"Bird on a wire" (the Tony Palmer film) coming on DVD

[John Etherington]

Hi Dave,

That's not the opening sequence. The first part is this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjem3G_Q ... 18&index=0

The DVD that I've seen (a poor copy from an old video) starts with a brief excerpt from "The Ladies and Gentleman>>>" movie.
I can't remember if that was the official start, though I think it was...I haven't seen the movie in full for about fifteen years.

I see that there are 11 or 12 sequenced excerpts from the movie on youtube. Unless anyone is ultra-curious, I would advise them to wait for the official release. I went to the first showing of this at The Rainbow Theatre in 1974, then saw it a number of times at a cinema in Wardur Street and the ICA. It's good to see that it will be available again.

All the best, John E

[GBY]

Wow .. that if fabulous news .. and can hardly wait!
Thanks for letting us know!

[Pope]

I had it on vhs and then lent it to someone...
I don't lend a thing out these days. They can think I'm mean.
I'm looking forward to this.
g.

[Davido]

Hi Dave,

That's not the opening sequence. The first part is this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mjem3G_Q ... 18&index=0

The DVD that I've seen (a poor copy from an old video) starts with a brief excerpt from "The Ladies and Gentleman>>>" movie.
I can't remember if that was the official start, though I think it was...I haven't seen the movie in full for about fifteen years.

I see that there are 11 or 12 sequenced excerpts from the movie on youtube. Unless anyone is ultra-curious, I would advise them to wait for the official release. I went to the first showing of this at The Rainbow Theatre in 1974, then saw it a number of times at a cinema in Wardur Street and the ICA. It's good to see that it will be available again.

All the best, John E

Hi John,
My previous post was perhaps lacking in clarity.
I'm well acquainted with the cinema release and the circulating 'bootleg' of the 'Bird on a wire' film which indeed starts with the youtube link you provided.
The link I provided (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeADmu70V2g) is from Tony Palmer's original and first cut of the film. The same clip appears in Episode 12 of Palmer's 'All You Need Is Love'.
All the best,
Dave

[sirius]

This is such good news!

I first saw this film at the cinema back in 1974 at the Manchester Apollo. I was also at the Belle Vue Manchester Concert in March 1972 where I remember them filming the concert and Leonard making comments to the effect that they were filming him for posterity. I also remember Leonard Cohen holding a bottle of wine and then pouring some of it's contents onto the stage and saying this was for us, the audience. I was quite near the front and could see the cameramen filming. I know quite a few songs from this concert made it on to the final Documentary Film. I believed the film was lost to us forever, for I never saw it surface ever again.

I hope Tony Palmer will release it sooner rather than later, especially now, while all the energy, love and interest that has been generated by Leonard's current very successful tour, I am sure it would do very well, in these golden days of Leonard's golden voice.

I have an existential, neigh even spiritual need to reconnect with The Leonard Cohens of both past and present. I first saw Leonard at the Isle of Wight Festival in 1970 when I was just sixteen, and have attended many concerts over the last forty years. In a way I feel that being present during part of the filming of this Documentary at Belle Vue Manchester in March 1972, that It would be only fitting and fair to be able to see this film properly in all it’s glory once again.

To paraphrase a famous poet, "I have measured out my life in Leonard Cohen Songs" and he has been the background hum in my universe from fifteen to fifty-five, from adolescence to old age, One of the last songs he sang at the Belle Vue concert 38 years ago was that old chestnut "As Time Goes By", well I suppose Leonard Cohen fans appreciate such 'fundamental things' as a good song when they hear one.

Well…As Time Goes By indeed… we revisit the past and again we make it come alive in the present much like the recent release of the Isle of Wight concert of 1970.

cheers
Peter Solomon

[B4real]

Hi sirius,

It must have been wonderful to be at those concerts - lucky you.

One of the last songs he sang at the Belle Vue concert 38 years ago was that old chestnut "As Time Goes By"

I have to ask the question. Do you think that when Leonard sang "As Time Goes By" then that it is the same recorded song which he sings on Rare Live Songs?

I know quite a few songs from this concert made it on to the final Documentary Film.

Are any of these songs different from the ones already shown on You Tube?

[sirius]

Hi sirius,

It must have been wonderful to be at those concerts - lucky you.

One of the last songs he sang at the Belle Vue concert 38 years ago was that old chestnut "As Time Goes By"

I have to ask the question. Do you think that when Leonard sang "As Time Goes By" then that it is the same recorded song which he sings on Rare Live Songs?

I am not aware of any record/CD called Rare Live Songs?

I know quite a few songs from this concert made it on to the final Documentary Film.

Are any of these songs different from the ones already shown on You Tube?

What songs on you tube? Do you mean the extracts from the circulating 'bootleg' of the 'Bird on a Wire' film ?



