Timeline: 1992
Scoring Iphigenia in Tauris
Cale's first ever score for a ballet, Iphigenia in Tauris, is presented at the Merce Cunningham Studios in New York, January 16-19. Nina Winthrop is the choreographer. It is a piece for ten dancers and it explores the themes of rule, tyranny, sacrifice, compassion, and transformation, based on the play by Greek playwright Euripides.
Vocals on Hector Zazou album "Sahara Blue"
Does the vocals on First Evening and Hunger on French composer and record producer Hector Zazou's Sahara Blue, a concept album commemorating the 100th anniversary of the death of French poet Arthur Rimbaud.
David Sylvian plays guitar on First Evening and French musician Elizabeth Valetti plays harp. Belgian musician and record producer Vincent Kenis plays guitar on Hunger, and French musician Daniel Yvenec plays bass.
Cale would work again with Zazou in 1995, performing The Long Voyage, a duet with American singer-songwriter Suzanne Vega, on the Songs From the Cold Seas album.
David J covers "Antarctica Starts Here"
English bassist and singer David J. covers Antarctica Starts Here on his Candy on the Cross EP. This mini album also contains an abridged Antarctica Starts Here (reprise). He is a former member of gothic rock band Bauhaus, who covered Rosegarden Funeral of Sores in 1980 on their Telegram Sam EP.
The Velvet Underground Handbook: A Comprehensive Mediography
M.C, Kostek, President of the Velvet Underground Appreciation Society, publishes his book The Velvet Underground Handbook: A Comprehensive Mediography. It is highly accurate and includes rare photos, a chronological history, discography, filmography and bibliography, plus a listing of cover versions of Velvet songs.
Life Under Water
Performance of the sixteen minute mixed-media piece Life Under Water at the Art Project, Munich in Germany on September 6. The premiere of the piece was in New York in 1987. Features spoken word snippets by his daughter Eden. He is accompanied by The Soldier String Quartet and slide guitar player B.J. Cole. An excellent sounding bootleg, Bootleg John Cale & Strings, exists.
Fragments Of A Rainy Season
On September 28 the live album Fragments Of A Rainy Season is released. The tracks were recorded at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, Belgium on April 12, 1992. In 2016 the album was reissued in an expanded format. All tracks were remastered and sequenzed in the actual running order of the concert.
Note: The four track CDEP Heartbreak Hotel and the four track promo More Fragments contain alternate versions.
Fragments Of A Rainy Season video
Live video recorded at the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels, Belgium, April 12. Directed by Jacquemin Piel. Re-released on DVD in 2003.
Later With Jools Holland appearance
Cale performs on the BBC tv show Later With Jools Holland on November 26. He plays two songs - Dying On The Vine and Hallelujah, accompanied by the Duke String Quartet. He is also interviewed by the host.
Le Cercle de minuit appearance
Performs on the French tv show Le Cercle de minuit, broadcasted on November 26. He plays Dying On The Vine.
On stage with Lou Reed and Sterling Morrison in New York
Lou Reed and Sterling Morrison play guitar on Style It Takes and Forever Changed when Cale plays a show The Soldier String Quartet at New York University, December 5. Both tracks are included as bonus tracks on The Velvet Underground bootleg CD Even More Vengeance. Morrison first joined Cale for Heartbreak Hotel and stuck around for the first encore Hallelujah, with opening act Michael Brook joining in as well.
The evening's biggest treat came at the first encore, when Lou Reed strode onstage in suburban casuals, guitar strapped to his chest. Mr. Cale, Mr. Reed and Mr. Morrison launched into "Style It Takes," from "Songs for Drella," the 1990 Reed-Cale tribute to Andy Warhol. Only the crucial absence of the drummer Maureen Tucker kept this from being a Velvet Underground reunion. Mr. Reed's aggressive playing dominated the proceedings, but the three men did listen to one another, building a fractured reflection of the foundational Velvet sound. The trio continued with Mr. Cale's song "Forever Changed." Then Mr. Reed left the stage and the history-making was over for the night.
There was a Velvet Underground rehearsal in New York with Maureen Tucker one week before this. Reunion rumours start flying.