The Velvet Underground
Loaded

Artist: The Velvet Underground
Title: Loaded
Release Year: 1970
Pressing Year: 1977
Label: Cotillion Records
Catalog Number: SD 9034
Format: 33 RPM • 12” Album • Stereo
UPC: none

After The Velvet Underground cut three albums for the jazz-oriented Verve label that earned them lots of notoriety but negligible sales, the group signed with industry powerhouse Atlantic Records in 1970. This album turned out to be the first VU album that made any noticeable impact on commercial radio – and also their swan song, with Lou Reed leaving the group shortly before its release.

With John Cale long gone from the band, Doug Yule’s high prominence (he sings lead on four of the ten tracks), and Maureen Tucker’s absence on maternity leave, this is hardly a purist's Velvet Underground album. But while Lou Reed always wrote great rock & roll songs with killer hooks, on this album his tunes were at last given a polished but intelligent production that made them sound like the hits they should have been, and there's no arguing that Sweet Jane and Rock & Roll are as joyously anthemic as anything he's ever recorded.

This release generally maintains a tight focus on the sunny side of the VU's personality. Sterling Morrison once said, "It showed that we could have, all along, made truly commercial sounding records.” Just as importantly, it proved they could do so without entirely abandoning their musical personality in the process.  

Personnel: Doug Yule (keyboards, bass, guitars, vocals, drums); Sterling Morrison (guitars); Lou Reed (guitars, vocals, piano); Moe Tucker (drums); Tommy Castanaro, Bill Yule, Adrian Barber (percussion).

VINYL GRADE: VG+
Notes: Minimal surface noise. A good cleaning is all this one needs.

LABEL GRADE: VG+
Notes: Neither side has ring wear, tape, spindle wear, or writing. Standard round black-and-white Cotillion record logo on maroon/purple. Text is black on maroon/purple. 

SLEEVE GRADE: VG+
Notes: Original plain white paper with rounded corners. Both sides have ghosted Atlantic pinwheel logo with “Atlantic, ATCO, Cotillion and Custom labels” in black text. No splits, no marks, no tape, no stains, a few crinkles.

JACKET GRADE: VG+
Notes: No visible ring wear, no splits. No marks, no writing, slight crinkling. Faint tape stain, upper right corner. Edges, corners, and spine in good shape. (See my original scan.)

Shipping is $4.00. NOTE: I will NOT be responsible for items lost or damaged in the mail.

PayPal accepted.

Combined shipping: I will be happy to combine multiple items. If you buy more than one album from me, the shipping cost will be the original shipping fee plus $1 per additional item. However, when making your PayPal payment, please pay $4.00 for each album. I will refund the shipping cost overrun ASAP.

This is not a cut-out or a record-club pressing. It is the original issue.

Note: I haven't cleaned this 42-year-old vinyl record because everybody seems to prefer their own methods. I'll leave the cleaning up to the buyer. Also, I'm not a professional vinyl seller or buyer. This comes from my own collection. Bought new at Books, Strings & Things, downtown Blacksburg VA.

Enjoy the auction — and good luck!