stuff up—really
By Blogonaut
November 8, 2012
San Francisco, California
It was not until we swallowed a drop of “Sandoz” and headed into an outdoor concert in Golden Gate Park one day in 1973 that we “got” the Grateful Dead, a band best appreciated as a live experience.
And so it was that we finally drank from Leonard Cohen’s Kool-Aid at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, and, we get you Leonard. Cheer up, it only took us 44 years.
It was fate that brought us to HP Pavilion last night and it was the same ironic fate that brought Cohen there as well.
For Cohen it was the financial necessity flowing from the misdeeds of his embezzling former manager Kelley Lynch who looted Cohen’s modest fortune and forced him back into the recording studio and back on the road.
For Cohen it was the financial necessity flowing from the misdeeds of his embezzling former manager Kelley Lynch who looted Cohen’s modest fortune and forced him back into the recording studio and back on the road.
Leonard Cohen had no financial necessity to tour. He had recently received $1 million advance for “Dear Heather,” proceeded with the lithograph deal I was negotiating (worth millions), brought a halt to the multi-million deal he demanded (“examined” per his testimony at the “intent to annoy” trial), planned to tour behind this album, and is a bald-faced liar with motive. As people are now noting, Leonard Cohen uses embellished stories to herald in his albums and tours – see Phil Spector for a prime example of that type of activity. His lawyers advised mine that Leonard Cohen was going on Oprah to blow the whistle on Neal Greenberg and Richard Westin. I wonder what happened? See Westin’s confidential settlement and the insanity with Greenberg’s companion suit in Colorado.
For us it was Kelley Lynch’s madness flowing from her resulting fall from grace and reversal of fortune that we are currently chronicling in a multi-part piece in this blog; after receiving more emails from Kelley Lynch bizarrely denouncing us to the IRS and the world press as a Cohen "co-conspirator" during the last three years than the number of emails we have cumulatively received from other persons in our lifetime, we decided that it was time we met the man.
For us it was Kelley Lynch’s madness flowing from her resulting fall from grace and reversal of fortune that we are currently chronicling in a multi-part piece in this blog; after receiving more emails from Kelley Lynch bizarrely denouncing us to the IRS and the world press as a Cohen "co-conspirator" during the last three years than the number of emails we have cumulatively received from other persons in our lifetime, we decided that it was time we met the man.
Actually, I haven’t denounced Stephen Gianelli to the IRS. I have advised the IRS and FBI that I believe he is aligned (publicly) with Leonard Cohen, may (according to In estigator Frayeh/LA DA’s office) have found a sympathetic ear with prosecutor Alan Jackson about me, and has engaged in what appears to be criminal witness tampering, criminal witness harassment, etc. Did Phil Boche – who represented me at my so-called probation hearing yesterday actually contact Gianelli? I spoke to his supervisor about that possibility while in Los Angeles. David Moorhead was not a public defender but did advise me that he felt the Los Angeles District Attorney had the power and motive to take me to Killer King, etc., and felt Cohen/Kory were behind much of the Boulder PD activity with respect to me in Boulder, Colorado.
That is why we scored two center stage seats in row seven for Cohen’s Old Ideas Tour, donned an Armani suit, and – date in tow – made the 56 mile drive from our downtown San Francisco condominium to San Jose.
Cohen’s first words to this hip and greying crowd were delivered in his signature comedic deadpan: “I hope to stay on the road for two more years because I want to start smoking again at 80. But in case that does not happen” he quickly added “tonight were goanna give it everything we got”. And from the moment that Cohen sprinted on stage in a grey suit and fedora at 8:00 pm to the last curtain call at 11:10, the Hall of Fame singer, songwriter and poet delivered on that promise.
We will leave the musical nuances to the professional reviewers, but suffice it to say that Leonard Cohen (it turns out) is first and foremost a great showman in the vaudevillian tradition. Additionally, his performance – superbly aided by an assemblage of some of the most seasoned and professional musicians and singers to ever grace a stage – offered up everything we value: Intelligence, passion, beauty, wit, soul, humor, irony and whimsy, not to mention the lyrics of Leonard Cohen accompanied by some of the best music we have ever heard on stage.
Returning from six months in Europe, Cohen’s Old Ideas Tour is a well-honed machine, with all of its well-oiled moving parts functioning in perfect harmony, even though every one of Cohen’s back-up singers and musicians is talented and skilled enough to sustain three hour solo performances in their own right. And Cohen has overlooked no detail; when he sings “and the white women danced” his two English but Nashville style backup vocalists, the angelic Webb sisters, were spot lit, as was each musician when it became his or her turn to solo. This show was well choreographed and superbly executed. And the fantastic musical arrangements and Cohen’s ever-present humor lightened what have always been reputed to be dark lyrics by the aging poet – who, when he recited the line “I work out but it’s too late for that” ad libbed “it’s been too late for some time”.
