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What's Welsh for Zen: The Autobiography of John Cale
John Cale has been a key figure in rock music for decades. Born in 1942 in a small Welsh mining village, he was playing classical piano on BBC radio at the age of eight, and by ten he had discovered rock and roll on Radio Luxembourg. He studied music at Goldsmith's College in London and in 1963 moved to New York City, under the tutelage of Aaron Copland. Cale was quickly drawn into the heart of the artistic avant-garde via Lamonte Young's Theatre of Eternal Music and Andy Warhol's Factory, and then, together with Lou Reed, founded one of the most influential rock bands of all time, the Velvet Underground. Having left the band in 1968 after disagreements with Reed, Cale has pursued his career as a solo pianist, record producer, and composer on the international rock circuit for decades.
272 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1998
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About the author
John Cale
40 books10 followersJohn Davies Cale, OBE (born 9 March 1942) is a musician, composer, singer, songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the American rock band the Velvet Underground. Over his five-decade career, Cale has worked in various styles, including rock, drone, classical, avant-garde and electronic music.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
September 24, 2024
I bought this as the boxed set that predated the pb by a few months. There is no hardcover, should you be looking for one. Note: this is a loose-leaf, 8 1/2 x 11, unbound stack of pages. All of them are typographical nightmares. Headache-inducing, vertiginous, late-90s 'fun-with-font'-orama. The plus side: Cale included a giant autographed insert; the Deerfrance contribution gets its own chapbook rather than the criminal superfine print on the inside covers of the pb; and other assorted goodies housed in a cardboard box with the cover pasted on. It is a bang-up job insofar you're a Cale obsessive.
***
Which, incidentally, I am. Beyond. More than. Etc. You don't get higher in my subjective hierarchy. I have always loved the first two VU records, never gave a shit about numbers 4 and 5, and went through the required third album phase 30+ years ago (Galaxie 500 did it better, honestly). I don't like Lou Reed's solo stuff beyond 2 albums. I review this so ridiculously biased in favor of Cale that I own that my perspective won't apply to those that know the man via VU. If that's your thing, however, there's a whole lot of it to be found within.
I prefer a lot of technical insight into recording and 'process' shit, none of which you'll find here. This is disarmingly honest, fucking sad (at points), bittersweet 25-years on, and required reading for those that recognize that Cale has always been the one holding the aces. Between him and Eno (and so often together), you have too many crucial albums to count. Don't bother; listening is far more fun.
When you're not, though, this (and Eno's My Year with Swollen Appendices) is about as good as music writing gets. No critical overview, no muso-journalist's perspective on cultural 'zeitgeist' horeshittery; just the human being that husbanded so much perfect, lovingly-fucked sound and song into being.
Honi soit qui mal y pense.
***
Which, incidentally, I am. Beyond. More than. Etc. You don't get higher in my subjective hierarchy. I have always loved the first two VU records, never gave a shit about numbers 4 and 5, and went through the required third album phase 30+ years ago (Galaxie 500 did it better, honestly). I don't like Lou Reed's solo stuff beyond 2 albums. I review this so ridiculously biased in favor of Cale that I own that my perspective won't apply to those that know the man via VU. If that's your thing, however, there's a whole lot of it to be found within.
I prefer a lot of technical insight into recording and 'process' shit, none of which you'll find here. This is disarmingly honest, fucking sad (at points), bittersweet 25-years on, and required reading for those that recognize that Cale has always been the one holding the aces. Between him and Eno (and so often together), you have too many crucial albums to count. Don't bother; listening is far more fun.
When you're not, though, this (and Eno's My Year with Swollen Appendices) is about as good as music writing gets. No critical overview, no muso-journalist's perspective on cultural 'zeitgeist' horeshittery; just the human being that husbanded so much perfect, lovingly-fucked sound and song into being.
Honi soit qui mal y pense.
July 19, 2008
A co-write with the dreaded Victor Bockris, which guarantees it is repetitive, nonsensical at times, and heavily slanted against Lou Reed. Which is fine, as Velvet Underground followers need to hear Cale's side of the story. Anyone looking for dirt on Lou Reed--or Brian Eno, for that matter--will find it here. And Cale's autobiographical revelations are often fascinating. Despite his imposing, aloof, and cocksure public demeanor, what's revealed is a surprisingly insecure, sometimes deeply unlikable, but apparently candid man with a bit of a victim's complex but a survivor's instinct. Caveat: The design of the interior and surreal artwork make it an interesting coffee table book, but difficult to read...but worth it for fans.
