John Cale facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Cale
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Cale performing at De Warande in Turnhout, Belgium, 2006
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | John Davies Cale |
| Born | 9 March 1942 Garnant, Carmarthenshire, Wales |
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| Years active | 1957–present |
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John Davies Cale (born 9 March 1942) is a musician, composer, and record producer from Wales. He was a founding member of the American rock band the Velvet Underground. Over his long career, Cale has explored many different music styles. These include rock, drone, classical, avant-garde, and electronic music.
He studied music at Goldsmiths, University of London, before moving to New York City in 1963. There, he joined the Theatre of Eternal Music and then helped form the Velvet Underground. After leaving the band in 1968, Cale has released seventeen solo studio albums. Two of his well-known albums are Paris 1919 (1973) and Music for a New Society (1982). Cale is also known for producing albums for other artists, like the Stooges and Patti Smith.
Contents
Early Life and Music Journey
John Davies Cale was born on 9 March 1942 in a mining village called Garnant in Wales. His father was a coal miner, and his mother was a primary school teacher. His mother taught him Welsh, but his father only spoke English. John started learning English at school when he was about seven.
He discovered he was good at playing the viola and joined the National Youth Orchestra of Wales at age 13. He received a scholarship to study music at Goldsmiths, University of London. In 1963, he traveled to the United States to continue his music training. He was helped by the famous composer Aaron Copland.
In New York City, Cale met many important composers. He took part in a very long piano-playing event on 9 September 1963. It was the first full performance of Erik Satie's "Vexations", which lasted over 18 hours. Cale later said that the ideas of composer John Cage helped him relax his artistic views.
Cale played in La Monte Young's group, the Theatre of Eternal Music. The music they played used a lot of drone sounds. This style greatly influenced his work with his next band, the Velvet Underground.
Joining The Velvet Underground
Even though Cale had a background in art music, he had always liked rock music. In 1965, he helped start the Velvet Underground with Lou Reed. They brought in their flatmate Angus MacLise and Reed's friend Sterling Morrison. Before their first paid show, MacLise left the band. He thought getting money for art was "selling out." Moe Tucker joined as the new drummer. Her unique drumming style became a key part of the band's sound.
In 1965, Cale tried to get a record deal for the Velvet Underground in Britain. He shared a rough demo tape with some British rock stars. Even though they didn't get a contract, the tape spread around. As a result, other bands like the Deviants and the Yardbirds covered Velvet Underground songs before their first album came out.
The very first commercial recording by the Velvet Underground was an instrumental track called "Loop." It was a sound experiment created by Cale. His creative partnership with Lou Reed was very important to the sound of the band's first two albums: The Velvet Underground & Nico (1967) and White Light/White Heat (1968). On these albums, Cale played viola, bass guitar, and piano. He also sang some backing vocals. On White Light/White Heat, he played organ and sang lead vocals on "Lady Godiva's Operation" and "The Gift." His most special contribution was his electrically-amplified viola.
Tensions grew between Reed and Cale. Reed told the other band members that if Cale wasn't fired, he would leave. So, Cale played his last show with the Velvet Underground in September 1968. After he left, Doug Yule joined the band.
Many people believe that the creative differences between Cale and Reed shaped the band's early sound. When Cale left, the band's music became less experimental.
Life After The Velvet Underground
Music in the 1970s
After leaving the Velvet Underground, Cale worked as a record producer for other artists. He produced albums for the Stooges and a series of albums for Nico. He also played on Nick Drake's album, Bryter Layter (1971).
In 1970, Cale started his solo music career. His first solo album, Vintage Violence (1970), was a mix of different rock styles. He then released Church of Anthrax (1971) with Terry Riley, which was more experimental.
In 1972, he signed with Reprise Records. His album Paris 1919 (1973) was praised by critics as one of his best. It had melodic songs with complex lyrics. He also produced albums for other artists, including the Modern Lovers.
In 1974, Cale moved back to London. His music started to become darker and more intense. He quickly released three albums: Fear (1974), Slow Dazzle (1975), and Helen of Troy (1975). These albums featured other artists like Brian Eno. A popular part of his live shows was his unique version of Elvis Presley's "Heartbreak Hotel."
Cale's loud and strong live performances fit well with the growing punk rock scene. He sometimes wore a hockey mask on stage.
In December 1979, Cale released Sabotage/Live, an album recorded live at CBGB. This album showed his strong punk rock influence. It featured new songs about global politics and other serious topics.
Music in the 1980s
In 1980, Cale signed with A&M Records and tried to make more commercial music with his album Honi Soit (1981). Andy Warhol designed the album cover. However, this new direction wasn't a big commercial success.
In 1982, Cale released Music for a New Society. This album was very deep and intense, blending his early refined music with his later, more challenging style. It is considered a masterpiece by some. He followed this with Caribbean Sunset (1984).
In 1985, Cale released Artificial Intelligence, which used synthesizers and drum machines. While it didn't achieve huge success, the song "Dying on the Vine" is seen as one of his best. That same year, he acted in a TV show called The Equalizer and wrote music for a film.