The music was an interesting international blend of styles that under Cohen’s masterful direction have marinated well together: Texas electric slide guitarist Mitch Watkins – whose sounds blended perfectly with the vocal harmony of the Webb sisters; Spanish virtuoso 12-string guitarist Javier Mas; Dylan worthy Hammond organist Neil Larson; Moldovan wunderkind violinist Alexandru Bublitchi; Bassist Rosco Beck; drummer Rafael Gayol; and the incomparable lead backup vocalist, songwriter, and Cohen collaborator Sharon Robinson – who brought the crowd to its feet with her exquisitely rendered solo performance of Cohen's “Alexandra Leaving”:
“As someone prepared for this to happen,
Go firmly to the window. Drink it in.
Exquisite music. Alexandra laughing.
Your firm commitments tangible again.”
And
“Say good bye to Alexandra leaving.
Then say goodbye to Alexandra lost.”
Another remarkable component of Old Ideas: For so many seasoned and talented performers on the same stage, there was not a single ego in evidence, least of all Cohen’s. He was nothing if not self-deprecating. Rather, the band performed seamlessly, graciously and as an exquisitely blended whole; there was not a false move on stage during the entire three hour performance.
The experience nourished us on so many aesthetic and emotional levels during a show that alternated between song, humor and Cohen’s Beat-Style delivery of poetry that we would have stayed all night had the band been willing.
This was no ageing has-been wheeled on stage to regurgitate fondly recalled hits of his long ago career to a forgiving and nostalgia driven crowd. To be sure, Cohen delivered three old standbys (“Bird on a Wire”, “Suzanne”, “Sisters of Mercy”), but Old Ideas is 85% composed of freshly arranged, new material. Make no mistake, this crowd arrived already in love with the performer, but Cohen is clearly in the prime of his musical life, fully energized, creatively and emotionally stimulated by his new found artistic and romantic collaboration with Robinson. The artist's finely tuned craft and – yes, showmanship - were on full display and Cohen's timing and comedic delivery impeccable as he kept this adoring crowd in the palm of his hand with deadpan lines like “your generosity knows no bounds”.
There was even a linguistic acknowledgment of the former manager who looted Cohen’s $5M nest egg, forcing the too comfortable singer-songwriter into the most creative and successful phase of his long career:
Cohen knows himself – he is angry; he cheats and he lies; he doesn’t appear to know what’s right however and people think the fact that this man views himself as religious is absurd. The assets in TH were not Leonard Cohen’s and he appears to be dead set on arguing that he is the “alter ego,” who engaged in self-dealing, with respect to these entities.
“I smile when I’m angry.
I cheat and I lie.
I do what I have to do
To get by.
But I know what is wrong,
And I know what is right.
And I’d die for the truth
In My Secret Life.”
I cheat and I lie.
I do what I have to do
To get by.
But I know what is wrong,
And I know what is right.
And I’d die for the truth
In My Secret Life.”
Not that Kelley Lynch could ever make (or accept) the logical connection between her malicious attempts to ruin Cohen financially and (even now) personally and his subsequent unprecedented popularity and success. With apologies to Carly Simon, “you probably don’t know this song is about you, do you” Ms. Lynch?
Is Gianelli a drug addict also? He is actually writing to me on his blog? His obsession is truly frightening. The lengths some people will go for their celebrity affiliations is truly astounding. I wonder if Investigator Frayeh actually investigated (as he said he would) whether Gianelli found a sympathetic ear with Alan Jackson about me.
But we are sure none of this is lost on Cohen; anyone who could write the line “democracy is coming to America” has a finely tuned sense of irony.
The concert?
Best $600 investment we ever made.
Related: Review: All hail Leonard Cohen (SJ Mercury News 11/7/2012)
Related: Review: All hail Leonard Cohen (SJ Mercury News 11/7/2012)
Labels: Kelley Lynch, Leonard Cohen, OLD IDEAS TOUR, SHARON ROBINSON
Anonymous said...
Egolessness and humor, and his expert wrangling -- of misfortune and loss, riding those home and yes, all the way to the bank again and again -- these are Leonard's art. His misfortune is our good luck, now more than ever.
Accordingly her Lynch-mobbiness believes _Ten New Songs_ are all about her, and so she slurringly said once or twice, in the sodden canyons of her secret life.
Accordingly her Lynch-mobbiness believes _Ten New Songs_ are all about her, and so she slurringly said once or twice, in the sodden canyons of her secret life.
