sorry to break the chain, but just finished listening to Another View, and – gawd, that single-chord strum/solo/breakdown in this take of "Rock 'n Roll" is just... *chef's kiss*
― juristic person (morrisp), Saturday, 23 October 2021 22:59 (two years ago) link
His singing started to go off in the late 70s tbh, "The Bells" is full of bizarre attempts at different voices, some of which are unintentionally hilarious - he could definitely still sing when he tried though. To be honest, if you compare his singing live even in the early 70s to his singing live with the Velvets it's nowhere near as good - though that might have been down to him being permanently wrecked in the 70s.
― Starmer: "Let the children boogie, let all the children boogie." (Tom D.), Saturday, 23 October 2021 23:03 (two years ago) link
I get tired of Reed's voice quickly and I think Cale's high points are a lot more interesting, tbh. Paris 1919, Fragments Of A Rainy Season, Fear, New Depression Music (or any other bootleg that has that 1984 BFBS radio session), Sabotage Live, the Rockpalast double CD... (and Nico's intense 1971 Peel Session with that small pump organ Cale gave her)
― StanM, Saturday, 23 October 2021 23:13 (two years ago) link
I’ve gone through Lou’s solo output chronologically (altho I think I missed a few albums & I have to admit it was a bit of a chore at times). There’s precious little there I care to revisit much, whereas I still can’t stop listening to the VU over & over. The Blue Mask used to be a favourite, but there’s some awfully cringey writing on it. I think I’d like it better as an instrumental album. I think I could probably do a CD-80 of the high points of solo Lou & be forever satisfied (except for Metal Machine Music, which I genuinely enjoy as ambient skronk)
― war mice (hardcore dilettante), Saturday, 23 October 2021 23:35 (two years ago) link
Ecstasy is a helluva album to go out on if you don't count The Raven.
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 23 October 2021 23:39 (two years ago) link
Transformer and MMM are perfect.
― Legalize Suburban Benches (Raymond Cummings), Sunday, 24 October 2021 00:07 (two years ago) link
My take is very close to hardcore dilettante’s. In general I love Alfred’s posts and his lists but not going to follow him on this one, sorry.
― Double Chocula (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 October 2021 00:07 (two years ago) link
With Lou vs. John I guess it’s many moments of genius saddled with too high self-regard as misunderstood genius combined with careless and busted technique vs. overall better musicianship, interpersonal skills and articulated aesthetics along with quite a few moments of inspiration and some boring but harmless moments easy to avoid and not propped up by a cult of followers.
― Double Chocula (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 October 2021 00:12 (two years ago) link
No apologies about a CD-R r playlist. Mine would be one in which 1982-2000 dominated (M&L excepted; that one's a slog).
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 24 October 2021 00:13 (two years ago) link
Cale in the '70s >>>>>>>>>>>>>> Reed in the '70s
Reed in the '80s and '90s >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Cale in the '80s and '90s
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 24 October 2021 00:14 (two years ago) link
I love "Turn To Me" so much
idk if I think Cale's higher points are higher than Lou's but god damn Cale had an amazing run in the 70's and was/is sporadically great thereafter
lol xposts
― Communist Hockey Goblin (sleeve), Sunday, 24 October 2021 00:14 (two years ago) link
Didn’t really intend to use genius twice in such rapid succession, but hey, I’m just an average with an average vocabulary and typing skills, unlike Moe.
― Double Chocula (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 October 2021 00:17 (two years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tS8oyl1gygs
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 24 October 2021 00:21 (two years ago) link
Wait, Lou wrote a song about that? How did he know? He got the jump on my psyche once again, the way only a true artist, ordained by a genuine poet, can.
― Double Chocula (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 October 2021 00:24 (two years ago) link
That one's just blah, so point for you.
― So who you gonna call? The martini police (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 24 October 2021 00:24 (two years ago) link
"Secret Corrida" by Cale (1996) and "Ecstasy" by Reed (2000) are great "late" songs that anyone who likes any era of their music should hear.
― Halfway there but for you, Sunday, 24 October 2021 00:27 (two years ago) link
(admittedly neither would have fit on White Light/White Heat
― Halfway there but for you, Sunday, 24 October 2021 00:28 (two years ago) link
Someone made a comment elsewhere, I believe it was noted John Cale enthusiast La Lechera, that one of the things that makes Cale’s use of the English language so appealing is that he is not a native speaker.
― Double Chocula (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 October 2021 00:40 (two years ago) link
Yet another thing Iggy and Bowie do better than Lou, in addition to reading a lot and remembering what they read, is playing the role of Average Guy when it suits them.
― Double Chocula (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 October 2021 00:44 (two years ago) link
At least Lou was not as prolific as Bob Pollard which makes the mixtape playlist thing a little easier.
― Double Chocula (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 October 2021 01:03 (two years ago) link
― Double Chocula (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 October 2021 01:06 (two years ago) link
Linking this Quine interview for the umpteenth time: http://www.furious.com/perfect/quine.html
― Double Chocula (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 October 2021 01:17 (two years ago) link
Found Walking On Locusts on YT last night (LP not on Spotify), and was disappointed to discover the album take of "Dancing Undercover" pales in comparison to the Leno version.
― Precious, Grace, Hill & Beard LTD. (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 24 October 2021 01:20 (two years ago) link
Cale also torn shit up on a Game Show
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mqO-xsRyTM
― Precious, Grace, Hill & Beard LTD. (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 24 October 2021 01:23 (two years ago) link
Which I believe is the beginning of the doc, or nearly so.
