WITH A NEW AFTERWORD BY THE AUTHOR The definitive biography of the late Leonard Cohen - singer-songwriter, musician, poet, and novelist. The genius behind such classic songs as Suzanne, So Long, Marianne, Bird on the Wire and Hallelujah, Leonard Cohen has been one of the most important and influential songwriters of our time, a man of spirituality, emotion, and intelligence whose work has explored the definitive issues of human life - sex, religion, power, meaning, love. I'm Your Man explores the facets of Cohen's life. Renowned music journalist Sylvie Simmons draws on Cohen's private archives and a wealth of interviews with many of his closest associates, colleagues, and other artists whose work he has inspired. Containing exclusive material and interviews, this is the biography to buy on Leonard Cohen.
"I was saying things in songs that female singers didn't really say back then. I wasn't submissive or begging him to come back; I was kicking his ass." BRAVE, BEAUTIFUL AND BORN TO BE PUNK, DEBBIE HARRY is a musician, actor, activist, and the iconic face of New York City cool. As the front-woman of Blondie, she and the band created a groundbreaking sound that fused rock, punk, disco, reggae, and hip-hop, producing some of the most cherished pop songs. A muse to bold artists over the past four decades, Debbie Harry's cultural impact is profound, yet she has been reticent about her inner life—until now. In a compelling mix of visceral storytelling and stunning visuals, including never-before-seen photographs and fan art, this memoir redefines the music memoir genre. It captures the gritty essence of 1970s New York City, where Blondie shared the stage with legends like the Ramones and David Bowie. The narrative follows her journey through commercial success, heroin addiction, personal loss, bankruptcy, and the band's breakup, alongside her diverse acting career and advocacy for environmental and LGBTQ rights. This cinematic memoir tells the story of a woman who forged her own path and influenced a generation of artists.
The razor-witted fiction debut of one of the best music writers on either side of the Atlantic, Too Weird for Ziggy is a collection of stories all set in the world of crass A&R men, fans mired in hero worship, and music stars perpetually on the verge of ego tantrum or outright crackup. From a Karen Carpenter cult to a rock 'n' roll seance; from a band of cock-rockers whose starmaking tour goes off the rails when their lead singer starts to grow breasts, to an obsessed fan on a mission from God to marry a woman-battering heavy-metal drummer, these stories are like sitting beside an expert commentator in the front row at the celebrity circus.
The extraordinary life and creative process of one of the most important and influential songwriters and artists of the past fifty years. “There is a crack in everything. That’s how the light gets in.” — Leonard Cohen The genius behind such classic songs as <i>Suzanne</i>, <i>Bird on a Wire</i>, and <i>Hallelujah</i>, Leonard Cohen has been one of the most important and influential songwriters of our time, a man of spirituality, emotion, and intelligence whose work has explored the definitive issues of human life—sex, religion, power, meaning, love. Yet before he even began recording, Cohen was an accomplished literary figure whose poetry and novels brought him considerable recognition. His dual careers in music and literature have transformed one another, his songs revealing a literary quality rare in the world of popular music, and his poetry and prose informed by a rich musicality. <i>I’m Your Man</i> explores the facets of Cohen’s life—from his early childhood in Montreal, to his entrée into the worlds of literature and music, his immersion in Jewish culture, obsession with Christian imagery, and deep commitment to Buddhist detachment—including the five years he spent at a monastery outside of Los Angeles and his ordainment as a Rinzai Zen Buddhist Monk. Sylvie Simmons draws on Cohen's private archives and a wealth of interviews with many of his closest associates, colleagues, and other artists whose work he has inspired, as well as professors, Buddhist monks, and rabbis, to share stories and details never before revealed, and correct mistakes propounded in previous works. Unlike other biographies, <i>I'm Your Man</i> gives equal time to Cohen's poetry and prose and balances his intellectual and religious sides. The result is this deeply insightful, well-rounded portrait, of an artist whose reach, vision, and incredible talent who has had a profound impact on multiple generations and who continues to create magic today.
