Canadian poet and singer-songwriter
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6 episodes with Leonard Cohen
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10 episodes with Leonard Cohen
19 episodes with Leonard Cohen
10 episodes with Leonard Cohen
12 episodes with Leonard Cohen
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5 episodes with Leonard Cohen
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4 episodes with Leonard Cohen
On this very special episode, we share some of the most important individual paragraphs of writing in our lives - paragraphs that have planted acorns in our brains that have grown over time into mighty oaks. We revisit Thomas Mann, Christopher Hitchens, Jean-Luc Godard, and other luminaries. PLUS: Checking in on Bari Weiss at CBS. Join us on Patreon for an extra episode every week - https://www.patreon.com/michaelandus Our classic Leonard Cohen episode - https://www.patreon.com/posts/186-new-skin-for-44083560 Past Essential Paragraphs discussions: https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-essential-28574337 https://www.patreon.com/posts/bonus-essential-36315183 The tweet that Luke cites in the opening discussion - https://x.com/mattpolprof/status/1976069728541245770
In this Quantum I look at 12 times I have changed my mind about something.....the EU; Israel and the Jews; Democracy; Scottish Independence; Immigration; Socialism; Education; Climate Change; Islam; Transgender Ideology; Equality before the Law; Netflix. And the final word from Acts 28. with music from Europe, Dave Alvin, Leonard Cohen; Dougie Maclean, Pink Floyd; Supertramp; and Robert Plant.
Madlik Podcast – Torah Thoughts on Judaism From a Post-Orthodox Jew
From Moses to Leonard Cohen: The unexpected dilemma at the heart of Jewish prayer Leonard Cohen called If It Be Your Will “a sort of a prayer.” In this episode of Madlik Disruptive Torah, Geoffrey Stern and Rabbi Adam Mintz uncover just how deeply Jewish that prayer really is. Drawing on the words of Moses in Ha'azinu, the Psalms of David, the prayer of Hannah, and rabbinic debates in the Talmud and Maimonides' Guide for the Perplexed, we explore how Cohen's haunting lyrics echo one of the most radical ideas in Jewish liturgy: that prayer itself requires God's permission. From whispered lips to audacious praise, from silence as the highest form of worship to the chutzpah of demanding forgiveness, this episode connects the High Holidays' most prayer-rich moments to Cohen's timeless song. Was Cohen consciously channeling biblical and rabbinic texts he knew from childhood? We think the evidence is striking. Join us as we show how If It Be Your Will isn't just a song—it's the continuation of a 3,000-year-old Jewish wrestling match with the meaning of prayer. Key Takeaways The Audacity of Prayer: We examine the chutzpah of addressing God and the need for "permission" to pray. Silent Revolution: Hannah's innovation of praying silently and its impact on Jewish prayer traditions. Words Matter: The power and peril of language in prayer, and why sometimes silence speaks loudest. Timestamps [00:00:00] Opening reflection on Yom Kippur and the nature of prayer. [00:02:00] Deuteronomy 32—Moses asking permission to speak. [00:04:00] Psalms as a source: prayer from both mouth and heart. [00:06:00] Transition from singular to plural in liturgy. [00:10:00] Hannah's silent prayer as a model for Jewish prayer. [00:13:00] Out loud vs. silent prayer; Shema as an exception. [00:17:00] Can one pray all day? Talmudic debate. [00:20:00] Concluding prayers about words and their power. [00:23:00] The audacity of praising God—permission to pray. [00:28:00] Leonard Cohen's “If It Be Your Will” as modern midrash. Links & Learnings Sign up for free and get more from our weekly newsletter https://madlik.com/ Safaria Source Sheet: https://www.sefaria.org/sheets/679254 Transcript here: https://madlik.substack.com/ Leonard Cohen - If It Be Your Will - https://youtu.be/SDemnguRYj4?si=7YGgCucKZ5-0fwFy
At the age of 16, Lorde went #1 across the world. She was catapulted from the suburbs of Auckland to the Grammy's stage, winning Song of the Year. 12 years and four albums later, she's continued to defy expectations as a pop artist and is one of the most gifted songwriters of our time. This is an extended edit of a Take 5 that was filmed for the TV series, but this podcast is an extended edit - capturing even more stories, insight, and sounds. It's an incredible conversation with one of the most thoughtful people I've met. Lorde has been going through a massive period of change. A chrysalis, taking new form. So I worked up a Take 5 theme to draw that out. And from Lucinda Williams to Westerman to something very close to home, hearing her speak about the craft of song is a rare treat.Lorde's song choices:Lucinda Williams – 'Fruits of My Labor'Bronski Beat – 'Smalltown Boy'Nina Simone – 'Suzanne'Westerman – 'Confirmation'Charli xcx & Lorde – 'Girl, so confusing featuring lorde'00:00 Introduction and Podcast Overview00:49 Lorde's Early Influences and First Song Choice02:04 Lucinda Williams' Impact on Lorde09:30 Lorde's Childhood and Musical Beginnings12:56 The Mystery of Songwriting14:02 Second Song Choice: Small Town Boy24:10 Reflecting on Teenage Years and Womanhood28:22 Lorde's Relationship with Her Parents30:18 Third Song Choice: Suzanne30:27 Nina Simone's Transformative Cover of 'Suzanne'31:16 Leonard Cohen's Inspiration and Poetic Imagery32:12 Nina Simone's Unique Interpretation35:39 Exploring Gender and Identity in Music36:36 The Impact of Personal Transformation39:48 The Creative Process Behind 'Virgin'46:20 The Emotional Journey of 'Girl So Confusing'50:06 Reflections on Vulnerability and Friendship55:22 Concluding Thoughts and Future PlansWatch Take 5 on ABC iview:https://iview.abc.net.au/show/take-5-with-zan-rowe
