2-1-12 John Cale
Singer Exene Cervenka born 1956, funkmeister Rick James born 1948; Superfreak!
I last wrote about John Cale in 2009. I’ve been listening to John Cale with regularity ever since “Paris 1919” first walked down the pike. I don’t remember why I decided to give it a try – had I heard it on the FM radio? Even as a teenager, I was not a Velvet Underground fan. There are more John Cale albums, 45’s, 12” singles, DVD’s…but start with these!
LP VINTAGE VIOLENCE COLUMBIA US CS 1037
1970 11 TRKS 1st
CD VINTAGE VIOLENCE re COLUMBIA US CK 65935
1970 13 TRKS (’01 issue) (2 x bonus tracks)
CD ACADEMY IN PERIL, THE REPRISE US 2079.2
1972 8 TRKS
LP ACADEMY IN PERIL, THE REPRISE US MS 2079
1972 9 TRKS autographed, die-cut cover
CD PARIS 1919 re RHINO UK 74060.2
1973 20 TRKS (’06 issue) (11 x bonus tracks)
LP PARIS 1919 REPRISE US MS 2131
1973 9 TRKS promo, insert
LP FEAR ISLAND US ILPS 9301
1974 9 TRKS autographed
LP SLOW DAZZLE ISLAND UK ILPS 9317
1975 10 TRKS
LP HELEN OF TROY ISLAND NL 89690 XOT
1975 11 TRKS with “Coral Moon”
CD DOWN AT THE END OF LONELY STREET ARCHIVIO IT ARCCD 006
1976 11 TRK Live, with Chris Spedding ’91 pirate
12″ ANIMAL JUSTICE ILLEGAL UK IL 003
1977 3 TRKS with pic sleeve
LP GUTS (Collection) ISLAND UK ILPS 9459
1977 9 TRK Collection
CD EVEN COWGIRLS GET THE BLUES DANCETERIA FR DANCD 113
1978/9 8 TRKS Live CD-only release?
CD SABOTAGE A&M/SPY CAN CD 004
1979 9 TRKS LIVE, June ’79
LP SABOTAGE SPY USA SP 004
1979 9 TRKS LIVE, June ’79
LP VERY DEAD CHICKEN PIRATE EU 763215
1979? 11 TRKS Live
LP HONI SOIT A&M US SP-4849
1981 9 TRKS
CD HONI SOIT A&M UK 394849.2
1981 9 TRKS (’91 issue)
LP MUSIC FOR A NEW SOCIETY ISLAND/ZE DE 204.951
1982 11 TRKS
CD MUSIC FOR A NEW SOCIETY RHINO US R2 71743
1982 11 TRKS (’93 issue)
CD SOLO PERFORMANCE, BELGIUM ’83 FIRE POWER FP-036
1983 15 TRKS Live – pirate
CD CALE STREET GREAT DANE GDRCD 9217
1983 21 TRKS Live, pirate
LP JOHN CALE COMES ALIVE ISLAND/ZE UK ILPS 7026
1984 10 TRKS Live, February ’84 – still not on CD!
CDx2 ST. VALENTINE’S NIGHT FIRE POWER FP-035
1984 19 TRKS Live – pirate
LP CARIBBEAN SUNSET ISLAND/ZE UK ILPS 7024
1984 9 TRKS still not on CD!
CD ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE BEGGARS B UK BBL 68CD
1985 9 TRKS
LP ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE BEGGARS B UK BEGA 68
1985 9 TRKS
LP DRIFT STUDY PIRATE 13485
1986 12 TRKS LIVE etc. – pirate, older material
CDx2 ISLAND YEARS, THE (Collection) ISLAND UK 524235.2
1996 36 TRK Collection, ’74-’77 Island material, incl. previously unreleased material
No discussion of John Cale can be had without discussing the live aspect. Simply put, he was one of the loudest acts I ever witnessed. He might’ve been medicated, but he always put on a decent show (hence my buying bootlegs of him!). After he left Island Records, he really seemed to rip through a few years of material in a hurry – leaving some songs in the dust, to be compiled by fans with cassette recorders. Casey At The Bat!
I, at least partially, blame my partial hearing loss on John Cale concerts!
His 90’s records are all pretty listenable, too. And I have liked his more recent new material for EMI UK. I have bought several books about John Cale, as well. An interesting story.
So, I am recommending roughly a 15 year arc for an ‘introduction’ to his music – 1970 – 1985. The trilogy of Island label albums is hard to beat. But don’t miss “Sabotage”!
Ronkanefiles's Blog 
I have 13 Cale albums. All of them great. Some are incredible. Particularly the Island trilogy. But his new stuff for EMI is also highly compelling. I credit my wife with pushing the Cale envelope. She liked the Cale albums I had and was curious to hear more. She brought home “Fear” and the rest is history! I can’t believe I saw Cale twice. ’85 was a fascinating trainwreck. ’04 was one of the best concert’s I ever saw. Neither of them troubled my eardrums. I’d love to see him again but he’ll never play in my hometown again as we were 2/about 50 people in the 1000 capacity club to see him. It was still an incredible concert. Cale was too much of a purist to be petty, unlike Gary Numan – who seethed when the promoter stuck him in a 200 capacity club at the last minute. Hey Gary – at least you had a full house!