The John Cale thread - Page 2

Genteel Death · 10.30.2009, 06:46 AM

Of all the Velvets, his solo records are possibly the ones I like the least. Most of them, I mean. Paris 1919 is excellent, and all the 60's table of elemts stuff. Most of the others I find unlistenable. His voice is not ragged-sounding enough for my liking either, and I don't like the way his music instruments are recorded. Too clean, too music hall. A great deal is made of him being the real creative force behind the Velvet Undergeound, but I don't think those records would have sounded the way they do if it wasn't also for the rock and roll element brough in by the others in the band, and his intensily close relationship (musical and intimate) with the cooler Lou Reed of the time. Strangely enough when Lou Reed started coming up with all this shit about ''The Great American Novel'', the theatrical blah balh blah, in short trying to be a bit more like John Cale solo, he went downhill forever.

He is great at song arrangements, as a producer, and at working with other people in general (let's forget about that record with Brian Eno, though). I was listening to ''Music For a New Society'' again the other day, and thinking that it's so strange that someone so brilliant at producing other people's records would let his own have the sort of sound that new age, cheap relaxation records have. Pity because a couple of the songs aren't bad per se.

His is undoubtedly an excellent musican, I just wish that he would have never tried to mix a classical approach to the rock approach in his solo work. Funnily enough, the classical music approach/rock thing is often mentioned about the Velvets too, yet you can barely hear any classical music in them, much more, instead, the drony tones of Theatre of Eternal Music.

The Earl Of Slander · 10.30.2009, 08:02 AM

Oh don't get me wrong, his 80s stuff is pretty awful, but then again, that's true of a lot of people. What's your opinion on the Island period records?

Torn Curtain · 10.30.2009, 12:59 PM

I don't know why but I can't really get into Paris 1919, while I love Fear and most of the (scarce) other stuff I've heard.

RanaldoNecro · 01.22.2010, 10:34 PM

Anyone going to see John Cale speak at Moma on Feb 15?

Tickets are only available at the door...Anyone getting one?

RN

10.30.2009, 06:46 AM	#21
Genteel Death invito al cielo Join Date: Aug 2009 Posts: 8,744	Of all the Velvets, his solo records are possibly the ones I like the least. Most of them, I mean. Paris 1919 is excellent, and all the 60's table of elemts stuff. Most of the others I find unlistenable. His voice is not ragged-sounding enough for my liking either, and I don't like the way his music instruments are recorded. Too clean, too music hall. A great deal is made of him being the real creative force behind the Velvet Undergeound, but I don't think those records would have sounded the way they do if it wasn't also for the rock and roll element brough in by the others in the band, and his intensily close relationship (musical and intimate) with the cooler Lou Reed of the time. Strangely enough when Lou Reed started coming up with all this shit about ''The Great American Novel'', the theatrical blah balh blah, in short trying to be a bit more like John Cale solo, he went downhill forever. He is great at song arrangements, as a producer, and at working with other people in general (let's forget about that record with Brian Eno, though). I was listening to ''Music For a New Society'' again the other day, and thinking that it's so strange that someone so brilliant at producing other people's records would let his own have the sort of sound that new age, cheap relaxation records have. Pity because a couple of the songs aren't bad per se. His is undoubtedly an excellent musican, I just wish that he would have never tried to mix a classical approach to the rock approach in his solo work. Funnily enough, the classical music approach/rock thing is often mentioned about the Velvets too, yet you can barely hear any classical music in them, much more, instead, the drony tones of Theatre of Eternal Music.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

10.30.2009, 08:02 AM	#22
The Earl Of Slander the end of the ugly Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 1,156	Oh don't get me wrong, his 80s stuff is pretty awful, but then again, that's true of a lot of people. What's your opinion on the Island period records? __________________ The toothaches got worse, she dreamed of disembodied voices from whose malignance there was no appeal, the soft dusk of mirrors out of which something was about to walk, and empty rooms that waited for her. Your gynaecologist has no test for what she was pregnant with.
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

10.30.2009, 12:59 PM	#23
Torn Curtain invito al cielo Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: France Posts: 7,997	I don't know why but I can't really get into Paris 1919, while I love Fear and most of the (scarce) other stuff I've heard. __________________ "Si seulement nous avions le courage des oiseaux qui chantent dans le vent glacé"
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|

01.22.2010, 10:34 PM	#24
RanaldoNecro expwy. to yr skull Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Eye Of The Squirrel Posts: 1,481	Anyone going to see John Cale speak at Moma on Feb 15? Tickets are only available at the door...Anyone getting one? RN __________________ He is not Alone
	\|QUOTE AND REPLY\|