John Cale (born 9 March 1942) is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the experimental rock band the Velvet Underground in the 1960s. In the subsequent four decades, Cale has released varied solo albums, film soundtracks, and collaborations with Lou Reed, Brian Eno, Bob Neuwirth and others.
| John Cale discography | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Studio albums | 19 |
| EPs | 3 |
| Live albums | 4 |
| Compilation albums | 5 |
Albums
editStudio albums
edit| Title | Album details | Peak chart positions | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BEL Fl. [1] |
BEL Wa. [2] |
DEN [3] |
NLD [4] |
US [5] | |||
| Vintage Violence |
|
— | — | — | — | — | |
| Church of Anthrax (with Terry Riley) |
|
— | — | — | — | — | |
| The Academy in Peril |
|
— | — | — | — | — | |
| Paris 1919 |
|
— | — | — | — | — | |
| Fear |
|
— | — | — | — | — | |
| Slow Dazzle |
|
— | — | — | — | — | |
| Helen of Troy |
|
— | — | — | — | — | |
| Honi Soit |
|
— | — | — | — | 154 | |
| Music for a New Society |
|
— | — | — | — | — | |
| Caribbean Sunset |
|
— | — | — | 28 | — | |
| Artificial Intelligence |
|
— | — | — | — | — | |
| Words for the Dying |
|
— | — | — | — | — | |
| Songs for Drella (with Lou Reed) |
|
— | — | — | — | — | |
| Wrong Way Up (with Brian Eno) |
|
— | — | — | — | — | |
| Last Day on Earth (with Bob Neuwirth) |
|
— | — | — | — | — | |
| Walking on Locusts |
|
— | — | — | — | — | |
| HoboSapiens |
|
— | — | 36 | — | — | |
| blackAcetate |
|
87 | — | — | — | — | |
| Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood |
|
58 | 169 | — | — | —[a] | |
| M:FANS |
|
52 | 185 | — | — | — | |
| Mercy |
|
14 | 145 | — | — | — | |
| Poptical Illusion |
|
79 | 129 | — | — | — | |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | |||||||
Soundtracks
edit- 23 Solo Pieces for La naissance de l'amour (Crepuscule) November 1993
- Antártida (Crepuscule) 1995
- N'oublie pas que tu vas mourir (Crepuscule) 1995
- Eat/Kiss: Music for the Films by Andy Warhol (Hannibal) June 1997
- Dance Music (Music for "Nico", the ballet choreographed by Ed Wubbe / Scabino Ballet Rotterdam) Warner 1998
- Le vent de la nuit (Crepuscule) March 1999
- The Unknown (Crepuscule) 1999
- Saint-Cyr (O.S.T.) (Virgin France) 2000
- Process (Syntax) July 2005
Live
edit- Sabotage/Live (IRS) December 1979
- John Cale Comes Alive (Ze) September 1984
- Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (ROIR) 1991
- Fragments of a Rainy Season (Hannibal) 25 September 1992
- Le Bataclan '72 (with Lou Reed and Nico) 2004
- Circus Live (EMI) February 2007
- John Cale & Band Live (Rockpalast 1983 & 1984) DVD and vinyl (MIG) 2010
Compilations
edit- Guts (Island) February 1977
- Paris s'eveille - suivi d'autres compositions (Crepuscule) November 1991
- Seducing Down the Door: A Collection 1970–1990 (Rhino) 5 July 1994
- The Island Years (Island) 1996
- Close Watch: An Introduction to John Cale (Island) 20 April 1999
- Conflict & Catalysis (Productions & Arrangements 1966–2006) 2012
EPs
edit- Animal Justice (Illegal IL 003, UK) September 1977
- 5 Tracks (EMI) May 2003 (reached No. 13 Budget Album chart)
- Extra Playful (Double Six/Domino Records) September 2011
Short soundtrack
- Somewhere in the City August 1998
Singles