February 5, 2013
I bought this book about ten years ago mainly because I am a Dave McKean fan. Also, being Welsh, I was intrigued by the title. Over the last few years I've become increasingly more interested in John Cale, The Velvet Underground, and Lou Reed, so it seemed time to read this.
This is an intensely honest and raw autobiography—Cale doesn't always make himself look good so I assume the honesty. The intensity and rawness is equally reflected in McKean's design and illustration. I think there is also a sense of Cale discovering himself during the process of this writing. "Process" might be a good word for this book. As mentioned in other reviews, there are a fair amount of typos. That, in addition to the heavy blocks of type running so close to the pages' edges had me wondering where the editor was. At the same time I appreciate the idea of laying it all out there.
There is a good amount of repetition in the book. A letter overlaid on the title page—I believe it is Victor Bockris writing—addresses this. Repetition is used for emphasis in poetry, music, and writing in general. I wonder (since some of what is being repeated seems a bit trivial) was this strictly intentional, or a bit of laziness in the editing process?
A tangent: Having read a few musician autobiographies, I've noticed repetition occurring in many of them. I wonder if the process of writing a handful of songs, then playing those songs on a tour for a year in addition to repeated interviews about those songs, ingrains some kind of need for repetition? Would you see it more prevalently in rock musicians as opposed to jazz/improvised musicians? —and what of more formally trained musicians?
Overall it's good, but I think it could have been great and wildly amazing. I think we have an artifact of a process here, a process of self-discovery and realization. Perhaps we would all be more self-aware and self-realized if we wrote autobiographies once a decade. I suppose this is why people keep journals?
This is an intensely honest and raw autobiography—Cale doesn't always make himself look good so I assume the honesty. The intensity and rawness is equally reflected in McKean's design and illustration. I think there is also a sense of Cale discovering himself during the process of this writing. "Process" might be a good word for this book. As mentioned in other reviews, there are a fair amount of typos. That, in addition to the heavy blocks of type running so close to the pages' edges had me wondering where the editor was. At the same time I appreciate the idea of laying it all out there.
There is a good amount of repetition in the book. A letter overlaid on the title page—I believe it is Victor Bockris writing—addresses this. Repetition is used for emphasis in poetry, music, and writing in general. I wonder (since some of what is being repeated seems a bit trivial) was this strictly intentional, or a bit of laziness in the editing process?
A tangent: Having read a few musician autobiographies, I've noticed repetition occurring in many of them. I wonder if the process of writing a handful of songs, then playing those songs on a tour for a year in addition to repeated interviews about those songs, ingrains some kind of need for repetition? Would you see it more prevalently in rock musicians as opposed to jazz/improvised musicians? —and what of more formally trained musicians?
Overall it's good, but I think it could have been great and wildly amazing. I think we have an artifact of a process here, a process of self-discovery and realization. Perhaps we would all be more self-aware and self-realized if we wrote autobiographies once a decade. I suppose this is why people keep journals?
December 1, 2013
I've read this a couple of years ago and as far as musician's autobiographies/memoirs go, this one is very good. It's a "warts and all" type of autobiography and Cale doesn't spare himself, unafraid of appearing in an unflattering light sometimes. I think the book was written around the time of Cale's divorce from his 3rd wife and also in rather fallow creative times if I remember correctly so a lot of the resentment and sadness seeps into the text sometimes. Not sure this would still be the case now that Cale seems to be in a happy place in his private life nowadays.
Even if you're not a John Cale fan the book is well worth reading if only because Cale has had an extraordinary trajectory that would be impossible today. The son of a coal miner and a school teacher, growing in a Welsh household divided by language and ruled by religion, he went on to study avant-garde composition and music in London before moving to NYC in the early 1960s and participate in Fluxus and classical contemporary music adventures before founding the Velvet Underground with Lou Reed (and Sterling Morrison and Moe Tucker). This is not the life of someone who witnessed historical events but of someone who *made* history.
