What’s Welsh for Zen? By John Cale

First English edition, Bloomsbury, London, 1999, fine to VG+ in cardboard wraps, with labels and screened decorations, written by John Cale and Victor Bockeris, has a small bump about halfway between top and bottom edges, otherwise fine. A beautiful copy of a scarce and under distributed title.

“Andy had high aims and big plans for the Velvet Underground, but first he had to whip his act into shape and bring the focus and volume to a shattering level. To this end he arranged a week-long engagement in mid-February at the Cinematheque, where underground movies were screened. We were in this tiny little theatre, playing as loud as possible, just victimizing the audience more than anything. There was a barrage of films on the screen, four or five films coming on at the same time, colour, black and white; spotlights, strobes and all that deafening music. Well, the Cinematheque got a lot of publicity anyway, and it got to the point were the publicity gave us enough time to get money to put a show together. Under the title Andy Warhol Uptight, we developed the multimedia show.”

“The cult of the Velvet Underground is distasteful to me. I mean, all the promise we showed in those two albums, we never delivered on it. I’m sure Lou feels the same way–he’s as stubborn and egocentric as I am. Lou thinks that by sticking to his guns he’ll succeed, and he has. He’s got the whole sickness market tied up.”

“I’m getting sadder and sadder thinking about my lack of self-knowledge as I write this book. I’m distraught about my lack of any sense of my own worth, and about my visions of myself.”

“I found the resurgence of interest in the Velvet Underground, and in particular an attempt to see their influence everywhere, fatuous. I don’t think rock and roll is based on influence.”

“I’ve no business being in rock and roll. I’ve said it over and over again that I’m a classical composer, dishevelling my musical personality by dabbling in rock and roll.”

—Quotes by John Cale from What’s Welsh for Zen?

“ It will come as little surprise to his fans that John Cale’s autobiography What’s Welsh for Zen is uncommonly literate, expressively revealing, and darkly humorous. That means all the sex, drugs, and rock & roll you want courtesy of his tenure in the Velvet Underground during Andy Warhol’s Factory days and his acute insight into an erratic but intriguing recording and volatile performing career now in its fifth decade. In What’s Welsh for Zen, Cale recounts this life with blunt and beautiful words.”
—Austin Chronicles, 2000

$ 125.00