Interviews
Bloodied but Unbowed
Interview by Scott Isler. Published in Musician no. 126 - April 1989
Violence, Viola and Enigma Variations
AUGUST 1988: New York summer, with urban grace, has kicked spring aside, and the city is now stewing in its worst prolonged heat wave in 44 years. Cale arrives at a (different) Greenwich Village cafe' wearing jeans and a purple short-sleeve pullover. He seems distracted and/or fidgety. He's been pulling apart The Falklands Suite:
"I'm gonna drop the instrumental introduction; it doesn't fit in m going to try to do it with a smaller orchestra A lot of that string writing is murky, especially the cello parts. I like having that buzzing going on down low. The thing about doing it with fewer numbers is you don't have that depth, that low end."
In the meantime, Cale's been keeping busy: producing an album for Canadian singer/songwriter Art Bergmann, touring as a one-man opening act for Pere Ubu, preparing ballet music for choreographer Ralph Lemon. And then there was the Songs for 'Drella project, pending Cale and Reed signing "a legal document that's very restrictive. But it's a strong foundation for a collaboration." The agreement, Cale adds, "won't apply only to Songs for 'Drella. It'll apply to anything. Then you'll be able to approach labels."
(Reed had also asked Cale to play on the former's New York album, then in progress. This fell through for reasons Cale won't divulge. Velvet Underground drummer Maureen Tucker appears on New York, suggesting that sentimental Lou was flirting with a VU reunion. Cale hints that with Reed it's "three steps forward, two steps back.")
"I'm really excited about the 'Drella thing," Cale continues. "Once we get the kind of writing I love from Lou – that kind of 'Venus in Furs,' 'Black Angel's Death Song' kind of writing which he doesn't give you so much of anymore. The lyrical style is denser, it's more intricate and compelling.