3CD - John Cale - Ship Of Fools - The Island Albums

3CD - UK Import

Following his dismissal from The Velvet Underground in the Autumn of 1968, Cale acted as a producer and arranger on albums by The Stooges and Nico before venturing out as a solo artist with his debut album ‘Vintage Violence’ in 1970. Following the release of a collaborative album with Terry Riley he signed with Reprise Records and recorded two albums for the label.

In 1974 John Cale relocated to London and signed with Island Records, for whom he was to release three inventive and influential albums within a period of just over a year. ‘Fear’, released in September 1974, was a fine work and featured contributions from Brian Eno and Phil Manzanera (also credited as executive producers) and Richard Thompson. ‘Slow Dazzle’ appeared in April 1975, featuring Eno and Manzanera, along with guitarist Chris Spedding, and included a superb cover of ‘Heartbreak Hotel’ and the avant garde spoken word piece ‘The Jeweller’. Cale’s final Island album, ‘Helen of Troy’, was issued in November 1975 and was completed shortly after he had finished producing the Patti Smith album ‘Horses’. The record featured Spedding and Eno along with contributions from Phil Collins.

‘Ship of Fools’ features all three John Cale albums issued by Island Records, along with seven bonus tracks drawn from rare singles and session out-takes.

TRACK LISTING

DISC ONE

Fear

Released September 1974

1  Fear is a Man’s Best Friend

2  Buffalo Ballet

3  Barracuda

4  Emily

5  Ship of Fools

6  Gun

7  The Man Who Couldn’t Afford to Orgy

8  You Know More Than I Know

9  Momamma Scuba

Bonus track

10  Sylvia Said

B-side of single. Released in October 1974

DISC TWO

Slow Dazzle

Released in April 1975

1  Mr. Wilson

2  Taking it All Away

3  Dirty-Ass Rock n’ Roll

4  Darling, I Need You

5  Rollaroll

6  Heartbreak Hotel

7  Ski Patrol

8  I’m Not the Loving Kind

9  Guts

10  The Jeweller

Bonus tracks

11  All I Want is You

12  Bamboo Floor

13  The Jeweller (alternate version)

DISC THREE

Helen of Troy

Released in November 1975

1  My Maria

2  Helen of Troy

3  China Sea

4  Engine

5  Save Us

6  Cable Hogue

7  I Keep a Close Watch

8  Pablo Picasso

9  Leaving it Up to You

10  Baby, What You Want Me to Do?

11  Sudden Death

Bonus tracks

12  Coral Moon

13  You & Me

14  Mary Lou