John Cale New York in the 1960s

 

Tosh on John Cale's "New York in the 60s"

John Cale New York in the 1960s on Tosh Talks

John Cale is without a doubt, a major figure in music. Along with Lou Reed, Sterling Morrison, Moe Tucker, Cale played a huge role in The Velvet Underground.  Cale brought in the influence of experimental and drone music.  About ten years ago, the record label Table of Elements put out a five-disc box set (a real wooden box by the way)called "John Cale New York in the 1960s."  A brilliant packaging of early experimental music by Cale with the assistance of Tony Conrad, Angus MacLise, and the great artist/performance artist and filmmaker Jack Smith (Flaming Creatures).  Here on "Tosh Talks" I focus on this particular box set and the way he used a portable reel-to-reel tape machine manufactured and designed by Wollensak, as well as the Hungarian instrument Cimbalon. - Tosh Berman