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John Cale with John Schaefer on Soundcheck (Caryn Havlik/WNYC)Musical Explorers
Equal parts punk rocker and classical composer, John Cale has enjoyed a diverse career that began as a member of the Velvet Underground and continued through collaborations with experimental musicians like Brian Eno and LaMonte Young to punk icons like Patti Smith and Iggy Pop. He joins us on the heels of his new recording, Hobo Sapiens. As we’ll hear, Cale has softened his edge since the 1970s—when he sometimes wore a hockey mask onstage and played before teeming mosh pits—but his music is every bit as lively. Also: composers are often commissioned to write new pieces for concert halls or orchestras, but in the case of composer Janet Albright, the bequest came from a town. Well, two towns actually. She joins us to discuss her ongoing project, to formulate a piece that captures the essence of the neighboring towns of Maplewood and South Orange, New Jersey. Tune in for this encore broadcast of Soundcheck.
John Cale
Punk rocker turned grand man of experimental music joins us to discuss his wide-raning career.
» John Cale's Web site
Garden State Grooves
The composer discusses writing an original composition for the neighboring towns of Maplewood and South Orange, New Jersey.
» Maplewood-South Orange Community Coalition Web site
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Go behind the scenes!
Find out what John Schaefer and the Soundcheck staff have to say about recent segments on the show. Plus, watch videos from in-studio performances.
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Introducing our Video Contest
Soundcheck
John Schaefer gives the lowdown on Soundcheck's music video challenge with the Fiery Furnaces.
In Studio: Angel Deradoorian
Soundcheck
The 22-year-old multi-instrumentalist performs live in our studio.
- Comments [6]
Cucu Diamantes Performs Amor Cronico
Soundcheck
Cucu Diamantes went from a tough childhood in Havana, Cuba, to an art school in Rome to underground New York City, where she co-founded the Latin alternative band Yerba Buena.
- Comments [1]
In Studio: Stephanie McKay
Soundcheck
The local singer-songwriter performs "Jackson Avenue," a nostalgic toast to her childhood in the South Bronx.
- Comments [3]
In Studio: The Decemberists
The Portland, Ore., band's latest album, "The Hazards of Love," is a concept album with a mythological flair. They joined Soundcheck to play live for a studio audience in WNYC's Greene Space.
Sound Off
Soundcheck
Throughout May, Soundcheck presents “Sound Off” a Friday series on the many aspects of noise in music and our lives. The series -- which coincides with “Better Hearing and Speech Month” -- looks at issues like New York’s noisiest neighborhoods, the latest research on iPods and hearing loss, and what happens when noise becomes a musical ingredient.