The Feelies - "Rock and Roll"
I never got to see The Velvet Underground. The conclusion of their original run predated my existence by 15 years and I was too young (like, way too young) to jettison to Europe during their brief string of reunion dates in 1993. But after I saw The Feelies perform a set of all Velvet Underground covers in the fall of 2018 at White Eagle Hall in my hometown of Jersey City, New Jersey, I walked away thinking, well… that was pretty damn close. The evening was nothing short of spectacular and wildly exceeded any expectations I had for their performance. Most notably, The Feelies captured the free wheeling spirit of the Velvet Underground.
While there’s nothing like the real thing, the Feelies are uniquely suited to do The Velvet Underground’s catalog justice. They supported Lou Reed in 1989 after he released his fifteenth studio album, New York. Velvets songs also regularly pop up during the band’s cover-filled encores. Hell, the band served as Reed’s backing band during a holiday party at a Long Island radio station in the late 80s. “White Light, White Heat,” (which the band also recorded and released as a B-side to their 1991 single “Invitation”), “What Goes On,” and “I Can’t Stand It” have worked their way into Feelies’ setlists multiple times in the last decade. So, it’s no surprise that their performance in homage to the Velvets was spectacular. Their special cover set at White Eagle Hall included some really outstanding renditions of “All Tomorrow’s Party” (with bassist Brenda Sauter handling Nico’s vocals) and “Rock and Roll.” The latter is the lead single from the band’s first ever live album, Some Kinda Love, which documents their entire performance of Velvets covers at White Eagle Hall.
Like any good cover, The Feelies version of “Rock and Roll” stays true to the original while still providing a fresh interpretation. The Feelies definitely inject some frenetic energy into the song that’s not as readily apparent in the original. In the original, Lou Reed feels a bit more restrained in the opening moments, while The Feelies’ version is immediate and lively. Frontman Glenn Mercer goes from 0 to 60 almost instantaneously, while also maintaining Reed’s swagger through the song’s anthemic verses and indelible riffs.
Some Kinda Love is set for release on October 13th via Bar/None Records. You can pre-order a copy on vinyl via Bandcamp.
