Please re-read. Or write Tom S. Misinformation misunderstood does not equal facts.kokenpere wrote:Tom Sakic wrote:Tonys, I can understand your anger, and you're mostly right up there. You have only understand that Sony was never quite interested in Leonard Cohen, and indeed, he sent them one dollar in 1988 "to pay them off for their campaign and support to my record". Leonard always was a solo player, and he handled his own business through his own company (Stranger Music). But what happened with that company, because of his blind trust, unfortunately can't be turned back, and the back catalogue is now in hand of the label, with Leonard keeping only performer's rights. Now Leonard is on his own, without big-shot manager (the thing with Macklam/Feldman apparently didn't work, and I can see why), with Ed Sanders keeeping the office, while SonyBMG is big company in troubles (is it only Sony now again, without BMG?) and still quite not interested in Leonard Cohen. How much did they invest in Ten New Songs or Dear Heather, or in any promotion? Those records were private production, made in home studio and private studios, and then simply brought finished to Columbia/SonyBMG. Where is DVD? Where are remasters? Where are live CDs? Where are SACDs? Where are videoclips? Where are bootlegs series similar to Dylan's? I can assure you only that Leonard Cohen's word means something after all - does he or not own the back catalogue - and reissues were, unfortunately, stopped because the label mishandled it and Leonard wasn't quite happy after all. Of course, I also do want the rest of remasters, and live CDs from old tours, and live DVDs, and book of lyrics with annotations, and rare & outtake songs... But I'll give you just one example - we can't get Austin City Limits DVD as Austin TV owns the visual, and Sony the music. I can interpret that legal situation only in one way: 1. SonyBMG doesn't way to pay off Austin TV for the picture recording, and 2. SonyBMG asks too much from Austin TV for the sound copyright (as Austin City Limits DVD Series tried to publish Leonard Cohen 1988/1993 Shows, as it's their most requested show). As you see, my both way of thinkings baren't positive about the label's attitude. I can't recall any single situation where label was supporting Leonard Cohen releases, or tried to invest any real money. He should left it and go to ANTI, as Johnny Cash did. But now it's too late, and I can understand that Leonard needs to be on label because he has to have the complete catalogue of his songs on one label (and I didn't wonder when Blue Alert was sold in the end to Columbia /as I didn't wonder that they did everything to NOT promote as it deserved in Europe, where it was hardly released. But they did buy it only to keep the complete Cohen on their label, also./) The least what he can do is to ignore the big shots, and do as he does, promoting the songs around, making his own connections to local Sony companies, like in Poland, Philip Glass (the same company produced Came so Far For Beauty shows and Book of Longing shows)... Is it wonder that Leonard does all promotion thru these websites? Is it any wonder that the new band member is the man who played on Leonard Cohen tribute shows in Spain, produced by Alberto Manzano? I wouldn't be surprised if the tour will include Spain, Poland, London, Oslo, the places which were visited recently by Anjani, or Came So Far shows, or Leonard himself. These are the new times, the big money is in game, and Leonard Cohen is obviously not Britney Spears or J.Lo. The company isn't producing music, as in 1967 when Leonard come to the label, but they're making packaged products, from movies to videogames and TV. I can only hope LC will not appear in Victoria Secret's add or play a closed show for bank managers as Lou Reed, or for Diners Club, as Brian Ferry did in my town - but that he will stay as he always was, a solo man with integrity.
ps. These new reissues are not remasters, but only the same poorly-mixed "nice price" CDs from 1990s, sent again to the market. Most of them were repackaged last year in "two for price of one" as they supposed the new remasters will be out. Now they're flooding market with the same old crap. I liked remasters only because of nice new booklets and the sound which was restored with care of original production (not pumping up the volume, as on The Essential)
tonys -
Please re-read the above post.
k
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