Leonard and Tony Hancock/Ray Galton

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jarkko
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Leonard and Tony Hancock/Ray Galton

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Mabeanie1
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Re: Leonard and Tony Hancock/Ray Galton

Post by Mabeanie1 »

Well, well, well, who would have thought it!

[Thousands of Leonard Cohen fans around the world start searching Amazon and YouTube for Hancock videos........ Here's a collection with all of the surviving episodes:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tony-Hancock-BB ... 382&sr=8-1]

Let's hope, if Leonard does decide to tour again, the Hancock connection will be enough to lure him back to Birmingham. After all, the Yeats connection did it for Sligo!

Wendy

PS Start with The Blood Donor. Absolute classic.
John Etherington
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Re: Leonard and Tony Hancock/Ray Galton

Post by John Etherington »

Wendy, as you probably know, "The Blood Donor" and other "Hancock's Half Hour" classics such as "The Radio Ham" are available on youtube (usually in three parts).

All good things, John E
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Mabeanie1
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Re: Leonard and Tony Hancock/Ray Galton

Post by Mabeanie1 »

Thanks John. I thought they probably were though I didn't actually check. I imagine you, like me, remember them very well. However, I bet there are a stack of Cohenites out there who haven't a clue what we - or the Daily Mail - are talking about!

W
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Cheshire gal
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Re: Leonard and Tony Hancock/Ray Galton

Post by Cheshire gal »

Very happy to hear that Leonard is a Hancock fan. I have most of his shows and grew up listening to him each week on the BBC. The Blood Donor is a must to introduce yourself to Hancock. :lol: :D
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lightasabreeze
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Re: Leonard and Tony Hancock/Ray Galton

Post by lightasabreeze »

It should lure him to London as well as Birmingham. East Cheam is in Surrey, but after the awful wet weather we all had at the concert last time Leonard was in Surrey, - Weybridge - I should think he would never want to see Surrey again.
But I would still stand in the rain again for hours if he did......
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Re: Leonard and Tony Hancock/Ray Galton

Post by Vicomte »

I know the co writer, Alan Simpson quite well, from when we lived in the UK. He is quite a follower of local footbal and indeed, is President of Hampton & Richmond Borough Football Club and until recently (and perhaps still) he could be seen behind one of the goals, in the Alan Simpson Stand.

Just thought I would mention Alan, as he was 50% of the team (Simpson and Galton) behind the writing of Hancock and of course, Steptoe & Son.
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John Etherington
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Re: Leonard and Tony Hancock/Ray Galton

Post by John Etherington »

There's definitely a case for this one, as an intro to Hancock for the archetypal Leonard fan!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=arzovPRUNkc

plus the smoke-ring and shaving scenes are very Leonard!

If the link doesn't work...So go to youtube, and type in Hancock Bedsit.
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phillip
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Re: Leonard and Tony Hancock/Ray Galton

Post by phillip »

One thing is seriously wrong with that article and I am shocked no one has put it right so I WILL (Leonard Cohen is NOT GLOOMY) for me he is the total opposite so I just wish these reporters would get thier facts right Leonard Cohen is the BEST and always will be understood? :D
I have been a Leonard Cohen fan for 28 years feel free to email me if you wish to keep in touch!
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Mabeanie1
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Re: Leonard and Tony Hancock/Ray Galton

Post by Mabeanie1 »

phillip wrote:One thing is seriously wrong with that article and I am shocked no one has put it right so I WILL (Leonard Cohen is NOT GLOOMY) for me he is the total opposite so I just wish these reporters would get thier facts right Leonard Cohen is the BEST and always will be understood? :D
Whilst (of course!) I agree with you Phillip that Leonard is not gloomy, I doubt if he would have had anywhere near the same amount of press coverage over the years without his reputation for being gloomy/ depressing/ music to slit your wrists to etc etc. Indeed, this is the only "context" in which many people knew him, at least until the 2008-10 tour. As my boss said when I booked my time off for travel to shows early in 2008 "oh, I don't listen to Leonard Cohen. He's much too depressing." There was a classic example of Gloomy Cohen Syndrome in a BBC TV programme last week. Restoration Home follows the fortunes of various people as they seek to restore grand historic houses, most of which are in danger of falling down when they buy them, to their former glory. In this case it was a 17th century manor house near Milton Keynes with connections to the Cecil family. At one point, everything started to go very wrong with the project. Cue a snatch of Famous Blue Raincoat ("I hear that you're building ....") as the homeowner explain that it got so bad that they started to listen to a lot of Leonard Cohen and were thinking of pouring a warm bath filled with razor blades.

I rest my case.