This same story would be impossible today because of the disappearance of support for the arts in schools and the takeover of cultural production by the offspring of the upper middle-class and the elite and the erasing of economic opportunities for the gifted children of the working class. Cale doesn't comment on this but some of the subtext of the book really shows a changing landscape for artists and musicians alike. It depicts the life of someone devoted to music and not to success. His long career shows an impeccable track record by an artist who made some of the most seminal records of the 1960s (with VU), 70s (Fear, Paris 1919, Slow Dazzle, etc.) and 80s (Music For A New Society), has produced landmark albums for other influential artists (Patti Smith, The Stooges, The Modern Lovers, Happy Mondays) and collaborated with musicians such as Terry Riley, LaMonte Young and Brian Eno and most recently Danger Mouse. Yet he's a very underrated musician who still makes records (check the recent Extra Playful EP) and tours regularly.
What's Welsh For Zen retraces his career from his Welsh childhood until the late 1990s, and follows the story of someone whose path is history, as I said above. It also gives a good insight into the process of making some of the albums and how the shortcomings of record labels can sometime affect the final product.
The book has a very interesting layout and many photographs and includes interviews and snippets by other people. Beyond recalling Cale's life and career it gives a good introduction to 50 years of rock music and avant-garde music alike.
It can be harrowing at times when Cale recalls the molestation he suffered as a child, his harsh upbringing and the lack of communication with his family, or his drug use as an adult but it's one of the most interesting music reads you can do.
A minus was the poor editing and proofreading, which seems to be rather the norm with ALL books about music I've ever read. Seriously, publishers, what's your issue with editing a book about music correctly?
Even if you're not a John Cale fan the book is well worth reading if only because Cale has had an extraordinary trajectory that would be impossible today. The son of a coal miner and a school teacher, growing in a Welsh household divided by language and ruled by religion, he went on to study avant-garde composition and music in London before moving to NYC in the early 1960s and participate in Fluxus and classical contemporary music adventures before founding the Velvet Underground with Lou Reed (and Sterling Morrison and Moe Tucker). This is not the life of someone who witnessed historical events but of someone who *made* history.
This same story would be impossible today because of the disappearance of support for the arts in schools and the takeover of cultural production by the offspring of the upper middle-class and the elite and the erasing of economic opportunities for the gifted children of the working class. Cale doesn't comment on this but some of the subtext of the book really shows a changing landscape for artists and musicians alike. It depicts the life of someone devoted to music and not to success. His long career shows an impeccable track record by an artist who made some of the most seminal records of the 1960s (with VU), 70s (Fear, Paris 1919, Slow Dazzle, etc.) and 80s (Music For A New Society), has produced landmark albums for other influential artists (Patti Smith, The Stooges, The Modern Lovers, Happy Mondays) and collaborated with musicians such as Terry Riley, LaMonte Young and Brian Eno and most recently Danger Mouse. Yet he's a very underrated musician who still makes records (check the recent Extra Playful EP) and tours regularly.
What's Welsh For Zen retraces his career from his Welsh childhood until the late 1990s, and follows the story of someone whose path is history, as I said above. It also gives a good insight into the process of making some of the albums and how the shortcomings of record labels can sometime affect the final product.
The book has a very interesting layout and many photographs and includes interviews and snippets by other people. Beyond recalling Cale's life and career it gives a good introduction to 50 years of rock music and avant-garde music alike.
It can be harrowing at times when Cale recalls the molestation he suffered as a child, his harsh upbringing and the lack of communication with his family, or his drug use as an adult but it's one of the most interesting music reads you can do.
A minus was the poor editing and proofreading, which seems to be rather the norm with ALL books about music I've ever read. Seriously, publishers, what's your issue with editing a book about music correctly?
February 12, 2012
When I set out to read this book I was expecting two things to happen: 1) I'd read about the life of a genius and be really jealous of him or 2) start to hate Cale for some flaws of his character. Neither actually happened. This was a sad book. A book about a person that expected so much of life and even though achieved a lot, it was never enough. Personal difficulties and resentments are seeping through each chapter. In a way if feels that in Cale's own eyes the peak of his career was achieved during Velvet Underground. The problem with this is that he was very very young at the time and the glory only lasted for about a year. From then on life seemed as a series of disappointments, always striving to repeat the magic of the VU, but never quite getting there.
I think John summarizes the book in this passage: "There was always this competition to see how low you could go and how fast you could rise. I was competing with myself. I'm getting sadder and sadder thinking about my lack of self-knowledge as I write this book. I'm distraught about my lack of any sense of my own worth, and about visions of myself."
The book was written in 1999. I truly hope that the following decade has brought some peace to the turbid depths of Cale's soul.
I think John summarizes the book in this passage: "There was always this competition to see how low you could go and how fast you could rise. I was competing with myself. I'm getting sadder and sadder thinking about my lack of self-knowledge as I write this book. I'm distraught about my lack of any sense of my own worth, and about visions of myself."