― Double Chocula (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 October 2021 01:31 (two years ago) link
My favorite video of John Cale is the Old Grey Whistle Test version of "Dying on the Vine" with Ollie Halsall on guitar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-q-GGiAt8Q
― Double Chocula (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 October 2021 01:37 (two years ago) link
Cale’s use of the English language
I've been listening to Shifty Adventures in Nookie Wood, and it reinforced that, as a lyricist, Cale excels at setting a scene, and convincing you that something is at stake. "Scotland Yard":
When the hungry days are goneThen came the hungry nightsHolding on to what you've gotStanding in the spotlightThey'll show you mostlyWhat they want you to seeWalking the city at midnightAnd whistling in the dark
or "Mary":
There's a window in my mindYou can see inJust look and you'll want to sighIt inspires you to look away
― Halfway there but for you, Sunday, 24 October 2021 02:08 (two years ago) link
I guess to describe him as a non-native speaker is not quite correct. His father was an English speaker but he himself only spoke Welsh at home for the first several years of his life.
― Double Chocula (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 October 2021 02:32 (two years ago) link
― Double Chocula (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 October 2021 02:53 (two years ago) link
On the "I've Got a Secret" segment from the doc, it was fascinating and incongruous to see who was on the panel that was watching John Cale play: Betsy Palmer, who 17 years later played Jason's mom in the first Friday the 13th movie, as well as Bess Myerson, the former Miss America who became a criminal in the 1980s.
― Josefa, Sunday, 24 October 2021 02:59 (two years ago) link
Sounds hot, will have to look her up (on the Google that is)Welsh accent, from land of coal mines and bards, serves him well, w the rasp and lilt (thinking of having seen him touring behind Sabotage/Live: "Now Deeerfrance is gonna help us out here..." sometimes surfacing on records too)Lots of good talk here too:John Cale S/D
― dow, Sunday, 24 October 2021 03:06 (two years ago) link
Bess Myerson was also the first (and only) Jewish Miss America, and later acted as an alleged beard for Ed Kotch.
― Precious, Grace, Hill & Beard LTD. (C. Grisso/McCain), Sunday, 24 October 2021 03:18 (two years ago) link
Deerfrance? Don’t know much about her but sending her warm thoughts through the mental theremin since her husband just passed. Also just found this song she did about Nico.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnRAPnEiIeAcriminal in the 1980sBecause of her relationship with Andy Capasso. Almost forgot about that.
― Double Chocula (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 October 2021 03:31 (two years ago) link
Myerson also had a shoplifting problem, which I’m willing to overlook, because who among us…
― Josefa, Sunday, 24 October 2021 03:52 (two years ago) link
.
― Double Chocula (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 October 2021 03:58 (two years ago) link
I meant "Street Hassle" the song as being the only solo Lou moment that is absolutely essential for a Velvet fan to hear. Not the album. I love the whole thing, it's his best solo album. But it does have filler and I can't recommend an album that has "I Wanna Be Black" without some sort of warning and a signed waiver absolving me of any blame for being triggered. "Street Hassle" the song is kind of a bummer because there's nothing else like that in his catalog. In my mind that is when Spacemen 3 were born.
The album that best captures the essence of classic Lou is Take No Prisoners.
The Velvets are the only band who I have wanted to hear EVERYTHING from. Any fucked up wobbly bootleg is welcome in my ears.
― Cow_Art, Sunday, 24 October 2021 04:04 (two years ago) link
I’d throw “The Bells” (song) up there as well for VU fans
― Western® with Bacon Flavor, Sunday, 24 October 2021 04:18 (two years ago) link
Thanks for the clarification. “Street Hassle (The Song)” is so great because it is kind of like the plot of a Warhol movie without dropping Andy’s name, the hard shiny, shiny surface of the storyline colliding with Terms of Endearment-level sentimentality, all tied together with those embodied cellos borrowed from the pre-Petra Haden sung cello lines of that earlier tale of Redemption Through Bad Romance performed by those crisscross trend line favorites on JoJo’s graph, The Who’s “A Quick One, While He’s Away.”
― Double Chocula (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 October 2021 04:25 (two years ago) link
Some good stuff on this thread: In Praise Of...Lou Reed "Take No Prisoners"Including links to one guy’s excellent blog such as this one: https://damienlove.com/writing/babe-im-on-fire-the-making-of-lou-reeds-street-hassle
― Double Chocula (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 October 2021 04:29 (two years ago) link
"Street Hassle (The Song Suite)"
― Double Chocula (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 October 2021 04:32 (two years ago) link
Forgot about it being used in The Squid and the Whale, closing credits was it.
― Double Chocula (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 October 2021 04:40 (two years ago) link
Just went further down the Balloon Farm rabbit hole. Will spare you for now.
― Through with “What’s the Buzz” (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 October 2021 05:24 (two years ago) link
Or you could just read this yourself: https://www.mikeappel.com/Balloon%20Farm%20story.pdf
― Through with “What’s the Buzz” (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 24 October 2021 05:27 (two years ago) link
I can't even interest the Velvet Underground thread in the Sunday Morning / MITM link :(
― assert (matttkkkk), Sunday, 24 October 2021 06:20 (two years ago) link
I hear the similarity! No intel to offer, sorry
― juristic person (morrisp), Sunday, 24 October 2021 06:55 (two years ago) link
oh good, I just needed a sanity check!
― assert (matttkkkk), Sunday, 24 October 2021 07:24 (two years ago) link
MITM?
― Mark G, Sunday, 24 October 2021 07:49 (two years ago) link
"Mary in the Morning" upthread
― assert (matttkkkk), Sunday, 24 October 2021 08:35 (two years ago) link
Ta. Will check it out
― Mark G, Sunday, 24 October 2021 09:16 (two years ago) link
I found the Elvis version, the intro there has a similar chord setup. I don't hear any similarity in Glenn Campbell's.
― Mark G, Sunday, 24 October 2021 09:34 (two years ago) link