JOHN CALE OBE

i didn't know the Queen was a Velvet Underground fan, swear she was the one who threw a beer bottle at Cale at the Electric Ballroom in 1984. My guess was Cale would kill under normal circumstances but in deference, he just carried on. Where do we get tickets for the Buck House gig?

Get it right, Louis - it's an MBE for services to music and the arts.

How come almost all Cale fans accept this award without any critique?

A medal with the impression "For God and the Empire"?!?!?!

After all the question can be raised: Will John have at least a bit stomach pain when he's going to receive this award in the Buckingham Palace?

I grudge him all the public recognition. He deserves it, but this … ? I'm right now listening to "Sabotage", and somehow it sounds different than before. I wish, he would just reject this piece of metal. Then he has the publicity and an intact spine. Wow!

One reason: The British government's role in backing BP against harsh critique, while the oil keeps streaming in the ocean. Bad reason? There are more...

But I think, these kind of political statements are nowadays totally out of fashion. Today people are so much into ZEN. So much in balance with themselves and the world around them. Anyway, I also grudge people their inner peace. But where is the angry John Cale? I miss him!!! And I'm now really afraid of getting old...

PS: Louis, if you know where to get tickets for the Buckingham Palace gig, please let me know! We could try stage diving for a change. "Mercenaries" will do well for that...

i believe it s an OBE

it's as much a recognition of how he makes people feel as anything else, isn't it ?

and I'm guessing that turning down an OBE once means that you never get offered one again

and it won't harm him in any way

and turning down a nomination may get publicity, but that doesn't last as long as the prestige having the award

I'd love to know who nominated Mr Cale


sorry, I seem to be thinking in bullet-points this evening

How come almost all Cale fans accept this award without any critique?

So many of us have been complaining about how underappreciated Cale is. Now that he gets this recognition for his art - why lament again?

He deserves it.
This is about art, not about politics.

If there were tickets for the Buck House gig I'd buy one and applaude the Maestro.

To get this straight:

I am really happy for John! I don't want to spoil his recognition, but still I wonder, if he at least thought about rejecting this award?!

And I also wonder, if there are Cale fans around who think that the inscription "For God and the Empire" is a bit weird. I know, political correctness is out of fashion and partly for good reasons, since it's very often more than just a bit hypocritical. But hello? Anybody out there who shares at least my feelings? I don't have these feelings, because I'm jealous of this award, and it's not that I don't want to share John Cale's music with the masses or the Queen. I'm just a very romantic left-wing person. Am I all alone among the Cale fans here?

I don't want to deprive John of his honour. He definitely deserves it!!!

But rejecting this piece of metal wouldn't be his invention. There were so many before. David Bowie turned down a C.B.E. (2000) and the knighthood (2003). I'm sure, Bowie felt very very pleased to be awarded twice and he felt even more pleased with himself turning it down for the second time.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/this-britain/honoured--no-thanks-say-elite-of-arts-and-tv-577460.html

PS: And of course I would also join a concert in the Buck House. I'm a very pragmatic fan. John stays John - with or without awards! I just love his music!!! We are just fans and anyway don't have the right to tell 'our' star how to live. But we are allowed to think and have different opinions.

Do I wish to discuss this furher? – No.

I take the point about rejecting it. Bowie did and Weller did BUT it is critical to keep in mind that John is not in the position of public recognition that they are (in Britain especially - and who else cares about the award anyway). So it's not the same as Bowie and Weller. Their general public prestige could only be enhanced by the rejection. Not the case with John. Some form of public recognition of his work is certain to be a great thing for him. Bowie and Weller have copious public recognition of their work.

Hilarious!!!

John Cale has been awarded less than one week after an OBE (Order of the British Empire) now also with the OFE (Order of the Feminist Empire) for his relentless support in building up a Feminist Empire and composing the hymn for the militant feminist fight!

Unbelievable! Congratulations!!! For Women and their Empire! Thank you!



I hope nobody feels offended... I'm just working on my trauma! Now I'm calm.

I love this picture

And I really love this year's OBE inscription!
So cool that he went there with pink-blue-white hair. He really rocks!