Loaded is the 4th studio album by The Velvet Underground and by many considered as their final release. Lou Reed left a few months prior to the release and Sterling Morrison and Maureen Tucker left the band before their 5th studio album Squeeze. It is recorded from April to August 1970 at the Atlantic studio in New York and released in the US 15 November 1970.

Apparently the final recordings of the album came to some conflicts between Lou Reed and the other members, mainly Yule. Lou Reed did not participate in the final cuts, and he was unsatisfied with a decision of shorten Sweet Jane with a versus. Later versions of the vinyl albums are in full length and therefore 50 seconds longer. Reed was also unsatisfied with himself not being credited properly, which is also changed on later repress.

The album was released in various pressings in 1970, and some of them significant more interesting for collectors than others. The most wanted according to Discogs the mono promo press which has a price around 400 dollars. None is for sale on Discogs at the moment though. I only have a later repress myself, beside the super hit Sweet Jane I don’t find the album that interesting. Not compared with the “Banana record” which is my absolute favorite Velvet Underground pressing.

Lou Reed – vocals, rhythm guitar, piano
Doug Yule – bass guitar, piano, organ, lead guitar, acoustic guitar, drums, percussion, backing vocals,
Sterling Morrison – lead and rhythm guitars, backing vocals
Maureen Tucker – drums

Additional musicians:
Adrian Barber – drums
Tommy Castagnaro – drums
Billy Yule – drums