The book was written in 1999. I truly hope that the following decade has brought some peace to the turbid depths of Cale's soul.
September 1, 2017
I read the Goodreads reviews before reading the book, so I was prepared for his bashing of Lou Reed and Brian Eno. I didn't find the book to read- it's more like listening to him speak unedited. He's surprisingly candid and at times self-deprecating. The Velvet Underground would not have existed without him. He details how his classical training and early avant garde work sparked what made the band different from all other rock bands. I have most of his records so it was fun to read about how he conceived each of them.
February 19, 2025
a very fascinating book about a very fascinating life. at times it felt almost too personal, like i was reading his diary or something. but as musician memoirs go this one is quite thoughtful and ambivalent and occasionally self-aggrandizing and more often very honest about his own flaws and mistakes. i found it very engaging, and i loved the integration of artwork and photos and the whole layout of the book.
also the picture of john they used on the cover reminds me of that one mapplethorpe photo (that happens to be on Another book cover) of a man in extreme pain/orgasm. idk if that was intentional i just had to point that out
also the picture of john they used on the cover reminds me of that one mapplethorpe photo (that happens to be on Another book cover) of a man in extreme pain/orgasm. idk if that was intentional i just had to point that out
August 29, 2023
I just wrote a multi paragraph review and my app crashed fjfjslxjdns
April 26, 2016
This was good for the information, but you have to work for it. What the hell was up with the editing? Or the lack of it? It reads like an exact transcription of Cale talking about his life--so much of it is him talking in circles, and there are typos like crazy. The layout of the text made it difficult to read at times, though after reading a recent interview with Cale, I found that was intentional and meant to resemble TV (which makes sense as I can't bear to watch most TV anymore...and anyway, it seems it would have been more apropos had it been published a decade prior). Ah well. I'm a big fan of Cale's solo work as well as his time with the VU, so I'm glad I picked this up. I was amused to find this was co-written by the same guy who wrote Lou Reed's bio--which my dad read while he waited for me to finish music lessons in 9th grade and regaled me with juicy stories when I returned--so I am both curious to read Reed's side but reluctant if the ridiculousness of the text is Bockris' doing.
January 24, 2014
beautifully and gruesomely candid. i respect john cale even more for writing so honestly about himself and sharing his hard-earned and well-deserved insights. felt like having a conversation w/a friend.
June 4, 2023
Difficult one for me. John Cale is by far my favourite solo male artist. I adore his music, think he's a hot piece of Welsh arse (still, though he is 80, I would and I'm a fair bit younger) and I went to see him live recently at the London Palladium where he was astounding. I do, however, in reading this book, remember what put me off him before and it was some of the descriptions of women - I read a specific excerpt years ago that I found disrespectful. I do not like the way he describes random women's physicality. It's pretty negative and misogynistic. This is him writing as he is "now" (1999) after the craziness and he has a daughter, so he is still old enough to know better. It's a very 90s view of women, though.
It's strange, then, to say that the thing I really like about the book, is how candid and frank Cale is about everything. He is very direct and he doesn't shy away from it even when it makes him feel ashamed. This is astonishing. Most people would edit this book heavily to make themselves look rosy or their publishers would say 'mate, you look like a bit of a wanker here, take it out'. It's to his credit that he hasn't done that.
Cale's escapades are also reflective of how much men get away with in life, particularly men in positions of power (despite him often presenting himself as powerless in this book). That's not to say he didn't feel powerless. He was clearly not given any guidance on how to be a man, which appears to have affected him quite deeply in every area of life, from making friends and socialising to connecting with women and other forms of collaboration and of which Cale is very cognizant. He harbours much anger towards both men and women in his life. I would love an update on how Cale now views the version of himself who wrote this book.
Some of my favourite parts are the descriptions of him by others because it puts his own descriptions of people into perspective. I actually wish there was a bit more of that. One man (clearly with a serious crush), kept talking about Cale's sexuality and how he brings his sexuality into everything. I didn't get that from much of Cale's writing here at all but it's a feeling I get when I see him (very masculine, neanderthal-like), it's in his music and it's an interesting take. I'd have liked some perceptions from Tucker and maybe his family members. He is known for having a temper (someone I knew who worked with him once told me he shouts) and it was briefly mentioned that he would move very quickly, physically which makes him sound a little terrifying. Tucker called him a lunatic. He glassed someone (it's in the book - shocking). He also said himself that he is short tempered. It would be good to see that side discussed a bit more and how that character might have affected Reed maybe as something to toy with (since Reed appears to like danger).