I'm excited for this week's BEHIND THE LENS, thanks to a director whom I adore and have been chatting with for multiple decades, RENNY HARLIN, who goes in-depth with me for THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 2, and writer/director MATTHEW BISSONNETTE, who brings us a film I immediately connected with, DEATH OF A LADIES' MAN starring Gabriel Byrne. THE STRANGERS began back in 2008 thanks to w/d Bryan Bertino, who treated us to the tale of James Hoyt and Kristen McKay, who visit an isolated vacation home to enjoy some time together. Hopeful bliss turned into terror making their stay a nightmare. In 2018, director Johannes Roberts, with a script by Bryan Bertino and Ben Ketai, rebooted the franchise with THE STRANGERS: PREY AT NIGHT starring Bailee Madison, Lewis Pullman, and Christina Hendricks. Now in 2025, we have the chilling next chapter of THE STRANGERS franchise with THE STRANGERS: CHAPTER 2. Directed by Renny Harlin and written by Alan R. Cohen & Alan Freedland, Madelaine Petsch returns as Maya, and joining her are, among others, Gabriel Basso, Ema Horvath, Richard Brake, and Pedro Leandro. Now let's turn to DEATH OF A LADIES' MAN with writer/director MATTHEW BISSONNETTE. Described as a "lyrical dramedy", DEATH OF A LADIES' MAN is poetic and emotionally charged, infused with the music and spirit of Leonard Cohen, tackling multiple themes that evoke heartbreak, absurdity, and hope. Gabriel Byrne stars as the hard-drinking, twice-divorced professor Samuel O'Shea whose life seems to be going into the toilet. First, he starts seeing things – Frankenstein at the bar, strangers breaking into Leonard Cohen songs, a woman with a tiger's head and face, and conversations with his long-dead father, Ben O'Shea. He chalks it up to stress. But a terminal brain tumor diagnosis sends him reeling into a surreal, darkly funny odyssey through memory, regret, and an unexpected romance in Ireland. Retreating to his family's remote Irish cottage, Samuel tries to write the novel he's always avoided—and instead begins rewriting his own story. http://eliasentertainmentnetwork.com
Francis Lalanne a appris à jouer de la guitare sur du Cat Stevens et du Leonard Cohen. Il reste en connexion avec Verlaine et Charles dʹOrléans comme avec Dylan et Leo Ferré. Sans esquiver aucun sujet, le troubadour devenu le bad boy de la chanson se souvient de tout, de ses chansons dʹécolo avant même que le sujet ne devienne dʹactualité mais aussi de ses dix ans comme président dʹun club de foot.
On this episode of Big Blend Radio, writer and director Matthew Bissonnette discusses his latest film, Death of a Ladies' Man, which is out now on VOD. Starring Gabriel Byrne, Jessica Paré, and Brian Gleeson, the film follows hard-drinking, twice-divorced professor Samuel O'Shea as he faces a surreal journey through memory, regret, love, and unexpected transformation after receiving a life-changing diagnosis. Infused with the music and spirit of Leonard Cohen, Death of a Ladies Man is a poetic and emotionally charged dramedy that blends heartbreak, humor, and hope. In this interview, Bissonnette explores themes of addiction, family, the influence of Leonard Cohen's music, and the importance of weaving truth into storytelling. He also shares insights into the creative process and how the film captures the complexities of the human experience. Watch the trailer: https://youtu.be/JQz1Am56-GQ?feature=shared
Decía el gran violinista JEHUDY MENUHIN que la mùsica es el arte creativo más apasionante. Y lógicamente la historia de la música está llena de curiosidades que son el argumento de este programa: conocer a músicos importantes que. desgraciadamente son desconocidos, comprobar cómo Beethoven está hoy en repertorios de blues, cómo la cantante MADELEINE PEIROUX ha conseguido que más de cien millones de personas hayan escuchado su verisón de una canción de LEONARD COHEN o qué canción dio origen a eso que hoy llamamos nuevo flamenco. Un programa de curiosidades musicales.
Monday, we start a new state and head to Illinois. Our first guest is Peter Joly, referred to later this week as the Leonard Cohen of the Chicago area. Songs include Hand in Mine, Honey Babe, Umbrellas and Overcoats and Till They Go
Le Hibou is a place of near mythical status in the Ottawa music community. A tiny coffee house on Sussex Drive where the likes of Neil Young, Gordon Lightfoot, Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen played. Robyn Bresnahan hears memories from those who were there in its heyday and explores whether Le Hibou could ever rise again.
