John Cale is re-releasing his second and third solo albums on November 15 through Domino.
He’s bringing back The Academy in Peril from 1972 and a deluxe version of Paris 1919 from 1973, both remastered by Heba Kadry. These will be available on vinyl, CD, and for streaming. “Revisiting work from the past is a double-edged sword for me. Of course, it’s bound to happen when you’ve been making music for 60 years or so,” said Cale about the reissues.
“What’s unique about this process with Domino, is their desire to get it right,” he continued. “Not merely reissue something for the sake of an anniversary or racking up a catalogue favorite—but finding new treasures and highlighting what made it special in the first place. After hearing the test pressings, it occurred to me that the new mastering was a major part of how these works will be presented, rather than simply being preserved. There are moments of clarity and even a laugh or two had by revisiting not only the music but recalling the sessions (and antics) that made up what became these two recordings. It is my pleasure to share these with you… again.”
After leaving Velvet Underground and moving from New York to Los Angeles, Cale recorded The Academy in Peril and Paris 1919. These were his only solo albums released via Reprise; before that, he debuted solo with Vintage Violence on Columbia in 1970.
The Academy in Peril, which cost Warner Bros. $120,000 due to featuring the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, led to more budget-friendly production for Paris 1919. For this album’s recording at Sunwest Studios in Hollywood, he worked with Little Feat and bassist Wilton Felder.
The remastered edition of The Academy in Peril includes an extra track called “Temper.” The deluxe version of Paris 1919 , features unreleased audio tapes, a drone mix of “Hanky Panky Nohow,” a new track titled “Fever Dream 2024: You’re a Ghost,” outtakes, plus more surprises!
Fans always love discovering hidden gems in old classics.
Cale is still active musically at age 82; his latest album Poptical Illusion dropped this June.