For all that Cale says about Reed, he can be pretty catty himself. He was generous about Morrison but I think he could have been a bit more generous about Tucker as well beyond 'she can do the basics'. A bit of bitchy Reed creeping into his character there. Cale was generous about some of the women he dated and it's interesting how much he links his romantic life with his work life - he seems to date all of his female managers then resents when they have too much control. Control (and the lack of it) is a recurring theme.
Cale seems somewhat aware of his personal growth but it also felt as if this awareness was in its infancy. It was only 1999 after all (a spectacularly misogynistic era). As he is somewhat of an intellectual, he can make his insight into himself appear deeper than it may actually be. It feels a tad Freudian and woman-blaming to me. I do think there is a strong bit of self-victimisation in this e.g. that he blames his ex-wife for making him live beyond his means rather than taking responsibility to tell her 'this cannot continue'; it is his money after all.
He comes off as very removed from women emotionally - he said his mother stole his soul and that when he was younger he blamed her mastectomy for that. At no point does he appear to feel any sadness or empathy for her. He's very distant. It's as if he cannot get outside of himself. The only time you see him being human with someone female is with his daughter for whom he said he felt immense pain when he would no longer be able to see her every day.
There are some parts of this book that remain unresolved or unclear. I'm a tad confused about the selling of his mother's house to avoid another break-in. One minute she's in a care home for a month - which leaves us hanging - did she stay there??? and later in the book he returns to 'our home in Garnant' - okay so did you sell it or not? What happened?! I also don't understand what role Cale's mother plays in the documentary featuring Brian Eno. Is he saying she's acting/pretending in it? Or is she talking about the actual break in as herself? I think Victor Bockris should have asked for clarification and taken the reins a bit more.
Side Note I: As this book was essentially spoken into existence by Cale, I actually have zero idea which part is Bockris and which part is Cale. From what Cale said in an interview with Jack Docherty, Bockris was the typist... if so, can I type the next one?
Side Note II: Someone mentioned spelling issues - I think there were minor ones but on the positive side, Cale has a pretty wide vocabulary and I've learned a number of new words (yipee). I know that doesn't count for shit, however the number of times I had to look words up is quite ridiculous but maybe that says more about me and my limited reading. He is a deeply learned man and his references are vast and his knowledge very broad. I can't imagine he finds it very easy to talk to others in his daily life because he would only be half understood by some people and the other half could be understood by the rest. High brow, low brow, whatever the label, he doesn't care. He embraces it all and gives it all the same kind of intellectual gravitas and consideration. Perhaps the result of being the son of a coal miner and a teacher.
Side Note III (Layout): Now the layout is definitely rich - great images, especially the early years and polaroids of random encounters with celebrities of the day but I especially love those of his parents - a constant presence throughout. At times I cannot see the resemblance but one pic of his father in his old age looks almost exactly like Cale now - which I know Cale hates and is the reason why he styles his hair differently and has that goatee. The white and black writing on the sepia pages works. I read an online copy but I only had to zoom in on one of them for clarity. I thought it was brilliantly done and you really got a feel for each mental, physical and environmental space he was in through this layout, particularly his early years in Wales.
Some of the less generous reviews on this site are driven by Cale's comments about Reed but I didn't find his take on Reed to be problematic. Reed was a difficult man and it's absolutely fine for him to be criticised by someone who had to deal with him. Reed is initially presented as horny for Cale (who isn't?) and also jealous of him and not just by Cale but also other observers who said that Cale attracted the women, not Reed. Tucker and Morrison were clearly emotionally far more mature than both Cale and Reed but Cale is getting there and it's interesting to find what the dynamic is like when certain members of a band are growing into adults and others wish to remain loyal to what should now be their former teenage selves. The whole section regarding the reunion and Cale trying to bring things together but Morrison stepping in and telling Cale to accept that Reed will not change is one of the best parts.
Reed is the kid who won't be a sellout. That's the person who drives any band when you're young but when you age, it's hard to make space for that kind of character. 'Are we still doing this thing 30 years later and pretending we're not grown?' I would absolutely love for Reed to still be alive because his character is now considered a trope in the modern world - an edgelord. It would be amazing to know if he would be able to step away from his former self and say 'that is who I was'. I think his relationship with Laurie Anderson proved there was a loving and self aware man within him. I think what was not intentional and what I did pick up from this book was that Reed felt undervalued but he went about correcting it by trying to take the credit for everything. Honestly I felt 'the bitch just needs a hug and validation'.
