I really enjoyed this kind of irreverent, slightly snarky look at the evolution (and devolution) of the Velvet Underground. I have no idea how correct any of the biographical info is, but it certainly feels right. The European art style helps tell the slightly ridiculous story (look at Lou's little legs!).

Recommended.

This was a quick and curious insight into the Velvet Underground (am I a philistine if I say I'd never really heard of them before this??).

It was informative and definitely sent me on a rabbit hole of wiki pages but as a story was not that enjoyable. The story was sort of disjointed and snappy in a way that made it slightly hard to follow and for me personally, the artwork wasn't enjoyable enough to make up for the less than stellar storyboarding. However, on some level, I do think it matched with the actual vibe of The Velvet Underground which wins it an extra star. Also, something about Steve Sesnick being drawn as a weird dino/lizard creature sat veryyy uncomfortably for me.

NOTE: I received a free preliminary, and likely unedited copy of this book from Netgalley for the purposes of providing an honest, unbiased review of the material. Thank you to all involved.

The Velvet Underground are one of those bands that ultimately influenced so many bands it’s hard to keep the list straight. The Sex Pistols, Joy Division, Nick Cave, or hell, the entirety of Goth music all owe a debt to them. I actually didn’t know too much about the humble beginnings of the band, or old incarnations of it, so this was definitely an interesting read. The book takes us from Lou Reed meeting John Cale, the falling out with the bands original drummer Angus, Them meeting Andy Warhol, and even the issues the band had with the inclusion of Nico as a second singer leading to Warhol being dropped. Every twist and turn is shown here until the band implodes in on itself.

“The Beach Boys and the Beatles are filling up the airwaves, but halfway between California and Liverpool, another band is putting together a sound that will change rock ‘n’ roll forever. Andy Warhol discovers the Velvet Underground in a little tourist bar in New York, and he soon becomes the producer for this group whose songs aren’t so much about girls and hot rods but shooting up, alternative lifestyles, and the melancholy after the party. It’s the late sixties, but not quite everything is flower power. The radio wants nothing to do with the Velvets, but the cool kids know who they are, and the enormous influence of this short-lived band has yet to abate.”

The relatively short, volatile, ride of the band has the potential be be a VERY dark story, but this graphic novel has taken a more humorous approach to the material. I know this style, including a near monochromatic color scheme with a dash of bright pink, might alienate some fans, but I enjoyed it. The tone of the book never really takes itself seriously, for better or for worse, and almost reads like those 60’s music films that bands like The Beatles did early on. I’m not sure everyone will like this, but I enjoyed it for what it was and learned about a band that I didn’t know much about aside from their music.

If you are interested in purchasing this book, please check on Amazon.

Everyone always speaks of the Velvet Underground in terms of how great Andy Warhol "made" them, but this graphic novel puts into perspective the reality of how the VU was created, and how their legacy unfolded. I have been listening to the VU since I was a teen, but I was unaware of their exact history, especially the names of other band members besides Lou Reed and Nico. If you want a quick memoir of this band, this is a great read!

Love the colors but not the artstyle. The shades of black, pink and white are an interesting way to tell the story. This graphic novel is about the formation and career of the rock band Velvet Underground. With Lou Reed when he came with the idea of the band, to the days when they were playing at the Factory of Andy Warhol.

The main story was a little overwhelming with a lot of text and information, making it more difficult to get into the book itself and plus, enjoy it. But this is great for all fans of music. To learn about one of the legends of rock.

I was given a copy through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.*

Oof this one is disappointing. I was expecting a dark history about the band and how Andy Warhol influenced them. I got a very light read that was trying to be funny. I didn't care for the writing or the art. I liked the pink color and that was about it. Go read the wikipedia page about The Velvet Underground and you'll get more detail and will be just as amused. There was no drama or high emotion and that is what bands from this age thrived on. This has a lot of potential but it didn't live up to it.

It's hard to say how I feel about this comic. I like that it was sort of like a biography/memior about a band. I never knew anything about The Velvet Underground til i read this graphic novel.

I didn't know anything about the band so this is an interesting and informative book! I also really liked the pink colouring across the illustrations.

"The Story of the Velvet Underground" by Prosperi Buri is exactly what it says; it's the story of the Velvet Underground from beginning to end. There was so much about this book that I really enjoyed. I thought the artist style was fantastic. Choosing to render this book in a classic 'Sunday Comics' kind of way added a depth to the story. The stylistic choice was strong and I really appreciated the limited colour palette of black, white, and pink. I also really appreciated that the cover was a nod their album "Loaded", I think that was really clever.

