Hello, I'm new to this forum... (introducing yourselves)

[wanderer]

Hi !

Thought I’d finally say a quick hello to everyone having been a bit of a lurker before. First introduced to Leonard around 10 years ago I was intrigued by the uniqueness of his poetry and music and later finally enraptured seeing the live show at Glastonbury in 2008 - a perfect Sunday evening sunset as a backdrop for the performance! There seemed such a genuine warmth between the crowd and Leonard – especially with his ‘It is a great honour to play for these angels born of the mud’ ! On this experience I was so glad I booked for the Albert Hall show in November which turned out to be equally amazing. Am also heading out to New Zealand for a working holiday in a weeks time for a few months and thinking about one of the concerts there. However having only just realised they were on (my friend there mentioning a billboard) the selection of tickets available seems pretty poor / chancy. But hopefully where there’s a will there’s a way!

Tristan

[Kayleigh]

Hi.
My name is Sylvia - I am from Germany and a Leonard Cohen fan since some years. Happy I found this forum.

[lcarbon]

I'm new to the forum. I've loved Leonard Cohen's music since I was in high school, about 40 yrs ago, but have been LC obsessed for (only) about 1 yr. I saw LC in concert 1970 or 71 and remember like it was yesterday. I look forward to seeing him in Las Vegas for his final show. This forum is wonderful...

[MaryB]

Welcome Tristan, Sylvia, and Icarbon!
Many of us started out as lurkers before finally taking the plunge to become members. This is a wonderful community populated by so many kind and generous people. Hope you were able to score seats for a New Zealand show Tristan. I'm also happy you found this forum Sylvia. I look forward to meeting you in Vegas Icarbon.
Best regards,
Mary

[silvia]

Hello,
sort of new here, I've been lurking on and off for quite a bit, so it's time to introduce myself: Silvia from Italy, living in Finland, devoted Leonard Cohen fan for over 10 years, turned into an all-things-Cohen 'obsessed' fan after seeing LC in concert for the first time in 2008.
It's great to think that out there there are so many others sharing my obsession!

Cheerful greetings to you all!
Silvia

[kiwifoster7]

Hi,

I'm Debbie and I started out on my Leonard Cohen journey when I heard Jeff Buckley's cover of Hallelujah played on Kim Hill's Radio New Zealand programme a few years ago. Those of you in New Zealand will know that Kim HIll is a big fan of Leonard.
I have been perusing this forum a bit but only made my first post yesterday. One of the things that appeals to me about Leonard's music is that, like the Bible, it is not really understood on a first (or second, or third) listen. Study is rewarded. This forum is a wonderful help.
My very first Leonard Cohen concert was 3 Nov 2010 in Christchurch, and I am still buzzing from the experience. My seat was three rows from the front, dead centre. It is a bit like a dream. It would be wonderful to have a dvd of that concert that I could replay again and again.
Regards
Debbie

[franjules]

I am also new to the forum , LC came to me late in life .I just saw him in concert in Hobart Tasmania,Wow!!!So amazing and I hear he may tour again... I will be saving my $ to see more than one show next time.Franjules

[morducMile]

Hi everybody,

I'm Morduc, and there's a question nagging me for some time now:
Is it true that Leonard is very fond of the word "broken"?
I didn't check, but it seems to me that "broken" appear in many of Leonard's songs.

Thanks,
Morduc

[surrender]

Hello Morduc,
welcome to the Forum, I think you are right, you can check it easily at:
http://www.webheights.net/cohenconcordance/index.htm

[morducMile]

Thanks surrender,

This site is great!

After a preliminary search, I came to the next results.

Other than obvious words like:
"the" (138 songs),
"of" (127),
"for" (112),
"love" (105),
etc. which are grammatical necessities (In my opinion, "love" can easily be regarded as a preposition, when it comes to songs ).

More insight can be derived from the next:
"coming" (72),
"know" (66),
"night" (58),
"down" (55),
"never" (54),
"man" (53),
"up" (52),
"heart" (45),
"woman" (39),
"broken" (28),
"nothing" (28),
"beauty" (23).
These are Leonard's most favourite words.

Thanks again,
Morduc

[Willy52240]

Well...why not? I just joined, I suppose I will say hello but I am more in the lurking mode.

