All Tomorrow's Parties: the Velvet Underground Story

I whipped through a non-fiction graphic novel about the Velvet Underground called All Tomorrow's Parties: the Velvet Underground Story. The author is Koren Shadmi. The book came through my department at the library about a month ago and I thought it looked like a fun read, and it was. Nothing earth-shattering, but a breezy read. My only complaint--and this is a complaint I have with most books--is the editing and proofreading should have been better, I noticed several spelling errors and some minor factual inaccuracies. Otherwise, the book was well done. The illustrations of the VU and the other characters are generally accurate, though Lou Reed's appearance occasionally borders on caricature, with an abnormally high forehead and rectangular head. But these are minor quibbles. If you're a fan of the Velvet Underground, you'll be entertained by this book.

The book focuses on the contentious relationship between Lou Reed and John Cale, and doesn't cover much beyond the point at which Cale was kicked out of the VU by Lou Reed. The book is also smartly bookended by Andy Warhol's funeral, when Reed and Cale met again after being estranged for several years. Inspired by their grief over Warhol's death, Reed and Cale recorded the album Songs for Drella. As the book points out, the "creative differences" resurfaced after the recording of the album and a tour promoting Songs For Drella was scrapped. (A few years later, the VU briefly reformed and toured, but Reed and Cale were too much like oil and water at this point, so the reunion was short-lived).

So, once again, if you are a Velvet Undeground fan (or maybe even just an Andy Warhol fan) and want a quick, enjoyable read, pick this book up.