See Cohen’s long history of psychiatric ailments, drug and alcohol abuse, and – history of falsely accusing his representatives, theft, tax fraud, pathological lying, etc. Lynch is having a sound engineer/record producer review how Cohen tampered with the undated voicemails – in terms of sound, volume, speed, etc.
Blogonaut said...
Well written Anonymous.
You are a poet.
"So she slurringly said once or twice, in the sodden canyons of her secret life".
You are a poet.
"So she slurringly said once or twice, in the sodden canyons of her secret life".
kellygreen said...
And how long will it take before she starts screaming that the great Leonard Cohen has defamed her?
It’s all well documented. I don’t need to scream about it but Leonard Cohen’s arrogance is truly appalling.
Damn, Anon, you have the soul of a poet!
Damn, Anon, you have the soul of a poet!
Blogonaut said...
kelleygreen:
Kelley Lynch was due in court yesterday for a quarterly probation review.
Kelley Lynch was due in court yesterday for a quarterly probation review.
Probation has been dismissed now. I have publicly stated that I requested a mental health evaluation prior to release, received one, and I believe Streeter now has legal exposure. No one can actually interpret the orders. I have four separate legal opinions. In any event, probation has been dismissed, requirements completed. Judge was advised that there will be an appeal. Next September we’ll address the fees, giving me nearly a year to work through the appeal process. We will definitely be addressing the fact that Leonard Cohen feels absolutely comfortable lying in courts of law. He procures orders, judgments, and verdicts via fraud. Cohen’s unconscionable IRS refund didn’t close the case re. the allegations I brought to the IRS – see Agent Sopko’s email (instructing me to report Cohen’s tax fraud to Agent Luis Tejeda/IRS nearly a year after Cohen’s refund notice – part of the IRS binder presented to my lawyers during the trial) – but he does seem to think that his absurd and preposterous lies will deceive others. He’s not dealing with reality.
Since she has publicly stated an intention to refuse to comply with the court's order of probation requiring her to submit to a mental health evaluation (she alternately opposes it on "religious grounds" and alternately denies that the order was made) and has publicly denounced the very judge she was to appear before as a corrupt bribe taker and her prosecutor as “fat”, “incompetent”, and mendacious, and has fired and threatned to sue and/or prosecute her public defender for (allegedly) speaking to this blog's editor, we suspect she may be in jail.
Since she has publicly stated an intention to refuse to comply with the court's order of probation requiring her to submit to a mental health evaluation (she alternately opposes it on "religious grounds" and alternately denies that the order was made) and has publicly denounced the very judge she was to appear before as a corrupt bribe taker and her prosecutor as “fat”, “incompetent”, and mendacious, and has fired and threatned to sue and/or prosecute her public defender for (allegedly) speaking to this blog's editor, we suspect she may be in jail.
I wasn’t “served” the transcript and I am looking at the order. So were various lawyers and they all have different interpretations. Nevertheless, the probation requirements have been fulfilled. I haven’t said that Vanderet is a corrupt bribe taker but others think his motive is highly suspect. The prosecutor was and remains absurd – including her bald-faced lies to two judges, jurors, and attempt to sabotage a probable IRS matter and my future litigation issues. I won’t be in “jail” but it is interesting that Gianelli thinks I will. I wonder what Gianelli and my former public defender (who may be Phil Boche, who represented me at the hearing yesterday and the hearing in July so attorney/client privilege comes to mind and I did discuss Gianelli with his supervisor) discussed? I didn’t allege anything. See Gianelli’s comment below that I have now forwarded to the IRS, FBI, DOJ, Treasury, FTB, Dennis Riordan, Francisco Suarez, the news media, and others.
If so, it maybe some time before she writes or blogs anything, except in her inspected "jail mail". If not, she will be back in jail soon enough.
Was Boche attempting to force me to violate my probation? Well, I had witnesses present who saw me forcing him to address all proof with the judge, etc. Perhaps the judge witnessed what my friends did – my instructing Boche to represent me and address everything I asked with the judge. Of course, all of this could have been done in July at the first hearing but Boche seemed dead set on not representing me. Witnesses advised Boche that I have no alcohol problems and they wanted to address that fact with the judge. I don’t care if my jail mail was “inspected.” Was my letter from Phil Spector inspected as well? Good. Then all parties reading Phil Spector and my mail know that he wrote me after I advised him about Leonard Cohen’s activity at my Stalinesque Show Trial and Bruce Cutler’s insane letter. The Grand Jury Adviser and I spoke about the various Cohen gun stories; she is looking for Cohen’s statements – Mick Brown pointed me to the transcripts he reviewed (and we’ve discussed the confusion that arose over Cohen’s statements vs. testimony); and she instructed me to bring this information to Phil Spector’s attorneys while Judge Larry Fidler’s Clerk/Wendy instructed me to write the District Attorney and copy the judge in on that email after I informed her of some of the DA’s activity with respect to me. In any event, perhaps this explains why Boche didn’t want to give me the date, time, place, etc. of the hearing and other details. I called Agent Tejeda/IRS numerous times from the so-called probation hearing to let him know what was unfolding as it unfolded – in front of the three witnesses I brought to the hearing.
