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The Velvet Underground & Nico - Quiz
Contributed by: Bassett
  • 1. When did The Velvet Underground & Nico begin to attract wide praise from rock critics?
A) Twenty years after its release
B) Immediately upon its release
C) In the year 2000
D) A decade after its release
  • 2. Who wrote a 1977 retrospective review for the Village Voice regarding the album?
A) Christgau
B) Philip Sherburne
C) Tom Hibbert
D) Colin Larkin
  • 3. Which publication included the album in its 'Basic Record Library' of 1950s and 1960s recordings?
A) The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
B) The Perfect Collection
C) Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums
D) Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies
  • 4. How has The Velvet Underground & Nico been characterized in terms of musical genre?
A) A classic jazz fusion masterpiece
B) The definitive punk rock album
C) The first heavy metal record
D) The original art-rock record
  • 5. Who described the album as a 'powerful collection' in The Encyclopedia of Popular Music?
A) Tom Hibbert
B) Colin Larkin
C) Philip Sherburne
D) Robert Christgau
  • 6. In April 2003, which magazine listed this album at the top of their 'Top Fifteen Most Influential Albums of All Time' list?
A) The Guardian
B) Q magazine
C) Spin
D) Rolling Stone
  • 7. NPR included the album in their 2000 series identifying what?
A) The most important American musical works of the 20th century
B) The 100 albums that defined the 1970s
C) The 100 best selling albums of all time
D) The most controversial rock albums ever
  • 8. What did Rolling Stone call the album in their 2003 and 2012 lists?
A) The most underrated rock album of the century
B) The first modern art-rock record
C) The most prophetic rock album ever made
D) The greatest album of the 1960s
  • 9. What rank did the album receive in the 2020 reboot of Rolling Stone's 500 Greatest Albums list?
A) 13
B) 23
C) 1
D) 42
  • 10. Tom Hibbert's book 'The Perfect Collection' (1982) selected the album as one of how many significant US albums of the 1960s?
A) 24
B) 13
C) 100
D) 500
  • 11. In 1997, what was the album's ranking in the 'Music of the Millennium' poll?
A) 22nd
B) 13th
C) 42nd
D) 1st
  • 12. Which publication placed the album at number 1 in a list of '50 Albums That Changed Music' in 2006?
A) Q magazine
B) Time magazine
C) The Observer
D) Pitchfork
  • 13. In 2017, which publication placed the album at the top of its list of 'The 200 Best Albums of the 1960s'?
A) Pitchfork
B) The Guardian
C) Rolling Stone
D) Spin
  • 14. Who wrote that it is easy to see the album as a 'solipsistic record'?
A) Colin Larkin
B) Robert Christgau
C) Tom Hibbert
D) Philip Sherburne
  • 15. When was the album inducted into the National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress?
A) 2006
B) 2008
C) 2000
D) 1997
  • 16. In what year was the album inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame?
A) 2025
B) 2008
C) 2003
D) 2006
  • 17. According to the text, which organization named the album one of the 100 best albums in 2025?
A) The Library of Congress
B) Apple
C) NPR
D) Time magazine
  • 18. In what year did the Velvet Underground business partnership sue the Andy Warhol Foundation?
A) 2012
B) 2010
C) 2013
D) 2011
  • 19. Who were the general partners of the Velvet Underground business partnership mentioned in the text?
A) Andy Warhol and John Cale
B) Nico and Lou Reed
C) Lou Reed and Sterling Morrison
D) John Cale and Lou Reed
  • 20. What product line led the partnership to sue the Andy Warhol Foundation?
A) Vinyl record reissues
B) iPhone and iPad cases
C) Clothing merchandise
D) Posters and art prints
  • 21. Which company licensed the banana design from the Foundation for mobile accessories?
A) Incase Designs
B) Velvet Records
C) Warhol Enterprises
D) Apple Inc.
  • 22. What is a 'Covenant Not to Sue'?
A) A settlement payment agreement
B) A binding promise not to take legal action over copyright
C) A license transfer agreement
D) A public apology statement
  • 23. Who was the judge that presided over the lawsuit?
A) John Roberts
B) Alison J. Nathan
C) Ruth Bader Ginsburg
D) Sonia Sotomayor
  • 24. Why did the court dismiss the partnership's copyright claim?
