leonardcohenforum.com

Note that the new documentary "What Leonard Cohen did for me" will be aired four times: on 18th November at 22.30-23.00 on BBC4, then 19th November at 03.00-3.30 (am) and 22.30-23.00, and finally 20th November 1.30-2.00 (am)

9 of 10 well, from the 2nd try I guess it's this Liebeskind guy.


altinkum: democracy (sung by don henley)

Hi,
my name's Steve Wilson and I'll be singing on the show tonight. There is a section where you will see people singilng LC songs in The Retro Bar (London) Karaoke evening, and I'm doing "Suzanne".
Please be kind in your comments!
Steve W

I wish I could be watching it, Steve ~ I'm sure you did fine!! Great that you're on film for 'all time' in linkage with Leonard. I like your signature . Welcome to the Forum .

~ Lizzytysh

The first face we see is Lizzie Madder and then her Pete. We're playing the video tape back to see if everything was recorded OK. The reception seemed to work OK this evening. Fingers crossed. Kathryn Williams is lovely and open and honest. Ian McCulloch, Nick Cave, Rufus Wainwright, all give a picture of a very rounded man. The tape's playing as I write............toes crossed.....

Our BBC 4 reception is usually unreliable. So far so good......








gotit.

Well, not a bad programme - no new footage and a bit repititious - but Ian McCulloch and Kathryn Williams in particular were interesting. Clips mostly from the Omnibus, Jools Holland & Julie Felix BBC appearances I don't think Tony Palmer or Harry Rasky will be losing any sleep over it though...

It seemed a bit like a patchwork home movie. I like Arthur Smith and he is obviously a big fan. Steve W not a bad rendition of Suzanne with fag in one hand and pint in the other clutching a mike somewhere in between I have never heard Leonard Cohen karoke before it was "emotional"

On the whole not a great programme but nonetheless I think all who didn't see it would like it but not love it.

would like it but not love it

That sums the film up perfectly Paula. Arthur Smith was, as always, good. He came up with the line that Leonard Cohen was an inspiration "not only to poets but to piss-heads". (That means people who over indulge in alcohol).

One of the great lines from the "Arthur Smith sings Leonard Cohen" show;
"Leonard Cohen once wrote a song called "Don't go home with your hard on" and as far as I can make out........he never did".
Rob

Well it was "summat & nowt" as they say in Yorkshire. It was interesting to hear Nick Cave who always has something intelligent to say. It was also interesting to hear Rufus Wainwright because his music comes from a very different place than the other musicians in the film and yet Cohen still inspires him. The other point of course is that Cohen is a family friend of the Wainwright/McGarrigles so Rufus was the only person interviewed who actually had our Len dropping in for tea on a casual basis!

Those who didn't see it however, didn't miss much. It was mostly cobbled together regurgitated footage. The new footage included such totally missable scenes as a Leonard Cohen karaoke evening where half-cut middle aged guys (always guys!) closed their eyes and screwed up their faces in embarrassing attempts to "emote" Suzanne or Joan of Arc or something else from the 60s (when they were alive!). Then as if to signify that Cohen fans didn't always behave like football hooligans in Benidorm we cut to a rather posh kitchen (probably in Richmond - suburb of London) where a bunch of well-heeled Cohenites sipped (a no doubt very good) chardonnay and listened earnestly to the track Dear Heather. (We were supposed to believe they were listening to the album for the first time). Oh the unconverted must've loved that!

Jonnie ~ Quit talking about our Steve like that! He asked us to be kind, to be gentle, to not be cruel .

For the rest of the show, I've never seen Lizzie on any film, and would've liked that. Funny line by Arthur Smith . I've never seen Nick Cave or Rufus interviewed. Leonard for tea on a casual basis. What a thought .

Looks like I'd have enjoyed this show!

At least that chardonnay footage lets the viewing audience know about Dear Heather ~ and, for those who care, that Leonard is the singer/songwriter for the upscale to be listening to .

Well despite Jonnie's disingenuous and sexist remarks I enjoyed the programme. I also liked Lizzie's kitchen, which I know isn't in Richmond.
Nice to see a strong Liverpudlian flavour to the programme with the mighty Ian McCulloch and the lovely Kathryn Williams.

Ta Ken

Yer rite ther ar ken. Worral thee make of cohen singin' in scouse?
Byron, ex-Garston Tannery (under the bridge) trainee shit shoveller.

but it wasn't Lizzie's kitchen.. I've been in Lizzie's kitchen and that wasn't Lizzie's kitchen (sounds like there should be a song about Lizzie's kitchen )
also.....Lizzie doesn't live in London

Pete

I believe Ken has been in Lizzie's kitchen, too. There have been a couple of Lizzie's kitchens in the past several years. Perhaps, one of you was in one, and the other in t'other?

Yes ~ "Lizzie's Kitchen" ~ the making of a great song......go for it, Pete .

"I was locked in the kitchen (maybe Lizzies?)
I took to religion"

And this documentary would've had you screaming to be let out!! Believe me Lizzie, when I was writing about that karaoke scene I was being kind! Ian McCulloch said nothing of interesting although I do like his version of Hey, That's No Way To Say Goodbye. Kathryn Williams performed a rather good rendition of Hallelujah, but went on unremittingly about her desire to "shag" Leonard (in the hope he was tuning in I guess!). It was toecurling! And if it's sexist (or disingenuous) to describe exactly what happened in the "documentary" and compare it to the karoake bars of Benidorm, then I'd better turn in my membership of the Men's Anit-sexist Network this minute. Have you been to Benidorm?