John Cale releases tribute video on anniversary of Lou Reed's death

Today is the one year anniversary of Lou Reed's death. As a tribute former Velvet Underground member and love/hate relationship friend John Cale drops this video for a rework of "If you were still around." The song was originally released by the viola-playing Welshman back in 1982 off the album Music For a New Society. Now it is a tribute to Lou, (and Andy Warhol, and Velvet Underground guitarist Sterling Morrison and tragic Warhol superstar Edie Sedgwick and Nico.)

According to Rolling Stone

A Moth and a Candle met. They decided to become friends. Everyone enjoyed watching their discourse – especially the risk takers. Then one day a big rain came. The Moth couldn't fly and the Candle puttered out. Everyone laughed in bitter awe and blamed the rain. Most however knew the deeper truth – the Candle remains lit and the Moth will stay close."

Though time has turned Cales' hair white, his voice is still as powerful as his exploratory vision, and the video is as visually stunning as his musical output. What else would you expect from someone who used to hang out at the Factory? What I love about this video, is it harkens back to the Velvet Underground's early performances under Andy Warhol's aptly named Exploding Plastic Inevitable. Walking and being suspended in that motif is as touching a tribute as it is heartbreaking. And yet it is a fitting testament to the long enduring work that these two collaborators made.

As for Lou, long may he Ride Into The Sun. Let's just hope he's riding something more angelic than a Honda Scooter, though.

Abigail Portner - Director
Garret Curtis - DP
Nick Perry - Gaffer
Rik Brown - Key Grip
Shawn Labaqui - Grip
Nita Scott - Producer
Stellascope - Producer
Wild Bill Cody - Camera OP
Josh Sener - Art Department
Abigail Portner - Editor
Stellascope - Location
Billy Name - Photo Images / Warhol Factory Archivist
bigail Portner - Director
Garret Curtis - DP
Nick Perry - Gaffer
Rik Brown - Key Grip
Shawn Labaqui - Grip
Nita Scott - Producer
Stellascope - Producer
Wild Bill Cody - Camera OP
Josh Sener - Art Department
Abigail Portner - Editor
Stellascope - Location
Billy Name - Photo Images / Warhol Factory Archivist
With a special thank you to Giovanni Ribisi at Stellascope.