A) It lacked a 'case or controversy' because no actual harm was imminent
B) The partnership failed to pay filing fees
C) The Foundation proved they owned the copyright
D) The statute of limitations had expired
  • 25. What did the court call a legal decision that has no practical consequences?
A) A summary judgment
B) An advisory opinion
C) A bench trial
D) A preliminary injunction
  • 26. When was the partnership's suit finally dismissed?
A) January 2012
B) December 2012
C) Late May 2013
D) March 2013
  • 27. Which song describes a protagonist's efforts to obtain heroin?
A) I'm Waiting for the Man
B) Femme Fatale
C) Venus in Furs
D) All Tomorrow's Parties
  • 28. The song 'Venus in Furs' is a literal interpretation of a novella by which author?
A) Hubert Selby, Jr.
B) Raymond Chandler
C) William S. Burroughs
D) Leopold von Sacher-Masoch
  • 29. Where did Lou Reed study as an English major?
A) New York University
B) The Factory
C) Columbia University
D) Syracuse University
  • 30. For whom was the song 'Femme Fatale' written?
A) Edie Sedgwick
B) Andy Warhol
C) La Monte Young
D) Nico
  • 31. When did Lou Reed record the demo for 'All Tomorrow's Parties'?
A) January 1966
B) December 1964
C) March 1967
D) July 1965
  • 32. John Cale was influenced by his work with which minimalist composer?
A) Richard Goldstein
B) La Monte Young
C) John Cage
D) Andy Warhol
  • 33. Which guitar tuning consists of all strings being tuned to the same pitch class?
A) Ostrich guitar tuning
B) Drop D tuning
C) Open G tuning
D) Standard tuning
  • 34. What instrument did John Cale play on 'The Black Angel's Death Song'?
A) Tambourine
B) Guitar
C) Viola
D) Bass drum
  • 35. Who described Nico's vocal as 'something like a cello getting up in the morning'?
A) Lou Reed
B) Richard Goldstein
C) Robert Christgau
D) Adam Budofsky
  • 36. How did Moe Tucker play the drums on the album?
A) Lying down
B) Sitting on a high stool
C) Sitting on the floor
D) Standing up
  • 37. Which author is NOT mentioned as a literary influence on Lou Reed?
A) Nelson Algren
B) Raymond Chandler
C) Victor Bockris
D) Allen Ginsberg
  • 38. Who informed Moe Tucker's drumming style?
A) Lou Reed
B) Angus MacLise
C) John Cale
D) Sterling Morrison
  • 39. In what year was The Velvet Underground & Nico released?
A) 1968
B) 1967
C) 1965
D) 1966
  • 40. Who served as co-producer of the album alongside Tom Wilson?
A) Paul Morrissey
B) Norman Dolph
C) John Cale
D) Andy Warhol
  • 41. Which record label released the album?
A) Atlantic Records
B) Columbia Records
C) Elektra Records
D) Verve Records
  • 42. Which singer was featured on the album alongside the Velvet Underground?
A) Lou Reed
B) Nico
C) Sterling Morrison
D) Maureen Tucker
  • 43. On which street in New York was the album recorded?
A) Fifth Avenue
B) Broadway
C) Ludlow Street
D) Wall Street
  • 44. Which of these themes is explicitly mentioned in Lou Reed's lyrics on the album?
A) Environmentalism
B) Political revolution
C) Religious conflict
D) Drug abuse
  • 45. Who did Billboard rank as having the #1 'Best Album Cover of All Time' in 2023?
A) The Velvet Underground & Nico
B) Abbey Road
C) Dark Side of the Moon
D) Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band
  • 46. How many tracks did Nico sing lead on?
A) Four
B) Three
C) Five
D) Two
  • 47. Which song did Nico provide back-up vocals for?
A) I'm Waiting for the Man
B) Heroin
C) Venus in Furs
D) Sunday Morning
  • 48. Who was the Columbia Records sales executive that helped finance the recording session?
A) Paul Morrissey
B) Tom Wilson
C) John Licata
D) Norman Dolph
  • 49. What did Norman Dolph accept as payment instead of a cash fee?
A) A Warhol painting
B) A custom guitar
C) Stock in the record label
D) Royalties
  • 50. Why did Atlantic Records decline to distribute the album?
