The Velvet Underground

The Velvet Underground were an American rock band formed in New York City. Lou Reed and John Cale laid the groundwork in late 1964, and the group took its name in November 1965.^[1] The classic lineup was Reed (vocals, guitar), Cale (viola, bass, keyboards), Sterling Morrison (guitar, bass), and Moe Tucker (drums, percussion).^[1]

Andy Warhol became their manager, and the band performed with his Exploding Plastic Inevitable multimedia shows. Their debut album arrived in March 1967 and sold poorly.^[1] White Light/White Heat followed in January 1968, and Cale was dismissed that September, with Doug Yule joining. A self-titled third album in 1969 took a gentler, folk-influenced turn, and Loaded appeared in 1970. Reed left in August 1970 and Morrison in August 1971.^[1] The band effectively ended in 1973.^[1]

The original members reunited in the 1990s and toured Europe in 1993. Morrison died in 1995 and Reed in October 2013. The band entered the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 and received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2017.^[1]