John Davies Cale, OBE, is a Welsh musician, composer, singer, songwriter and record producer. At an early age Cale discovered a talent for the viola, and became a member of the National Youth Orchestra of Wales at the age of 13. He was later awarded a scholarship at Goldsmiths College, London, England. In 1963, he travelled to the United States to continue his musical training with the assistance and influence of Aaron Copland. He was a founding member of the American rock band The Velvet Underground. Over his five-decade career, Cale has worked in various styles across rock, drone, classical, avant-garde and electronic music.

Filmography

• 2026Ready or Not — Music
• 2026“Wuthering Heights” — Songs
• 2022Andy Warhol's America
• Andy Warhol's America
• 2018Barbara Rubin and the Exploding NY Underground
• 2018Les Unwanted de Europa — Original Music Composer
• 2018Paul Sanchez Is Back! — Music
• 2017John Cale & Guest - perform The Velvet Underground & Nico — Performer
• 2016Andy Warhol, Fluorescent — (archive footage)
• 2016Gimme Danger
• 2016Love Twice — Lester
• 2015The Communist Revolution Was Caused By The Sun — Music
• 2014This Is Cosmos — Music
• 2013Lou Reed - Remembered
• The Bridge
• 2012Of Women and Horses — Music
• 2011A Burning Hot Summer — Original Music Composer
• 2010A Beautiful Mistake — Music
• 2010Fluxfilm Anthology 1962-1970 — Director
• 2009American Widow — Original Music Composer
• 2008New York Rock at the BBC
• 2008Salamander — Dick Winter
• 2006Velvet Underground: Under Review
• 2005Vies et morts d'Andy Warhol
• 2004Process — Music
• 2004Rhinoceros Eyes — Music
• 2003Otherworld — Original Music Composer
• 2003Paris — Music
• 2002n[eon] — Narrator
• 2000American Psycho — Original Music Composer
• 2000Beautiful Mistake — Music
• 2000Love Me — Music
• 2000The Farewell — Original Music Composer
• 2000The King's Daughters — Original Music Composer
• 2000The Virgin — Music
• 1999The Wind of the Night — Original Music Composer
• 1999Wisconsin Death Trip — Music
• 1998Lou Reed: Rock and Roll Heart
• 1998Somewhere in the City — Original Music Composer
• 1997Rhinoceros Hunting in Budapest — Manager, Music
• 1996Basquiat — Original Music Composer
• 1996Don't Forget You're Going to Die — Original Music Composer
• 1996I Shot Andy Warhol — Music
• 1995Antártida — Cale, Music
• 1994Ah Pook Is Here. — Music
• 1994The Long Voyage — Music
• 1993The Birth of Love — Original Music Composer
• 1993The Velvet Underground - Velvet Redux Live MCMXCIII — bass, viola, keyboards, vocals
• 1992John Cale: Fragments of a Rainy Season — Producer
• Later... with Jools Holland
• 1992Primary Motive — Music
• 1991Healing Hurts — Music
• 1991Paris Awakens — Original Music Composer
• 1990Lou Reed and John Cale: Songs for Drella — Self, Original Music Composer
• 1990Superstar: The Life and Times of Andy Warhol
• 1989The Houseguest — Hubbley, Original Music Composer
• 1989Wonderland USA — Lonely writer
• 1986Something Wild — Original Music Composer
• The Equalizer — Aryan Leader
• 1982Who Am I This Time? — Original Music Composer
• 1975Nico Live in Marseille — Self, Director, Recording Supervision
• 1974Caged Heat — Original Music Composer
• 1972Heat — Music
• 1972The Velvet Underground at Bataclan '72
• 1971Women in Revolt — Original Music Composer
• 1970Straight and Narrow — Music
• 1967Four Stars — Man (uncredited)
• 1967The Velvet Underground in Boston
• 1966Andy Warhol + Roy Lichtenstein
• 1966Moe Gets Tied Up
• 1966Police Car — Director, Director of Photography
• 1966Satisfaction
• 1966The Velvet Underground: Psychiatrist's Convention, NYC, 1966
• 1965Dirt
• 1963Kiss — Music
• Kevin Ayers - Musical Express 1981

Appearances as themselves (37)

• Everybody's Live with John Mulaney — Self - Musician / Musical Guest
• 2022Hallelujah: Leonard Cohen, a Journey, a Song — Self
• 2021The Invisible Father — Self
• 2021The Velvet Underground — Self
• 2016Tony Conrad: Completely in the Present — Himself (archival footage)
• 2015Danny Says — Self (archive footage)
• 2007A Walk Into the Sea: Danny Williams and the Warhol Factory — Self
• 2007Once Upon a Time in New York: the Birth of Hip Hop, Disco and Punk — Self
• Seven Ages of Rock — Self
• 2006Velvet Underground's First Public Appearance — Self
• 2005Punk: Attitude — Self
• 2003New Scenes from America — Himself - Musician
• 2003Still: Here/Now — Self
• 2001Andy Warhol: The Complete Picture — Self
• 1998John Cale: An Exploration of His Life & Music — Self
• 1997The Banana — Self
• 1995Brian Wilson: I Just Wasn't Made for These Times — Self
• 1995Dancing Barefoot — Self
• 1995Nico Icon — Self
• 1993Curious: The Velvet Underground in Europe — Self
• 1993Words for the Dying — Himself
• 1990Scenes from the Life of Andy Warhol: Friendships and Intersections — Self
• 1988Put More Blood Into the Music — Himself
• Musik Convoy — Self
• 1976The Blank Generation — Self
• Rockpalast — Self (piano guitar vocal)
• 1968Diaries, Notes, and Sketches — Self
• 1967Exploding Plastic Inevitable — Himself
• 1966Screen Test #3 — Self (uncredited)
• 1966Screen Test [ST43]: John Cale — Self
• 1966Screen Test: John Cale — Himself
• 1966The Velvet Underground Rehearses — Self
• 1966The Velvet Underground Tarot Cards — Himself
• 1966The Velvet Underground and Nico: A Symphony of Sound — Self
• 1966Venus in Furs — Himself
• 1965Andy Warhol Screen Tests — Self
• 1964Whips — Self