 mixes of “Andy’s Chest,” which appeared in a different version on Transformer, and “Rock & Roll,” redone for Loaded.

And then there’s the last two discs, which feature the Velvets’ November 26 and 27, 1969 live performances from The Matrix in San Francisco. Included within is a 27-minute-long “Sister Ray!”

TRACK LISTING:

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