John Cale

John Cale (born March 9, 1942) is a Welsh musician, songwriter and record producer. He is best known for his work in rock music, but has worked in a variety of styles over the years. He is perhaps best known for having been a member of the rock group The Velvet Underground.

Later career

After leaving the Velvet Underground, Cale produced a number of albums, including Nico's The Marble Index, and began to make solo records. His first, Vintage Violence came in 1970, following which he collaborated with yet another classical musician, Terry Riley, on the mainly instrumental Church of Anthrax. His solo record of 1973, Paris 1919, is regarded by many as a classic. It is made up of elegantly crafted and tastefully arranged songs with obscure and complex lyrics, apparently with underlying political concerns.

Related Topics:
Nico - The Marble Index - Terry Riley - Church of Anthrax - Paris 1919

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Cale moved back to the United Kingdom and made a series of solo albums which moved in a new direction. The tasteful elegance was now replaced by a dark and threatening barely-suppressed aggression, perhaps most obviously evident in his somewhat disturbing cover of Elvis' "Heartbreak Hotel". His live performances often fitted with the nascent punk rock developing on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean: they were often loud, abrasive and confrontational - during one gig he chopped the head off a dead chicken with a meat cleaver, and his band walked offstage in protest. Cale's drummer--a vegetarian--was so bothered he quit the group.

Related Topics:
United Kingdom - Elvis - Punk rock - Chicken - Vegetarian

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Cale also continued to work as a record producer. In 1974, he joined Island Records, and worked in that capacity with Squeeze, Patti Smith, and Sham 69, among others. He produced a number of important protopunk records, including debuts by Patti Smith, The Stooges and The Modern Lovers.

Related Topics:
Record producer - 1974 - Island Records - Squeeze - Patti Smith - Sham 69 - Protopunk - The Stooges - The Modern Lovers

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

In 1982, Cale released the sparse Music For A New Society. By any standard, it is a bleak, harrowing record, it's been called "understated, and perhaps a masterpiece." http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:38q5g4httv8z~T1

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Having married and had a child, he took a long break from performing, making a comeback in 1989 with settings of poems by Dylan Thomas, most notably, Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night, which he performed on stage in the concert held in Cardiff in 1999 to celebrate the opening of the Welsh Assembly. Songs for Drella, a tribute to one time Velvet Underground manager Andy Warhol, saw him reunited with Lou Reed, and Nico (1998) was a tribute to Nico. Cale has also written a number of film soundtracks, often using more classically influenced instrumentation.

Related Topics:
1989 - Dylan Thomas - Do Not Go Gentle Into That Good Night - Cardiff - 1999 - Welsh Assembly - Songs for Drella - Andy Warhol - Film - Classically

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Cale's autobiography, What's Welsh for Zen?, was published in 1999.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

John Cale should not be confused with J.J. Cale or composer John Cage.

Related Topics:
J.J. Cale - John Cage

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~