October is a Velvet Underground Dream Month

Hopefully everyone reading has heard about the massive six-disc box set reissue of the Velvet Underground's monumental first album, The Velvet Underground and Nico, which is arriving just before Halloween at the end of the month.  Here are the jaw-dropping specs for those who haven't already seen them:

Disc 1 - The Velvet Underground & Nico (stereo version newly remastered, plus alternate versions)
Disc 2 - The Velvet Underground & Nico (mono version newly remastered, plus singles)
Disc 3 - Nico: Chelsea Girl (newly remastered)
Disc 4 - Scepter Studios Sessions (previously released as a bootleg) and the Factory Rehearsals (January 3, 1966, previously unreleased)
Disc 5 - Live At Valleydale Ballroom, Columbus, Ohio, November 4, 1966 (previously unreleased)
Disc 6 - Live At Valleydale Ballroom, Columbus, Ohio, November 4, 1966 (previously unreleased)

While many of us have much of this material in bootleg form, finally having an official release of all this material in one place is really, really special.

There is also a box coming from Sundazed at the end of October entitled The Verve/MGM Albums and man does it look beautiful.  Here's a description from the press release for this vinyl collection:

"With tremendous pride, Sundazed presents The Velvet Underground: The MGM/Verve Albums. This beautiful, deluxe boxed set gathers the rare mono versions of the band s first three studio albums along with the superior mono version of Nico s Chelsea Girl and a definitive edition of the band s unfinished fourth album! Sourced from the original Verve/MGM analog reels and mastered by Bob Irwin, this collection is an essential purchase for the discerning vinyl devotee. For all tomorrow s parties, this is your soundtrack.
The ultimate collection of underground rock s big bang!
Includes the rare mono versions of the VU s first three albums, the superior mono version of Nico s Chelsea Girl (featuring Reed, Cale & Morrison) and a definitive edition of the band s unfinished fourth album!
Housed in a beautiful deluxe box with all original LP artwork along with two bonus poster inserts!
Introduction by Rolling Stone senior editor/MOJO contributor David Fricke.
Sourced from the original Verve/MGM analog reels and mastered by Bob Irwin."

As if these boxes weren't enough to have VU fans celebrating everywhere we also have a brand new studio album from John Cale entitled Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood.  While physical copies don't land until next week the full album is already streaming at Spotify and it is, not surprisingly, another wonderful and captivating work from the great Cale.  Here's the first video from the album:


Last but not least is the upcoming double-disc special edition of Nico's mesmerizing The End, one of the most haunting and brilliant albums of the seventies.  The original album, featuring everyone from Cale to Eno to Manzanera, is remastered and is joined by an bonus disc of previously unreleased material, including some sure to be mindblowing John Peel material.  Here is the full track listing for that second disc:

 1."Secret Side" (John Peel Session February 20, 1971)
 2."We've Got The Gold" (John Peel Session - 3rd December 3, 1974)
 3."Janitor of Lunacy" (John Peel Session - 3rd December 3, 1974)
 4."You Forget to Answer" (John Peel Session - 3rd December 3, 1974)
 5."The End" (John Peel Session - December 3, 1974)
 6."Secret Side" (Old Grey Whistle Test - February 7, 1975)
 7."Valley of the Kings" (Old Grey Whistle Test - February 7, 1975)
 8."Das Lied Der Deutschen June 1, 1974"
 9."The End" -(from June 1, 1974)