Customer Reviews

Velvet Goldmine: Music From The Original Motion Picture

5 star:		(79)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

We live in fictitious times where fictitious bands release fictitious albums. The movie VELVET GOLDMINE told the story of made-up rock stars, based in no small part upon the real lives of some of the more notable glam rockers of the late-60s and early-70s. The soundtrack therefore is split between fiction and reality (or as close to reality that glam got, which, to be honest, isn't that close). Many of the songs are taken from that era of rock, while the rest are modern (1998) recordings of both cover versions of songs from that time as well as recent writings done in that style.

This is one of my favorite albums, and I say that as a casual fan of both the original era and of the bands today that are heavily influenced by that musical genre. It's not meant to be a beginner's course in glam music, but it serves that purpose well anyway. We've got the dreamy, atmospheric, pretentious songs, the fast rockers, the goofy songs about spaceships, etc. This is great campy, fun music, and it's, as the CD case states "to be played at maximum volume". The modern recreations of the glam style are done extremely well. Since most of the bands were already heavily drinkers at the well of neo-glam (Pulp, that's you), presumably performing these songs weren't a stretch for them at all.

A lot of famous names from today's music scene pop up in the credits for this album. Thom York, better known as the little guy from Radiohead, sings on a few of the tracks performed by the Venus In Furs (one of the movie's fake bands; the name taken from The Velvet Underground song). And R.E.M. lead singer Michael Stipe is listed as producer.

An album that can be listened to all the way through without skipping substandard tracks is a rare thing indeed. What an album like that is also a soundtrack, it's almost a miracle. While this is a great overall CD, I will admit to fondness for some songs over others. A few times while driving home from work, I've repeated listening to Steve Harley's "Make Me Smile (Come Up And See Me)" more times than is probably healthy and enough times that I would have received very odd looks had my fellow commuters been able to hear what I was up to.

Whether you're a fan of glam, or someone who would like to be, I think this is a great place to start. While the lack of any appearances by David Bowie himself does mean that the album lacks a major foundation in glam's short history (apparently he was planning his own semi-biographical film and wanted to focus on that instead), what's actually here is fantastic. Any album with Lou Reed's goofily surreal "Satellite of Love" on it is worth having, and I can recommend this to almost any rock fan who doesn't take music too seriously.

I don't have the time right now for a real wordy review, but I have to say that this is the most infectious, authentic and 'accurate to the genre' soundtrack ever made! The original numbers like "HOT ONE", "BALLAD OF MAXWELL DEMON", "THE WHOLE SHEBANG" and "WE ARE THE BOYS" have all the charisma and sleezy sweet melody of original 72/73 era glam rock. I'm also extremely impressed with the excitingly fresh cover versions of the ROXY MUSIC, STOOGES, T.REX and ENO tracks; a fantastic job by SHUDDER TO THINK, PLACEBO, WYLDE RATTTZ* and THE VENUS IN FURS( with surprisingly good vocals from actors Ewan McGregor(in the Iggy role, with Wylde Ratttz) and Jonathan Rhys Meyers(in the Bowie role, with The Venus In Furs.) The soundtrack is also dosed with great originals like ENO's "Needle In The Camel's Eye", ROXY MUSIC'S "Virginia Plain", LOU REED'S "Satellite Of Love", T.REX's "Diamond Meadows" and also, an excellent finish with the happily rousing "Make Me Smile (Come Up and See Me)" by Steve Harley. It puts a smile on your face after hearing great dark tracks like "BABY'S ON FIRE."

To Tracy, also from NJ(a couple of reviews below), BOWIE is my favorite too, a major rock hero of mine since the age of 6 in 1972. Wow, was it fun to live through all the great ch-ch changes as a young rock fan; to me, the ultimate rock star! It IS a shame that Bowie wasn't more involved in The VELVET GOLDMINE soundtrack (I mean at least get Bowie's Ziggy era track, "VELVET GOLDMINE" in there right?!?) but the fact is, Bowie didn't want to be involved in the soundtrack or the movie for basically, two reasons.. ONE: He felt that there were a good number of inaccuracies in the story and too much of an overblown fantasy to it. TWO: He's working on his own true and accurate ZIGGY STARDUST story to become a major motion picture, hopefully released in 2002(can't wait for that, huh?!) However, this soundtrack works great, even without the inclusion of Bowie tracks. Come to think of it, Bowie is such a dominant force that it "may" have hindered the believability of the soundtrack somehow to have his songs within it.

Well, I guess I did have the time for a wordy review after all. I can't help it, this is the best soundtrack that I've ever owned! It grabs you at the beginning and doesn't let you go till the end, THE MARK OF A GREAT ALBUM!