On the September 21 edition of the Music History Today Podcast, Jaco passes away, Nirvana releases its last album, & REM breaks up. Plus, it's Leonard Cohen's & Faith Hill's birthdays.For more music history, subscribe to my Spotify Channel or subscribe to the audio version of my music history podcasts, wherever you get your podcasts fromALL MUSIC HISTORY TODAY PODCAST NETWORK LINKS - https://allmylinks.com/musichistorytoday
Leonard Cohen, kanadský básník a prozaik se proslavil hlavně díky úspěšné a dlouholeté hudební kariéře, která zcela zastínila jeho literární činnost. Narodil se 21. září 1934. Svými lyrickými písněmi a hlubokomyslnými texty si získal miliony fanoušků a zároveň inspiroval generace dalších zpěváků. V jeho skladbách se často objevuje téma náboženství, izolace a složitých mezilidských vztahů. V rodné Kanadě byl oceněn Řádem Kanady, tamním nejvyšším čestným vyznamenáním.
Episode #1104 New music, Dagwood scraps, live shows past & future, and a chat with our old pal Joe Nolan about his great new album Luv in the New World and his upcoming appearance in town as part of Leonard Cohen & Joni Mitchell: The Untold Love Story. playlist: https://wp.me/p1lizT-ha6
Leonard Cohen, kanadský básník a prozaik se proslavil hlavně díky úspěšné a dlouholeté hudební kariéře, která zcela zastínila jeho literární činnost. Narodil se 21. září 1934. Svými lyrickými písněmi a hlubokomyslnými texty si získal miliony fanoušků a zároveň inspiroval generace dalších zpěváků. V jeho skladbách se často objevuje téma náboženství, izolace a složitých mezilidských vztahů. V rodné Kanadě byl oceněn Řádem Kanady, tamním nejvyšším čestným vyznamenáním.Všechny díly podcastu Příběhy z kalendáře můžete pohodlně poslouchat v mobilní aplikaci mujRozhlas pro Android a iOS nebo na webu mujRozhlas.cz.
Send Catherine a text Message"We are all taking everything that we've learned from the past, and we're reformulating what we want to do with that and how we want to live. And so, one of the ideas that's embedded in that, for me, is that when you're in this period of history, like we are now, with AI and with the digitization of everything and with the resurgence of a fascist movement, everything is up for grabs. You know, anything can happen, and that's the whole point really, that we have agency in this moment to affect what direction things are going to go in, as bricoleurs." --- Rags RosenbergA special interview episode with poet and performing songwriter Rags Rosenberg. Rags writes what he calls mythopoetic folk rock in the tradition of songwriter poets he admires: Leonard Cohen, Bob, Dylan, and Tom Waits. His latest album Song of the Bricoleur speaks about myth and our ongoing myth-making. We talk about artistic identity and guiding images, the role of the artist in dark times, and "making it up as we go."In times of profound cultural change, we're all bricoleurs. Support the showEmail Catherine at drcsvehla@mythicmojo.comPost a positive review on apple podcasts! Learn how you can work with Catherine at https://mythicmojo.comBuy me a coffee. Thank you!
Diesmal verarbeitet Matussek den Mord an Charlie Kirk allein im Studio und lässt sich in seiner Melancholie vom düsteren späten und sarkastischen Leonard Cohen begleiten. „First We Take Manhattan, Then We Take Berlin“, vor allem aber: „Everybody Knows That the Boat Is Leaking, Everybody Knows That the Captain Lied“ … Die Brutalisierung der Linken. Der Elite-Campus als Brutstätte des Hasses. Linker und islamischer Antisemitismus. Die grüne RAF. Erbarmen mit der Hammerbande und ihrer PR-Beraterin Göring-Eckardt? Warum sind unter den linksradikalen Hetzern gegen Kirk Professoren und Lehrer am meisten vertreten? „Hallelujah“. Briefe mit einer Diskussion über Nietzsches Übermenschen.