edit- "Cleo" / "Fairweather Friend" (1970)
- "Big White Cloud" / "Gideon's Bible" (1970)
- "Days of Steam" / "Legs Larry at the Television Centre" (1972)
- "The Man Who Couldn't Afford to Orgy" / "Sylvia Said" (1974)
- "Mercenaries" / "Rosegarden Funeral of Sores" (1980)
- "Dead or Alive" / "Honi Soit" (1981)
- "Close Watch" / "Close Watch" (1983)
- "Close Watch" / "Changes Made" (1983)
- "Hungry for Love" / "Caribbean Sunset" (1984)
- "Ooh La La" / "Magazines" (1984)
- "Villa Albani" remixes / "Hungry for Love" (1984)
- "Dying on the Vine" / "Everytime the Dogs Bark" (1985)
- "Satellite Walk" / "Crash Course in Harmonics" (1985)
- "Nobody But You" – US Alt No. 13 / "Style It Takes" / "A Dream" (1990) – with Lou Reed
- "One Word" / "Grandfather's House"* / "Palanquin" (1990) − with Brian Eno
- "Spinning Away (Edit)" / Grandfather's House" / "Palaquin" (1990) − with Brian Eno
- "Hallelujah" (1991)
- "Paris S'eveille" (1991)
- "The Long Voyage" (1995) – with Suzanne Vega
- "Cale vs the Bees vs Doctor Rockit" (2003)
- "Things" (2003) – UK No. 144
- "Turn the Lights On" (2005)
- "Outta the Bag" (2006)
- "Jumbo in tha Modernworld"* (2007)
- "Big White Cloud" (2007)
- "All My Friends" (2007)
- "Whaddya Mean by That" (2011)
- "I Wanna Talk 2 U" (2012)
- "Face to the Sky" b/w "Living With You" (Organic Mix) (2012)
- "All Summer Long" / "Sandman (Flying Dutchman)" (2013)
- "Lazy Day" (2020) – non-album song
- "Night Crawling" (2022)
Other appearances
editStudio
edit| Year | Title | Release | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | "Hallelujah" | I'm Your Fan | Leonard Cohen cover |
| "The Queen and Me" | "More Fans" | ||
| 1993 | "Helmut Newton Told Me"/"Wish You Were Here"/"Oh! To Be Invited to the Venice Biennale" | Caged/Uncaged: A Rock/Experimental Homage to John Cage[7] | soundtrack to an exhibition, with Ann Magnuson |
| 2004 | "She Doesn't Live Here Anymore" | Por Vida[8] | Alejandro Escovedo cover |
| 2022 | "Mr. Sparrow" | For the Birds: The Birdson Project, Vol. III[9] | original |
Live
edit| Year | Title | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1974 | June 1, 1974 | with Kevin Ayers, Brian Eno, Nico |
Productions and contributions
edit| Year | Artist | Release information | Cale's contribution |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Nico | Chelsea Girl
|
viola, organ, guitar: various |
| 1968 | Morning Glory | Two Suns Worth
|
sound engineer: album |
| 1969 | Nico | The Marble Index
|
viola, piano, bass guitar, guitar, bells, arrangements: album |
| 1969 | The Stooges | The Stooges
|
production, viola: album |
| 1969 | Earth Opera | The Great American Eagle Tragedy
|
guitar, vocals: various |
| 1970 | Glass Harp | Glass Harp
|
viola: various |
| 1970 | Chelsea | Chelsea
|
viola: various |
| 1970 | Nick Drake | Bryter Layter
|
viola, piano, cembalo, celeste, organ: various |
| 1970 | Nico | Desertshore
|
vocals, bass guitar, guitar, keyboards, production: album |
| 1971 | Mike Heron | Smiling Men with Bad Reputations
|
guitar, bass guitar, vocals: various |
| 1971 | Tax Free | Tax Free
|
viola: album |
| 1972 | Jennifer Warnes | Jennifer
|
production: album |
| 1973 | Chunky, Novi and Ernie | Chunky, Novi and Ernie
|
production: album |
| 1974 | Nico | The End...