I do think Cale needs to write the next chapters of this book and have it re-published as a second edition. He should probably edit out the cruel comments about women. He is still making music, still collaborating and presumably has had a number of romantic relationships (and managers, probably girlfriend-managers) since and we want to know about it! Write it for us while you still can, John!
It's strange, then, to say that the thing I really like about the book, is how candid and frank Cale is about everything. He is very direct and he doesn't shy away from it even when it makes him feel ashamed. This is astonishing. Most people would edit this book heavily to make themselves look rosy or their publishers would say 'mate, you look like a bit of a wanker here, take it out'. It's to his credit that he hasn't done that.
Cale's escapades are also reflective of how much men get away with in life, particularly men in positions of power (despite him often presenting himself as powerless in this book). That's not to say he didn't feel powerless. He was clearly not given any guidance on how to be a man, which appears to have affected him quite deeply in every area of life, from making friends and socialising to connecting with women and other forms of collaboration and of which Cale is very cognizant. He harbours much anger towards both men and women in his life. I would love an update on how Cale now views the version of himself who wrote this book.
Some of my favourite parts are the descriptions of him by others because it puts his own descriptions of people into perspective. I actually wish there was a bit more of that. One man (clearly with a serious crush), kept talking about Cale's sexuality and how he brings his sexuality into everything. I didn't get that from much of Cale's writing here at all but it's a feeling I get when I see him (very masculine, neanderthal-like), it's in his music and it's an interesting take. I'd have liked some perceptions from Tucker and maybe his family members. He is known for having a temper (someone I knew who worked with him once told me he shouts) and it was briefly mentioned that he would move very quickly, physically which makes him sound a little terrifying. Tucker called him a lunatic. He glassed someone (it's in the book - shocking). He also said himself that he is short tempered. It would be good to see that side discussed a bit more and how that character might have affected Reed maybe as something to toy with (since Reed appears to like danger).
For all that Cale says about Reed, he can be pretty catty himself. He was generous about Morrison but I think he could have been a bit more generous about Tucker as well beyond 'she can do the basics'. A bit of bitchy Reed creeping into his character there. Cale was generous about some of the women he dated and it's interesting how much he links his romantic life with his work life - he seems to date all of his female managers then resents when they have too much control. Control (and the lack of it) is a recurring theme.
Cale seems somewhat aware of his personal growth but it also felt as if this awareness was in its infancy. It was only 1999 after all (a spectacularly misogynistic era). As he is somewhat of an intellectual, he can make his insight into himself appear deeper than it may actually be. It feels a tad Freudian and woman-blaming to me. I do think there is a strong bit of self-victimisation in this e.g. that he blames his ex-wife for making him live beyond his means rather than taking responsibility to tell her 'this cannot continue'; it is his money after all.
He comes off as very removed from women emotionally - he said his mother stole his soul and that when he was younger he blamed her mastectomy for that. At no point does he appear to feel any sadness or empathy for her. He's very distant. It's as if he cannot get outside of himself. The only time you see him being human with someone female is with his daughter for whom he said he felt immense pain when he would no longer be able to see her every day.
There are some parts of this book that remain unresolved or unclear. I'm a tad confused about the selling of his mother's house to avoid another break-in. One minute she's in a care home for a month - which leaves us hanging - did she stay there??? and later in the book he returns to 'our home in Garnant' - okay so did you sell it or not? What happened?! I also don't understand what role Cale's mother plays in the documentary featuring Brian Eno. Is he saying she's acting/pretending in it? Or is she talking about the actual break in as herself? I think Victor Bockris should have asked for clarification and taken the reins a bit more.
Side Note I: As this book was essentially spoken into existence by Cale, I actually have zero idea which part is Bockris and which part is Cale. From what Cale said in an interview with Jack Docherty, Bockris was the typist... if so, can I type the next one?
Side Note II: Someone mentioned spelling issues - I think there were minor ones but on the positive side, Cale has a pretty wide vocabulary and I've learned a number of new words (yipee). I know that doesn't count for shit, however the number of times I had to look words up is quite ridiculous but maybe that says more about me and my limited reading. He is a deeply learned man and his references are vast and his knowledge very broad. I can't imagine he finds it very easy to talk to others in his daily life because he would only be half understood by some people and the other half could be understood by the rest. High brow, low brow, whatever the label, he doesn't care. He embraces it all and gives it all the same kind of intellectual gravitas and consideration. Perhaps the result of being the son of a coal miner and a teacher.
