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| Meet KEN. My favourite guy in Sherman Oaks, CA |
January 25, 2012
I once read Dr Heck's lament about posting on his blog (based on Leonard Cohen's quip about composing songs).
If I knew where good posts come from, I would go there more often.Allan, try hanging out at your local supermarket.
I was shopping at my local supermarket today in Sherman Oaks where another shopper stopped me and said:
"Excuse me. I Think I Saw You At The Leonard Cohen Concert In Las Vegas At The Colosseum"
Oh, did we meet?
I was so excited. This is only the second time since moving to Los Angeles three years ago that I've met somebody who actually is familar with Leonard Cohen.No. I just remember seeing you there.
His name is "Ken" and hails from South Africa. He has been a fan of Leonard Cohen dating back to 1967 when he first read a review of Songs Of Leonard Cohen. The reviewer was so ecstatic about these being the best songs he had ever heard. So Ken bought the album and has been enthralled with Leonard Cohen ever since.
Fast forward to October, 2011. For his birthday this past October, Ken's wife bought him Leonard Cohen-The Complete Columbia Albums Collection .
We talked about Leonard's new upcoming album, Old Ideas and about Ken listening to some of the songs streaming online.
Ken remarked about SONY's aggressive campaign for this album being so different from almost no publicity for past albums. He feels this is indicative of how important Leonard Cohen is now perceived.
Then Ken added ...He will probably go on tour again.
I hope so, Ken. I hope so.
- Sorry for the photo quality. I only had my lo-tech Virgin LG Touch cellphone with me.
- Dr Heck aka Allan Showalter is webmaster of the Cohencentric blog 1heckofaguy and related LC blogs
- My first encounter in LA with another Cohen admirer (here )
- Old Ideas will be released in the US and Canada on January 31, 2012
Wonderful post, Arlene. Poor quality? I can see some individual hairs on his head... and the photograph has the softness that his face exudes. I love the hominess of the grocery store shelf behind him. A lovely encounter, account, and photo.
ReplyDelete~ Lizzy
Thanks Lizzy. I always enjoy your support.
DeleteSuch a great story, Arlene! And a lovely photo. Ken definitely looks like a Cohenite (or Cohenhead, as another Ken would say :D )
ReplyDeleteI hope this aggressive promotion is the sign of a coming tour.
Sony Music was always quite obsessed with copyrights and now they just practically gave away the new album with all those free streamings. Making the new songs widely known could ensure the necessary audience for a tour so close after the previous one. (I'm talking about that million of "normal people" not the crazy ones like us who would go anywhere to see him on stage again :D)
Eva
Thanks Eva. I hope both Ken and You are right.
DeleteWhat a lovely story Arlene! I can just imagine how surprised you were to have Ken come up to you.
ReplyDeleteNow I must say I would love to randomly run into you at my local supermarket or at Trader Joe's.
One day I may just do that...
Cheers
Leslie
Lucky you Arlene! It's so hard for me to grasp the fact that this is only the second time in 3 years that you have met an LC fan/forum member around LA. I thought LA was LOADED with them and these encounters would occur frequently. I guess Columbus, Ohio is not the LC fan wasteland I thought it was.
ReplyDeleteMay you have many, many more of these lovely encounters!
MaryB