I have been a fan for 40 years and due to getting a faster computer and faster computer connection I am "wasting" more time wandering through utube. About 6 weeks ago I was wandering and reacquainted myself with what utube had to offer in Cohen and i was floored. Such a wonderful resource; I just want to put some things on an endless loop. : )

Although I was a fan of his older styles and music I have also been brought a little more up to date on some of his newer work and have found that I also have loved some of the newer music. I'm not up on all of it; not by any stretch but immensely pleased to have watched "Born in Chains" just last night.

I am also of the mind that certain things cannot be improved upon, and rarely....very rarely can anyone come close to Leonard. This year brought me appreciating Justin Timberlakes "Hope for Haiti" cover; better than most, IMHO.

In a slightly different vein I hold dearly to the old standards..... but I have to really give the Webb sisters their due with "If it be your Will". (and I am grateful to maarten for what may be the best version on utube). Is it a cover when they are on stage performing w/ Leonard Cohen?

Just a thanks from me for being able to visit and read.......

willy

[lizzytysh]

Welcome to the Forum, willy ... that's great news that you like Maarten's YouTube recording best. He does such fine work all the way around.

I'm amazed at how much catching up you've apparently been doing. How long had you fallen out of 'contact' with Leonard's work? Or is it just that you've been catching up with YouTube, itself, and in doing that, Leonard's work that's posted there?

Even if you choose to continue lurking, thanks for coming out and saying hello , though I encourage you to stay awhile... you'll like it.


~ Lizzy

[Willy52240]

Hi Lizzy...... well, some of it is that I have preferred albums; that can kind of be self limiting.

Some of it may be a sense...... an incorrect view that artists have a shelf life and do some of their best work early; not always true, especially with Leonard, but true enough for some artists and groups. Also, in the case of Leonard, he had a bit of a hiatus..... and so there wasn't that much new.

Anyway.... I've just been living a minimalist life, just working and kind of just discovered....rediscovered this artist that I have had a long held reverence for.

Some of it is being able to SEE the performance; I've never assumed that Leonard was doing the stunning flamenco style guitar work, such as some of his pieces.... like Avalanche.

In the case of Maarten's video, the seat he had provided a great view of Hattie's harp..... and the lighting was very good. Some videos are quite dark, which can be a shame. Seeing things adds a whole new layer of the experience.

Anyway......I'm not that shy, I have a lot of love of the music, not necessarily a lot of knowledge about the man and his work.

.....segue into...... thank you for providing, help providing a forum about the man. I'm enjoying the reading.

best,
willy

(edit) PS.... in watching Born in Chains again i also Notice that my fav is Maartens Rec at Salzburg, although each different recording has it's great points. Thanks, Maarten!! (and thanks those who record and post such wonderful things)

[MaryB]

Hello Willy,

If you are watching youtube videos, may I also suggest that in addition to Maarten's wonderful videos, you also watch any of the videos done by albertnoonan (forum member IrishAl). This will get you to more excellent videos. They have both done a stellar job on them. In your searches there are many more. Another is Messalina - forum member somewhat_nifty/Ruth. To find them easily, search Leonard Cohen Sligo or Leonard Cohen Las Vegas. This should put you on the path to all their fantastic videos quickly.

Welcome to the forum and enjoy!

Best regards,
Mary

[Willy52240]

Thank you Mary and a hello.

Thanks for the heads up on albertnoonan. I have watched a number of his vids of the recent concerts, and earlier shared one with a friend (IIBYW-Webb sisters/cohen). You know how it is, you hear a song, and in this instance a newer distinct take on it and then you end up shopping for the one you like best, but it is like choosing which is the favorite child. : ) The answer is you like them all, but sometimes for different reasons, qualities. I'm stunned by the number of recordings I found when I used the utube search; albertnoonan, cohen.

I feel a little self conscious saying it, but i stopped going to concerts ages ago. Generally speaking, I'd rather have the CD than watch most artists do a lackluster job. I think that I have had my attitude changed in watching so many of Leonard's performances.

I got "set off" on my recent quest in stumbling across a Austin City Limits (I think) performance in which I heard "The Partisan" w/ John Bilezikjian. I'd heard the unmistakable oud some 25 years earlier (on the TV show) and I thought I'd better see what else was out there on line. Hahahah; there was a lot!!!

Yes, I am really unschooled about all things Cohen, but I have enjoyed catching up with him again and all the various performers who have helped him convey his special music through the decades.

I appreciate being able to view it primarily on utube and am thankful that people record and post the videos or relative information.

Thanks to all.....

Willy