He's gotten "head on the unmade bed" in the Chelsea Hotel. He's smoked a million cigarettes. And he's written dozens of perversely profound songs about love, sex, religion, and other dangerous habits.
But over a period of several years leading into 2004, Leonard Cohen was also robbed of approximately $9 million by his personal manager. That's why the formerly reclusive 78-year-old poet, prophet, and twisted pop auteur has been endlessly pounding the tour trail for the last four years.
And he's just committed to another four months on the road, announcing the second North American leg of his Old Ideas World Tour.
"I was living a kind of hermit's life, which was not altogether disagreeable, for 10 or 15 years," he told the New York Times last year. "I didn't know whether or not I'd ever go back on the road.
"And for some financial reasons I was forced to go back on the road to repair the fortunes of my family and myself."
Leonard Cohen's Old Ideas World Tour: Second North American Leg Dates
March 2 Paramount Theatre, Oakland, CA
March 6 Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre, Victoria, BC
March 9 Brandt Centre, Regina, SK
March 11 MTS Centre, Winnipeg, MB
March 13 Chicago Theatre, Chicago, IL
March 15 Milwaukee Theatre, Milwaukee, WI
March 18 David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts - Carol Morsani Hall, Tampa, FL
March 20 James L. Knight Center, Miami, FL
March 22 Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA
March 24 Orpheum Theatre, Memphis, TN
March 28 Mahalia Jackson Theater, New Orleans, LA
March 30 Palace Theatre, Louisville, KY
April 2 Toyota Oakdale Theatre, Wallingford, CT
April 6 Radio City Music Hall, New York, NY
April 9 Copps Coliseum, Hamilton, ON
April 13 Halifax Metro Centre, Halifax, NS
April 15 Harbour Station, Saint John, NB
April 17 Moncton Coliseum, Moncton, NB
April 20 Mile One Centre, St. John's, NL
"And this was a most fortunate happenstance," Cohen added, "because I was able to connect, for one thing, with living musicians.
"I was working at home with just keyboards and my own guitar. Suddenly I was dealing with living musicians and then with living audiences and, yes, it did have a great effect. And I think it warmed some part of my heart that had taken on a chill."
Well, Leonard, it warmed us too.
Leonard Cohen's Old Ideas World Tour. March 20. James L. Knight Center, 400 SE Second Ave. Miami. Call 305-372-4634 or visit jlkc.com.
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