Side Note III (Layout): Now the layout is definitely rich - great images, especially the early years and polaroids of random encounters with celebrities of the day but I especially love those of his parents - a constant presence throughout. At times I cannot see the resemblance but one pic of his father in his old age looks almost exactly like Cale now - which I know Cale hates and is the reason why he styles his hair differently and has that goatee. The white and black writing on the sepia pages works. I read an online copy but I only had to zoom in on one of them for clarity. I thought it was brilliantly done and you really got a feel for each mental, physical and environmental space he was in through this layout, particularly his early years in Wales.
Some of the less generous reviews on this site are driven by Cale's comments about Reed but I didn't find his take on Reed to be problematic. Reed was a difficult man and it's absolutely fine for him to be criticised by someone who had to deal with him. Reed is initially presented as horny for Cale (who isn't?) and also jealous of him and not just by Cale but also other observers who said that Cale attracted the women, not Reed. Tucker and Morrison were clearly emotionally far more mature than both Cale and Reed but Cale is getting there and it's interesting to find what the dynamic is like when certain members of a band are growing into adults and others wish to remain loyal to what should now be their former teenage selves. The whole section regarding the reunion and Cale trying to bring things together but Morrison stepping in and telling Cale to accept that Reed will not change is one of the best parts.
Reed is the kid who won't be a sellout. That's the person who drives any band when you're young but when you age, it's hard to make space for that kind of character. 'Are we still doing this thing 30 years later and pretending we're not grown?' I would absolutely love for Reed to still be alive because his character is now considered a trope in the modern world - an edgelord. It would be amazing to know if he would be able to step away from his former self and say 'that is who I was'. I think his relationship with Laurie Anderson proved there was a loving and self aware man within him. I think what was not intentional and what I did pick up from this book was that Reed felt undervalued but he went about correcting it by trying to take the credit for everything. Honestly I felt 'the bitch just needs a hug and validation'.
I do think Cale needs to write the next chapters of this book and have it re-published as a second edition. He should probably edit out the cruel comments about women. He is still making music, still collaborating and presumably has had a number of romantic relationships (and managers, probably girlfriend-managers) since and we want to know about it! Write it for us while you still can, John!
October 14, 2025
Over the past two years I've been gathering a growing interest and respect for Cale, especially with his involvement in VU, his impact on music in general and the fact he grew up in the same county as me - I often bring up my frustration with how little he's spoken about or even known in Wales, despite being in one of the biggest bands of all-time.
Reading this did feel like you get to know the man and his psyche a lot more, although there's this feeling you are still being kept at arms-length, despite the flashes of insight. Sometimes you can tell he's mapping things out on the floor for you to see, others it feels like you're not quite being shown the full picture - and it's not that he's trying to paint himself in a 'good light', he admits a few questionable things. It just feels like there's more that can be said.
Admittedly, the most exciting parts are his times in New York and when he was involved with VU, along with the fallout. It's genuinely interesting to read of his struggles afterwards and how he was (seemingly barely at times) keeping it together. Sometimes you wish he would go into some things more as well but I understand some memories are too painful for him, as he says himself at moments. Really loved him giving a window to the days and work with La Monte Young/Theatre Of Eternal Music (I'm a big drone fan).
I never realised he .
As for the layout/errors that other people have complained about: it didn't really bother me so much. It's a table book, it's not meant to be carried around. I really enjoyed the layout, artwork, documentation and photography splattered throughout.
A legend in my eyes.
Reading this did feel like you get to know the man and his psyche a lot more, although there's this feeling you are still being kept at arms-length, despite the flashes of insight. Sometimes you can tell he's mapping things out on the floor for you to see, others it feels like you're not quite being shown the full picture - and it's not that he's trying to paint himself in a 'good light', he admits a few questionable things. It just feels like there's more that can be said.
Admittedly, the most exciting parts are his times in New York and when he was involved with VU, along with the fallout. It's genuinely interesting to read of his struggles afterwards and how he was (seemingly barely at times) keeping it together. Sometimes you wish he would go into some things more as well but I understand some memories are too painful for him, as he says himself at moments. Really loved him giving a window to the days and work with La Monte Young/Theatre Of Eternal Music (I'm a big drone fan).
