Welcome to my distinguished Berkleemusic blog. For starters, I’d like to introduce you to my new book MUSIC SMARTS. Scroll down and you’ll get a taste of the quotes in the book, plus the introduction to my 1988 interview with Leonard Cohen.
LEONARD COHEN
Machine Intelligence
“Inanimate objects, especially when they have working parts and depend on things like sound and light, are susceptible to the influence of the people who are working with them.”
—Leonard Cohen
Leonard Cohen: Haute Dog (1988)
Let’s set the record straight, once and for all, about this Leonard Cohen. Seems to me that most folks think of him as a dark, brooding, melancholic, depressing fella. Actually, he’s a very funny guy. True, it ain’t the light humor of Don Rickles, but if you’re willing to follow him deeply down Dante’s staircase you’ll find the chuckles that echo through the nuthouses and whorehouses of antiquity.
How many characters like Leonard Cohen exist? He’s a songwriter, a poet, a novelist, a painter, and a sharp dresser, too. Onstage, backed by superb musicians both modern and ethnic, with sultry sirens accompanying him like loving ex-lovers, Leonard hangs loose in film noir duds and sings his hard-boiled narratives, sketching underworld scenes with shady undertones and witty asides.
He was signed to Columbia in 1967 by John Hammond. He appeared as the head of Interpol on the TV series Miami Vice. There is an annual Leonard Cohen Festival in Krakow, Poland.
On our way to his home, Mrs. Bonzai and I stopped to pick up some greasy weiners (Pink’s famous chili dogs) and a jug of chianti. Leonard greeted us at the door barefoot in a 3-piece suit, sporting a five o’clock shadow, and led us to his sunny kitchen nook where he set out fine china and silver for our haute dog cuisine.
After steeping ourselves in his music for many days and nights, can I tell you what a pleasure it was to lunch with this maestro of murky mirth?
Momma Mia!
“I remember when I went down to New York with the intention of establishing myself in the music business. I was in my early ’30s, and my mother said to me, ‘Leonard, be careful—those people aren’t like us.’ You know, she was right. They aren’t like us.
—Leonard Cohen
BTW, Leonard is presently touring, first time in 15 years. We’ve got tickets for the show in LA on April 11. He’s on the road until June 2, at the swinging age of 73. You might not want to wait another 15 years…
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Music Smarts features hundreds of quotations from a vast array of artists and industry gurus, reflecting on influences, heroes, integrity, performances, and many more critical aspects of being a music person. These gems of hard-won wisdom cover not only the highs of success, money, and fame, but also reveal the lows of missteps and rejection.
Drawn from 25 years of feature interviews by notorious studio insider, Mr. Bonzai, and edited by Mix magazine creator, David Schwartz, Music Smarts features razor-sharp insights from the music industry’s savviest artists, producers, technicians, and business execs, and showcases the brainpower that has made popular music the most influential force in modern culture. This handbook also includes a visual “who’s who” of the music biz with original portraits by Mr. Bonzai of the featured artists.
Look Inside the Book and order a dozen at Amazon.com
Find out more about Mr. Bonzai
