The Quietus - A new rock music and pop culture website

Baker's Dozen

No Definitive Version: Nate Young's Most Influential Records
Jennifer Lucy Allan , March 27th, 2019 08:51

Nate Young talks to Jennifer Lucy Allan about what made his music, from teenage revelations, learning when to press record, and roofing with Scott Asheton.

White_heat__1553625439_resize_460x400

Velvet Underground – White Light/White Heat
They were the first that really turned me on, it was played so often it became a cliché, and me and my friends swore off it in a way. It just became the quintessential thing, and after a while you don't listen to those, because they've influenced too much of what you're doing and what is going on, so you put it aside. White Light/White Heat changed my life – but you can't say that very often. You can say it once or twice, and after that it becomes old hat because they are so well known, but I still draw off those records, every single one of them.

When The Matrix Tapes came out I was so thrilled, those different versions of these classics was an affirmation as well, realising again that there is no real definitive version, that what we're hearing is just when record was being pressed. I loved that idea.