The Mavericks

As part of BBC Radio 6 Music Celebrates Lou Reed and The Velvet Underground, there's another chance to hear Mark Radcliffe assessment of the band whose first two albums are now recognised as among the most influential ever made, yet on first release in 1967 and 68, they reached the lofty positions of 171 and 199 in the US charts. Since then, their name has been dropped by every hip group from the Ramones to the Sex Pistols, the Jesus and Mary Chain to REM. Featuring contributions from the three surviving members of the original group - Lou Reed, John Cale and Maureen Tucker - plus biographer Victor Bockris, avant-garde composer La Monte Young and famous admirers.

Mark Radcliffe looks back at The Velvet Underground, the influential band led by Lou Reed.