#50

I am OBSESSED with Leonard Cohen. Not a big surprise considering how much I like Nick Cave; I, however, did not discover his predecessor until recently. His voice is so captivating, alluring...I love it. I love everything, his early folk music through his avant garde style music, all with dark mysterious veins running throughout. It is all so beautiful, yet at the same time there is a sort of shadow...a darkness that makes you hesitate, as if your leaving a sphere of complacent comfort for an unknown...maybe better, maybe worse. Okay, I feel passionately about his music, but I really do think it is very good. Some personal favorites (he's got 50 years of music out, so there is a lot, look into him):










A few other cool things:

• Leonard Cohen is playing at Coachella! That's right, sunset at Empire Polo Field...I couldn't think of a better setting. Friday is going to be incredible (Paul McCartney, the Airborne Toxic Event, Morrissey and the Crystal Method also playing that day).
  
• Leonard Cohen is a Buddhist monk, and he studied at a monastery in the mountains behind my house. I went up looking for the monastery one day a few months ago...thought it would be cool...it is way up in the mountains, and we think we saw the building (from a distance) but we couldn't get to it. It can be that secluded even in Los Angeles county.
• Melissa, my sister, has long revered Leonard Cohen's...ethos I guess, and has this poetry book of his. Anyway, she actually has a tattoo (well multiple, but one in particular) with the stanza:
  

  Blessed be the One

  Who has sweetened

  My Argument.

Okay, here is the whole poem Argument:

You might be a person who likes to

argue with Eternity. A good way to

begin such an Argument is:

Why do You rule against me

Why do You silence me now

When will the Truth be on my lips

And the Light be on my brow?

After some time has passed, the answer to these questions percolating upwards from the pit of your stomach, or downwards from the crown of your hat, or having been given, at last, the right pill, you might begin to fall in love with the One who asked them; and perhaps then you will cry out, as so many of our parents did:

Blessed be the One

Who has sweetened

my Argument.