The 1960s band that made John Cale reject the direction of rock

The band that made John Cale deeply question the paths rock was taking was the Beatles. Despite recognizing the genius of John Lennon, Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr, the future member of the Velvet Underground believed that the Beatles' enormous success had led much of the music industry to follow increasingly predictable formulas. For Cale, the problem was not the quality of the band, but the fact that practically the entire market was trying to copy their model of success. This led him to look for something radically different. Instead of following the mainstream of British rock, he immersed himself in experimental music, minimalism and the artistic avant-gardes of New York. These influences would ultimately shape the Velvet Underground's revolutionary sound. According to Cale, the Beatles' popularity ended up acting as an incentive to seek new musical paths, helping to create one of the most influential bands in the history of alternative rock.