leonardcohenforum.com

Posted: **Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:18 am**

Posted: **Wed Mar 04, 2009 2:31 pm**

Hi burningviolin,

Thanks so much for sharing these absolutely wonderful clips of Leonard from so long ago! What a joy.

All the best,
Diana

ps...btw, I love your signature. How very true....we should all remember that.

Posted: **Wed Mar 04, 2009 6:29 pm**

The clips are fantastic. I've seen the film "bird on a wire" several times in cinemas. For a long time I've been searching for a copy. Does anybody have one?

Posted: **Wed Mar 04, 2009 9:19 pm**

In watching these gems (thank you so much burningviolin for bringing them to our attention), I couldn't help but wonder if any of the other people in these videos, or if they were there when the videos were filmed, are members here.

We tend to put LC on a pedestal and to be privy to a softer, vulnerable Leonard through these videos is mind-blowing.

In reference to his on stage perfomances he said, "The fact that people come to look at you is not an indication that something excellent is going on." I don't think he could possibly say that today. His concerts are now excellence personified!

Best regards,
Mary

Posted: **Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:25 pm**

I've never seen these before. Very interesting. Seems like a concert in Israel. I think that the guy in the yellow shirt and beard is the legendary producer Bob Johnstone. I read an article by him a while back in which he said that he and LC were on LSD for much of this tour.

Posted: **Wed Mar 04, 2009 10:27 pm**

Interesting that Leonard was 37 at the time in 1972, exactly half his current age.

Posted: **Thu Mar 05, 2009 2:31 am**

Well Yentek, I get the feeling that some sort of substance was helping young Leonard to forget the words to Suzanne in that clip!

Posted: **Thu Mar 05, 2009 3:14 am**

Yes, it was Acid. The movie these videos are from, Bird on a Wire,was filmed in a way that had supposedly acid-trip like qualities, especially the use of color and blurry images

.

Frisco

Posted: **Thu Mar 05, 2009 5:53 am**

yentek wrote: I think that the guy in the yellow shirt and beard is the legendary producer Bob Johnston. I read an article by him a while back in which he said that he and LC were on LSD for much of this tour. I read an article... a while back in which he said that he and LC were on LSD for much of this tour.

Bob Johnston is the bearded guy. His vocal on the backstage "Bird on a Wire" suggests he could have made it in his first career as a rockabilly singer. This link has audio of some of his recordings (under his first name by birth "Don") made between 1956-1958:
http://rcs.law.emory.edu/rcs/artists/j/john8600.htm

This article, in which Johnston describes his work and tours with Leonard, has appeared before in this forum before and may be the one you recall:
http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase ... d%3A561474

Posted: **Sat Mar 07, 2009 9:55 pm**

Hey there - I'm Messalina79 of YouTube, glad you've been enjoying my clips

Bird on a Wire is such a remarkable film, it's a shame it's not available to buy; I'd really like a better copy of it - as you can tell, mine's a bit ropey! It's the best documentary about Leonard that I've seen - the maker sits back and lets the action unfold rather than trying to direct it too much, and the result is a candid insight into Leonard's life on the road (although, of course, caveat emptor, as Leonard has reminded us in another film...).

Posted: **Mon Mar 16, 2009 12:34 am**

I have uploaded one more clip from Bird on a Wire if anyone's interested:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-O3HHkSeSiE

Posted: **Tue Mar 17, 2009 4:44 am**

Re: Recent uploads on You Tube, Bird on a Wire 72.

Postby somewhat_nifty on Sat Mar 07, 2009 1:55 pm
Hey there - I'm Messalina79 of YouTube, glad you've been enjoying my clips Bird on a Wire is such a remarkable film, it's a shame it's not available to buy; I'd really like a better copy of it - as you can tell, mine's a bit ropey! It's the best documentary about Leonard that I've seen - the maker sits back and lets the action unfold rather than trying to direct it too much, and the result is a candid insight into Leonard's life on the road (although, of course, caveat emptor, as Leonard has reminded us in another film...).

Many thanks for adding these clips to YouTube! I've watched several of them, and feel they add yet another dimension to my appreciation for Leonard Cohen.