I actually bought the soundtrack before I saw the film. I bought it on a whim last Easter, and I haven't stopped listening to it since. I have always loved Bowie-era 70's glam, but this album taught me that there are so many others out there! I love all the songs, especially the covers, so much so that I'm shopping for Brian Eno and Roxy Music albums for Christmas this year. Buy this even if you don't like the movie.

Whatever you think about the film, this is one of the finest soundtrack albums in recent history, being at once sumptuously listenable and extremely hip in a very odd way.

The unsung (sic) star of it is Thom Yorke, who lends his personal brand of quavery soul to no less than three Roxy Music songs: "Bitter-Sweet", "Ladytron" and the keynote "2 H.B.", the last one being one of the most important songs in the movie. Yorke does an extraordinary impersonation of a sort of younger, sweeter-voiced Bryan Ferry. Placebo do an amped-up rendition of "20th Century Boy" which effectively blows the original out of the water. The only vintage tracks on the album are Eno's "Needle in the Camel's Eye", Roxy's "Virginia Plain" and Steve Harley's "Make Me Smile", which are pretty workmanlike choices in that they all have important functions in the plot; but as for the other songs in the film, we could have used Eno's equally quirky "Dead Finks Don't Talk".

Bernard Butler makes a fair fist of the crazed guitar solo on "Baby's On Fire", but doesn't quite match the inspiration of Robert Fripp. The rest of the songs are well chosen to make an excellent album for a glam-themed party, as long as your partygoers are more interested in the artier side of glam as opposed to the mindless-trash aspect (there ain't no Slade, for example).

It's still the most impressive glam/art/rock compilation album you'll find in a day's march, with spunky work from Donna Matthews and highly commendable attempts at singing from Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Ewan McGregor. (Rhys Meyers sings "Baby's On Fire" arguably better than Eno sang the original version - but let's not get started on that.)

Hypnotic, sexy and noisy, this is as gloriously pretentious as the music that it celebrates. Thumbs up to all. Nice to see Mike Watt finally getting a chance to be almost famous, too.

If you've seen the movie you know what an integral part the music plays in the film. It is no wonder that the soundtrack is one of the best albums I've ever heard. It's the best compilation album from people who didn't exist (plus some from those who did).

I really wish they would come out with another soundtrack album because this album is missing a lot from the movie. Notably: Jonathan's recording of Sebastian from the concert and Ewan's cover of Iggy Pop's Gimme Danger. These recordings were of performances in the film that were vital to the plot and it is a shame they are not included on the album while other less important songs were. Also some of the old glam songs used in the film are missing from the soundtrack, including: Gary Glitter's Do You Want to Touch Me and Slade's Cuz I Love You. (I also want to know where to get that freaky, freaky song. I don't know where it's from.) As with any soundtrack album coming from a film with this much music in it not all of it could have been included on one album, I just wish they had released a second.

All in all, this is one of the best albums in my personal collection and should be in your's as well.

Music by and with Bernard Butler, Johnny Greenwood (Radiohead), Thom Yorke (Radiohead), Mike Watt, Brian Eno, Pulp, and a LOT more that I am not as familiar with.

I fell in love with Velvet Goldmine the very first time I saw it - in large part thanks to this soundtrack. But when you look at the roster of names involved with this project - Michael Stipe, Brian Eno, Thurston Moore, Placebo, Thom Yorke of Radiohead - it should come as no surprise -greatness begets greatness!

There are really no weak songs on this soundtrack. Needle in the Camel's Eye is simply infectious - this song - which opens the movie - was as subtle as a slap in the face and immediately grabbed my attention. The closing song - Steve Harley's Make Me Smile - conveys the sheer joy and passion music can provide. And all of the songs in between are even better.

We are treated to some of the biggest names from the era including Roxy Music (the exuberance of Virginia Plain), T-Rex (a dreamy Diamond Meadows) and the genius that is Lou Reed (Satellite Of Love) - a song that even my six year old niece adores singing. She knows this whole soundtrack by heart!

I grew up listening to Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground, Iggy and the Stooges and Bowie thanks to my older cousins. But I might have never listened to Roxy Music or T-Rex if it wasn't for this album. If you like the songs on this album - you'll probably love a lot of their music.

However, in my opinion, the two best songs on this album - hands down - are Ladytron - performed by The Venus in Furs - a sort of supergroup fronted by Thom Yorke and 20th Century Boy - covered by the brilliant juggernaut that is Placebo.

Ladytron is just a gorgeous number - a swoony almost psychedlic tune and Thom Yorke's voice is incredible as always as he sings - I use you, and I confuse you...

