John Cale will release a reworked version of his 1982 solo album Music For A New Society next year.
M:FANS features tracks from the original record, reimagined in the wake of the death of Cale’s former Velvet Underground bandmate Lou Reed. It’s released on January 22 via Double Six/Domino on 2CD, with the second disc including a remastered version of the original record featuring three previously unreleased bonus songs. Both discs are also available individually on vinyl.
A video for the new version of the track (I Keep A) Close Watch can be streamed below. It features a guest appearance from Amber Coffman and is directed by Abby Portner.
Cale says: “Making any form of art is always personal to my mind. During the making of M:FANS, I found myself loathing each and every character written about in those original recording sessions of Music For A New Society.
“Unearthing those tapes reopened those wounds. It was time to decimate the despair from 1981 and breathe new energy, re-write the story. Then, the unthinkable happened. What had informed so much over lost and twisted relationships in 1981 had now come full circle. Losing Lou forced me to upend the entire recording process and begin again – a different perspective, a new sense of urgency to tell a story from a completely opposite point of view – what was once sorrow, was now a form of rage.
“A fertile ground for exorcism of things gone wrong and the realisation they are unchangeable. From sadness came the strength of fire.”
A deluxe edition of The Velvet Underground’s album Loaded, entitled Re-loaded, was released last month.
John Cale M:FANS tracklist
- Prelude
- If You Were Still Around
- Taking Your Life In Your Hands
- Thoughtless Kind
- Sanctus (Sanities Mix)
- Broken Bird
- Chinese Envoy
- Changes Made
- Library Of Force (feat. Man In The Book excerpt)
- Close Watch
- If You Were Still Around (Choir Reprise)
- Back To The End
John Cale Music For A New Society (Re-Mastered) tracklist
- Taking Your Life In Your Hands
- Thoughtless Kind
- Sanctus (Sanities)
- If You Were Still Around
- Close Watch
- Broken Bird
- Chinese Envoy
- Changes Made
- Damn Life
- Risé, Sam And Rimsky Korsakov
- Library Of Force (Unreleased)
- Chinese Envoy (Outtakes)
- Thoughtless Kind (Outtakes)