|
bass guitar, xylophone, guitar, synthesizer, piano, organ, marimba, triangle, glockenspiel, percussion, production: album |
| 1975 | Geoff Muldaur | Is Having a Wonderful Time
|
viola: "Wondering Why" |
| 1975 | Brian Eno | Another Green World
|
viola: various |
| 1975 | Patti Smith | Horses
|
production: album |
| 1976 | The Modern Lovers | The Modern Lovers
|
production: primary sessions |
| 1977 | Kate & Anna McGarrigle | Dancer with Bruised Knees
|
organ, marimba: various |
| 1977 | Squeeze | Packet of Three
|
production: EP |
| 1977 | Sham 69 | Sham 69
|
production: EP |
| 1978 | Squeeze | Squeeze
|
production: album |
| 1978 | Cristina | "Disco Clone"
|
production |
| 1978 | Marie et les Garçons | "Attitudes"/"Re-Bop"
|
production, marimba: both sides |
| 1978 | Brian Eno | Music for Films
|
viola: "Patrolling Wire Borders" |
| 1978 | Julie Covington | Julie Covington
|
piano, clavinet: various |
| 1978 | David Kubinec | Some Things Never Change
|
keyboards, production: album |
| 1978 | Harry Toledo & The Rockets | Busted Chevrolet
|
production: EP |
| 1978 | Menace | "I Need Nothing"/"Electrocutioner"
|
production: both sides |
| 1979 | Ian Hunter | You're Never Alone with a Schizophrenic
|
piano, keyboards, harp: "Bastard" |
| 1979 | Model Citizens | Model Citizens
|
production: EP |
| 1979 | The Necessaries | "You Can Borrow My Car"/"Runaway Child"
|
production: both sides |
| 1980 | Snatch | Shopping for Clothes
|
production: EP |
| 1980 | Modern Guy | Une nouvelle vie
|
production, cembalo, organ, percussion: album |
| 1983 | Made for TV | "So Afraid of the Russians"/"Unknown Soldier"
|
production, baritone guitar, synthesizer: both sides |
| 1985 | Nico | Camera Obscura
|
production, vocals: album |
| 1986 | Lio | Pop Model
|
production: various |
| 1987 | Element of Crime | Try to Be Mensch
|
production, keyboards: album |
| 1987 | Happy Mondays | Squirrel and G-Man Twenty Four Hour Party People Plastic Face Carnt Smile
|
production: album |
| 1988 | Art Bergmann | Crawl with Me
|
production: album |
| 1989 | Big Vern | Lullabies for Lager Louts
|
production, keyboards: album |
| 1990 | Los Ronaldos | Sabor Salado
|
production: album |
| 1990 | The Replacements | All Shook Down
|
viola: "Sadly Beautiful" |
| 1991 | Maureen Tucker | I Spent a Week There the Other Night
|
viola, synthesizer: various |
| 1991 | Sister Double Happiness | Heart and Mind
|
radar blips: unknown |
| 1991 | Louise Féron | Louise Féron
|
production, piano: album |
| 1991 | Les Nouvelles Polyphonies Corses | Les Nouvelles Polyphonies Corses
|
piano: "Nana" |
| 1992 | Hector Zazou | Sahara Blue
|
vocals: "Hunger" |
| 1994 | Vince Bell | Phoenix
|
piano: unknown |
| 1994 | Yohji Yamamoto | Your Pain Shall Be a Music
|
vocals: "John Cale" |
| 1994 | Hector Zazou | Chansons des mers froides
|
vocals: "The Long Voyage" |
| 1995 | Siouxsie and the Banshees | The Rapture
|
production: album |
| 1995 | Ivan Kral | Nostalgia
|
piano: "Perfect Moon" |
| 1996 | Marc Almond | Fantastic Star
|
piano: "Love to Die For" |
| 1996 | Goya Dress | Rooms
|
production, piano, mixing: album |
| 1996 | Patti Smith | Gone Again
|
organ: "Beneath the Southern Cross" |
| 1996 | Les Nouvelles Polyphonies Corses | In Paradisu
|
production and arrangements: various |
| 1996 | The Maids of Gravity | The First Second
|
production: album |
| 1997 | Garageland | "Feel Alright"