A) Too short
B) Lack of commercial appeal
C) Poor production quality
D) Drug references
  • 51. Where were three of the songs re-recorded in May 1966?
A) Scepter Studios
B) Mayfair Recording Studios
C) TTG Studios
D) Abbey Road Studios
  • 52. What sales status does the album hold in the United Kingdom?
A) Diamond
B) Platinum
C) Gold
D) Silver
  • 53. According to the text, how much influence did Warhol have on the recording sessions beyond paying for them?
A) Total control
B) Complete technical direction
C) He was the primary arranger
D) Little influence
  • 54. Who did John Cale claim produced nearly all of the tracks?
A) John Licata
B) Norman Dolph
C) Andy Warhol
D) Tom Wilson
  • 55. According to Lou Reed, who decided to bring in Tom Wilson to produce?
A) John Cale
B) MGM
C) Sterling Morrison
D) Andy Warhol
  • 56. What did Warhol famously say to the engineers during recording sessions?
A) Oooh, that's fantastic
B) Make it louder
C) That is not good enough
D) Change the tempo
  • 57. What color was the banana revealed beneath the peelable sticker?
A) Bright yellow
B) Flesh-colored
C) White
D) Black
  • 58. Where is the peeled banana image located on the 1996 CD reissue?
A) Inside the jewel case, beneath the CD
B) On the front cover
C) On the back cover
D) In the booklet
  • 59. According to the text, what do some sources cite the banana cover art as?
A) A political statement
B) A phallic symbol
C) An ode to pop art
D) A symbol of the music industry
  • 60. Who compared the act of peeling the banana to the peeling back of a foreskin?
A) Blake Gopnik
B) Eric Emerson
C) Andy Warhol
D) Lou Reed
  • 61. What event was the back cover photo of the band taken at?
A) An erotic art show
B) The Exploding Plastic Inevitable
C) The Factory opening
D) A recording session
  • 62. Whose image appeared upside-down on the wall in the original back cover photo?
A) Andy Warhol
B) Nico
C) Lou Reed
D) Eric Emerson
  • 63. How was the image of Eric Emerson hidden on existing printed copies of the album?
A) It was painted over
B) A white label was placed over it
C) A large black sticker
D) It was cropped out
  • 64. Which publication ranked the album as the best album cover of all time in 2023?
A) Pitchfork
B) Rolling Stone
C) NME
D) Billboard
  • 65. According to Richie Unterberger, when was the album likely out by at the latest?
A) March 31
B) April 1
C) March 12
D) March 4
  • 66. What was the album's peak position on the Billboard charts?
A) 171
B) 199
C) 195
D) 182
  • 67. How many copies of the album did Brian Eno claim were sold in the first five years?
A) 30,000
B) 58,476
C) 10,000
D) 200,000
  • 68. What was the actual number of copies sold as of February 1969 according to an MGM royalty statement?
A) 10,000
B) 58,476
C) 200,000
D) 30,000
  • 69. Who claimed that the album had sold 200,000 copies by 1970?
A) Brian Eno
B) Sterling Morrison
C) Jeff Gold
D) Richie Unterberger
  • 70. What did Brian Eno famously say about the people who bought the first 30,000 copies?
A) They were part of the underground radio scene
B) They regretted their purchase
C) They were all fans of Warhol
D) Everyone who bought one started a band
  • 71. When did the album finally leave the charts after its re-entry?
A) November 18, 1967
B) December 16, 1967
C) June 10, 1967
D) January 6, 1968
  • 72. Which magazine called the music 'a full-fledged attack on the ears and on the brain'?
A) Billboard
B) Village Voice
C) Vibrations
D) Jazz & Pop
  • 73. How did Dave Donelly describe the album's cover?
A) A depressing image
B) A masterpiece of art
C) A conversation piece
D) The wildest front cover yet
  • 74. To which artist did the anonymous American Record Guide reviewer compare Lou Reed's lyrics?
A) Dylan
B) Nico
C) Andy Warhol
D) The Rolling Stones
  • 75. What did Vance Johnston claim Warhol aficionados would declare the album to be?
A) His best
B) His worst
C) A failed experiment
D) His most commercial work
  • 76. Which Billboard review term was used to describe the album's style?
