Vintage Violence
Encyclopedia
Vintage Violence was the first solo album from former Velvet Underground member John Cale
. Produced for a mere $15,000, Cale stated in his autobiography What's Welsh for Zen? that there wasn't "much originality on that album, it's just someone teaching himself to do something". He also "thought the songs were simplistic." He pieced together a band to play on the album, and they named themselves Penguin. However, the group didn't last beyond the recording sessions.
The cover of the album features Cale with his face obscured by a glass mask over a nylon stocking, which he would later cite in his autobiography as symbolic of the content of the record: "You're not really seeing the personality."
Originally released in 1970, Vintage Violence received mostly positive reviews. Rolling Stone
magazine's Ed Ward
said that the album sounds "like a Byrds album produced by Phil Spector
marinated for six years in burgundy
, anise
and chili peppers".
The album was rereleased in remastered form in 2001.
.
Executive producer: John McClure
John Cale
John Davies Cale, OBE is a Welsh musician, composer, singer-songwriter and record producer who was a founding member of the experimental rock band The Velvet Underground....
. Produced for a mere $15,000, Cale stated in his autobiography What's Welsh for Zen? that there wasn't "much originality on that album, it's just someone teaching himself to do something". He also "thought the songs were simplistic." He pieced together a band to play on the album, and they named themselves Penguin. However, the group didn't last beyond the recording sessions.
The cover of the album features Cale with his face obscured by a glass mask over a nylon stocking, which he would later cite in his autobiography as symbolic of the content of the record: "You're not really seeing the personality."
Originally released in 1970, Vintage Violence received mostly positive reviews. Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
magazine's Ed Ward
Ed Ward (writer)
Edmund P. "Ed" Ward is an American writer and radio commenter, known since 1986 as the "rock-and-roll historian" for NPR's program Fresh Air and one of the original founders of Austin's South by Southwest music festival....
said that the album sounds "like a Byrds album produced by Phil Spector
Phil Spector
Phillip Harvey "Phil" Spector is an American record producer and songwriter, later known for his conviction in the murder of actress Lana Clarkson....
marinated for six years in burgundy
Burgundy wine
Burgundy wine is wine made in the Burgundy region in eastern France, in the valleys and slopes west of the Saône River, a tributary of the Rhône. The most famous wines produced here - those commonly referred to as "Burgundies" - are red wines made from Pinot Noir grapes or white wines made from...
, anise
Anise
Anise , Pimpinella anisum, also called aniseed, is a flowering plant in the family Apiaceae native to the eastern Mediterranean region and Southwest Asia. Its flavor resembles that of liquorice, fennel, and tarragon.- Biology :...
and chili peppers".
The album was rereleased in remastered form in 2001.
Track listing
All tracks written by John Cale, except "Fairweather Friend" by Garland JeffreysGarland Jeffreys
Garland Jeffreys is a part African-American, and Puerto Rican American, singer and songwriter, transversing the musical genres of rock and roll, reggae, blues and soul.-Career:...
.
- "Hello There" – 2:48
- "Gideon's Bible" – 3:22
- "Adelaide" – 2:18
- "Big White Cloud" – 3:31
- "Cleo" – 2:35
- "Please" – 4:19
- "Charlemagne" – 5:03
- "Bring It On Up" – 2:24
- "Amsterdam" – 3:14
- "Ghost Story" – 3:48
- "Fairweather Friend" – 2:32
- Bonus tracks on 2001 remastered release
- "Fairweather Friend" – 2:38 (alternative version)
- "Wall" – 6:06 (instrumental outtake)
Personnel
- John Cale – bass guitarBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Harvey BrooksHarvey BrooksHarvey Brooks is an American bassist. He has played in many styles of music...
– bass guitar - Sanford Konikoff – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
- Ernire Coralla - guitar
- Garland JeffreysGarland JeffreysGarland Jeffreys is a part African-American, and Puerto Rican American, singer and songwriter, transversing the musical genres of rock and roll, reggae, blues and soul.-Career:...
- guitar, backing vocals - Stan Szelest - piano
Executive producer: John McClure