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On December 8, Chrome Dreams will release “Hallelujah,” a new biography of Canadian songwriting legend Leonard Cohen, the first to be published since 1988. The book delves into Cohen’s storied career, and reveals details about fresh songs that will purportedly be part of a new studio album, to be released next year.
From the press release:
A major recording artist since the release of his first album in 1967, the legend that is Leonard Cohen has had a revival of religious proportions during the past few years. After spending the best part of the previous decade living in a monastery and meditating 12 hours a day, music’s most eloquent poet rose again in the late noughties, and in the process grabbed a whole new fan-base from generations barely aware of his huge body of work up to that point.
This book tells Cohen’s entire, fascinating story. From his years growing up in Quebec in a middle class Jewish family, through a decade as a budding poet and author – following the publication of his first collection in 1956 – his relocation to NYC and entry into the world of folk and rock [at the age of 37] and his successful career as a singer-songwriter whose own recordings have regularly competed with versions by other vocalists. The story continues through the Cohen revival and the wholly unexpected position he found himself in, in December 2008, when 2 cover versions of the song with which this book shares a title competing for the coveted UK Christmas Number one single spot. The book goes on to include details of his newest material – his first for a decade – currently being recorded alongside more live performances.
This work includes many new interviews with key Cohen associates, brand new research and the most updated material available.
Leonard Cohen has attracted a completely new generation of fans over the past two years, thanks to some high profile UK gigs at the O2 and at summer festivals [including a stunning Glastonbury appearance in July ’08].
He achieved his first credit as a top 10 composer in December 2008 in style, when his song ‘Hallelujah’ occupied both the UK’s Christmas Number One and Number Two spots in different versions.
There has not been a new Leonard Cohen biography published since 1998.
Leonard Cohen is currently recording material for a proposed new record to be released, allegedly, during 2010.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tim Footman (born 1968) is a writer specializing in popular music .He is the author of a number of books including Welcome To The Machine: OK Computer and the Death of the Classic Album (2007). His work has appeared in Mojo, Time Out, The Bangkock Post and the iconoclastic Doctor Who fanzine Perigosto Stick, among other publications. He is a contributor to the Guardian’s comment website Comment is Free and the Prospect blog First Drafts. From 1999 to 2001 he was the editor of Guinness World Records, during which time its emphasis became markedly more light-hearted. Before this he was editor of the PUSH Guide to University. His most recent book is The Noughties [Crimson Publishing 2009]. He was the winner of one of the biggest cash prizes on the UK edition of The Weakest Link and has also appeared on Mastermind, University Challenge and Brain of Britain.
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