The 1969 Classic ‘The Velvet Underground’ Joins The Vinylphyle Series
The AAA pressing uses Lou Reed’s original ‘Closet Mix’ stereo master and arrives on 180-gram black vinyl.
The Velvet Underground’s 1969 self-titled album is the latest release in UMe’s Vinylphyle series, with a new premium vinyl edition available to order exclusively through uDiscover Music. The AAA edition of The Velvet Underground was cut by Joe Nino-Hernes from the 1969 “Closet Mix” stereo album master and is pressed on 180-gram black vinyl at RTI. Lou Reed’s original “Closet Mix” appeared on the earliest pressings of the album when it was first released in 1969.
The new pressing comes in a tip-on gatefold jacket and includes a four-panel insert featuring scans of the source tapes. Four-time Grammy nominee and author Scott B. Bomar has also contributed newly commissioned liner notes for the release.
Originally released in 1969, The Velvet Underground was the band’s third studio album and followed 1968’s White Light/White Heat. The record marked a shift toward more restrained arrangements and put greater emphasis on Reed’s songwriting, with tracks including “Candy Says” and “Pale Blue Eyes.” It was also the group’s first album after the departure of co-founder John Cale, with Doug Yule joining Reed, Sterling Morrison, and Maureen Tucker. The band followed the album with Loaded in 1970, which included “Sweet Jane” and “Rock & Roll.”
The new edition follows The Velvet Underground’s first appearance in the Vinylphyle series in November 2025, when The Velvet Underground & Nico was among the four albums that launched the UMe reissue program. Other recent Vinylphyle releases include Bee Gees Children of the World, Frank Sinatra’s Sinatra at the Sands 60th Anniversary, and The Allman Brothers Band’s At Fillmore East.
Shop the Vinylphyle edition of The Velvet Underground’s selt-titled album here.
