Not Everybody Knows
I wasn’t really familiar with Leonard Cohen until the release of the 1991 tribute album, I’m Your Fan: The Songs of Leonard Cohen. Cohen’s song, “First We Take Manhattan” was covered by R.E.M. and the song also appeared as a bonus track on their U.K. CD single for “Drive.” At the time I really liked R.E.M. and their Cohen cover appealed to me. Since R.E.M’s version comes-in at over six-minutes and hasn’t held up that well over the years, here’s another Cohen cover from that same tribute album:
Ian McCulloch – Hey, That’s No Way To Say Goodbye
Being the Internet was still in it’s infancy, finding more information about Mr. Cohen took a little effort. I eventually learned that my favorite band at the time, The Sisters of Mercy, named themselves after a Cohen song. I also bought one of Cohen’s books, Beautiful Losers, and pulled my hair-out trying to read it. Some years later I was fortunate enough to purchase a VHS tape of the 1966 documentary, Ladies & Gentlemen… Mr. Leonard Cohen. The black and white film focuses on a young, Dustin Hoffman-esque Cohen who is still wrapped in his poetry and has yet to set his words to music.
Leonard Cohen is currently on tour, his first tour in 15 years. He’s promoting his Live In London CD/DVD while also trying to recoup some of the 5 million dollars that were lost due to his former manager, Kelley Lynch, “misappropriating” his finances. Cohen sued and was awarded 9 million dollars although it’s doubtful he’ll ever see the money. At the time, it was reported Lynch left Cohen (now age 75) high and dry, with only $150,000 to his name.
Next Thursday, Leonard Cohen is performing at the Caesars Palace Colosseum, here in Las Vegas. The original ticket prices ranged from $75.00 to $250.00, causing me to constantly debate whether I should go or not. Luckily, and thanks to a local weekly magazine leaking the story, two sections in the $75.00 seating tier were held-back and just recently released for the glorious price of $29.00 each. When I got to the box-office today, there were only eleven tickets left at that price.
Trying to decide whether to buy one ticket or two, I found myself in a dilemma. Ever since I learned of Cohen coming to Vegas (months ago), I’ve tried to think of someone who would want to go to the concert. I use to have a few friends living here that appreciated his music but they have since moved far away. I did recently ask a few friends if they’d be interested in seeing Leonard, but each time the answer was, “Who’s he?”
What a shame.
I should also mention that by day, I’m a bellman at Caesars Palace. For the past month, I’ve been riding in elevators with the installed video screens advertising Cohen’s show. At least once a day someone in the elevator asks, “Who’s he?”
One of Cohen’s better-known songs is “Everybody Knows,” to which I say, “No Leonard, apparently they don’t.”
Fuck ‘em and feed ‘em fish.
I bought one ticket.
A review of the show will be posted a week from today.
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