Why they didn't just pack it together as one double CD is beyond me, as the original record was all one set. This just means I have to write two ***** reviews instead of one. But yes, Volume 2 is just as good as Volume 1, and they both are classics. In fact, I like a lot of the songs on this one ("Herion", "Sweet Bonnie Brown", "Pale Blue Eyes", "White Light/White Heat") better than the originals. In the case of "White Light...", it's probably because you get a longer version of a good thing.

This makes it the rarest of live albums, in that the material here is at least as good or better than the original. I also like that you can hear the band really get down and rock on a few numbers, just to show they are a ROCK band, and not the toys of the art crowd.

I thank those who released this, as it was a very hard to find work for awhile.

Volume 2 picks up where the first one leaves off, opening with a ten minute version of OCEAN, complete with Crashing waves of cymbals. This also has rare gems you cant find anywhere else like the short but sweet OVER YOU, and the 50's rockabilly, speed freak sounding combo of SWEET BONNIE BROWN/IT'S JUST TOO MUCH.

Then there is the extended noise drone of WHITE LIGHT/WHITE HEAT.

Just more evidence that the VU were a real loose dirty rock band who were more at home playing in dive bars than the early Warhol era trendy art crowd.

This was where I first heard "Ocean"-- and that ten minute version that opens this disc is reason alone to buy it. "Ocean" is now available in several versions- but despite the poor, hissy audio this is probably my favorite version of one of VU's masterpieces. Oh yeah, I haven't mentioned the other 8 tracks-- terrific versions of some better known songs as well as a couple obscurities. It's been said many times but this combined with Vol. 1 makes up one of the truly great live rock albums.

The version of "Ocean" on this album is mind-blowing. You have to buy the CDs just for that. The rest of the Vol. 2 CD is excellent, as is Vol. 1, but that recording of "Ocean"...oh, it's impossible to do any justice to it here.

this is still a great album. The sound quality adds to the edge both intimate and intense. What Goes On has such rhythmic power unequalled elsewhere for me . Lou Reed is archetypal sexy laid back sunglass icon, he chats about football games and it sounds like there are twelve people in the room and yet then they deliver such an awesome body of work. It's a great record. Sweet Jane What goes on and we're gonna...love it