THE VELVET UNDERGROUND & NICO released their self-titled debut album 58 years ago today. Did you already know these facts?

The Velvet Underground’s debut album “The Velvet Underground & Nico” with the iconic cover image was released on March 12, 1967. Even 58 years later, this album continues to influence a wide variety of artists and has a firm place in rock music history. Did you already know these 5 facts?

★ The album was recorded in 1966, when the band was presented as part of Andy Warhol’s “Exploding Plastic Inevitable” tour.

★ Lyrically, drug abuse, prostitution, sadomasochism and urban life are explicitly sung about.

★ Lou Reed, who wrote the majority of the texts, did not intend to shock, but rather – after all, he had studied English – incorporated themes from his favorite poets such as Raymond Chandler, William S. Burroughs and Allen Ginsberg.

★ Nico, a model and singer, took on the lead vocals in “Femme Fatale”, “All Tomorrow’s Parties” and “I’ll Be Your Mirror”.

★ The album cover shows Andy Warhol’spicture of a banana. Early copies had a sticker that you were supposed to peel off (“peel slowly and see”), revealing a flesh-colored banana underneath.