John Cale Returns With 'Shifty Adventures'

Anyone familiar with John Cale knows he's an artist who plays lots of types of music: Cale made rock history as a founding member of The Velvet Underground in the 1960s and he's a classical composer. And he's long been a part of the musical avant-garde, working with the first of the so-called minimalist composers, and later with people like Brian Eno. He sings and can play guitar, bass, keyboards and viola. 

Cale has also dabbled in bringing hip hop influences into his own music. "The standard of production on hip hop is a lot higher than it is on rock 'n' roll unfortunately. There's such a fresh approach to sound, and what you can and can't do with it."

Cale recently dropped by with his band to perform songs from his latest album Shifty Adventures In Nookie Wood and to talk about his days with The Velvet Underground and working with Andy Warhol. Cale says that he was initially reluctant to include singer Nico in the band.

"Andy [Warhol] had this ability to shock you into realizing 'this was a very good idea,'" says Cale. "I mean you want publicity, this is the way to do it: You have stunning blond figure in there. Whether she can sing or not, it's not important. But Lou [Reed] wrote some of his most beautiful songs for her."