I can only direct you to this information about the 1972 Manchester Belle Vue concert and hope this goes some way in answering your questions:

I'm Your Live Man
Leonard Cohen Concerts & Live Recordings Catalogue

http://www.leonardcohenlive.com/concert ... -03-20.htm

LEONARD COHEN
Manchester, England - (Belle Vue)
March 20, 1972


Set:
1. So Long, Marianne
2. Bird On The Wire *
3. You Know Who I Am *
4. The Stranger Song - solo
5. Passin' Through
6. Joan Of Arc
7. Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye
8. Tonight Will Be Fine
9. Sing Another Song, Boys
10. The Partisan
11. Story Of Isaac
12. Sisters Of Mercy *
13. One Of Us Cannot Be Wrong *
14. Famous Blue Raincoat *
15. Suzanne *
16. Chelsea Hotel [#1] *
17. Seems So Long Ago, Nancy *
18. As Times Goes By

-. I'm The Man Who Wrote Suzanne (improvisation) *


_________________

(1 known source recording)


[lc720320-1]
source: pro-shot video
length: 21 minutes (partial)
details: 9 songs only, marked as *, filmed by Tony PALMER for Bird On A Wire ©1974. All songs, except "Bird On The Wire", "Chelsea Hotel" & "I'm The Man Who Wrote Suzanne" are fragments only. Audio off video tapes (soundboard).



comments: there is maybe a complete soundboard / pro-shot video recording of this concert in Sony's or Palmer's archives.

Oldest known live performance of "Chelsea Hotel [#1]".

[B4real]

Hi again sirius,

Thank you so much for your info about the Belle Vue concert especially those songs relating to the Tony Palmer film - much appreciated.

The "As Time Goes By" song I was asking about can be found at

http://www.twoshakesofalambstail.com/st ... index.html

This Rare Live Songs MP3 bootleg also includes some live recordings of the abandoned 1975 album "Songs For Rebecca" and two of my personal favourites "Do I Have To Dance All Night?" and "Billy Sunday" plus 46 more songs. Also included is "Silent Night" which sounds similar to the one that Jarkko plays each year for Chrismas. The quality is not the best on most recordings, but it is very enjoyable.

There are 3 versions of "Chelsea Hotel #1" included. One of those may have been the one you heard at Manchester which then would ultimately be included in the Tony Palmer film.

Yes, to your last question I am indeed referring to the extracts of the bootleg of the Bird On A Wire film.

[LEONKA]

It is expected that this DVD will be available in Europe? Please, can someone verify this?

Thank you.

[B4real]

The following is an excerpt from COMPLEXITIES AND MR. COHEN by Billy Walker Sounds, March 4, 1972 -
Leonard Cohen Files

Leonard is talking about the original Tony Palmer Film:

Writing on paper, Cohen's own explanation for his poems and novels, has been the only other means of channeling his creativity up until now but the film, to be made with the help of producer Bob Johnston, Mike Machet and our own Tony Palmer as director, looks like opening up a new direction for him should it be successful enough.

"We hope it will emerge out of the performances, I think it’s going to surprise me. I would like it to be a kind of essay and I would like the character, who'll be me, to emerge as surprise. I don't think it will really be anything I am."

Leonard has never seen any of Palmer's work but liked him when they first met a few years back. The name of the company, muted as Sincere Productions, will be something that, in Cohen's own words, "represents the sensibility of the idea".

Did he feel that the film would open up new areas for him, directing or producing even?

"All my work is the evidence of a life and not the life itself and if I could live a life well and have the evidence of it turned into information and entertainment, that would be OK. If I could find a style which would enable me to do that I would he happy to embrace it. I can't think of it now though."

I think he has certainly found his style

[sturgess66]

From Suite 101.com -

http://folkmusic.suite101.com/article.c ... eased_2010

New Leonard Cohen DVD To Be Released 2010
Cohen's Recent Tour Sparks New Interest In Live Recordings

Jan 24, 2010 Michael Doherty

Leonard Cohen recently finished a nearly two-year tour in San Jose last November. The popularity of the tour has renewed interest in live recordings and concert footage.

Leonard Cohen's recent tour started in May, 2008 in Canada, and went through many different countries all over the world, including two trips through the United States. This was Leonard Cohen's first tour since 1993. This tour has produced its own two-disc live CD titled, "Live In London" and an accompanying DVD (both released in April of 2009). The tour also led to the 2009 release of the 1970 documentary film of Leonard Cohen performing at the Isle Of Wight, "Live At The Isle Of Wight 1970." That package also included a CD of his entire set from that concert, where he performed for an audience of 600,000.

"Bird On A Wire" To Be Released On DVD

Now the word is that "Bird On A Wire," the 1972 documentary film, will finally be released on DVD sometime this year. Directed by British filmmaker Tony Palmer, "Bird On A Wire" (not to be confused with the 1990 Mel Gibson/Goldie Hawn film of the same name), includes conversations with Leonard Cohen and concert footage. With this release imminent, one wonders if "Songs From The Life Of Leonard Cohen," a 1988 release, will also find its way onto DVD. With Leonard Cohen gearing up for another tour which starts in France in March, it seems likely that whatever is out there will be released. Interest in the 75-year-old Leonard Cohen is high. His concerts have gotten great reviews at all stops.

