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WaltonRed
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That towering intellect Louise Mensch had paid her tributes to the Canadian Leonard Cohen

 

Cw-B5nqUoAAJN71.jpg

 

Cuntermensch as the Germans would say.

 

A British politician using the death of a Canadian to praise America and criticise Russia.

 

Sometimes I wonder if Armando Iannucci actually wrote anything or if he actually made a documentary and none of use realised it. 

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From the bottom of my heart, it's been all I can say is thank you: for articulating the intangible, for soundtracking periods of introspection and reflection, for shedding light on the darkest nights, for being a constant source of wit, warmth and wisdom. It's been an honour, a privilege and a pleasure ever since I picked up a copy of 'I'm Your Man' as an 18 year old.

 

I was fortunate enough to see him twice. Once was at the Echo Arena when he was typically sublime, but the first was especially special. It was at Glastonbury and he was on at the Pyramid Stage as the penultimate act of the night. Just as the sun was setting, he stepped out and stage and held everybody captive from the first footstep out from the wings. An awed silence of anticipation just fell over the audience.

 

When the conversation of great gigs comes up, I'm honestly not sure where to put this one, because it just transcended everything that you expect from a gig. There wasn't much in the way of audience interaction aside from the odd wry comment in between songs. There were no mass sing-a-longs. There was no dancing (apart from a few sly hip gyrations as the synths to the closing song 'First We Take Manhattan' kicked in), and there was no screaming. It was just an entranced audience watching a master go about his craft in respectful silence. It's hard to describe how special it was. Just magical from start to finish. It was more akin to a religious experience than a musical performance.

 

For some reason, I'm having difficulties copying and pasting, but if anyone hasn't checked it out, I can't recommend enough doing an internet search for the feature on the great man that appeared in The New Yorker last month. Put the kettle on, have a brew, and take in a majestic piece on a wonderful man.

 

With all the shite that's gone on this year, it's always worth remembering his words: "There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in."

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​What Faustus said.

​I also saw Leonard twice. First as a spotty 15 year old at the Isle of Wight festival in 1970 and second at the NEC on his last tour here in 2013. The 2013 gig was one of the best I've ever been to and I've seen a few greats in my 61 years. I'm the most confirmed atheist there is, but there was a spirit and feeling at the concert that I've rarely felt.   A truly great poet and song writer. 

As the man said: 

"Now I bid you farewell,

I don't know when I'll be back

They're moving us tomorrow to that tower down the track

But you'll be hearing from me baby, long after I'm gone

I'll be speaking to you sweetly

From a window in the Tower of Song."

 

It really is ‘Closing Time.’  RIP

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​What Faustus said.

​I also saw Leonard twice. First as a spotty 15 year old at the Isle of Wight festival in 1970 and second at the NEC on his last tour here in 2013. The 2013 gig was one of the best I've ever been to and I've seen a few greats in my 61 years. I'm the most confirmed atheist there is, but there was a spirit and feeling at the concert that I've rarely felt. A truly great poet and song writer.

As the man said:

"Now I bid you farewell,

I don't know when I'll be back

They're moving us tomorrow to that tower down the track

But you'll be hearing from me baby, long after I'm gone

I'll be speaking to you sweetly

From a window in the Tower of Song."

 

It really is ‘Closing Time.’ RIP

Both yourself and Faustian have hit the nail on the head here,I like yourself saw him at the isle of Wight,really wonderful.I remember buying Songs from a room the day it came out,the Partisan still haunts me when you think of what's happened since he wrote it.
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