As for 20th Century Boy - this song isn't just the highlight of the soundtrack - it's also one of the highlights of the whole movie. Brian Molko's stage presence is phenomenal and whether you are listening to this song on CD or watching him perform it live in the movie - he sells this song completely with a sexy swagger to his singing.

Molko has frequently been called a ladyboy - and he possesses a physique that can only be described as petite - but believe me - listen to him perform this song once - watch him live in the movie - this ladyboy has got more cajones than most singers twice his size! And if you like this song - you should definitely check out the rest of Placebo's music. They are one of the most under appreciated and under rated bands in the world today.

Rounding out the soundtrack, Ewan McGregor channels Iggy Pop in T.V. Eye, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers proves that being a world class wanker doesn't prevent him from also being a fantastic singer. Rhys Meyers has a lovely voice and range which he utilizes briliantly in the songs Tumbling Down and Baby's On Fire.

The rest of the songs including Hot One, Ballad of Maxwell Demon, The Whole Shebang, 2HB, Personality Crisis, Bitter-Sweet, and We Are The Boys by Pulp are all solid numbers, sonically capturing the whole mood of that era in music. As I said, there are really NO weak songs on this soundtrack.

The only thing I was disappointed about was that they left out a couple other really good songs - Rhys Meyers lovely rendition of Sebastian - which is a shame - because he sings it beautifully - and Gary Glitter's uber cheezy/sleazy number Do You Wanna Touch Me?

This album is definitely worth every cent and it's one you will never grow tired of listening too. A must have for any person who has a genuine passion and appreciation for good music!

Simply, this is the BEST soundtrack CD ever recorded, bar none, hands down, no contest. Why? On first...or millionth...listen, the entire album captures the film, the world, the era, the style, and the sound expertly, effortlessly - but it's not just an empty gesture or a slick impersonation, VG amplifies and expands the authentic glam vision to create something somehow more glam, deeper, more intense, more addictive, sexy, heartbreaking, uplifting, even dangerous - once you see the movie, and once you hear these songs, you'll play them over & over, come back to them year after year, and they'll become the fabric of your own life - or your imagined life, past, present, future, or even a fond, faded memory of what never was. The most jaw-dropping achievement of the album, aside from impeccable taste (Eno, Roxy Music, Lou Reed, T Rex, anyone?) is that since Todd Haynes didn't get permission from Bowie to use his own music, he went out and recruited the coolest rock icons and upstars to create songs that amazingly feel like they are long-lost nuggets circa 72/73, but were really made in 99 - it's not just playing dress up, it's redefining a whole musical and cultural era. This is Haynes' BEST film, and this is the BEST soundtrack. Sadly, as usual, the movie was a flop upon its original theatrical release - I recall going to see if on a rainy Saturday matinee on its first-weekend release, and there were only two people in the theater, me and the usher. No matter, this album is a real achievement, never to be repeated again, so savor it now.

ahhh. the wonder of a great soundtrack. the, 'romeo and juliet,' soundtrack pulled it off, and so did the one from, 'great expectations.' but this one really takes the cake, offering us a mixture of classic songs, new songs, and classic songs covered by new bands.

the album starts of with the great brian eno song, 'needle in the camels eye,' but then goes into the lilting beauty of shudder to think's, 'hot one,' easily one of the best songs on the album. placebo really earn their glam rock points for a phenomenal cover to t-rex's, '20th century boy,' which could easily be compared with the original.

a very interesting thing that was done for this album, was that two new bands with all-star line-ups were made especially for the film. the venus in furs, which consists of members of radiohead and suede (who do great versions of roxy music songs), and the wylde rattz, which has thurston moore on guitar and ewan mcgregor on vocals (they do a cover of, 'tv eye,' by the stooges).

the rest of the album is great too. an original from pulp, a classic from lou reed (the schmaltzy yet endearing, 'satellite of love,') and great offering from teenage fanclub. the movie was great, but the soundtrack blows it away.

The soundtrack is missing quite a few of the songs that were in the movie but luckily I've managed to find them all except "Sebastian" sung by Jonathan Rhys Myers and "Unclean" song by Ewan McGregor. The Stooges got together to form the Wylde Ratts (seen as the Rats in the movie)and wrote T.V. Eye and Unclean. They recorded T.V. Eye with Iggy Pop (the Ewan McGregor version is on the soundtrack)later. Gimee Danger is also sung by Ewan on the cd but available with Iggy on vocals elsewhere. As far as I can tell, Unclean hasn't been recorded at all!! The 2 most notably missing songs would be by Marc Bolan and Gary Glitter as they highlight specific scenes in the movie, Cosmic Dancer and Do You Wanna Touch Me. You have to be careful if you use a program like Gracenote when downloading your cd's because there are 2 different versions out there. Placebo fans DON'T MISS their cover of 20th Century Boy.