Sticking with new singles - this may end up being a theme for this week - John Cale released Story Of Blood on 19th October, the second preview for upcoming album Mercy, out in January.
Story Of Blood seems to have been around for several years, John Cale having performed the song at least as far back as 2018 at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill-on-Sea. In a lovely bit of symmetry, John Cale's performing there again on Monday as part of his UK tour, though judging by his varied setlist so far there's no guarantee that Story Of Blood be included.
There's a performance of Story Of Blood from a later date on the 2018 tour, at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg, Germany, a different arrangement with guitar and strings. The secretive recording means the sounds all over the place but it's a compelling watch, particularly when reminded that John Cale was 76 years old at the time. John celebrated his 80th birthday in March and I'm sorry that I won't be able to make any of the dates on his current tour, which I can imagine must be something quite special.
This version of Story Of Blood is a collaboration with Weyes Blood, whose then-new single I coincidentally featured here a couple of days before Story Of Blood was released. Weyes Blood's own new album And In The Darkness, Hearts Aglow is out later this month. Second single and video Grapevine was released last Friday (28th) and is another incentive to buy.
Night Crawling, the first single from Mercy, came out in August with a wonderful animated 70s-inspired video featuring Cale and David Bowie trawling NYC at night. The video takes an interesting turn at 1:43.
Octogenarian and still out there, my love for John Cale's questing search for new artistic expression knows no bounds.
Note: More regular and observant visitors will have notices that I previously posted this on Tuesday 1st November. I also posted a bit of a moan/plea for help about file sharing platforms on the same day which unfortunately seems to have put this post somewhat in the shade. Out of respect for John Cale, and because I really love Story Of Blood, I decided to take it down and give it a fresh start on Friday. Fingers crossed!
but which John Cale song mentions both Chipping and Sodbury?
ReplyDeleteAha! That'll be Graham Greene from Paris 1919, which I was listening to this week on the back of this post.
DeleteNot the only reference to the market town: The Fall dubbed their Swindon and Gloucester shows in 1997 "The Chipping Sodbury Tour" in 1997
https://thefall.org/gigography/gig97.html
The prospect of Graham Greene, John Cale or Mark E. Smith downing a pint in a pub on High Street boggles the mind.
I didn't know that about the Fall :)
ReplyDeleteI'm trying to imagine MES as a B&B guest in the Moda Hotel between gigs!
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