The Velvet Underground founder has completed our survey into arts diversity, made in partnership with Create and Goldsmiths university – and opens up about his path from the Welsh coalfields to the New York avant-garde

John Cale on arts diversity: 'When I moved to New York, I was basically penniless'

For Panic!, an upcoming event series in partnership with Create, Goldsmiths and others, the Guardian is surveying workers in the arts, creative industries and culture to see how diverse the sector is. By finding out about their backgrounds, earnings, hopes and passions, we hope to discover whether the arts are more than a playground for the rich – or indeed the white and male.

Do you work in the arts, culture or creative industries? Take our survey on diversity in the sector Read more

A number of successful Goldsmiths alumni have filled in the survey, with their responses published on the Guardian’s website. The first was playwright and screenwriter Moira Buffini; next up is John Cale. Born in Wales, Cale is best known for forming the Velvet Underground with Lou Reed – the band went on to fuse pop and the avant-garde like no one before it, and had an immeasurable influence on modern music. He has since made numerous solo records, and collaborated with the likes of Brian Eno, Terry Riley and David Byrne.

His edited responses are below; to take the survey yourself, click here.

Tell us a little about your decision to enter your current occupation in the cultural and creative industries. And if this isn’t your first occupation, tell us about that too.

When I was about 14 years old, I’d already been playing in the school youth orchestra and during the seasonal holidays I began playing at local venues to earn extra money. When I moved to New York, I was basically penniless. John Cage was kind enough to help me find a job in a bookstore which sustained me while I was experimenting in the New York avant-garde music scene. Producing other artists’ recordings and film composition was another revenue stream that worked in tandem with my own recording and touring career.

Is there anything else which you think is important in getting ahead in your industry?

Creativity, honesty, and dedication to your dream no matter how far off it may seem.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest John Cale with the Velvet Underground in Andy Warhol’s Factory.

Looking at your creative occupation as a whole, how important do you think each of these is in getting ahead?

Coming from a wealthy family: Not important at all

Having well-educated parents: Fairly important

Being well educated: Not very important

Having ambition: Essential

Hard work: Essential

Knowing the right people: Not very important

Your talent: Essential

Your ethnic group: Can’t choose

Your class: Can’t choose

Your religion: Can’t choose

Your gender: Can’t choose

What kind of work did your first parent/caregiver do?

Father: Coal miner.

What was this parent’s highest achieved level of education?

None.

What kind of work did your other parent or caregiver do when you were around 14?

Mother: Teacher.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest John Cale, pictured for the Guardian. Photograph: Sarah Lee/The Guardian

What was your (other) parent or caregiver’s highest achieved level of education? (if applicable)

Apprenticeship.

Can you give an example of art or culture that you love?

Visual arts, mixed media, film and of course, music. I want to explore more tech/art hybrids as I did last year with Loop>>60Hz: Transmissions from the Drone Orchestra.

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Making all forms of art – fusing progressive technology to create new platforms of expression.

Please tell us more broadly about your experience in your industry. Is there anything else you want to tell us?

My classical training was the genesis for hard work and practice. Understanding you must learn the basics and practice to make them your own. Knowing the “how” is an important edge when I started working in the avant-garde, and the Velvet Underground and beyond. Working in the avant-garde set me up well for the recording industry – while a student at Goldsmiths I longed to push beyond my classical teachings, wishing to move into the avant-garde where I could be a part of new music, something yet to come. That premise has never stopped. To this day, it’s what I must do each day: create music beyond the premise set before.