Cale took a break from recording and performing for a while. He returned in 1989 with Words for the Dying, produced by Brian Eno. This album mostly featured spoken word and songs based on poems by Dylan Thomas.
Music in the 1990s
After Andy Warhol passed away in 1987, Cale worked with Lou Reed again on the album Songs for Drella (1990). This album was a tribute to Warhol, who was their mentor. This collaboration ended an 18-year period where Cale and Reed didn't work together.
In 1990, the Velvet Underground reunited for a special show in France. Cale also worked with Brian Eno again on their joint album Wrong Way Up.
In 1991, Cale contributed a song, "Hallelujah", to a tribute album for Leonard Cohen. Cale's version, played on piano, became very popular and influenced many later versions of the song.
Cale also worked with French composer Hector Zazou on two albums, singing on songs based on poetry by Arthur Rimbaud and Oscar Wilde.
In 1996, Cale released Walking on Locusts, his only solo studio album of that decade. It featured other famous musicians like David Byrne from Talking Heads and original Velvet Underground drummer Moe Tucker.
Cale composed music for a ballet called Nico, which was released as Dance Music (1998). He has also written many film soundtracks, often with a classical music feel.
In 1998, Cale toured with singer Siouxsie Sioux. He also organized a music festival in Amsterdam called "With a Little Help from My Friends."
Cale's autobiography, What's Welsh for Zen?, was published in 1999.
Music in the 2000s
Cale's cover of "Hallelujah" became very popular after it was used in the 2001 animated film Shrek.
In 2003, Cale signed with EMI Records and released the EP 5 Tracks and the album HoboSapiens. This album was influenced by modern electronic and alternative rock music. His 2005 album, blackAcetate, followed.
In 2005, Cale produced an album for singer-songwriter Alejandro Escovedo. In 2006, Cale released a single called "Jumbo in tha Modernworld."
In March 2007, a live album called Circus Live was released. It featured new versions of songs from his entire career.
Cale continued to work with other artists, playing viola on albums and producing for bands like Ambulance LTD. In 2008, Cale hosted a tribute event for Nico called "Life Along the Borderline."
Cale represented Wales at the 2009 Venice Biennale, focusing on his connection with the Welsh language.
Music in the 2010s
In 2010, Cale was invited to be the first "Eminent Art in Residence" at the Mona Foma festival in Australia. He performed his album Paris 1919 in full at several concerts around the world.
In 2011, Cale signed with Domino Records and released an EP called Extra Playful. He also performed at the Brighton Festival, invited by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi.
In 2012, Cale released Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood, his first studio album in seven years. It included a song with Danger Mouse. Critics generally liked the album, with one newspaper saying it combined his experience with a "glee of a small child."
In 2014, he appeared in an episode of the TV series The Bridge.
Cale released his sixteenth solo album, M:FANS, in January 2016. It featured new versions of songs from his 1982 album Music for a New Society.
In July 2016, Cale performed songs by David Bowie at a concert in London, honoring Bowie who had passed away earlier that year.
At the 2017 Grammy Salute to Music Legends, Cale performed Velvet Underground songs with Moe Tucker. The Velvet Underground also received a Merit Award.
In 2019, Cale worked with Marissa Nadler on her single "Poison." He also gave three concerts in Paris called 1964–2019 Futurespective.
Music in the 2020s
In 2020, Cale was featured on the song "Corner of My Sky" by Welsh electronic musician Kelly Lee Owens. He also released a new single and music video called "Lazy Day."
In February 2022, Cale announced his first full UK tour in almost ten years. The tour was postponed due to some band members getting COVID-19.
In August 2022, Cale released a new song called "Night Crawling." It was a memory of his friendship with David Bowie. He said it was "a helluva past two years and I'm glad to finally share a glimpse of what's coming ahead." Cale played many instruments on the track. He released two more songs, "Story of Blood" and "Noise of You," before his seventeenth studio album, Mercy, was released on 20 January 2023.
After more delays, Cale finished his UK tour in 2023. He released a music video for "Pretty People" in February 2024.
In March 2024, he released "How We See the Light" as the first single from his eighteenth studio album, Poptical Illusion. A second single, "Shark-Shark," was released in May 2024. The album came out on 14 June 2024.
Awards and Recognition
Cale was added to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of the Velvet Underground in 1996. At the ceremony, Cale, Reed, and Tucker performed a song for Sterling Morrison, who had passed away.
Cale was given the honor of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2010.
Personal Life
Cale has been married three times. He married American fashion designer Betsey Johnson in 1968, and they divorced in 1971.
In 1971, Cale married Cynthia "Cindy" Wells, also known as Miss Cindy. They divorced in 1975.
On 6 December 1981, Cale married his third wife, Risé Irushalmi. They have one daughter together, Eden Cale. They divorced in 1997.
In 2004, Cale was on the BBC Radio 4 show Desert Island Discs. He chose "She Belongs to Me" by Bob Dylan as his favorite song.
Music Albums
Studio albums
Live albums
Collaborative albums
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Soundtracks and scores
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See also
In Spanish: John Cale para niños
