I love The Velvet Underground and Nico, it's an exceptional album, and one of my favorite. Also, I don't intend to offend any fans of Nico, but personally I prefer the Velvet Underground - Nico. In all truth, the only Nico rendition I care for is After Hours.
So the Velvet Underground with or without Nico?
Sorry about the After Hours mix-up, a truly honest mistake.
zeppelin_fool_in_the_rain
Favorite Answer
I always liked Nico's voice especially in These Days(I know it's not a Velvet Underground song). Maybe the way she was presented by the separation of her name from the band's on the album wasn't that great of an idea and would have been better if it was something else. Since many people wouldn't have seen her as not as great as she was made up to be, but it. If that really makes sense. Moe Tucker sung After Hours.
With, her voice did bring something different to the album. Was it something bad? Maybe to some, but it was different.
Kevin S
She wasn't really a part of the band, at Lou Reed's insistence. There was tension between them - she was linked as Reed's lover and when she became an ex-lover any idea of having her in the band was out of the question. She was also romantically involved with John Cale.
Also - small correction, After Hours isn't sung by Nico, it's sung by (drummer) Maureen Tucker. That was 1969, and Nico (and in fact Cale too) were long gone from the band. Nico's best known for only a handful of songs, including All Tomorrow's Parties, I'll Be Your Mirror and Femme Fatale.
Shot Gun
Well, I like Nico, and VU's debut is my general number 2 album (right between London Calling and Superfly), but Velvet Underground sans Nico is certainly top fifteen, or at least top twenty.
I never thought it was Nico on "After Hours", but for a very long time I thought it was a young boy.
Kristy (Lady Stardust)
Without Nico.
Anonymous
nico didnt sing after hours. so pretty much you dont like nico's voice. i personally love the velvet underground and nico (the album) and i even like most of the nico solo work i have heard despite the fact that i also dont really like her voice. it doesnt bug me enough to ruin the great material that she has worked on. Also, I perfer with nico than without john cale, which sorta makes "white light/white heat" my default favorite velvet underground album as it is the only one without nico and with cale, but velvet underground and nico is my 2nd favorite.