Moe Tucker (Velvet Underground) spearedpeanut.com
In the mid-sixties, Long Island native Maureen “Moe” Tucker replaced Angus MacLise as the drummer in the fledgling Velvet Underground. With a beat-up four-piece drum kit and minimalist aesthetic, Moe brought an important like-mindedness to the VU. She shared, among other things, a disdain for hippiedom and a hatred for high hats. Her distinct, cymbal-less drumming style propelled the Velvets’ abrasive three-chord rockers, and anchored the band’s free-form sonic mayhem.

The Velvet Underground’s 1967 ‘White Light/White Heat’ title track from the album, played against the 1966 “A Symphony Of Sound” Factory rehearsal footage.

“This is going to sound like a cop-out,” she laughed. “But at first I didn’t have a clue what Lou was singing about. They played so loud, there were no monitors and I couldn’t hear shit. A couple of years ago I was up in New York and we were having a meal, and for some reason it came up. Lou said, ‘You know, I always wondered. How did you know when to stop playing?’ Because he knew it was all so loud. I told him, ‘I used to watch your mouth, never take my eyes off it.’ When his mouth stopped moving, I figured he’d stopped singing and hope that was the end of the song and stop playing myself.’ He seemed kinda shocked, but that’s what I did. What the hell, it seemed to work.” Moe Tucker – uncut mag (UK)