John Cale’s career has many facets. Since leaving the Velvet Underground in 1968, he has released over two-dozen solo albums – their scope ranging from minimalism, through guitar-based rock to full-scale orchestral.
As a multi-instrumentalist who thrives on collaboration, he has contributed to recordings by William Burroughs, Nick Drake, LCD Soundsystem, La Monte Young and very many others. He has also composed the scores for several ballets, an opera and many films.
Here on “Conflict & Catalysis” the focus is on Cale the producer.
Spanning 40 years, the collection
contains everything from the proto-punk of the Stooges and the Modern Lovers to
Euro-pop
princess Lio and no-wave enigma Cristina and comes with a stylish 28-page
booklet which includes a
9000-word essay incorporating specially commissioned memoirs from several of the
featured
performers.