Fáilte ar ais chuig eagrán nua de Ar An Lá Seo ar an 18ú lá de mí Mheán Fómhair, liomsa Lauren Ní Loingsigh. I 1970 bhí leictreoir I mBaile Átha Cliath sáinnithe do dhá uair a chloig faoi ardaitheoir a thit air. I 1992 tháinig Taoiseach Albert Reynolds amach ag rá go raibh níos mó ná 5,000 post nua chun a bheith ann de bharr go raibh comhlacht Meiriceánach chun teacht isteach. I 1993 bhí a lán fearg agus mearbhall I Ros Cré de bharr an sheirbhís teilifís agus de bharr sin bhí cruinniú socraithe idir na daoine a raibh ina chónaí sa bhaile agus an cumann lucht trádála. Chuir siad cuireadh chuig airí agus ionadaí poiblí. I 1998 bhí na plean ag dul ar aghaidh don fhorbairt do láithreán líonadh talún sna Sliabh an Airgid in ainneoin Michael Smith ag teacht amach le pacáiste de 1.5 milliúin punt chun an suíomh a bheith mar áit a mbíonn an-tóir ag turasóirí air. Sin The Shamen le Ebeneezer Goode – an t-amhrán is mó ar an lá seo I 1992. Ag lean ar aghaidh le nuacht cheoil ar an lá seo I 1993 chuaigh Meat Loaf chuig uimhir a haon sa Bhreatain don chéad uair lena halbam Bat Out Of Hell 2. I 2009 thit Leonard Cohen ar an stáitse I rith ceolchoirm sa Spáinn agus chuaigh sé chuig an ospidéal. Agus ar deireadh breithlá daoine cáiliúla ar an lá seo rugadh Jada Pinkett Smith I Meiriceá I 1971 agus rugadh aisteoir James Marsden I Meiriceá ar an lá seo I 1973 agus seo chuid de na rudaí a rinne sé. Beidh mé ar ais libh amárach le heagrán nua de Ar An Lá Seo. Welcome back to another edition of Ar An Lá Seo on the 18th of September, with me Lauren Ní Loingsigh 1970: A 22 year old Dublin electrician lay trapped for 2 hours under a lift which collapsed on him. 1992: Taoiseach Albert Reynolds last night forecast that up to 5,000 jobs would be created through investment decisions soon to be announced by American Companies. 1993 - Mounting anger and confusion in Roscrea regarding the provision of multi-channel television service has prompted the local Chamber Of Commerce to organise a public meeting to give locals the platform to air their views. Local Ministers and public representatives were invited to attend the meeting. 1998 - PLANS were progressing for the development of a gigantic landfill site in the scenic Silvermines mountains, despite an announcement by Defence Minister and local TD, Michael Smith, of a £1.5 million package to develop what is hoped will be a top tourist attraction in the area. That was The Shamen with Ebeneezer Goode – the biggest song on this day in 1992 Onto music news on this day In 1993 Meat Loaf went to No.1 on the UK album chart for the first of five times with Bat Out Of Hell II. 2009 Leonard Cohen collapsed on stage during a concert in Valencia in Spain and was taken to hospital. And finally celebrity birthdays on this day – Jada Pinkett Smith was born in America in 1971 and actor James Marsden was born in America on this day in 1973 and this is some of the stuff he has done. I'll be back with you tomorrow with another edition of Ar An Lá Seo.
Fáilte ar ais chuig eagrán nua de Ar An Lá Seo ar an 18ú lá de mí Mheán Fómhair, liomsa Lauren Ní Loingsigh. I 1970 bhí leictreoir I mBaile Átha Cliath sáinnithe do dhá uair a chloig faoi ardaitheoir a thit air. I 1992 tháinig Taoiseach Albert Reynolds amach ag rá go raibh níos mó ná 5,000 post nua chun a bheith ann de bharr go raibh comhlacht Meiriceánach chun teacht isteach. I 1987 dhún dhá uachtarlann I Darragh agus Cill na Móna síos de bharr Golden Vale. I 1992 d'oscail Taoiseach Albert Reynolds an tionscadal Aeraspás na Sionainn. Sin The Shamen le Ebeneezer Goode – an t-amhrán is mó ar an lá seo I 1992. Ag lean ar aghaidh le nuacht cheoil ar an lá seo I 1993 chuaigh Meat Loaf chuig uimhir a haon sa Bhreatain don chéad uair lena halbam Bat Out Of Hell 2. I 2009 thit Leonard Cohen ar an stáitse I rith ceolchoirm sa Spáinn agus chuaigh sé chuig an ospidéal. Agus ar deireadh breithlá daoine cáiliúla ar an lá seo rugadh Jada Pinkett Smith I Meiriceá I 1971 agus rugadh aisteoir James Marsden I Meiriceá ar an lá seo I 1973 agus seo chuid de na rudaí a rinne sé. Beidh mé ar ais libh amárach le heagrán nua de Ar An Lá Seo. Welcome back to another edition of Ar An Lá Seo on the 18th of September, with me Lauren Ní Loingsigh 1970: A 22 year old Dublin electrician lay trapped for 2 hours under a lift which collapsed on him. 1992: Taoiseach Albert Reynolds last night forecast that up to 5,000 jobs would be created through investment decisions soon to be announced by American Companies. 1987: 2 more Clare creamaries Darragh and Kilnamona have been closed down by Golden Vale. 1992: Taoiseach Albert Renolds officialy opened the Shannon Aerospace project. That was The Shamen with Ebeneezer Goode – the biggest song on this day in 1992 Onto music news on this day In 1993 Meat Loaf went to No.1 on the UK album chart for the first of five times with Bat Out Of Hell II. 2009 Leonard Cohen collapsed on stage during a concert in Valencia in Spain and was taken to hospital. And finally celebrity birthdays on this day – Jada Pinkett Smith was born in America in 1971 and actor James Marsden was born in America on this day in 1973 and this is some of the stuff he has done. I'll be back with you tomorrow with another edition of Ar An Lá Seo.
