Photo Credit: Madeline McManus

Founding member of the Velvet Underground, John Cale, appeared on the new Netflix variety show, Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney. During the musician’s appearance on the program, he performed a feature from his 2024 studio LP, POPtical Illusion, with help from Maggie Rogers. 

For the televised performance, the pair chose “Shark-Shark,” a punchy piece that recalls Cale’s alt-punk roots through a surge of industrial-laden beats and a flying guitar solo. Rogers supported her host via guitar and vocals, once again proving her place as a next-generation rocker paying homage to those before, in the same vein as her guest appearance with David Byrne.  

Before the live run-through on Everybody’s Live With John Mulaney, Cale spoke on “Shark-Shark,” via press release. He said, “Sometimes you write a song purely for a mood. ‘Shark-Shark’ has two versions – both a nod to finding humour in music.  When you’re feeling too much of the real world, the best diversion is something that puts a grin on your face. I don’t know how Abby & team kept this shoot together – being ‘unserious’ was a lot of fun!”

In addition to the new live performance video, Cale released his latest studio work, a seven-track EP titled MiXology (volume 1). Listen now.