Velvet Underground & Nico - Original Verve Vinyl - Stereo - V6-5008

$

256

"I always believed that I have something important to say and I said it." - Lou Reed
The Velvet Underground & Nico ( Verve Vinyl LP - Stereo. . . V6-5008 )
Way back in the 60's ( yes, I was there. . . and I do remember it ) if someone used the work PUNK it usually referred to a person who was young and rebellious. . . there were no musical connotations associated with its use.  It wasn't until the late 70's and early 80's that the word PUNK found its way into the language of music. . . mention The Ramones, The Sex Pistols or The Clash and they will invariably be labeled Punk Rock Bands . . . known for aggressive, in-your-face material and performances.  Offered here is the band which pretty much pioneered that style of music. . . and their debut LP - The Velvet Underground & Nico. . . Produced by Andy Warhol.
The members of the band included Lou Reed ( Guitar and Vocals ), John Cale ( Electric Viola, Piano and Bass Guitar , Sterling Morrison ( Rhythm and Bass Guitar ), Maureen Tucker ( Percussion ) and Nico ( Vocals ). . . and back in 1967 when this LP was released it was. . . a real mind-fucker!!!!  Here were songs about drugs, drug pushers, sadomasochism and bondage, death. . . and Delmore Schwartz ( we had no idea who the hell he was ). . . this was not music with soft melodies and "love song" lyrics ( unless you were in love with Heroin ) but rather it was a driving rhythm section behind a sometime screeching viola and pounding guitars that assaulted the listener.  Nothing like this had ever come out of my stereo before.  Musically it seems rather crude by today's recording standards. . . but that just adds to its mystique. . . and the lyrics ( written by Lou Reed ) and vocals ( by Lou Reed or Nico ) are as powerful today as they were nearly 50 years ago.  
This album. . . the sleeve and LP are in VERY GOOD PLUS (VG+) CONDITION. . . there are no tears or cracks anywhere on the jacket ( inside or out ), a few minor bumps to the corners and some very minor rubbing. . . and the tiny numbers 11/70 written in the upper left-hand corner inner gate-fold.  The banana on the cover has "never" been peeled except for the stem which my younger brother removed in the 60's but was re-attached immediately.  The LP, as far as I know is in A+ condition.  It has not been played in decades and there are no visible marks anywhere on its surface.  My album collection at one time contained over 1500 LP. . . and they were treated with extreme care.  This LP has been protected with a clear plastic sleeve and stored away in a cool, dark, smoke-free environment for over 30 years.
Here is some additional information about the sleeve of this LP. . . this is not the torso version featuring an upside down image of actor Eric Emerson superimposed over the image of Lou Reed on the back cover. . . that would be a first issue sleeve.  The second issue sleeve came out with a black sticker covering the image of Emerson.  What I have listed would be a copy of the third issue of the sleeve with the image of Emerson airbrushed out.  
Priority Mail Shipping is free for domestic buyers. . . international shipping at cost. 
I can still remember hearing this music for the first time while driving around with my friend, Don in 1968.  He had just installed a new four-track tape player in his vehicle and the first three tapes he had were Iron Butterfly ( In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida ), The Beatles ( The White Album ), and Velvet Underground. . . which attracted most of our attention since it contained music you were not likely to hear on the radio. . . and we played it endlessly until, sadly, it broke.
A true masterpiece. . . in a very collectible format.  Good Luck bidding.