Any John Cale gurus?
 

John Cale is someone that I've been interested in for years, but haven't a clue where to start. I'm not really a big fan of "hits" compilations or anything, when an artist has supposedly great LPs out. It seems that something like "Vintage Violence" or "Guts" might be a place to start. Any expert advice for me?

Recommended Cale:
Paris 1919
Fear
Vintage Violence
Fragments of a Rainy Season

I especially recommend the first three. Paris 1919 is very lush orchestral rock (one of my favorite albums EVER), while Fear and Vintage Violence are more stripped-down rock albums. Fragments of a Rainy Season, the weakest of my recommendations, is live solo piano (and occasionally acoustic guitar) reinterpretations of some of his work.

thanks, mike1978. is Paris 1919 more accessible, or just all around better?

now my real problem is finding a place that has his work for sale, for a fair price.

Sony re-released Vintage Violence with great sound and some awesome bonus tracks. Well worth picking up. My favorite Cale discs are "The Complete Island Recordings," which take all of Fear, Slow Dazzle, and Helen of Troy, puts them on two discs, and adds bonus tracks. Also recommended is Sabotage, a live disc featuring original material.

Paris 1919 and Vintage Violence are both fairly accessible (in my opinion), although I think Paris 1919 is the superior album. You can pick it up for $7.99 NEW at AllDirect.com.

thanks again!

I've been a fan of John Cale since he was a member of The Velvet Underground. (Christ, I'm old!)

I also think that Paris 1919 is his best album and also his most accessible.

Others that I would recommend are:

Fear
Music For A New Society
Fragments of a Rainy Season
Hobo Sapiens (his newest--import only, sorry)
Honi Soit (if you can find it)

Although you stated you're not a fan of hits packages, the Seducing Down The Door package is very good and covers a lot of Cale's different musical stylings. (And will give you a taste of his diverse musical leanings.) (It's a two CD set which covers his work from 1970 through 1990 and has a pretty interesting booklet included.)

just picked up Paris 1919 used, and so far, i have to say it's great. much more poppy (for lack of better description) than i had imagined, based on work with VU. i like it, alot. looking forward to my next purchase of his work.

I had Fear on vinyl and I have to say I miss it.

Ship of Fools is one of his best