Taking a breather before Friday – Leonard Cohen in session for John Peel’s Top Gear program for BBC Radio 1 – recorded on July 9, 1968.
When Songs Of Leonard Cohen, his debut album, came out in 1967 it immediately became one of the most heavily played albums on what was to be known as Underground FM at the time. 1967 was a watershed year for contemporary music – it was branching out, becoming more complex – lyrics were statements and reflections of life and all aspects of it. Leonard Cohen fit like a glove and he quickly went from being a virtual unknown (as a singer/songwriter) to a household name within months.
It wasn’t until 1966 that Leonard Cohen pursued Music as an avenue of expression. Prior to this, he was a writer and poet – widely respected and admired in his native Canada, but it really wasn’t until his transition over to Music that the rest of the world caught on.
This session, I believe his first, was recorded for John Peel’s Top Gear program on July 7, 1968 and aired on BBC Radio 1. I left Peel’s comments in because he was clearly blown away by what he was hearing and his enthusiasm was palpable. Even early on, an enthusiastic response from John Peel was notable and certainly a boost in popularity for British audiences.
Even though Leonard Cohen was getting considerable attention as a singer/songwriter, he hadn’t abandoned his first calling; that of a novelist and poet. The 1966 novel Beautiful Losers received a good deal of attention from the Canadian press and stirred up controversy because of a number of sexually graphic passages. Regarding Beautiful Losers, the Boston Globe stated: “James Joyce is not dead. He is living in Montreal under the name of Cohen.”
Sadly, Leonard Cohen left us on November 7, 2016, at the age of 82 at his home in Los Angeles; leukemia was a contributing cause. According to his manager, Cohen’s death was the result of a fall at his home that evening, and he subsequently died in his sleep. His death was announced on November 10, the same day as his funeral, which was held in Montreal.
If you’ve never had the chance to listen to his work, here’s an enthusiastic introduction to the music of Leonard Cohen via John Peel.
Relax and take deep breaths.