Wendy
Last edited by Mabeanie1 on Sun Aug 07, 2011 6:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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phillip
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Re: Leonard and Tony Hancock/Ray Galton

Post by phillip »

well I dont get it as I have been listening to L.Cohen since 1988 and I love ALL his albums and songs nothing depressing about him at all I think someone once wrote Leonard Cohen is depressing and since then everyone thinks that as noone seems to be able to think for themselves, I find L.Cohen FAR from depressing he is relaxing and a lot of his songs are funny, people who do think he is depressing either have never heard of Leonard Cohen or just dont understand him!
I have been a Leonard Cohen fan for 28 years feel free to email me if you wish to keep in touch!
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Re: Leonard and Tony Hancock/Ray Galton

Post by John Etherington »

Since I discovered Leonard's music in late 1968, I've always thought of his work as cathartic. Whenever someone has used the word "depressing", in association with it, it's clear that they haven't got a clue. However, to understand the "gloomy" thing, you have to think back to 1969-1973 when Leonard's name first came into public consciousness. Imagine the time when the only albums available were Songs of LC, Songs From a Room, Songs of Love and Hate, and Live Songs; serious works resulting from Leonard's own depression and anger. I loved the solemnity and intensity of those albums, and revelled in the fact that I had a treasured secret that Joe Public knew f-all about. However, we have to realise that virtually all of Leonard's work deals with loss, suffering and other serious matters. Even the upbeat songs are infused with black humour, and "Dance Me to the End of Love" is set in a gas chamber. So, I guess we just have to accept the fact that Leonard's music is not everyone's idea of a good time!
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Re: Leonard and Tony Hancock/Ray Galton

Post by MaryB »

John,

I think I know what Phillip is trying to say. While some of the greatest songs ever recorded are filled with angst, as are Leonard's, there are so many songs where his humor gets through. And to classify him as as messenger of doom is only in the realm of those who don't totally know all his work. We see in print and hear in interviews of those who have had the privilege to get close to him, speak of his wonderful sense of humor. You cited DMTTEOL as an example. I know his inspiration on this was based in the horrific setting of people entering the gas chambers, but to me, it is a song of love.

The song that immediately comes to my mind, where his sense of humor shines through is 'Because Of'. Here he not only is having fun at the expense of himself, but also he is having fun with the adulation that his female audience accords to him. Even in snippets of 'serious' songs, that humor shines. 'Thank you for the items that you sent me, the monkey and the plywood violin' - when he laughs that deprecating laugh, we know he is not serious about that statement and we laugh along with him.

Slap my wrists, I know you have followed him much longer than most of us here and know so much more about him, so please forgive my diatribe, but I just couldn't resist (and I do understand and respect your interpretation, well put, as to why the general public perceives him as 'gloomy') - the thing I love most about him (in addition to that fact that he knows so much about us women ;-) :lol: ) is his humor.

Warmest regards,
Mary
Last edited by MaryB on Wed Aug 10, 2011 8:19 am, edited 1 time in total.
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phillip
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Re: Leonard and Tony Hancock/Ray Galton

Post by phillip »

MaryB wrote:John,

I think I know what Phillip is trying to say. While some of the greatest songs ever recorded are filled with angst, as are Leonard's, there are so many songs where his humor gets through. And to classify him as as messanger of doom is only in the realm of those who don't totally know all his work. We see in print and hear in interviews of those who have had the privilege to get close to him, speak of his wonderful sense of humor. You cited DMTTEOL as an example. I know his inspiration on this was based in the horrific setting of people entering the gas chambers, but to me, it is a song of love.

The song that immediately comes to my mind, where his sense of humor shines through is 'Because Of'. Here he not only is having fun at the expense of himself, but also he is having fun with the adulation that his female audience accords to him. Even in snippets of 'serious' songs, that humor shines. 'Thank you for the items that you sent me, the monkey and the plywood violin' - when he laughs that deprecating laugh, we know he is not serious about that statement and we laugh along with him.

Slap my wrists, I know you have followed him much longer than most of us here and know so much more about him, so please forgive my diatribe, but I just couldn't resist (and I do understand and respect your interpretation, well put, as to why the general public perceives him as 'gloomy') - the thing I love most about him (in addition to that fact that he knows so much about us women ;-) :lol: ) is his humor.

Warmest regards,
Mary
Thankyou for understanding me I have listened to ALL Leonards songs for 23 years I find none of them gloomy or depressing they are ALL gems and I love every one of them Leonard is the greatest in my opinion and always will be I am a hard core fan and he can do no wrong as far as I am concerned long live Leonard :)
I have been a Leonard Cohen fan for 28 years feel free to email me if you wish to keep in touch!
sebmelmoth2003
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Re: Leonard and Tony Hancock/Ray Galton

Post by sebmelmoth2003 »

i share leonard's admiration.

if leonard wanted to glom onto gloomy anomie - i can't think of anything better than `a sunday afternnon at home` - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScV1U2xOJdM - beckettian in its grim humour.
----
someone ought to add tony hancock to wikipedia's anomie page.

i remember listening to all tony hancock radio shows in the 1950s (with the splendid supporting ensemble) - many people preferred them to the subsequent tv remakes.
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