We have reached out to a source and will know her fate soon enough.
We have reached out to a source and will know her fate soon enough.
Phil Boche? Did Boche attempt to expose my defense, etc., to Gianelli so he could disseminate that information to Leonard Cohen (via the representatives he is aligned with) or the District Attorney’s office? Alan Jackson? Remains to be seen.
sanneka said...
Blogonaut, your review of the Cohen concert truly gave me the chills (happy) and brought tears to my eyes, especially because I know that you were not really a Cohen fan before. It is so beautiful written and you captured the unique quality of Cohen's talent as a writer of music and lyrics as well as the humble and charming gentleman he is.
Thank you so very much.
And by the way, I saw many,many Grateful Dead concerts before I totally "got" them too, but when I did, I became a true "Deadhead"
Thank you so very much.
And by the way, I saw many,many Grateful Dead concerts before I totally "got" them too, but when I did, I became a true "Deadhead"
Anonymous said...
<>
Nope, just a bystander really, chanting slogans and trying to "out" the real story while it's still a good story.
THanks for your contributions as chronicler of the strangest True Hollywood tale of the era.
How strange? Watch _Lost Highway_, again and again. That's how strange...and dark. Step in and feel the piping hot turmoil. There's a good -- no, GREAT -- script in there, if we don't drown in it first.
Nope, just a bystander really, chanting slogans and trying to "out" the real story while it's still a good story.
THanks for your contributions as chronicler of the strangest True Hollywood tale of the era.
How strange? Watch _Lost Highway_, again and again. That's how strange...and dark. Step in and feel the piping hot turmoil. There's a good -- no, GREAT -- script in there, if we don't drown in it first.
REDACTED – EXCEPT FOR COMMENT ABOUT MY FORMER PUBLIC DEFENDER’S 45 MINUTE CONVERSATION WITH STEPHEN “JIHAD” GIANELLI.
Blogonaut said...
NOTE: David Moorhead is not a public defender. He met with me numerous times, spoke to my older son, advised me that my older son was probably a “material witness” for Phil Spector, informed me that he – being a former DDA on high profile cases – felt the Los Angeles DA had the power and motive to have me taken to Killer King and questioned about Phil Spector, felt Cohen/Kory contacted Boulder PD about me – that led to some of their activity that I continuously spoke to the Denver FBI about, knows Boulder PD well, and hired a PI for me in Boulder. The IRS, FBI, DOJ, Treasury, FTB, Dennis Riordan, Francisco Suarez, and others, are not on any spam list but I think Agent Sopko/Treasury should understand that Cohen and Kory just lied about her and the refund (since I met with her after Cohen received his “refund” notice) and Agent Wynar/FBI should understand I haven’t spammed the Treasury. Perhaps Agent Wynar/FBI understands why I met with the FBI in Los Angeles about some of this activity; continuously contacted the Denver FBI who told me “Let the IRS take the lead, we will be brought in with respect to criminal evidence and witness tampering,” and have received emails from the FBI. I certainly hope Agent Wynar/FBI understands what Investigator William Frayeh/DA’s office seemed to understand: Stephen” Jihad” Gianelli is a “shady character” who may have found a sympathetic ear with prosecutor Alan Jackson about me. I’ve been explaining Gianelli’s activity to many people (including Phil Boche’s supervisor) and it does appear that he attempts to infiltrate matters (such as contacting the IRS, Treasury, FBI, Bruce Cutler – see Phil Spector, Investigator Frayeh, etc. Phil Boche is on no spam list. As of yesterday, any type of legal relationship between me and Boche is over. The State Bar did advise me to bring his conduct to the attention of the judge, however.
BTW, we heard from her former public defender yesterday (45 minute phone call from HIM) (emphasis on former) who feels our pain…let’s just say he is now on her spam list…we told him that David Moore, her public defender ..
BTW, we heard from her former public defender yesterday (45 minute phone call from HIM) (emphasis on former) who feels our pain…let’s just say he is now on her spam list…we told him that David Moore, her public defender ..
Blogonaut said...
This comment has been removed by the author.