Leonard Cohen, home at last http://blogs.jta.org/ENTRY_PERMALINK_HERE/leonard-cohen-home-at-last/ My buddy and colleague, Dina Kraft, just IMed me a good question—why is Leonard Cohen so beloved in Israel? en-us rkampeas@jta.org Copyright 2009 2009-09-24T;23:53:00-05:00 Comment by Tedi ted@macinstein.com Who Dares Wings:  Ok, now you got the key to Cohen’s codes.  I’m just curious - before this, with what did you think he was going to “take Berlin” - Chabad? Atheism? Nazism? Andy Warholism? Who Dares Wings:  Ok, now you got the key to Cohen’s codes.  I’m just curious - before this, with what did you think he was going to “take Berlin” - Chabad? Atheism? Nazism? Andy Warholism?

]]> 2012-02-10T;12:44:00-05:00 Comment by JGMotek j_gelb@yahoo.com Add Melbourne, Australia, to the list of places where Leonard Cohen easily sold out a stadium. Mind you, I don’t think that the basic premise of this factor is appropriate: Cohen’s music is actually best appreciated in a slightly smaller venue. I don’t think that the fact that he plays at them in the US means that he would be unable to sell out a stadium in a given large city if he chose to do so. I know I’m not the only fan who has been following him since the hit Suzanne many years ago. Although I know that touring at this age would not have been his choice but was forced on him by the embezzlement of his financial advisors, it’s still phenomenal to see someone at his age still so enthusiastic about his music and still able to deliver what was probably the best concert I’ve ever seen. Add Melbourne, Australia, to the list of places where Leonard Cohen easily sold out a stadium. Mind you, I don’t think that the basic premise of this factor is appropriate: Cohen’s music is actually best appreciated in a slightly smaller venue. I don’t think that the fact that he plays at them in the US means that he would be unable to sell out a stadium in a given large city if he chose to do so.

I know I’m not the only fan who has been following him since the hit Suzanne many years ago. Although I know that touring at this age would not have been his choice but was forced on him by the embezzlement of his financial advisors, it’s still phenomenal to see someone at his age still so enthusiastic about his music and still able to deliver what was probably the best concert I’ve ever seen.

]]> 2012-02-10T;12:44:00-05:00 Comment by Jackie Cappiello jcappiello@knology.net I think of Leonard Cohen more as a poet than as a singer.  His lyrics are truly beautiful and reflect a thinking process that is all encompassing.  I happen to also like the sound of his voice, but that is may be questionable. (Mu daughter says he sounds like a croaking frog., but even she likes the words.) I think of Leonard Cohen more as a poet than as a singer.  His lyrics are truly beautiful and reflect a thinking process that is all encompassing.  I happen to also like the sound of his voice, but that is may be questionable. (Mu daughter says he sounds like a croaking frog., but even she likes the words.)

]]> 2012-02-10T;12:44:00-05:00 Comment by Neil Fiertel nfiertel@ualberta.ca Leonard Cohen might not sell out audience venues in the U.S. but he does so in London, Canada and Berlin. What can I say? He is a world artist and not an American artist and from my experience, Americans sell out their own but not foreigners. I could not get a seat at his recent concert here. It sold out in five minutes...The London concert called Live in London was filled to the rafters. It is a wonder of a DVD and I recommend it highly. He is a brilliant poet, novelist and song writer. He is also a very thoughtful and decent man who is considered by we Canadians as a son and brother to us all. By the way, his concert in Israel sold 50k seats and all the money was for the peace movement. He is not a rich man, having been cheated of his savings by someone he trusted from what I understand so rather, he does what he does from his heart. I have more respect for Mr. Cohen than any politician and though his goals might be unattainable, he has a good heart in trying. Leonard Cohen might not sell out audience venues in the U.S. but he does so in London, Canada and Berlin. What can I say? He is a world artist and not an American artist and from my experience, Americans sell out their own but not foreigners. I could not get a seat at his recent concert here. It sold out in five minutes...The London concert called Live in London was filled to the rafters. It is a wonder of a DVD and I recommend it highly. He is a brilliant poet, novelist and song writer. He is also a very thoughtful and decent man who is considered by we Canadians as a son and brother to us all. By the way, his concert in Israel sold 50k seats and all the money was for the peace movement. He is not a rich man, having been cheated of his savings by someone he trusted from what I understand so rather, he does what he does from his heart. I have more respect for Mr. Cohen than any politician and though his goals might be unattainable, he has a good heart in trying.

]]> 2012-02-10T;12:44:00-05:00 Comment by Lynda lyndakraar@aol.com Bravo, Ron Kampeas! My daughter and I loved your excellent piece of writing about one of our favourite Jewish heros. Cohen is a unifying force who speaks his heart for us all. Bravo, Ron Kampeas! My daughter and I loved your excellent piece of writing about one of our favourite Jewish heros. Cohen is a unifying force who speaks his heart for us all.

]]> 2012-02-10T;12:44:00-05:00 Comment by Who Dares Wings whodareswings@yahoo.com Leonard Cohen is a gifted tune smith and a moral cripple. He should not have let himself be lured back to Israel for money, or out of a sense of nostalgic solidarity with what’s going on there now because this is a shame and a disgrace. It never occurred to me that he was singing about Jewish cultural conquest in “First We Take Manhattan.” Now that I have been given a key to Mr. Cohen’s codes I will be divesting him from my pop music library forthwith. Leonard Cohen is a gifted tune smith and a moral cripple. He should not have let himself be lured back to Israel for money, or out of a sense of nostalgic solidarity with what’s going on there now because this is a shame and a disgrace. It never occurred to me that he was singing about Jewish cultural conquest in “First We Take Manhattan.” Now that I have been given a key to Mr. Cohen’s codes I will be divesting him from my pop music library forthwith.

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