While the amazing John Cale is best known as a founder of the Velvet Underground, his association with the group followed Cale’s deep involvement with the avant-garde classical music scene. During the early 1960s, Cale performed with John Cage, La Monte Young, Tony Conrad, and many others, and pioneered the drone/minimalist sound that continues to inspire experimental musicians today. In 1963, Cale, Cage, and others staged the first full-length performance of Erik Satie’s “Vexations,” a piano piece meant to be played 840 times. The concert lasted 18 hours. On September 16 of that year, Cale was a guest the TV program “I’ve Got A Secret.” His secret was that he participated in the Vexations performance. The other guest was actor Karl Schenzer, whose secret was that he sat through the whole thing. John Cale: “I’ve Got A Secret”