Gísli Marteinn Baldursson ræðir brotthvarf Jimmy Kimmel í kjölfar ummæla hans um morðið á Charlie Kirk. Valur Gunnarsson segir frá Leonard Cohen, en á sunnudag stendur hann fyrir tónleika og sagnakvöldi í Tjarnarbíó sem fjallar um Cohen. Friðrik Margrétar Guðmundsson tónlistarspekúlant þáttarins kryfur lagið Lover Girl, af nýútkominni plötu Laufeyjar, A Matter of Time.
Lords: * John * Avery * Jay Topics: * Being known for one thing and trying to do a different thing * https://jtholen.bandcamp.com/album/new-active-object * Finding instruments on the street * Accidentally arguing with sauna guy Microtopics: * Many-Time Topic Lord John Mystery. * Talking the plunge into the Topic Lords discord. * An unspoken constant presence like Seymour Glass in the Glass Family novels. * The Once and Future Musician. * Putting a formant filter on your organ so you can play the organ on Zoom. * Why pouring hot water sounds different from pouring cold water. * The sound of boiling hot urine. * The top rated coffee shop in San Francisco on Yelp for seven months in a row. * Remaining your coffee shop after Mark Zuckerberg in hopes that he'll show up in person. * Trying to open up a coffee shop in late 90s San Francisco and only realizing too late that it's 2016. * ADA compliant seating. * Four-person episodes of Topic Lords. * A 6'5" guy trying to barter a half-used spray paint can for a cup of coffee. * The Menacing Barterer. * Aggressive Wimpy gladly paying you tomorrow for a hamburger today or else. * Aggressive Wimpy throwing a shoe at your espresso machine. * Your car accidentally becoming an art car. * Letting people spray paint your car until it's nothing but spray paint. * Calling 911 and explaining that the guy menacing you needs marijuana. * Being detained by Mark Zuckerberg's private security force. * Living near Mark Zuckerberg's house so you can do whatever your fixation with Mark Zuckerberg is. * Aggressive Barter Guy trying to barter a Porsche for a cup of coffee. * The $6 Porsche. * Tholen or Tholen. * A prog album constructed from Klik n Play samples. * When someone who does I've things decides to do something else. * The Mountain Goats novelizations. * Leonard Cohen's terrible poetry. * Thinking a song is deeply meaningful until you read the lyrics. * New Active Object. * Lunch Music. * Doing a thing for a long time and getting good at it. * Who has time to read a novel? * Having Game Boys Advance but still reading books sometimes. * Telling your teacher that you need to go to your job at NASA and they're like "oh you must be doing something important over there" * Working in the waterslide industry. * The Joy of Being the Secrets Guy. * Reading too much into it is the next Frog Fractions game. * Admitting to your wife that you found a digital piano on the curb. * The digital piano in the background of the Frog Fractions 2 pitch video. * Walking by a theremin at a party and it chirps at you like a proximity car alarm. * The Moog Etherwave. * Staring at your broken Omnichord. * A toddler whose first word is "mandolin." * Living Out Yonder. * The Roland Space Echo. * A cassette tape except there isn't any cassette, the tape is just kind of wriggling around in there. * Buying synthesizers from thrift shops that don't know how to tell whether synthesizers are broken. * The Two Organs Behind Me. * Ukelins. * Zither-esques. * Dulcimers vs. hammered dulcimers. * Looping your song and picking the notes that kind of sound like they belong. * A Xylophone For Jandek. * Feeling like you're taking to extremely accomplished people and you're just a weird little guy. * Who Is Sauna Guy?? * Stuck debating sauna guy while the venerated author with similar interests to yours is holding court in the next room. * Physics Philosophy guy talking about physics and philosophy. * An hour into the conversation, telling Sauna Guy that you don't even like being warm and he just stares at you. * The new way to joke about forum URLs. * Back when the Internet was full of exciting possibilities. * What topics turn you into Sauna Guy. * David Byrne sitting alone at the David Byrne art exhibit in Palo Alto. * We're All Sauna Guy Now. * Voting each other off the podcast. * Lightning round sudden death topics. * When the sunscreen finally makes it onto your cornea. * Not having a home page again but meaning to someday.
Americana, Roots, Country, Folk and Acoustic music.New and Classic tracks. Episode includes Leonard Cohen, Mindy Smith, Fleetwood Mac and Charlie Daniels.A Theme Time Special on NAMES.