|
piano |
| 1998 | The Jesus Lizard | The Jesus Lizard
|
production: "Needles for Teeth" |
| 1998 | Alan Stivell | 1 Douar
|
instruments, mixing: "Ever" |
| 1998 | Jack Smith | Les Evening Gowns Damnées (recorded 1962–1964)
|
sarinda: "Cold Starry Nights" |
| 1999 | Jack Smith | Silent Shadows on Cinemaroc Island (recorded in the 60s)
|
performance: "Silent Shadows on Cinemaroc Island" |
| 1999 | Ventilator | Desert Station Frequency
|
production: various |
| 2000 | Mediæval Bæbes | Undrentide
|
production: album |
| 2001 | Super Furry Animals | Rings Around the World
|
piano: "Presidential Suite" |
| 2001 | Jools Holland | Small World Big Band (live)
|
vocals: "I Wanna Be Around" |
| 2002 | Gordon Gano | Hitting the Ground
|
piano, vocals: "Don't Pretend" |
| 2002 | Trash Palace | Positions
|
vocals: "The Insult" |
| 2003 | Angus MacLise | The Cloud Doctrine (recorded in the 60s)
|
viola, guitar, keyboards: various |
| 2006 | Alejandro Escovedo | The Boxing Mirror
|
production: album |
| 2008 | The Shortwave Set | Replica Sun Machine
|
viola, synths, atmospheres: album/various |
| 2010 | Manic Street Preachers | Postcards from a Young Man
|
keyboards, noise: "Auto-Intoxication" |
| 2020 | Kelly Lee Owens | Inner Song
|
vocals, lyrics: "Corner of My Sky" |
Compositions
edit| Year | Title | Medium | Performer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "I Shot Andy Warhol Suite"[10] | Film theme | String section, arranged by Cale |
| 1998 | Dance Music | Ballet score | Ice Nine, arranged by Dave Soldier |
| 2000 | Saint Cyr | Film score | Various musicians, arranged by Randy Wolf |
See also
editNotes
edit- ^ Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood did not enter the Billboard 200, but it peaked at number 44 on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart.[6]
References
edit- ^ "John Cale". Ultratop Flanders (in Dutch). Retrieved 23 June 2024.
- ^ "John Cale". Ultratop Wallonia (in French). Retrieved 23 June 2024.
- ^ "John Cale". Danish Charts. Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
- ^ "Discografie John Cale". Dutch Charts (in Dutch). Retrieved 20 July 2022.
- ^ Billboard peak chart positions:
- Honi Soit: "Billboard 200, Week of April 25, 1981". Billboard. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
- ^ "Launch Pad: Heatseekers Albums" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 124, no. 38. 27 October 2012. p. 37. Retrieved 20 July 2022.
- ^ Various - Caged / Uncaged (A Rock / Experimental Homage To John Cage), retrieved 22 August 2022
- ^ Various - Por Vida (A Tribute To The Songs Of Alejandro Escovedo), retrieved 22 August 2022
- ^ "For The Birds: The Birdsong Project Volume III Out Today". Shore Fire Media. Retrieved 31 October 2022.
- ^ "Various - I Shot Andy Warhol - Music From And Inspired By The Motion Picture". Discogs. Retrieved 26 October 2020.
External links
edit- Official website
- John Cale at IMDb
- Fear Is A Man's Best Friend extensive fan site
- UbuWeb: John Cale featuring music from Aspen No. 5+6
- John Cale Interview John Cale Interview
- Essay on Cale in Examinations Archive Archived 3 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine
- Fragments of Cale, track-by-track review of Cale's work
- John Cale discography at MusicBrainz
- John Cale discography at Discogs
- Cormac vs John Cale Album by album interview