Leonard Cohen interview

[Ryumon]

Re: Leonard Cohen interview

Am I the only one who finds his music terribly depressive?

Kirk (being a bit of a nay-sayer in several threads today)

[Longdog]

Re: Leonard Cohen interview

I like what I've heard Couldn't comment on everything of his though.

In my band we have a song called 'smile'. My mate wrote about embracing the pain and difficulties that his hip gave him and the opportunity it gave him to ponder. We think it's a really positive song and love it, but every time we play it people comment that it's music to slit your wrists too. Guess it's all in the ear of the beholder.

In gassho, Kev

[Dojin]

Re: Leonard Cohen interview

kirk you are kinda right.
i always felt his music to be a bit sad. yet it is a bitter sad feeling. its sad but with some deep profound joy in it.

steph i am also reading his book now.
i have stranger music with me here.
i have finished book of longing about 6 month ago and loved it very much

[Eika]

Re: Leonard Cohen interview

Am I the only one who finds his music terribly depressive?

Kirk (being a bit of a nay-sayer in several threads today)

Not my thing either . . . he's a great lyricist, but his music leaves me flat. Just not enough there for me.

Bill

[Stephanie]

Re: Leonard Cohen interview

In my band we have a song called 'smile'. My mate wrote about embracing the pain and difficulties that his hip gave him and the opportunity it gave him to ponder. We think it's a really positive song and love it, but every time we play it people comment that it's music to slit your wrists too. Guess it's all in the ear of the beholder.

I think it's also a matter of people's tolerance for heavy subject matter. I'm amused by the fact that so many people, when they talk about what they value in others, cite "a sense of humor" as being of central importance, as if it were a rare thing. I find that most people have a sense of humor, whereas much fewer have a capacity to be serious. Which I think may be a root of many of the problems in the world right now--people won't or can't deal with anything that's too "heavy," so they don't. Not being dealt with, it doesn't get resolved, and most of the world goes on in denial of the things people could unite to stop or change.

i always felt his music to be a bit sad. yet it is a bitter sad feeling. its sad but with some deep profound joy in it.

Beautifully put. I agree completely. I find Leonard Cohen's capacity for bitterness and melancholy carries with it a sense of humor, acceptance, and compassion for the world.

[Dojin]

Re: Leonard Cohen interview

i have also noticed that as time goes by there is tremendous love for the world and everything in it that resonates in anything he writes. it is like sitting back looking at the world and giving a deep sigh of content and sadness all at once. i just love his work no other way to put it

[Stephanie]

Re: Leonard Cohen interview

it is like sitting back looking at the world and giving a deep sigh of content and sadness all at once.

[chicanobudista]

Re: Leonard Cohen interview

I just love this part (from the NYT article):

In 1962, two Zen students in California wrote to his temple in Japan seeking a teacher, and Joshu Roshi was selected. He arrived with little more than a pair of dictionaries, Japanese to English and English to Japanese. He set up in a garage in Los Angeles until founding what became his lead temple, the Rinzai-ji Center on Cimarron Street, where he and his wife still live. By 1970, he had created a Zen training center from a former Boy Scout camp at Mount Baldy in the San Gabriel Mountains. In 1972, a supporter sought to draw him to New Mexico. “You find hot springs, I come,” he said. She did — and he did, founding Bodhi Manda, or enlightenment circle.

It's those moments where a person or a community starts from nowhere and just acts. Nothing to loose. Just do. When reading bios like that is at those moments when I ask myself what was going through their mind at that point. Zen teacher in a garage! Love it. :P

“That’s why I am always angrily yelling at my students,” he said, “‘If you’re attached to American democracy, you’ll never become the leaders of the free world again.’”

What does that mean? :?:

Among those at a November retreat, paying $450 for a week’s dorm bed and board, was Jodo John Candy, 61, a monk and retired parks worker from the Seattle area who has come twice a year since 1987. “When the bell rings, you ring,” Mr. Candy said.

:shock:

[CinnamonGal]

Re: Leonard Cohen interview

The radio interview I heard was called "If it will be your will " (from 2006) and was a lot about Marianne (his Norwegian muse?) and the songs she inspired. After that they played the radio documentary ”So long Marianne” av Kari Hesthamar (of Radio Norway), about Marianne herself. Unfortunately, the archive is available only 30 days back. But I found these transcripts of the interviews:

http://thirdcoastfestival.org/documents ... urwill.pdf

http://www.leonardcohenfiles.com/marianne2006.html

I have been listening "A thosand kisses deep" for 2 days now :lol: .

Lots of valuable info in the thread. Thanks to everyone!

Gassho,
Irina

No worries Irina :wink: I think the interview you heard was probably better and in more detail but as some one who knows of him and his songs but not about him it was intriguing.

He seems to be doing the interview to promote his new tour as he's skint from his manager relieving him of £5 million while he was in the monastary. Apparently he rarely does them.

Odd that Will can get it in China but not Zen, hey ho, the wonders of the net I guess :lol:

Do you know who the 100+ year old Rinzai Roshi is he refers to? Or which monastary it is he was at?

i'm interested in his new book of poetry, have to see if I can get in in the library.

In gassho, Kev

[CharlesC]

Re: Leonard Cohen interview

.

[Dojin]

Re: Leonard Cohen interview

this is my favorite Cohen song. and this is just the reason i love it so much.

I did my best, it wasn't much
I couldn't feel, so I tried to touch
I've told the truth, I didn't come to fool you
And even though
It all went wrong
I'll stand before the Lord of Song
With nothing on my tongue but Hallelujah

[Ryumon]

Re: Leonard Cohen interview

It's a great song, but the fact that it became popular when sung by Buckley is interesting. That's the first version of the song I heard, and when I listened to Cohen singing it, I was appalled at how much it sounded like a dirge. I don't like his voice, but in that song it's really a shame to hear him singing.

Kirk

[Dojin]

Re: Leonard Cohen interview

personally i really like his voice. there is someithing very deep and personal in his voice and it really shows in his songs

[Ryumon]

Re: Leonard Cohen interview

I can certainly understand that some people like his voice. It's just too lugubrious for me; add that to the songs themselves and it makes me want to mainline prozac. :-)

Kirk

[Stephanie]

Re: Leonard Cohen interview

I was appalled at how much it sounded like a dirge.

I think that's half the point-- :!: