Sony-BMG Releasing Several Leonard Cohen CDs Feb 1

[tonys]

I DON'T KNOW WHat that is...whatever it is it isn't new material that's for sure...beautiful songs sounds like a collection of his most beautiful songs which can be any slap shod put together...not an insult but not really worth having essentials or greatest hits if you have all the regular releases...he's not like tori amos with all these bad b-sides...when there were such a thing as b-sides...i wish someone could make their own remasters with the lyrics to all the albums...i don't care if it' really remastered or not i just want the lyrics...it's different listening without the lyrics than reading along with the lyrics...1st some words sound slightly like others but if you think along context you should do all right, but say your like most fans your drinking wine and smoking your not going to get it all...now if you have the lyric book you might...NOW WHAT DOES LEONARD GOT TO DO WITH THE POPE???

[cortez]

This is only for you Lizzie. I´m sorry if i was a bad cat, but i like to tease people. I think you are a good person, So let´s put other things aside, I don´t go around thinking i have some kind of special rleation to Leonard, the simple fact was that we liked eachóther, maybe becfause we drank a lot of wine on Hydra, but that don´t make me any kind of special person.
And I like you, Lizzie.
Petyer

[cortez]

ive noticed you forum- members don´t tend to answer me. Wonder why that is. On Youtube there is an absoultely wonderfully terrible thing about Leoanrd. Think it´s called something likeThe Tower of debt. I know he loves it. This is Zen as it schould be.
Peters

[lizzytysh]

Hi Cortez ~

I can only speak for myself; however, I tend to not answer or to keep my answers very brief to you because this is the News section, as well as being cautious about not getting a tangent going in some unwanted direction. If there's a YouTube thing about Tower of Debt, you could post a link to it [even so, I'm not sure this would be the best section for it, but at least provide us a link], rather than require us to go searching. I don't remember the name of the other one, but if it's the same one that Gingermop posted awhile back, there's no need to do it, as it's already here somewhere. If you only stop in once in awhile, though, I can see how you could have missed it.

I'll answer you when I feel it's safe again .


~ Lizzy

[kokenpere]

Tonys, I can understand your anger, and you're mostly right up there. You have only understand that Sony was never quite interested in Leonard Cohen, and indeed, he sent them one dollar in 1988 "to pay them off for their campaign and support to my record". Leonard always was a solo player, and he handled his own business through his own company (Stranger Music). But what happened with that company, because of his blind trust, unfortunately can't be turned back, and the back catalogue is now in hand of the label, with Leonard keeping only performer's rights. Now Leonard is on his own, without big-shot manager (the thing with Macklam/Feldman apparently didn't work, and I can see why), with Ed Sanders keeeping the office, while SonyBMG is big company in troubles (is it only Sony now again, without BMG?) and still quite not interested in Leonard Cohen. How much did they invest in Ten New Songs or Dear Heather, or in any promotion? Those records were private production, made in home studio and private studios, and then simply brought finished to Columbia/SonyBMG. Where is DVD? Where are remasters? Where are live CDs? Where are SACDs? Where are videoclips? Where are bootlegs series similar to Dylan's? I can assure you only that Leonard Cohen's word means something after all - does he or not own the back catalogue - and reissues were, unfortunately, stopped because the label mishandled it and Leonard wasn't quite happy after all. Of course, I also do want the rest of remasters, and live CDs from old tours, and live DVDs, and book of lyrics with annotations, and rare & outtake songs... But I'll give you just one example - we can't get Austin City Limits DVD as Austin TV owns the visual, and Sony the music. I can interpret that legal situation only in one way: 1. SonyBMG doesn't way to pay off Austin TV for the picture recording, and 2. SonyBMG asks too much from Austin TV for the sound copyright (as Austin City Limits DVD Series tried to publish Leonard Cohen 1988/1993 Shows, as it's their most requested show). As you see, my both way of thinkings baren't positive about the label's attitude. I can't recall any single situation where label was supporting Leonard Cohen releases, or tried to invest any real money. He should left it and go to ANTI, as Johnny Cash did. But now it's too late, and I can understand that Leonard needs to be on label because he has to have the complete catalogue of his songs on one label (and I didn't wonder when Blue Alert was sold in the end to Columbia /as I didn't wonder that they did everything to NOT promote as it deserved in Europe, where it was hardly released. But they did buy it only to keep the complete Cohen on their label, also./) The least what he can do is to ignore the big shots, and do as he does, promoting the songs around, making his own connections to local Sony companies, like in Poland, Philip Glass (the same company produced Came so Far For Beauty shows and Book of Longing shows)... Is it wonder that Leonard does all promotion thru these websites? Is it any wonder that the new band member is the man who played on Leonard Cohen tribute shows in Spain, produced by Alberto Manzano? I wouldn't be surprised if the tour will include Spain, Poland, London, Oslo, the places which were visited recently by Anjani, or Came So Far shows, or Leonard himself. These are the new times, the big money is in game, and Leonard Cohen is obviously not Britney Spears or J.Lo. The company isn't producing music, as in 1967 when Leonard come to the label, but they're making packaged products, from movies to videogames and TV. I can only hope LC will not appear in Victoria Secret's add or play a closed show for bank managers as Lou Reed, or for Diners Club, as Brian Ferry did in my town - but that he will stay as he always was, a solo man with integrity.


