John Cale

Aliases: John Cale & Band
Real name: John Davies Cale
Born: September 3, 1943
Country: United Kingdom
IPI: 00004849977
00033982178
Comments: Cale was born in Wales; his father was a coal miner and his mother a school teacher. Cale was an only child. Cale studied musicology from 1960 to 1963 in London, moving to New York City on a Leonard Bernstein scholarship. Heavily influenced by avant-garde music, Cale became a member of La Monte Young's avant-garde group, The Theatre of Eternal Music, which was based on sustaining a drone -- sometimes for hours.

Cale co-founded The Velvet Underground with Lou Reed. He is a multi-instrumentalist, including on viola, guitar, bass, keyboards, harpsichord, harmonium, celeste, piano and organ. Cale has been putting out records since he went solo in 1970. He has released a wide variety of music, including experimental, hard rock, and soundtracks, of which he has composed many. Cale also writes songs and has produced many artists.
Member of: The Velvet Underground (1965-1968)
Related: Lou Reed Co-founder of The Velvet Underground and frequent collaborator