I never realised he .
As for the layout/errors that other people have complained about: it didn't really bother me so much. It's a table book, it's not meant to be carried around. I really enjoyed the layout, artwork, documentation and photography splattered throughout.
A legend in my eyes.
December 30, 2019
A rough, frank, candid autobiography that has made some very interesting design choices. It's a very singular book. The tales of personal woes and creative rivalries are entertaining and the stories of tours and recordings are often insightful. I'm a massive Cale fan at this point, so I'm definitely biased towards liking this, but it's a quality memoir.
July 31, 2020
Thoroughly enjoyable and well-designed memoir from a truly great artist. Vividly recalled stories of childhood in Wales, classical music education, London and New York avant-garde scenes, co-founding one of the most-influential rock bands ever, his love-hate relationship with Lou Reed, and his eclectic career as a solo artist and producer.
May 8, 2023
Some zingers, and it's always fun to soak up the NY scene, but the real draw is the character assassination of Lou Reed, Brian Eno and the author himself. Not well written enough to recommend unless you're already all in on the Velvets and Cale.
Some disastrous design decisions, full sections I skipped because they were illegible and riddled with obvious spelling and printing errors.
Some disastrous design decisions, full sections I skipped because they were illegible and riddled with obvious spelling and printing errors.
September 25, 2022
Very honest and direct autobiography, where feelings and words for oneself or others are not spared.
February 29, 2024
I loved it…recommend
April 13, 2025
I cannot help but feel a spiritual connection to john cale since he grew up down the road from me
February 28, 2017
It was often a hard read. This man, whose work has brought me so much joy for decades, wrote this book at clearly a very hard time in his life. So much (deserved) animosity towards Lou, unresolved issues with his family and marriages, frustration over time and opportunities lost to drugs. Too bad it was written prior to his recent renaissance.
Also, to my disappointment he barely touched on the Stooges.
Also, to my disappointment he barely touched on the Stooges.
October 8, 2007
I'm a pretty big fan of both John Cale's solo music as well as his time in The Velvet Underground. This book gives a lot of info straight from the man himself. He also is very honest and doesn't try to gloss over certain things to make himself look like Mr. Perfect. However, I feel he spent an awful amount of time going on about what a prick Lou Reed is. I do not know Lou Reed, I know a lot of people don't like him and I'm sure they have a good reason. But I get it, he's a prick you hate him etc. etc. I know after reading this John Cale couldn't have been the easiest person to deal with either. However, that being said its full of interesting info and pretty to the point.
September 28, 2016
I read this many years ago so it's a little foggy. There were many good things about it but his incessant whining about what a jerk Lou Reed was came across as sort of pathetic, petty and annoying after a while. On many occasions he would be talking about something somewhat interesting but then use that as a tangent for what a jerk Reed was. It would have been a much better book if the editor had convinced Cale to limit his caustic remarks about him. He came across as bitter, petty and sort of malicious.
August 8, 2007
The autobiography of John Cale. Full of quotes by contemporaries, scraps of lyrics, and Cale's own perspective on the Velvet Underground, especially his relationship with Lou Reed. Those guys were all strung out on drugs and not just your happy acid, either. But the way they saw themselves is fascinating. And then of course, there is Patti Smith.
July 7, 2016
As this is John Cale writing his autobiography, I expected something special and format-wise this book does not disappoint. It is huge with tons of photos and interesting artwork. Not to mention chunks of text.
The thing is design is not everything and the material is okish. The most interesting thing is Cale's rivalry with Lou Reed - after that the bio becomes a bit dull.
April 7, 2008
It's great! Just a bit tough getting through his early years. Once he grows up and moves to America it's a page-turner. The style is kind of graphic novelish which sounds as though it could be dumb, but it actually makes it very entertaining. The way a colourful persons memoirs ought to look.
November 3, 2017
While Cale specificaly chose typographical obstacles to making this an easy read, the autobiography is a fascinating tour of the career, accomplishments and missteps of this VU founder, punk hero, and avant-garde musician.
September 11, 2008
Not half bad. At first, I thought the artiness-collagey thing would give me a hairlip, but it kind of works.
November 13, 2009
Poor. Seems like a squandered opportunity for a major cultural figure like Cale to write a proper in-depth memoir.
October 4, 2012
Great read.
February 18, 2015
I liked the pictures in here and I do love the song magnolia!
Read
July 4, 2009Recommended
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