RICHIE UNTERBERGER – Do What You Fear Most: The History of the Velvet Underground

RELEASE YEAR: 2026
BAND URL: https://omnibuspress.com/products/do-what-you-fear-most

Do What You Fear Most: The History of the Velvet Underground is undoubtedly the most comprehensive study of one of the most fascinating and mythic acts of all time, and to many rock music obsessives out there it will turn out to be one of the year’s most important books.  

The impeccable research that underpins every page and the level of detail uncovered by author Richie Unterberger are outright staggering and utterly impressive, and for the most part, it makes for a riveting read. Everything is neatly organized and arranged, which generally works in its favor in that there is an overwhelming amount of documentation and insights to absorb and make sense of throughout, but the slightly rigid structure and presentation do occasionally veer towards the repetitive and predictably patterned, which is to say that while Do What You Fear Most is exhaustive in terms of details and information, it does run the risk of being an exhaustive read in places, too. The formative years of all the key players, all known live performances, the writing of the songs, the ambiguous nature of the words and lyrics, the recording sessions, the rehearsals, the interviews, the TV performances, the parties, the drugs, the merits as well as the highs and lows of each line-up, the weakening of bonds between various members, the dramatic exits, the curious relationship between the Velvet Underground and Andy Warhol, and obviously, the greatness and pioneering spirit of the music itself – all these aspects are examined in minute detail. Each known note captured for posterity in whatever shape or form you can think of is touched on, and the phrase “placing things and events in their correct historical context” looms large here. One can only imagine how painstaking and time-consuming the unearthing of this treasure trove of facts pertaining to the band’s hallowed body of work must have been for Unterberger, but such is the amount of discipline on which every paragraph seems to rest. More than anything though, the book does a sterling job of debunking the infinite number of myths and rumors that surround the ensemble and it does so in a clear, concise, and conclusive manner. There are times when Unterberger’s words penetrate to the very root causes of what made the Velvet Underground so alluring, dangerous, and addictive – almost as if a convoluted mystery is being solved right in front of one’s eyes, which is where the skillful writing and its evocative quality truly shines and sparkles.

In many ways, this is the widescreen-sized tome that fans and devoted adherents of Lou Reed, John Cale, Nico, Doug Yule, Sterling Morrison, Moe Tucker and so on deserve as there is simply no other written piece on the fabled group and its labyrinthine history that succeeds in untangling the chaotic web of lies and hearsay and making it somewhat digestible. When it serves up as many revelations and moments of true wonder as it does, one can but admire and recommend it. Having said that, one could argue that it will primarily appeal to die-hard champions and connoisseurs of the Velvets rather than the more casual fans and listeners out there. It is indeed an epic piece of work and at 816 pages long it ought to keep you out of trouble for at least a week.