Overall, I enjoyed the pacing the novel. The use of quotes to break up chapters was a great idea. I think the author did a great job presenting the history of the VU and weaving in comedic moments both in the writing and the drawings. Some pages were heavier with words than other pages but I didn't find that I was bothered by that. It's a quick and interesting read. I will say that I don't think this book is the right fit for anyone who isn't a fan of the VU or is only kind of wanting to learn more about them. This read as a book that was made for VU fans and anyone who has prior knowledge of the history of music during the sixties and early seventies.

Thank you NetGalley and Europe Comics for this e-arc of "The Story of the Velvet Underground" in exchange for an honest review.

Tells the frustrating, strange story of the band's early years and breakup in a way that captures the forces that made it unique as well as what ultimately pulled them apart. However, the drawing style and plot communicate it in a way that keeps it from seeming too deranged or nonsensical.

Thank you to the publisher Europe Comics for the opportunity to review The Story Of The Velvet Underground.

This musical graphic novel documents the formation and journey of the rock band during the 1960s called The Velvet Underground in New York City and being managed by Andy Warhol, with various line-up changes and disputes. The art style is simple but heavy in the use of the colour pink. With simple writing, I was hoping to see some more detailed knowledge about the band and some of the processes behind their songwriting. There was a lot of drug use mentioned which I understand was typical of the time, yet, I found that to turn into a bit repetitive towards the end. Even with the short length, the pacing was slower going. Not a new favourite.

The Velvet Underground is a hard group to "like" beyond their music, but this graphic novel makes them all that more unappealing. The spare style requires readers to already know quite a bit about the group and its members, leaving those without that background knowledge either bored or confused.

The black, white, and pink art is really cool and adds a fun touch. It was a compelling story but a little bit all over the place and sadly it was kind of boring. Not what I was expecting for a book about rock n roll. I wanted to like it more.

Thank you Netgalley for letting me read this book in return for an honest review.

Rating: 1⭐

I found this really boring honestly and couldn't finish it. I really liked the one colour scheme throughout this but I wasn't a fan of the art throughout what I read and the plot was dull which I didn't expect considering it is about a rock band.

Would I Read It Again? No
Would I Recommend it? No

This graphic novel done in shades of black, white and pink tells the story of the formation and career of the rock band Velvet Underground. It follows Lou Reed from before he was in the band, to the days when the band was playing a tourist bar in NY, to their days at the Factory with Andy Warhol. This book gives an inside look at the making of the band. I just found it to be a little bit too much information and it could have used a little more editing in my opinion.

This is weirdly enjoyable if you accept the concept of the Velvet Underground being drawn in a style that vaguley reminded me of the Smurfs. The limited colour palette ( pink is the only actual colour used) is a little strange considering the dark, near-gothic image of the band themselves but for what it is, i.e. a very short history of a seminal rock band done in cartoon form, it does actually work..

As someone who loves music and who was raised listening to many of the greats of Rock & Roll, I've always known the name of the Velvet Underground. But despite this I never had taken the time to learn more about the band and their history, so this graphic novel was perfect for me. I always like learning things about History through the lense of comics, and this was no exception. This is perfect for all fans of music in my opinion! Learn about one of the legends of rock !

This was a compelling and thoroughly enjoyable read from start to finish with plenty of insight into a fascinating topic written in an accessible and eminently readable fashion. Not only it insightful and educational but it's also entertaining to read; the best of both worlds. What more could you ask for?

When I volunteered to read this book, I did not know that I needed content warning. I believe that one may infer that it contains drug abuse considering it is set on the sixties. However, I was uncomfortable with that and I am unfortunately not finishing this book. Though it is a graphic novel and could be probably finished quickly.
I liked the color palette and idea in general but not enough to finish it. I thought it would be something entirely different from what it was. But I blame it on my ignorance of American history and not on the book.

I was definitely very excited to read this book. The story line seemed just my cup of tea, rock music, the 60s, California... And I really did enjoy some aspects of it, specifically the illustrations. I loved the pink color scheme. However the plot just wasn't what I expected. It was a bit boring, and very confusing to understand. Although this is mainly due to the plot, the organization of the book also played a huge part in it. I had to scroll in specific ways and reread multiple times to understand most pages.
Having this in mind, I still recommend the book to anyone interested in rock music.