Join us on Wednesday, February 19th, at 4:00 PM, for a discussion of this intriguing album with author Mark Doyle, whose new book on Cale’s Paris 1919 is the latest entry in the 33 1/3 series from Bloomsbury Publishing. Joining Mark to lead the discussion is Theresa Kereakes, who was there at the beginning of LA’s punk scene and has worked with John Cale. There will be a book signing following the discussion. Don’t miss it! You can preorder a copy of Doyle’s book in the record store or on our site here now and then pick it up the day of our event and get it autographed by the author.
John Cale's enigmatic masterpiece, Paris 1919, appeared at a time when the artist and his world were changing forever. It was 1973, the year of the Watergate hearings and the oil crisis, and Cale was at a crossroads. The white-hot rage of his Velvet Underground days was nearly spent; now he was living in Los Angeles, working for a record company and making music when time allowed. He needed to lay to rest some ghosts, but he couldn't do that without scaring up others. Paris 1919 was the result.
In this vivid, wide-ranging book, Mark Doyle hunts down the ghosts haunting Cale's most enduring solo album. There are the ghosts of New York – of the Velvets, Nico, and Warhol – that he smuggled into Los Angeles in his luggage. There is the ghost of Dylan Thomas, a fellow Welshman who haunts not just Paris 1919 but much of Cale's life and art. There are the ghosts of history, of a failed peace and the artists who sought the truth in dreams. And there are the ghosts of Christmas, surprising visitors who bring a nostalgic warmth and a touch of wintry dread. With erudition and wit, Doyle offers new ways to listen to an old album whose mysteries will never fully be resolved.
Mark Doyle is a history professor at MTSU, where he teaches courses on British and Irish history. He is the author of several books, including The Kinks: Songs of the Semi-Detached (Reaktion 2020). His writing has appeared in a number of outlets, including the Irish Times and Nashville's newest literary journal, Swing.
Theresa Kereakes was one of the "First 100" original Los Angeles punks. She co-founded, published, and was the chief photographer for the fanzine Lobotomy and has worked in the music industry in a variety of roles. During her stint at Island Records, Theresa worked with John Cale as he toured in support of his albums Music for a New Society and Caribbean Sunset.