The world does not seem to be doing particularly well at the moment. Much needs to change. Most conversations focus on what should change and how. This episode asks a different, and more refreshing, question:
Constantine Cavafy, the Greek poet whose work not only charted a new path for Greek poetry, but also inspired countless readers around the world - including figures like David Hockney, Leonard Cohen, and Jackie Kennedy Onassis - is back in the spotlight thanks to the publication of his first biography in roughly 50 years. Professors Gregory Jusdanis and Peter Jeffreys, the authors of the book, join Thanos Davelis as we take a deeper dive into the life and work of Constantine Cavafy.For those who are interested, the book is available for purchase in the US and the UK, and is expected in early October in Greece as well.You can read the articles we discuss on our podcast here:Constantine Cavafy: A New BiographyAlexandrian Sphinx: The Hidden Life of Constantine Cavafy‘Constantine Cavafy' Review: A Poet's Odyssey WithinThe mysterious life of Constantine CavafyAnkara bristles at Athens' energy movesGreece suspends 5% of schools as birth rate drops
Album Nerds – Episode 305: Bands Across America – CanadaFeatured Albums:Leonard Cohen – Songs of Leonard Cohen (1967)Bryan Adams – Reckless (1984)Episode HighlightsThe summer road trip heads north to Canada! We celebrate Canadian music with two landmark albums: Leonard Cohen's introspective folk debut and Bryan Adams' chart-topping rock anthem machine. Tune in for in-depth discussion, standout tracks, production tales, and how each record weaves into the tapestry of Canadian culture.Leonard Cohen – Songs of Leonard CohenCohen's 1967 debut is a masterclass in poetic songwriting and sparse, haunting folk. His background as a Montreal-born novelist shapes every lyric, blending themes of love, spirituality, and alienation.Bryan Adams – RecklessReleased in 1984, Adams's biggest record was a cornerstone of ‘80s FM rock, packed with energy, hooks, and radio-ready polish.What We're Diggin'Bask – The Turning (2025): Heavy Americana blending psychedelic, stoner, and Appalachian influences, telling cosmic and country-tinged stories.Mastodon – Blood Mountain (2006): Progressive sludge-metal concept album full of wild, intricate songcraft.Panic Priest – Once Wild (2025): Chicago darkwave with atmospheric synths, baritone vocals, and a dance-driven edge.Don Beck – Dark to Light (2025): Colorado indie songwriter delivers faith-rooted, gospel-tinged tracks recorded at home.Shout-Out: Check out music pods like Can I Pod With Madness? for more 80s/90s metal deep-dives.Share your favorite Canadian album or musical memory on our socials @albumnerds or email podcast@albumnerds.com. Full episode archives at albumnerds.com. Please subscribe, rate, and review to support the show.
Andrés Amorós continua el ciclo con Leonard Cohen, cantautor, poeta y novelista canadiense.
Today, we're sharing an excerpt from Thomas' conversation with acclaimed travel writer, author, and speaker Pico Iyer at the upcoming Collective Trauma Summit. Pico's extensive travels and journeys into the realms of Buddhism and meditation have deeply inspired and informed his creative process. They also brought him into close contact with another artist and meditation practitioner, the legendary musician Leonard Cohen. In this snippet from his Summit talk, Pico shares his experience witnessing Cohen's dedicated Zen practice and how Cohen later brought this sacred, surrendered quality from his meditation practice into his concert performances, transforming them into communal, sacred experiences. Within this experience, there are profound lessons about accepting impermanence and surrendering to something beyond your individual self.If you're moved by this conversation and want to hear the full talk, sign up at the link below, and we'll notify you as soon as details are announced for the 2025 Collective Trauma Summit, taking place online this fall.https://pointofrelationpodcast.com/#email-signup ✨ Click here to watch the video version of this episode on YouTube:
Today on part one the Rarified Heir Podcast, we speak to Sharyn Felder, daughter of one of the greatest songwriters of the 20th century, Doc Pomus. While you may not know the name Doc Pomus, you absolutely know his songs. Everyone from Elvis Presley, Dolly Parton, Bruce Springsteen, Ray Charles, Leonard Cohen, Dr. John, B.B. King have all recorded Doc Pomus songs…the list goes on and on. And we'll get to those songs he wrote shortly. On the day we spoke to Sharyn, it was release day of a new box set of her father's music, You Can't Hip a Square: The Doc Pomus Songwriting Demos on Omnivore Recordings, a six-CD set of lost, archival tracks that are a fascinating look into Doc's music and his voice. We also get to hear the back story of how the music survived, the family archive as well as some famous people who also sang on the demos as well as the famous names whose sides didn't survive. Along the way we discuss more famous and infamous characters who were part of Doc's inner circle and those who sought out his help when the ships were down. And let us tell you, it's one hell of a list. Like who? Robbie Robertson and Levon Helm when they were in Ronnie Hawkins band, Bob Dylan at a creative low point , Dr. John when he was struggling to quit heroin, Phil Spector, Bobby Darin, Otis Blackwell and many more. Somehow we concluded part one with a tale about the Runyon-esque existence her father lived to the fullest and the literal death of a clown. It's funny/not funny. Take a listen to this episode of the Rarified Heir Podcast.
