The Velvet Underground & Nico - 1st PRESS TORSO, FULL BANANA, ANDY WARHOL - 1967

1967 LP US Press. This is the rare original 1967 “first state” cover of The Velvet Underground & Nico, featuring Andy Warhol’s iconic peelable banana sticker. The back cover retains the uncensored upside-down image of actor Eric Emerson as the famous “torso” cover that was quickly withdrawn after Emerson threatened legal action. Later copies either covered the image with a sticker or airbrushed it out, making the original torso/full-banana version (this one) one of the most collectible variants of this landmark album. This is the highly desirable first pressing. The banana sticker is complete and fully adhered with only a split across the top near stem where it is quite common to split if someone started to peel it and put it back. Vinyl media grades between VG and lower VG but remains glossy with some light hairlines scattered throughout that should not overpower the music.