Leonard Cohen's Concerts Have Lots Of Energy

Leonard Cohen's energy is also seemingly at an all-time high. His shows are approximately three hours. He does two sets, with only a twenty-minute set break, and then multiple encores, sometimes as many as nine songs. One might expect that he'd take breaks, or be seated for some of the show, but that's not the case. Apart from The Webb Sisters' turn at "If It Be Your Will," he is singing the entire time. He even plays guitar on several songs, including "The Gypsy's Wife," "Suzanne," "Who By Fire," "The Partisan" and "I Tried To Leave You." This tour has also seen performances of brand new songs, such as "The Darkness" and "Feels So Good" - both of which he plays guitar on. And the new material is excellent. He is not slowing down at all.

Other Live Recordings Have Been Released

So it seems natural that people would go back to earlier live performances to see what can be released. Especially now, while the interest in his music is so high.

The release of old live recordings actually began in 2000 with the release of "Field Commander Cohen," live performances from his 1979 tour. And on his last studio release, "Dear Heather" (2004), he included a live track from 1985: "Tennessee Waltz."

Read more at Suite101: New Leonard Cohen DVD To Be Released 2010: Cohen's Recent Tour Sparks New Interest In Live Recordings http://folkmusic.suite101.com/article.c ... z0dcMlBjel

[jarkko]

Tony Palmer confirms that he expects to have the DVD released early this summer.

[jeremek]

http://blog.zw.com.pl/blog/archives/8969


"The barometer of phonography and the return Cohen we have the January, it we are in Cannes! Of it somebody can be completely certain, who as I, already perhaps 24. the time is relating for „ Lives of Warsaw ” International Musical MIDEM Fair. here a heart of the show business is beating. As here as in the mirror, often for curves, reality of entertainment is standing out. In 1967 a Frenchman created MIDEM Bernard Chevry. One's idea wanted to carry out in Venice, but in the face of the lack of enthusiasm he headed for Cannes. In the end of years 80. Reed sold the fair to the international exhibition consortium which held the French climate of the fair characteristically.
He is on them every year 8 – 10 tys. of people of the music and media. The party has always reflected technical transformations of phonography. When before me. On our pages Andrzej Ibis-Wróblewski related MIDEM, still a vinyl plate reigned. I still in 1987 r. I wrote from Cannes: „ the supply of CDs developed in relationship 10: 1 to the benefit of traditional, black long-players ”. The ones last however practically died from the market already in the next year.
The rule of ten or twenty years of the CD started weakening just enough of conquest of the market through the Internet. Recently into Cannes traditional format linking hagglings of publishing companies and musical licences with concerts of stars of entertainment and the classical music more and more clearly is dominating MIDEM-Net, youngest, because having only 11 years, MIDEM child.
Music online and of mobile communications it is today a hot button. At us – how revealed recently „ Republic ” – the sale of the music through the Internet practically died out dug by pirates which not wanting to pay 3 zloty for the work, are taking it down illegally. In the scale of world however the situation is better, although legal charging costs from the dollar up to the euro for the song, and pirates (especially from China and our surroundings of Europe) cause huge losses. Password in such a situation cast at one time by Irvinga of Berlin in the song „ The is yeah business like show-business ” (a big business isn't than entertainment) perhaps some to sound as the final tribute to the discography. However they are also and notes of hope: jerkily growing benefits from concerts.
s there any validity in the fact that music fans take off their headphones and get out of computers, when a favorite artist comes in to play live. Concerts are the surest investment today - told me yesterday, Harvey Goldsmith, the legendary British producer of concerts by Led Zeppelin, Genesis, U2, Pink Floyd, Santana and Madonna. Gospel truth, live entertainment is a strong magnet - commented Joey Welz, American and rocker, fellow battles Bill Haley & His Comets.
Crowds of young people were a test of Goldsmitha observation and Welza, not only from France, being stranded on Saturday from the morning beneath the palace in order to see stars climbing after the red carpet to the gala evening, transmitted by television popular in Europe of the NRJ radio. comely and poorly dressed Rihanna and Beyonce, as well as the Black Eyed Peas group, Robbie Williams and the newest change of French entertainment received Biggest ovation. Our entertainment, in contrast with the classical music celebrating the Chopin year in Cannes, isn't counting in this world. At least not so long ago, but in less prestigious rooms, here among others Warsaw groups appeared Blog 27 and Hemp Gru.
However let us come back to the this year's fair. A found recently film of the Ton of Palmer became the sensation „ Bird On A Wire ”, wound during tournee of Leonard Cohen in years 1972 and 1973. After the show of this image a surprising message about the extraordinary concert of Cohen, planned on 21 March in the Katowice Saucer pursued me. The Canadian bard gave a concert in Warsaw in autumn of 2008. And then again is coming back to Poland, where is loved like in the home country. "

[Suemerlyn]

Thank you to: Davido, John E, Sirius, B4real and Jarkko for all the info, links and memories of Bird on a Wire, which I can't wait to get. Have never seen it, so I wouldn't know which is the opening sequence...lucky those who saw it when it was first out.

And thank you Jeremek for your wonderful and brave translation.

Roll on all the delights to come in 2010.

[jarkko]

Extracts from the forthcoming "Bird" movie can be found at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MeADmu70V2g