A tub-thumping, snare-cracking, cymbal-simmering, two-way backbeat to this week's rock and roll news, the on-beats including … … “Trauma-bonding?” Why being ‘a fan' is like a love affair … Ian Brown, Morrissey, Siouxsie, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison … why singers who don't play an instrument are a different species … the stadium-rock drummer transfer window … Sigourney Weaver at Shea Stadium in '65 … singers who don't sound like their personalities … what can a singer-songwriter write about if they get famous at 18? … the unreleased Beatles Holy Grail? … can you be a fan of someone younger than you are?Find out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear … how do you know a drummer's knocking on your door? … plus Leonard Cohen, Phil Oakey and are you ever too old to be wearing a Libertines military tunic? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A tub-thumping, snare-cracking, cymbal-simmering, two-way backbeat to this week's rock and roll news, the on-beats including … … “Trauma-bonding?” Why being ‘a fan' is like a love affair … Ian Brown, Morrissey, Siouxsie, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison … why singers who don't play an instrument are a different species … the stadium-rock drummer transfer window … Sigourney Weaver at Shea Stadium in '65 … singers who don't sound like their personalities … what can a singer-songwriter write about if they get famous at 18? … the unreleased Beatles Holy Grail? … can you be a fan of someone younger than you are?Find out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear … how do you know a drummer's knocking on your door? … plus Leonard Cohen, Phil Oakey and are you ever too old to be wearing a Libertines military tunic? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
A tub-thumping, snare-cracking, cymbal-simmering, two-way backbeat to this week's rock and roll news, the on-beats including … … “Trauma-bonding?” Why being ‘a fan' is like a love affair … Ian Brown, Morrissey, Siouxsie, Janis Joplin, Jim Morrison … why singers who don't play an instrument are a different species … the stadium-rock drummer transfer window … Sigourney Weaver at Shea Stadium in '65 … singers who don't sound like their personalities … what can a singer-songwriter write about if they get famous at 18? … the unreleased Beatles Holy Grail? … can you be a fan of someone younger than you are?Find out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear … how do you know a drummer's knocking on your door? … plus Leonard Cohen, Phil Oakey and are you ever too old to be wearing a Libertines military tunic? Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
On the Saturday August 23 edition of The Richard Crouse Show we meet New York Times bestselling author Joy Fielding. With a career spanning over four decades, she has eraned readers with her ability to weave intricate plots, complex characters, and emotional depth. Known for bestsellers like “See Jane Run,” “Don't Cry Now,” and “Someone Is Watching,” Fielding explores themes of relationships, betrayal, and human resilience. Today we’ll talk about her latest novel, the psychological thriller “Jenny Cooper Has a Secret.” The book follows a 76-year-old widow named Linda who visits Legacy Place, a memory care facility where she meets 92-year-old Jenny Cooper, a dementia patient who shocks Linda with a confession: “I kill people.” Initially dismissing it as delusion, Linda grows intrigued as Jenny lucidly recounts tales of her victims—mostly men who wronged her. When a resident dies under seemingly natural circumstances, Linda begins to question whether Jenny’s claims might hold truth. Then, we’ll hang out with singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith. Often called a “songwriter’s songwriter,” his fans include Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, Leonard Cohen and many, many others. He’s release 17 albums to date, and collaborated with producers like Daniel Lanois, Mitchell Froom and Bob Rock. His songwriting appears on albums from Rod Stewart, Michael Bublé, k.d. lang, Emmylou Harris and Feist. Today we talk about his latest album, “Hangover Terrace,” The album was sparked during Ron’s extended stay in the UK in late 2024, following his Sexsmith at Sixty tour. Inspired by time spent recording at London’s Eastcote Studios, Ron says the album was inspired by “the hangover I feel from the last few years of pandemic and life knocking us around.”
On the Saturday August 23 edition of The Richard Crouse Show we meet New York Times bestselling author Joy Fielding. With a career spanning over four decades, she has eraned readers with her ability to weave intricate plots, complex characters, and emotional depth. Known for bestsellers like “See Jane Run,” “Don't Cry Now,” and “Someone Is Watching,” Fielding explores themes of relationships, betrayal, and human resilience. Today we'll talk about her latest novel, the psychological thriller “Jenny Cooper Has a Secret.” The book follows a 76-year-old widow named Linda who visits Legacy Place, a memory care facility where she meets 92-year-old Jenny Cooper, a dementia patient who shocks Linda with a confession: “I kill people.” Initially dismissing it as delusion, Linda grows intrigued as Jenny lucidly recounts tales of her victims—mostly men who wronged her. When a resident dies under seemingly natural circumstances, Linda begins to question whether Jenny's claims might hold truth. Then, we'll hang out with singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith. Often called a “songwriter's songwriter,” his fans include Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, Leonard Cohen and many, many others. He's release 17 albums to date, and collaborated with producers like Daniel Lanois, Mitchell Froom and Bob Rock. His songwriting appears on albums from Rod Stewart, Michael Bublé, k.d. lang, Emmylou Harris and Feist. Today we talk about his latest album, “Hangover Terrace,” The album was sparked during Ron's extended stay in the UK in late 2024, following his Sexsmith at Sixty tour. Inspired by time spent recording at London's Eastcote Studios, Ron says the album was inspired by “the hangover I feel from the last few years of pandemic and life knocking us around.”
Andrés Amorós comienza ciclo con Leonard Cohen, cantautor, poeta y novelista de origen canadiense.
Om ön Hydras lockelse för fashionfolk, om Lena Endres USA-bojkott, om Stubbs superman-aura, om Christian Bales välgörenhet och om hur gammal satir blir verklighet.
So many bat facts. Much wow. The movie, not so much.Host segments: we stopped using those things for a reason; so much midcentury; committing to the bit; a life sketch; the Leonard Cohen of the apocalypse; Jeff's punishment hutch; Joe tests the statute of limitations on cheating confessions; the Sol-Mates have feelings about math classes; host segment world-building; some are not compelled by Pipe Dreams; Devori changes Jeff's world; just Manos it.
