Foxygen "No Destruction"

Several years ago, while doing a periodic look at the gaps in some of our "library" stuff, we decided to put a couple of Velvet Underground songs into rotation at MVY.

Of course, we'd had a number of Lou Reed songs in rotation for years, including his more contemporary work.  (His visit to the station in the 90s is a great slice of MVY lore).  But adding Velvet Underground served the dual purpose of beefing up our representation of the late 60s and 70s without resorting to any worn-out classic rock, and it was an important nod to some of the roots of what MVY is.

We've always prided ourselves on playing bands that no one else plays, or songs that no one else plays.  And in particular, we want to show the blueprint.

There's a reason we play a lot of Bob Dylan.  It's because his stamp is directly on many, many of the artists and songs that followed, and that we play today.

And that was part of the reason I felt strongly that we should include some Velvet Underground tracks.

Last week, I heard "Pale Blues Eyes" on the station, and I had this thought:  Where are the Velvet Underground influenced bands?

I mean, there are guys out there who are cribbing straight from Dylan (Jake Bugg, Tallest Man On Earth).  There are bands who are direct descendents of R.E.M. and Talking Heads (Decemberists and Bell X1).  And folks drawing influence straight from The Grateful Dead ("Queen Of California" and The Chris Robinson Brotherhood's "Rosalee").

To be sure, The Velvet Underground's influence is within many, many current bands.  But its an influence that's two or three steps removed.

Not long after having this thought, I heard Foxygen's "No Destruction."  And there it is.

Straight out of the Lou Reed school of vocal delivery, complete with New York City images, here's a band that directly references The Velvet Underground, instead doing it of by way of R.E.M. or Talking Heads or any other Lou Reed/VU acolytes.

What do you think?  Does this track have a place on MVY?


Hear the song on Youtube.