A) 12-tone rock 'n' roll
B) Electric viola experimentation
C) Savage sound
D) Sophisticated folk-rock
  • 77. Which band may have recorded the first cover of "There She Goes Again" in April 1967?
A) The Riats
B) Melvins
C) The Electrical Banana
D) Thee Oh Sees
  • 78. Where did Dean Kohler claim the Electrical Banana recorded their cover version?
A) In a tent in Vietnam
B) In a club in The Hague
C) In a basement in Buenos Aires
D) In a studio in California
  • 79. Which band released a single featuring "Run, Run, Run" and "Sunday Morning" in 1967?
A) Castle Face and Friends
B) The Riats
C) The Electrical Banana
D) The Melvins
  • 80. Where were The Riats from?
A) Vietnam
B) California
C) Argentina
D) The Hague
  • 81. Which band covered "Venus in Furs" on a 1991 split single?
A) Thee Oh Sees
B) The Electrical Banana
C) Nirvana
D) Melvins
  • 82. Which song did Nirvana record for their 1991 split single?
A) Run, Run, Run
B) Here She Comes Now
C) Venus in Furs
D) Sunday Morning
  • 83. Which actor participated in Beck's 2009 Record Club project?
A) Ty Segall
B) Iggy Pop
C) Bobby Gillespie
D) Giovanni Ribisi
  • 84. Where were the artists from who produced a track-for-track cover of the album in 2009?
A) Vietnam
B) United States
C) The Netherlands
D) Argentina
  • 85. Which artist was involved in the 2012 "Castle Face and Friends" project?
A) Nigel Godrich
B) St. Vincent
C) Sharon Van Etten
D) Ty Segall
  • 86. Which artist performed on the 2021 tribute album I'll Be Your Mirror?
A) Beck
B) Dean Kohler
C) Iggy Pop
D) Kelley Stoltz
  • 87. How was Beck's 2009 cover album released?
A) On a split 7" single
B) As a vinyl 45 RPM record
C) Online in video form
D) Exclusively at concerts in Buenos Aires
  • 88. In what year was the tribute album I'll Be Your Mirror released?
A) 2012
B) 1991
C) 2009
D) 2021
  • 89. Who replaced Andy Warhol as the manager of The Velvet Underground?
A) Steve Sesnick
B) Bill Levenson
C) Tom Wilson
D) Norman Dolph
  • 90. What was the title of Nico's debut solo album?
A) White Light/White Heat
B) Melody Laughter
C) Ludlow Street
D) Chelsea Girl
  • 91. Which instrument did John Cale play on the song 'Sunday Morning'?
A) Percussion
B) Celeste
C) Lead guitar
D) Electric viola
  • 92. When was the first CD edition of the album released?
A) 1996
B) 1995
C) 1967
D) 1986
  • 93. What song on the 1986 CD featured an alternative mix compared to the original LP?
A) All Tomorrow's Parties
B) Heroin
C) Sunday Morning
D) Venus in Furs
  • 94. Who oversaw the initial CD issues of the Verve/MGM catalog?
A) Steve Sesnick
B) Bill Levenson
C) John Licata
D) Norman Dolph
  • 95. Which performance excerpt was included on the Peel Slowly and See box set?
A) Venus in Furs
B) I'm Waiting for the Man
C) Heroin
D) Melody Laughter
  • 96. What was the duration of the 'Melody Laughter' performance excerpt included in the box set?
A) One hour
B) Five minutes
C) Ten minutes
D) Thirty minutes
  • 97. In what year did Universal release the two-disc Deluxe Edition of the album?
A) 2010
B) 2012
C) 2002
D) 2004
  • 98. Which unreleased track was initially planned for the 2002 Deluxe Edition but canceled due to a royalty dispute?
A) All Tomorrow's Parties
B) European Son
C) Miss Joanie Lee
D) Femme Fatale
  • 99. In which re-release was the track 'Miss Joanie Lee' eventually included?
A) Rarities Edition
B) 45th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition
C) Original 2002 Deluxe Edition
D) Vinyl re-issue
  • 100. What is featured on discs 5 and 6 of the 45th Anniversary Super Deluxe Edition?
A) A previously unreleased live performance from 1966
B) Demo versions of Nico's songs
C) Remastered mono mixes
D) An interview with the band
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