Posted on Sunday, March 14, 2010 9:49 AM
John Cale picks ten records that have made a mark in his career in the April Issue of UK magazine Uncut:
- All Night Workers - Why Don't You Smile
The record that made me love Lou Reed
"It's all "Louie, Louie" changes, and the first song that Lou and I wrote on drunken evening. It was the b-side of a single by friends of Lou's. It was my first rock 'n'roll session and the guys were all popping pills. It was my introduction to collaborative songwriting. It had a simple beauty that gave absolutely no indication of the problems we would have later."
- Frank Zappa - Thing-Fish
- Terry Riley - In C
- The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
- Yellow Swans - Dreamed
- John Cale - Sabotage/Live
The record that makes me miss CBGB
"We had a lot of fun, recording it there on New Year's Eve. It was dark and greasy. YOu went there to lose control. I retain affection for the place. Not for the $8 beers, bu t it was a centre, and everybody knew about it and gravitated towards it. And at the end, Hilly (Kristal, founder and owner) wanted it moved to Vegas. That is branding. If I was a brand, I'd move to Las Vegas."
- Martha Reeves and The Vandellas - Dancing in the Street
- Clips - Wamp Wamp (What It Do)
- Kokane - Back 2 tha Clap
- Smetana - Ma Vlast
» uncut.co.uk
Note: Sabotage/Live was recorded in June 1979. Part of the Even Cowgirls Get The Blues was recorded on New Year's Eve 1979.
(Thanks: Ken Clark, mailman & Gary Fox)
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# re: John Cale: "My Life in Music" in Uncut
3/14/2010 10:01 AM by
for the record "Thing Fish" is the one piece Cale chose as an example of music not worthy for a new society, stating he "still has a healthy resentment for Zappa"..and...."he (Zappa) never did anything that made me want to love music"
# re: John Cale: "My Life in Music" in Uncut
3/14/2010 10:12 AM by
I thought sabotage/live was recorded in June 79 not on new years eve, one or more of the bootlegs was though, it would be nice to see an extended version of that album hit the shops (downloads!) one day.
I love Cale's voice and for me that's the finest example, the raw and crude vibe, the uneven mix, mercenaries murder and mayhem...the Cale menace is still apparent on stage today. Hats off to you John.
# re: John Cale: "My Life in Music" in Uncut
3/14/2010 11:27 AM by
@devon. See note.
# re: John Cale: "My Life in Music" in Uncut
3/14/2010 12:34 PM by
Hmm, Bedrich Smetana - Má vlast, really pleasant and surprising, that´s czech compositor from 19th century and he´s our national character. Cale has obvious large music survey.
# re: John Cale: "My Life in Music" in Uncut
3/14/2010 2:27 PM by
John Cale’s great taste in music. I love Smetana’s work. The opening flutes in Smetana’s symphonic poem, Vitava, the second poem in Ma Vlast, race along in E minor until the strings pick up that instantly recognizable old folk melody. I’ve been told it’s so evocative of this great Bohemian river.
# re: John Cale: "My Life in Music" in Uncut
3/14/2010 9:07 PM by
Yeah, Vltava is Prague´s river. By the way, Vltava destroyed Archa Theatre eight years ago during the flood. Archa Theatre was opened by Cale in 1994, he´s its godfather. Má vlast means "My Homeland"
# re: John Cale: "My Life in Music" in Uncut
3/15/2010 6:04 AM by
Anyone have any info on Young Swans? Nothing on google or any of the music sites I tried....
# re: John Cale: "My Life in Music" in Uncut
3/15/2010 5:16 PM by
Good update, Mailman, regarding "Thing-Fish." I was surprised to see a Zappa album on the list, considering the well-known animosity between Zappa and the Velvets. (Also, as a Zappa fan, "Thing-Fish" isn't one of my top choices.)
# re: John Cale: "My Life in Music" in Uncut/Young Swans
3/16/2010 1:24 AM by
How about Yellow Swans - Dreamed? "Think of Dreamed as kind of like Norwegian Christmas Pudding: Finding the almond at its center doesn't promise extra presents from St. Nick, but it will help you attain inner peace. As with most music of its ilk, the trick is finding the Eye of the storm. On Dreamed, Yellow Swans make the task seem easy: It's not the noise, but the rhythm, that dominates. Saddle up and take the 15-minute "Garrison" for a ride. Now double back and imagine the song without its insistent, pinioning drum machines and ask yourself if without them you would have made it half as far." Pitchfork....some YS stuff on Toutube....maybe Uncut misheard the Welshman!
# re: John Cale: "My Life in Music" in Uncut
3/16/2010 12:18 PM by
Yellow Swans it is. Typo. Sorry about that.