Even if you're improvising, the fact that beforehand you know certain things will work helps you make those improvisations successful. It really helps to have a certain amount of knowledge about musical structure.

He worked with producer Mike Thorne towards this end. Arriving in New York City he met a number of influential composers. During one gig in Croydon he chopped the head off a dead chicken with a meat cleaver and his band walked offstage in protest.

Since departing from the Velvet Underground in 1968 he has released approximately 30 albums. Of his solo work Cale is perhaps best known for his album Paris 1919 and his cover version of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" plus his mid-1970s Island Records trilogy of albums: Fear Slow Dazzle and Helen of Troy. Though best known for his work in rock music Cale has worked in various genres including drone and classical.