Interviews
Bloodied but Unbowed
Interview by Scott Isler. Published in Musician no. 126 - April 1989
Violence, Viola and Enigma Variations
His friend and co-writer Larry Sloman notes Cale's "academic interest" in terrorism and government intelligence. Sloman, executive editor of National Lampoon, recalls Cale asking him for credentials to attend a National Security Council seminar in Washington on international terrorism. "I had to explain to him," Sloman laughs, "'John, they're not gonna take it seriously if National Lampoon asks to cover this! "'However, "judging by the way events unfold, John's insights always seem to be closer to reality than paranoia."
And maybe we should take Cale at his word. His new material, he says, consists of "humorous love songs. They're not anywhere near as dark as the old ones. Subject matter was really the one thing that was bothering me. I didn't want to get involved in that intense, psychotic-that was always something thathappened with the old songs. You start off with a plain tune and it turned into a totally different situation. This time it was a conscious effort not to get involved in it, to maintain equilibrium."
Asked if his songs are inner- or outer-directed, Cale fudges: "Inner-directed look-ing at other people." He refers to Music for a New Society, a 1982 album that is among Cale's most harrowing in its stark textures, extreme scenarios and lack of traditional song forms. Those pieces "seemed to have characters in them where forces around them were making them come to decisions. I've always disliked songs that ask questions. Finding answers is more important. And seeing characters, personalities working out solutions to problems is real interesting. That's what soap operas are. But songwriting is not that monochromatic."