John Cale - Live At Rockpalast Live at Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983 & at Grugahalle Essen 13./14.10.1984 (2010)

On this audio complement to a home video, John Cale is heard in two concert appearances, one on each CD, filmed and recorded for the German Rockpalast television series. On the first disc, from October 13, 1984, he plays with a band consisting of guitarist Dave Young, bassist Andy Heermans, and drummer Dave Lichtenstein; on the second, from March 16, 1983, he is solo, accompanying himself on either acoustic guitar or piano. Thus, the album encapsulates the two sides of Cale, the aggressive rocker and the classically trained recitalist and singer/songwriter. Interestingly, the two sides are explored sometimes with the same songs, albeit played differently. Cale with band is loud and gruff, the rough rock sometimes deliberately distorted, but Cale solo is often no less intense, even if the sound is softer most of the time. Actually, on his own Cale makes better contrast between his calm and agitated selves, sometimes building to the same sort of howling he does with the rock band, notably on "Waiting for the Man," which is featured in both shows. By including the two concerts -- at a running time of nearly two and a half hours -- the compilers present a wide range of Cale's music dating back to the start of his solo career with 1970's Vintage Violence, all the way up to ‘80s albums like Music for a New Society and Caribbean Sunset, and they demonstrate that when it comes to this provocative artist, you have to take the rough with the smooth, sometimes in the same songs.

Tracklist:
1-1 John Cale - Autobiography (Live, Grugahalle Essen 14.10.1984) [4:40]
1-2 John Cale - Oh La La (Live, Grugahalle Essen 14.10.19) [2:39]
1-3 John Cale - Evidence (Live, Grugahalle Essen 14.10.19) [3:25]
1-4 John Cale - Magazines (Live, Grugahalle Essen 14.10.19) [3:36]
1-5 John Cale - Model Beirut Recital (Live, Grugahalle Essen 14.10.19) [3:29]
1-6 John Cale - Streets of Laredo (Live, Grugahalle Essen 14.10.19) [2:40]
1-7 John Cale - Dr. Mudd (Live, Grugahalle Essen 14.10.19) [3:46]
1-8 John Cale - Leaving It Up to You (Live, Grugahalle Essen 14.10.19) [5:43]
1-9 John Cale - Caribbean Sunset (Live, Grugahalle Essen 14.10.19) [4:40]
1-10 John Cale - The Hunt (Live, Grugahalle Essen 14.10.19) [3:46]
1-11 John Cale - Fear Is a Man's Best Friend (Live, Grugahalle Essen 14.10.19) [3:45]
1-12 John Cale - Heartbreak Hotel (Live, Grugahalle Essen 14.10.19) [4:01]
1-13 John Cale - Paris 1919 (Live, Grugahalle Essen 14.10.19) [3:49]
1-14 John Cale - Waiting for the Man (Live, Grugahalle Essen 14.10.19) [6:09]
1-15 John Cale - Mercenaries (Ready for War) (Live, Grugahalle Essen 14.10.19) [9:14]
1-16 John Cale - Pablo Picasso/Love Me Two Times (Live, Grugahalle Essen 14.10.19) [9:04]
1-17 John Cale - Close Watch (Live, Grugahalle Essen 14.10.19) [2:39]
2-18 John Cale - Ghost Story (Live, Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983) [2:48]
2-19 John Cale - Ship of Fools (Live, Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983) [2:56]
2-20 John Cale - Leaving It Up to You (Live, Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983) [3:58]
2-21 John Cale - Amsterdam (Live, Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983) [2:49]
2-22 John Cale - A Child's Christmas in Wales (Live, Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983) [4:04]
2-23 John Cale - Buffalo Ballet (Live, Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983) [2:57]
2-24 John Cale - Antarctica Starts Here (Live, Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983) [2:37]
2-25 John Cale - Taking It All Away (Live, Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983) [2:42]
2-26 John Cale - Riverbank (Live, Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983) [3:37]
2-27 John Cale - Paris 1919 (Live, Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983) [3:54]
2-28 John Cale - Guts (Live, Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983) [3:07]
2-29 John Cale - Chinese Envoy (Live, Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983) [3:38]
2-30 John Cale - Thoughtless Kind (Live, Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983) [2:15]
2-31 John Cale - Only Time Will Tell (Live, Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983) [2:23]
2-32 John Cale - Cable Hogue (Live, Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983) [3:37]
2-33 John Cale - Dead or Alive (Live, Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983) [3:18]
2-34 John Cale - Waiting for the Man (Live, Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983) [4:47]
2-35 John Cale - Heartbreak Hotel (Live, Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983) [4:41]
2-36 John Cale - Chorale (Live, Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983) [2:49]
2-37 John Cale - Fear Is a Man's Best Friend (Live, Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983) [3:53]
2-38 John Cale - Close Watch (Live, Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983) [2:51]
2-39 John Cale - Streets of Laredo (Live, Zeche Bochum 06.03.1983) [2:26]