Carter Burwell, Brian Eno, Shudder to Think, Placebo, The Venus in Fur, Wylde Ratttz, Grant Lee Buffalo, Pulp, Roxy Music, Teenage Fanclub & Donna Matthews - Velvet Goldmine: A film by Todd Haynes: Music From The Original Motion Picture

Director Todd Haynes's celebration of the sex, drugs, and rock & roll of the British glam era of the early '70s, Velvet Goldmine, would be nothing without the music that inspired it. A few unusual absentees (no Bowie, Iggy Pop, or New York Dolls?), but folks such as Brian Eno, Roxy Music, Lou Reed, and T-Rex are represented. Several covers from the glam era are performed without much deviation by two supergroups: the Venus in Furs, featuring members of England's elite--Bernard Butler, and Thom Yorke of Radiohead; and Wylde Ratz, featuring Mark Arm of Mudhoney, Ron Asheton of the original Stooges, and Thurston Moore and Steve Shelley of Sonic Youth. Strongest are the originals submitted to the film: Shudder to Think tame their own experimental excesses to put forth two glam-worthy originals with "Hot One" and "Ballad of Maxwell Demon." Pulp deliver "We Are the Boys," which runs amuck with the dramatic stagepower of the finest glam. --Rob O'Connor Amazon.com essential recording

I still love these songs!

I grew up listening to and loving David Bowie, Roxy Music, T Rex, etc. If you liked it then, you'll love it now!! This movie and CD will take you right back to the good-old days of glam rock, multi-colored platform boots, shag haircuts, and tons of glittering make-up. The one problem is that you'll want to time-travel back to the 70's. October 6, 2008

A Cosmic Aural Orgasm!

I fell in love with Velvet Goldmine the very first time I saw it - in large part thanks to this soundtrack. But when you look at the roster of names involved with this project - Michael Stipe, Brian Eno, Thurston Moore, Placebo, Thom Yorke of Radiohead - it should come as no surprise -greatness begets greatness!

There are really no weak songs on this soundtrack. Needle in the Camel's Eye is simply infectious - this song - which opens the movie - was as subtle as a slap in the face and immediately grabbed my attention. The closing song - Steve Harley's Make Me Smile - conveys the sheer joy and passion music can provide. And all of the songs in between are even better.

We are treated to some of the biggest names from the era including Roxy Music (the exuberance of Virginia Plain), T-Rex (a dreamy Diamond Meadows) and the genius that is Lou Reed (Satellite Of Love) - a song that even my six year old niece adores singing. She knows this whole soundtrack by heart!

I grew up listening to Lou Reed and the Velvet Underground, Iggy and the Stooges and Bowie thanks to my older cousins. But I might have never listened to Roxy Music or T-Rex if it wasn't for this album. If you like the songs on this album - you'll probably love a lot of their music.

However, in my opinion, the two best songs on this album - hands down - are Ladytron - performed by The Venus in Furs - a sort of supergroup fronted by Thom Yorke and 20th Century Boy - covered by the brilliant juggernaut that is Placebo.

Ladytron is just a gorgeous number - a swoony almost psychedlic tune and Thom Yorke's voice is incredible as always as he sings - I use you, and I confuse you...

As for 20th Century Boy - this song isn't just the highlight of the soundtrack - it's also one of the highlights of the whole movie. Brian Molko's stage presence is phenomenal and whether you are listening to this song on CD or watching him perform it live in the movie - he sells this song completely with a sexy swagger to his singing.

Molko has frequently been called a ladyboy - and he possesses a physique that can only be described as petite - but believe me - listen to him perform this song once - watch him live in the movie - this ladyboy has got more cajones than most singers twice his size! And if you like this song - you should definitely check out the rest of Placebo's music. They are one of the most under appreciated and under rated bands in the world today.

Rounding out the soundtrack, Ewan McGregor channels Iggy Pop in T.V. Eye, and Jonathan Rhys Meyers proves that being a world class wanker doesn't prevent him from also being a fantastic singer. Rhys Meyers has a lovely voice and range which he utilizes briliantly in the songs Tumbling Down and Baby's On Fire.

The rest of the songs including Hot One, Ballad of Maxwell Demon, The Whole Shebang, 2HB, Personality Crisis, Bitter-Sweet, and We Are The Boys by Pulp are all solid numbers, sonically capturing the whole mood of that era in music. As I said, there are really NO weak songs on this soundtrack.

The only thing I was disappointed about was that they left out a couple other really good songs - Rhys Meyers lovely rendition of Sebastian - which is a shame - because he sings it beautifully - and Gary Glitter's uber cheezy/sleazy number Do You Wanna Touch Me?

This album is definitely worth every cent and it's one you will never grow tired of listening too. A must have for any person who has a genuine passion and appreciation for good music! April 17, 2007

a wondrous album

this is the soundtrack that led me into the wonderful world of glam rock! it is outstanding and i could just play it again and again.... it is certainly one of the most brilliant albums out there and probably my favourite soundtrack of all time.

August 20, 2006

The best soundtrack album EVER - even if Bowie wasn't involved

Simply, this is the BEST soundtrack CD ever recorded, bar none, hands down, no contest. Why? On first...or millionth...listen, the entire album captures the film, the world, the era, the style, and the sound expertly, effortlessly - but it's not just an empty gesture or a slick impersonation, VG amplifies and expands the authentic glam vision to create something somehow more glam, deeper, more intense, more addictive, sexy, heartbreaking, uplifting, even dangerous - once you see the movie, and once you hear these songs, you'll play them over & over, come back to them year after year, and they'll become the fabric of your own life - or your imagined life, past, present, future, or even a fond, faded memory of what never was. The most jaw-dropping achievement of the album, aside from impeccable taste (Eno, Roxy Music, Lou Reed, T Rex, anyone?) is that since Todd Haynes didn't get permission from Bowie to use his own music, he went out and recruited the coolest rock icons and upstars to create songs that amazingly feel like they are long-lost nuggets circa 72/73, but were really made in 99 - it's not just playing dress up, it's redefining a whole musical and cultural era. This is Haynes' BEST film, and this is the BEST soundtrack. Sadly, as usual, the movie was a flop upon its original theatrical release - I recall going to see if on a rainy Saturday matinee on its first-weekend release, and there were only two people in the theater, me and the usher. No matter, this album is a real achievement, never to be repeated again, so savor it now. August 12, 2006

Wow! I mean just wow!

Even if you don't want to watch the movie (and why wouldn't you) you have to buy this soundtrack. This is the soundtrack that proves that other soundtracks are merely prepackaged garbage. No soundtrack so captures an era and a mood as completely as this one (ok there's also the 24 Hour Party People soundtrack but that's IT!)

These songs are riveting, amazing, great. Twentieth Century Boy is worth the price alone. I want to find every version of this song (I heard a version in the Truman Show as well - a 50s rockabilly version) and play them on repeat. The movie did such a great job of capturing the 70s versions of Bowie and Iggy Pop, it'd almost be blasphemous for the soundtrack to fizzle. It doesn't fizzle. This is the CD that you wish Bowie would have put out (he's done great songs but he's also done mediocre ones) and this is the CD that you can play loud and play on repeat.

There's really not much more to say about it but the gushing joy of a fan. December 18, 2005

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