While I agree that emulating the VU sound in any way is probably more trouble than it could be worth, I'll say they could maybe be considered an influence on extreme music in the sense of doing things your own way - Lou's feedback and fuzz, the distorted organ tones, etc. Anyway, for me, they're a great go-to for when I need refreshing after tiring of my own sound during the production process. More inspiration than influence, really.