[If Andy] Warhol's paintings and films were merely reflecting the commercial day to day existence of Twentieth Century America then the Velvets' achievements were more specific still. They were holding up an auditory mirror of middle-Sixties New York with its suicides and addictions, its downer trips, loneliness and utter joylessness.

And like any well-conceived horror film, the Velvet Underground had a sick attraction all their own—that gory magnetism that draws passers-by to the sites of road accidents.

Of course, as part of his Disaster series of paintings, Warhol had exhibited grim blow-ups of horrific car crash photos. In their own way, the Velvets did the same thing, exploiting the sordid side of human nature….

[Following] the release of "The Velvet Underground And Nico," the great record buying public became fascinated by songs like "Waiting For The Man" and "Heroin."

The issue that caught the attention was the...