John Cale's lockdown music was driven by anger.
The Velvet Underground founding member, 82, churned out a “ton of songs” while self-isolating during the COVID-19 pandemic, with his 13th studio album due to be released in 2023. During his time in isolation, he said he had been furious at the incompetence of politics.
John, from Wales, told the Observer: “My anger came out quite frequently because lockdown dictated what was going on.”
When asked what he was angry about, John replied: “Mostly political stuff. I wasn't too worried physically about what was going on with the lockdown, but there were some things that really annoyed me.”
As a result, he said he began writing songs that were “a lot more aggressive than I've been recently.”
But he stressed that it was part of a “romantic attack.”
John was speaking to promote his latest album, POPtical Illusion, which includes a song called “Company Commander,” in which he criticizes “right-wingers who burn down libraries.”
The lyrics of the song “I'm Angry” from this album contain themes of death and regret.
But when asked to explain what he meant, John gave a vague response: “My songs have an internal logic, but I also think people want to discover something for themselves when they listen to my songs, just as they do when they read poetry.”
The lyrics of John's new song “How We See the Light” include references to “wasting time” and learning lessons in “the quiet way of love.”
Asked if the words represent a conversation he had with himself, John admitted: “Partly, yes. My younger self.”
“You just have to embrace it. There was a lot of turmoil going on when I was writing this album, but it was really nice to have some reflection and gratitude.”
John met Lou Reed, the Velvet Underground singer who died in 2013 at the age of 71 after battling hepatitis, diabetes and liver cancer, in New York in 1964.
Asked if he'd ever wanted to write a song about his late bandmate, John – who had a famously tumultuous relationship with the singer – replied: “No matter how vague it may seem, I think I've already written it.”