ps. These new reissues are not remasters, but only the same poorly-mixed "nice price" CDs from 1990s, sent again to the market. Most of them were repackaged last year in "two for price of one" as they supposed the new remasters will be out. Now they're flooding market with the same old crap. I liked remasters only because of nice new booklets and the sound which was restored with care of original production (not pumping up the volume, as on The Essential)

tonys -

Please re-read the above post.

k

[tonys]

I have a problem with the columbia or sony...my problem is back to several issues and i've read your response but am not satisfied with it. SONY did announce a schedule of the released remasters with at least 1 bonus track added to each. Then they cancelled it saying they didn't want to flood the market with Cohen material because they were releasing a new album of new material. For the 2nd time that didn't happen, that was cancelled then promised at the begining of the new year...that didn't happen. It's not scheduled until at least mid may and i don't expect to see it out in june either. The remasters were promised in september said they were cancelled until early next year. According to the original schedule they were all supposed to have been released by March 2008. Not even close to happening. Austin is a problem...i didn't have an idea it was their most requested show, it's a shame they can't come up with a deal...and when is making money against anyone's agenda? I've seen some of their other releases some are by really mariginal artists, some artists are even on independent labels such as eliza gilkyson who is on red house label. Cohen might do better taking all his stuff and releasing them on his website since all his fans seem to be here anyway...how many Cohen fans are light about him?? He's not the kind of artist where you can say oh that track is good...his songs probably outweigh him by miles and miles, still there's fans of him and YES they are mostly europeans...i'm in the states only know about him from a jewish guy who gave me all his vinyl records in the early 90s because he was moving and thought i'd like Cohen since i listened to Dylan in those days...but i've come to realize that the reissues aren't going to happen, i can't think of a promise that failed...maybe i'm not thinking hard enough...i suppose you might say the beatles capital years stopped after volume 2...they promised to go all the way to the hollywood bowl in their series, that looks like it won't happen...there must be more...springsteen was going to issue remasters and 1 week before release it was cancelled...springsteen later said they weren't good enough to warrant calling them remasters, so it was more his doing than the labels...honestly i don't think the label cares...streisand's remasters were horrific, sony only did about 3-4 remasters then stopped it...it seems sony is too big for them to be effective as a label for it's artists...even dylan they issued about 1/2 of his catalog in sacd then went to issuing them in 24-bit instead with the reissue of bob dylan (1st offical release) and times are a changing...however he does have ample products out...books galore, dvds, cds, the bootleg series where cohen gets none of that...maybe now that he's a hall of famer he may get some provisions made...but hall of fame means nothing it seems...jackson browne is a hall of famer not really a whole lot of reissues or releases on him...just that one...but i'm resigned to the fact that cohen's catalog is at a standstill.

[margaret]

I have a problem with the columbia or sony...

Why don't you take this up with the record company. No one here has any connection and/or influence over these things.

This is NOT Leonard's official website, it is a fan site which has become a greater source of information than any "official" one due to the dedication of Jarkko and a few others.

[tonys]

We can't take these lies from the record company laying down...we must unite and fight the record companies for lieing to us loyalists...nations throughout the world let's unite for a singular cause...and that's for leonard cohen cds to be issued in those attractive small books with lyric and at least 1 bonus track...while we're at it let's get austin released (both shows)...the lyric book they don't have to release if they release the lyrics in all the cds...also i'd like someone to release flowers for hitler again...can't think of anything else right now.

[jarkko]

I think there is not just a single reason for the delay with the remasters. There are also legal issues that have to be solved before the next set can be released.

[tonys]

That sounds more like it (legal reasons) I remember Elvis Costello had his rhino releases which featured a whole bonus disc was delayed over 2 years after releasing the 1st batch and they originally stated they'd released 3 at a time every 3rd month, plus i did hear of cohen's legal problems big time, i think if he releases it now his former managment may get the money didn't hear when he's clear of that but it's famous that his management was getting 99% while he was getting 1% and only his daughter realized that drastic %, leonard just assumed it was a fair deal without ever checking the %'s mainly because he was away in monestary...Lorca found that out, but i don't know how the legal battle went or even if it's resolved or not at this date.

[jarkko]

I don't think these legal issues have anything to do with his former manager.
(and your percents are wrong!)

[anastasia504]

I am sure Mr.Cohen has lots of poetry that he will turn into songs, and I can't wait, even if he had his band playing the music and he could hum along, anything to hear his Golden Voice, yep he was born Gifted, and we will never forget that, I say to you Leonard to write and play on!
Just get it published, I will but your talent any time, and my children L-O-V-E Y-O-U T-O-O!!
I certainly hope all is well with you, all.
Anastasia.

[anastasia504]

ive noticed you forum- members don´t tend to answer me. Wonder why that is. On Youtube there is an absoultely wonderfully terrible thing about Leoanrd. Think it´s called something likeThe Tower of debt. I know he loves it. This is Zen as it schould be.
Peters

"You're living for nothing now, I hope you're keeping some kind of record"
Leonard Cohen, "Famous Blue Raincoat"

[anastasia504]

ive noticed you forum- members don´t tend to answer me. Wonder why that is. On Youtube there is an absoultely wonderfully terrible thing about Leoanrd. Think it´s called something likeThe Tower of debt. I know he loves it. This is Zen as it schould be.
Peters

"You're living for nothing now, I hope you're keeping some kind of record"
Leonard Cohen, "Famous Blue Raincoat"

[tonys]

my percentages stand correct...it was 99% for management and 1% for cohen...do your homework if you want a have an intelligent conversation with me...or better yet prove me wrong because my source is leonard's daughter