As a preparation for his appearance at the Meltdown Festival in London on June 25 - he got the invite from Patti Smith who acted as curator - he performs three secret warm-up shows in The Netherlands on March 31 at Tivoli in Utrecht, and two nights at Atak in Enschede (April 1 and 2). The shows are billed as The Meatgrinders.
He performs the warm-up shows with former Can member Holger Czukay, and Terrie Hessels & Andy Moor from Dutch avant-punk band The Ex.
He was supposed to come out during the Patti Smith show in London for the My Generation encore and play John Entwistle's bass solo (like he did on a regular basis in 1976 and 1977), but he didn't do it.
Sédition et alchimie, a French translation by Serge Lefaure of the Tim Mitchell biography Sedition and Alchemy is published in March by Camion Blanc:
Camion Blanc
France, March 2005
Paperback, 15 x 21 cm , 329 p.
ISBN: 2-910196-99-2
The Wrong Way Up album reissue has a different cover and contains bonus tracks:
North America
UK & Rest of the World
Features in the Don Letts' documentary Punk: Attitude. First broadcasted on Channel 4 (UK). The documentary places the roots of punk in the sixties (The Velvets, MC5, Stooges). Released as 2 discs DVD set.
Release of the Process soundtrack for the movie directed by C.S. Leigh. Three tracks are available on Suicide Theme From Process, a very limited edition 22+ Minutes 10" EP. He had accompanied a screening of the movie at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Berlin, Germany on February 8, 2024.
The Cale produced Stooges' debut album gets the 2 Disc DeLuxe Edition treatment. Includes four tracks of the original mix:
The 2010 Handmade edition has all the original mixes. I Wanna Be Your Dog is included on the Conflict & Catalysis: Productions & Arrangements 1966-2006 compilation album (2012)
Letter From Abroad is on the High Fidelity Reference CD No. 77, that comes with the Danish/Swedish magazine High Fidelity.
Another original John Cale mix for the Stooges' debut album is released as the b-side of the 1970 7" 45rpm single: Not Right, not included on the reissued album.
In September blackAcetate album is released. The single Turn The Lights On is Cale's first ever track which can be bought online.
The follow up, Perfect, gets Cale briefly in the UK charts, a feat that hadn't occured since the Honi Soit album. EMI footed the bill for a promo video.
Cale's May 13, 2003 live performance of Venus In Furs is included on the Even Louder DVD by Jools Holland.
A live performance of Paris 1919 with Alejandro Esvocedo taped on March 18 appears on the double cd KGSR Radio Austin Broadcasts, Vol. 13. Cale plays keyboard, Escovedo guitar. Other musicians on this recording: David Polkingham - guitar; Susan Voeltz - violin; Brian Standefer - cello; Matt Fish - cello. Hallelujah was performed (and aired) also, but is not featured on the album.
In A Flood is included on the Uncut CD Uncut Presents The Year's Essential Music: 2005 of the December issue.
Plays Perfect on the November 11 broadcast of Later With Jools Holland.