Roy Harper on Leonard Cohen

[John Etherington]

In the February "Uncut", Roy Harper chooses ten favourite albums. Under the sub-heading "The Perfect Record for a Mid-Life Crisis", he picks "I'm Your Man" and has this to say about it:

"What a great record - and what a crisis i had. Cohen is the best songwriter of them all. I don't think I'm overstating that. He has the spirit and is a man who cares about his poetry more than any other songwriter that I know. He took it to a new level on I'm Your Man and reinvented himself in middle age. Hats off to Leonard". Can't disagree with any of that!

Good issue of "Uncut" by the way...includes articles on Bob Dylan, Procol Harum, Dory Previn, and a free CD of music that inspired Dylan's country era.

[dalsh327]

He's not a slouch in the songwriting department either. Not too many people can get Kate Bush, Pink Floyd (he sings "Have A Cigar" on "Wish You Were Here" but Gilmour's played his share of guitar on his albums), a Beatle and Led Zeppelin to be their backup.

[rzappa]

Not really relevant, but I'll post it anyway.

I saw Roy in concert earlier this year & he contributed a song called "Nobody’s Got Any Money In The Summer" to an album called "The Rock Machine Turns You On" & told the story that this was the first ever compilation record & that amongst the other contributors were Bob Dylan (I'll Be Your Baby Tonight) & Leonard (Sisters of Mercy).

Roy said that he did wonder what Bob & Leonard would ever have made of it had they heard the album.

[johnny7moons]

The first time I ever came across the words 'Leonard Cohen' was in a Roy Harper fanzine, picked up at a gig somewhere in Manchester. There was a review of the then-just-released 'I'm Your Man', and I thought this guy sounds interesting, I think I'll check him out... Harper was at least instrumental in ruining my life...

Actually, Harper was a bit of a local hero around Lancaster, where I grew up. There was a tale - probably urban myth - that at one point he'd been incarcerated in our grim, Victorian mental institution (the Moor Hospital), and had escaped through a toilet window.

[mickey_one]

The first time I ever came across the words 'Leonard Cohen' was in a Roy Harper fanzine, picked up at a gig somewhere in Manchester. There was a review of the then-just-released 'I'm Your Man', and I thought this guy sounds interesting, I think I'll check him out... Harper was at least instrumental in ruining my life...

Actually, Harper was a bit of a local hero around Lancaster, where I grew up. There was a tale - probably urban myth - that at one point he'd been incarcerated in our grim, Victorian mental institution (the Moor Hospital), and had escaped through a toilet window.

true

[jimbo]

whats

[mickey_one]

whats so fuckin true...................

Hi Jimbo, the escape story.