Victor Bockris - Uptight: The Velvet Underground Story

We would like to specially acknowledge the contributions of the following people: Philip Milstein was President of The Velvet Underground Appreciation Society when we began writing this book and his untiring and generous assistance helped us more than any other single factor. He gave us free access to his archives, allowed us to quote at will from his magazine and gave his time to advise us throughout the project. He also read and criticized the finished manuscript. Phil is no longer publishing his excellent magazine What Goes On, The Velvet Underground Appreciation Societys newsletter which he issued three times. He is now in a band tentatively called Disneyland. Sterling Morrison contributed his archives and advice throughout the project and read the manuscript for accuracy as well as contributing the introduction. We could not have written this book without his aid. Andy Warhol kindly allowed us to quote from his book POPism, which covers the Sixties and his collaboration with The Velvet Underground extensively. Most Warhol quotes come from this source. Nigel Trevenas pioneering book on The Velvet Underground was an invaluable aid to us at the beginning of this project. We salute him for his groundbreaking research. Nat Finkelstein returned to New York in the middle of the project and assisted us with his vitality and visual memory. Price Abbott supported our efforts with her constant care and presence. We thank her for her great meals, encouragement and patience. Miles contributed throughout with his encouragement and clarity. His was the third mind on this project. Allen Ginsberg blessed us. Danny Fields, Maureen Tucker, Henry Geldzahler, Billy Linich, Tony Conrad, Al Aronowitz, John Wilcock, Betsey Johnson, Ed Sanders, Wayne Kramer, Chris Stein, Debbie Harry, Jonathan Richman, Jim Condon, Pinkie Black, Allen Reuben, Leslie Goldman, Karen Rose, Paul Bang, Ralph Perri, Fayette Hickox, Jed Horne, Steven Sesnick and Mark Saunders were most helpful. We thank them all for their time and memories.

In our research on this book we have drawn on interviews with or about The Velvet Underground by Jim Condon, Allan Richards, Nigel Trevena, John Wilcock, Glenn OBrien, Mary Harron, Philip Milstein, Lester Bangs, Lenny Kaye, Richard Goldstein, Nat Finkelstein, Giovanni Dadomo and Jean Stein. We acknowledge and thank these pioneers for their reports which were published in the following magazines: What Goes On, Little Caesar, High Times, New Musical Express, Melody Maker, Sounds, Record Mirror, Trouser Press, New York Rocker, and from the following books: POPism by Andy Warhol (New York, 1980), Edie by Jean Stein, edited with George Plimpton (New York, 1982), The Sex Life and Autobiography of Andy Warhol by John Wilcock (New York, 1971), and No One Waved Goodbye (London, 1974).

The update section of this edition of Uptight draws on interviews by the following: David Fricke (Rolling Stone), Lisa Robinson (New York Post), Roger Morton (NME), Adam McGovern (Cover), Jon Pareles (New York Times) and Matt Snow (Vox).

The discography for this edition was compiled by Peter Doggett in 2001.