Tony Oursler's Synesthesia project features interviews with twelve legendary figures in the downtown music, performance and art scenes: John Cale, Thurston Moore, Dan Graham, Genesis P-Orridge, Kim Gordon, Glenn Branca, Laurie Anderson, Tony Conrad, David Byrne, Lydia Lunch, Alan Vega, and Arto Lindsay. These works were originally included as one element of Oursler and Mike Kelley's multimedia installation The Poetics Project. These conversations reveal fascinating insights and anecdotes from some of the most influential figures in the experimental rock and art underground of the 1970s and '80s, from pre-punk innovators to post-punk icons, from industrial and avant-garde music to noise bands and "no wave."

One of the more respected figures in rock music, John Cale has made a career of drawing on both avant-garde and pop approaches, most famously in the Velvet Underground, the hugely influential band that he co-founded with Lou Reed in 1965. His distinctive touch as a writer and producer has led to collaborations with luminaries ranging from Terry Riley and LaMonte Young to Iggy Pop and Patti Smith.

Police Car, John Cale

1966, 1:17 min, color, silent