By
Doug Poe
Submitted On February 05, 2016
Just around fifty years ago, Andy Warhol abandoned the canvas,
the screen, and the other artistic pursuits that had consumed him all of
his life. Instead, he turned toward vinyl, where he oversaw the band
called Velvet Underground. The group immediately began recording its
first album in 1966, even though it would not be officially released
until March of the following year.
Several facts about the debut album called The Velvet Underground and Nico have given it iconic status in the rock world. For one, Warhol himself designed the banana centered album cover, an art work typical of the artist famous for portraits of Campbell's Soup cans.
More important, the album spawned several songs that have endured fir half of a century. "Heroin" and "Waiting for the Man" are two of the most well-known of the tracks.
Perhaps the most unappreciated characteristic of the album is the fact that it was completed by a band comprised of both American and British members. Most groups at that time featured all American members or all British members, a homogenous trend that is still the norm in the music business.
The Velvet Underground was founded by Brooklyn born guitarist Lou Reed and Welsh multi-instrumentalist John Cale. Another New Yorker, Sterling Morrison joined the group, which became a quartet with the addition of Angus McLise from Connecticut. For the first album, the band added German-born vocalist Nico, who contributed three songs to the debut.
Since then, ensembles mixing British and American artists have been rare. Nevertheless, the few that have formed did so with great success, and here are ten of those collaborations between British and American artists.
Traveling Wilburys
This supergroup was a quintet of Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, including a member from The Beatles. George Harrison and Jeff Lynne were the two Brits among the Wilburys, while Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Roy Orbison gave the band its Americanism.
Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
The Beatles bassist had already topped the charts with an American artist, when he and Stevie Wonder partnered up to record "Ebony and Ivory." One album later, Sir Paul teamed with Chicagoan Michael Jackson to record the smash single "Say Say Say."
Elvis Costello and Darryl Hall
Before Costello found success with Kansas City composer Burt Bacharach, he reached the Top Ten on a duet with Darryl Hall. The song, titled "The Only Flame in Town," came from the Hall-produced album Goodbye Cruel World.
Johnny Marr and Modest Mouse
Marr gained fame as guitarist of the British band the Smiths, a band he founded with fellow Brit Morrissey. After their demise, however, Marr helped propel the Portland based indie rockers who rose to prominence with the breakthrough album Good News for People Who Love Bad News.
Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale
Slowhand partnered with the Oklahoma City blues rocker to record the 2006 album, The Road to Escondido.
John Lennon and Harry Nilsson
The two became notorious drinking buddies, but they did manage to produce one of Nilsson's finest albums. The songs on Pussycats rank right up there with bigger hits such as ""Without You" and "Everybody's Talking."
The Monkees
The quartet was assembled for a TV show, but their music is still cherished fifty years since. Vocalist Davy Jones was the lone Brit, recording along side Michael Nesmith, Mickey Dolenz and Peter Tork.
Fleetwood Mac
Originally a British blues band formed by Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, they adopted a more pop-rock sound once Americans Lindsay Buckingam and Stevie Nicks joined for Rumours and its self-titled predecessor.
The Pretenders
Chrissy Hynde is from Akron, Ohio, and she joined with Brits Pete Farndon, James Honeyman-Scott and Martin Chambers to form one of the most enduring alternative bands of the Eighties New Wave.
Robert Plant and Allison Krause
Led Zeppelin's vocalist would have seemed out of place during the band's seventies heyday were to take the stage with the modern Queen of Bluegrass. Thirty years later, though, they formed a highly successful partnership.
Several facts about the debut album called The Velvet Underground and Nico have given it iconic status in the rock world. For one, Warhol himself designed the banana centered album cover, an art work typical of the artist famous for portraits of Campbell's Soup cans.
More important, the album spawned several songs that have endured fir half of a century. "Heroin" and "Waiting for the Man" are two of the most well-known of the tracks.
Perhaps the most unappreciated characteristic of the album is the fact that it was completed by a band comprised of both American and British members. Most groups at that time featured all American members or all British members, a homogenous trend that is still the norm in the music business.
The Velvet Underground was founded by Brooklyn born guitarist Lou Reed and Welsh multi-instrumentalist John Cale. Another New Yorker, Sterling Morrison joined the group, which became a quartet with the addition of Angus McLise from Connecticut. For the first album, the band added German-born vocalist Nico, who contributed three songs to the debut.
Since then, ensembles mixing British and American artists have been rare. Nevertheless, the few that have formed did so with great success, and here are ten of those collaborations between British and American artists.
Traveling Wilburys
This supergroup was a quintet of Rock and Roll Hall of Famers, including a member from The Beatles. George Harrison and Jeff Lynne were the two Brits among the Wilburys, while Bob Dylan, Tom Petty and Roy Orbison gave the band its Americanism.
Paul McCartney and Michael Jackson
The Beatles bassist had already topped the charts with an American artist, when he and Stevie Wonder partnered up to record "Ebony and Ivory." One album later, Sir Paul teamed with Chicagoan Michael Jackson to record the smash single "Say Say Say."
Elvis Costello and Darryl Hall
Before Costello found success with Kansas City composer Burt Bacharach, he reached the Top Ten on a duet with Darryl Hall. The song, titled "The Only Flame in Town," came from the Hall-produced album Goodbye Cruel World.
Johnny Marr and Modest Mouse
Marr gained fame as guitarist of the British band the Smiths, a band he founded with fellow Brit Morrissey. After their demise, however, Marr helped propel the Portland based indie rockers who rose to prominence with the breakthrough album Good News for People Who Love Bad News.
Eric Clapton and J.J. Cale
Slowhand partnered with the Oklahoma City blues rocker to record the 2006 album, The Road to Escondido.
John Lennon and Harry Nilsson
The two became notorious drinking buddies, but they did manage to produce one of Nilsson's finest albums. The songs on Pussycats rank right up there with bigger hits such as ""Without You" and "Everybody's Talking."
The Monkees
The quartet was assembled for a TV show, but their music is still cherished fifty years since. Vocalist Davy Jones was the lone Brit, recording along side Michael Nesmith, Mickey Dolenz and Peter Tork.
Fleetwood Mac
Originally a British blues band formed by Mick Fleetwood and John McVie, they adopted a more pop-rock sound once Americans Lindsay Buckingam and Stevie Nicks joined for Rumours and its self-titled predecessor.
The Pretenders
Chrissy Hynde is from Akron, Ohio, and she joined with Brits Pete Farndon, James Honeyman-Scott and Martin Chambers to form one of the most enduring alternative bands of the Eighties New Wave.
Robert Plant and Allison Krause
Led Zeppelin's vocalist would have seemed out of place during the band's seventies heyday were to take the stage with the modern Queen of Bluegrass. Thirty years later, though, they formed a highly successful partnership.
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