Leonard Cohen must live forever, we should always have him around.
I did a radio show for many years…. and in many years interviewed many people over many shows but I can’t remember any more joyous than meeting and talking to this man. When he left it made me appreciate how lucky I was to have had that chance to meet people like this, people who had made such an impact on my life and played such an important part in my growing up.
When students lived in bedsit land in the sixties they had ‘Songs of Leonard Cohen’ before they had a chair to sit on! That album was in everyone’s collection and even though I was a little younger and I did my Lenny listening with friends in their front rooms I can imagine how fantastic being a student then must have been. I’m assuming many reading this might have an album or two of his but if not please go purchase one, you won’t be disappointed.
When he arrived at Piccadilly Radio in Manchester which was where I did my show he was the perfect gentlemen, courteous and friendly with the girls on reception. He showed an interest in them and it was genuine…you can imagine how women fall head over heels in love with him. He certainly made an impact with the ladies at the station that day.
I went out to reception to greet him and he was just the same with me, I fell in love with him but not head over heels in love and not in a lustful manner! He had an aura about him and you felt like you knew him, he was warm and he was gentle and he was great!! We exchanged pleasantries and when he discovered I was half Greek we rapped about the islands, cool eh? I always remember him saying ‘I have my guitar, would you like me to play something?’ Unfortunately I had a meeting to go to…bloody unfortunate, I’ve regretted it ever since.
I asked him why when everyone mentioned his name they always associated him with razor blades..he’d often wondered that too and I did feel quite sorry for him, he looked a little sad and forlorn.
We did the interview and I walked him back out to reception to bid my farewells and I remember just standing there and watching him disappear in to the distance. I felt sad, like I wanted him to come back and go and sit around for a few hours chatting. I remember thinking I hope I get to see him again. I never did but I live in hope that one day maybe I will and somehow I get the impression he will remember the time. Again I live in hope, the mere mention of his name takes me back all those years and makes me smile. It’s hard to think of him as an old man now, just an iconic figure….always was, forever is.
May 24, 2011 - Posted in News By: tonym Tags: Leonard Cohen, Piccadilly Radio, Tony Michaelides, Tony the Greek