This week on Eavesdroppin', Geordie & Michelle discuss muses...Despite having an anti-feminist spasm about the whole concept of muses, this week Michelle dives in to look at the life of Marianne Ihlen, a Norwegian woman who was the muse to three different men! When Marianne met a guy called Axel Jensen, it set her on a path to Hydra, which led her to meeting Leonard Cohen and having an almost decade-long relationship with him. The inspiration for many songs, Marianne and Leonard's story runs the gamut of emotions, culminating in an email that set the internet on fire...Geordie follows with a little history lesson on Greek muses before looking at the life of the coolest girl in the world, Chloe Sevigny. Authentic and independent, Geordie digs into what makes her a modern-day muse. She then looks at the tragic life of Edie Sedgwick, before ending with the life of art muse, Kiki de Parnasse - the woman behind the surrealist photographer Man Ray. So pop on your headphones, grab a brown lemonade and join Geordie & Michelle for this week's episode, plus chat about people pleasers, fleeces and more, only on Eavesdroppin' podcast. And remember, wherever you are, whatever you do, just keep Eavesdroppin'!*Disclaimer: We don't claim to have any factual info about anything ever and our opinions are just opinions not fact, sooorrrryyy! Don't sue us!Please rate, review, tell your friends and subscribe in all the usual places – we love it when you do!Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/eavesdroppinDo write in with your stories at hello@eavesdroppinpodcast.com or send us a Voice Note!Listen: http://www.eavesdroppinpodcast.comorhttps://podfollow.com/eavesdroppinYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqcuzv-EXizUo4emmt9PgfwFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/eavesdroppinpodcast#muses #marianneihlen #leonardcohen #Chloesevigny #ediesedgwick #andywarhol #kikideparnasse #reallife #truestories #eavesdroppin #eavesdroppinpodcast #eavesdroppincomedypodcast #podcast #comedy Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
email: rockpoprollpodcast@gmail.com website: www.rockpopandroll.com (Some of) My Favorite Covers: From the earliest days of rock and roll, cover songs have been a vital part of the music's forward movement, drawing on its past. Long before we knew about digital discovery, one of the fastest ways for new artists to connect with audiences was to reimagine an existing hit and put it on an album or 45—infusing it with their own style, energy, and attitude. A Chuck Berry riff might get filtered through the Beatles' harmonies, or an old blues song could get a new spin in the hands of the Rolling Stones. Musicians have always looked back to reinterpret the songs that shaped them, essentially creating a conversation across decades of music. Great rock and roll covers often redefine the song. Jimi Hendrix's “All Along the Watchtower” transformed Bob Dylan's stark folk ballad into a guitar-rock, psychedelic stomper. Aretha Franklin took Otis Redding's “Respect” and made it a soul-rock anthem of empowerment. Nirvana's raw take on David Bowie's "The Man Who Sold the World" introduced the track to an entirely new audience. In each case, the cover didn't just honor the original—it expanded its reach. The best covers don't just repeat the past—they rewrite it, proving that a great song can live many lives. 10 Iconic Rock and Roll Covers and How They Transformed the Original Jimi Hendrix – All Along the Watchtower (1968) Originally by Bob Dylan, Hendrix electrified the song with guitars and redefined it as a rock classic. Dylan himself later performed it in Hendrix's style. The Beatles – Twist and Shout (1963) Originally recorded by The Top Notes and popularized by The Isley Brothers, the Beatles turned it into their own via John Lennon's famously shredded vocal take. Aretha Franklin – Respect (1967) Originally by Otis Redding, Aretha flipped the perspective, injecting it with feminist firepower, gospel-inspired vocals, and made it an anthem for empowerment and equality. The Rolling Stones – Little Red Rooster (1964) Originally by Willie Dixon (recorded by Howlin' Wolf), the Stones slowed it down, leaning into the deep Chicago blues feel, introducing American blues to a younger audience. Nirvana – The Man Who Sold the World (1993) Originally by David Bowie, Nirvana's MTV Unplugged version stripped it to a haunting acoustic vibe that resonated with '90s alternative fans - and (re)introduced Bowie to them, Joe Cocker – With a Little Help from My Friends (1968) Originally by The Beatles, Cocker turned the Sgt. Pepper and Ringo song into a soulful, slow-burning rocker. Killer organ and gospel vocals. Janis Joplin – Piece of My Heart (1968) Originally by Erma Franklin, Joplin's version with Big Brother and the Holding Company was a raw and bluesy. The Clash – I Fought the Law (1979) Written in 1958 and first released in 1960 by The Crickets (after Buddy Holly left) and popularized by The Bobby Fuller Four, The Clash injected punk. It was their first single in the United States. Creedence Clearwater Revival – I Heard It Through the Grapevine (1970) Originally by Gladys Knight & The Pips and made famous by Marvin Gaye, CCR turned the Motown hit into an 11-minute swamp-rock jam. Jeff Buckley – Hallelujah (1994) Originally by Leonard Cohen, Buckley's haunting performance influenced artists in the decades that followed. Further Listening: 4 Lesser-Known but Brilliant Beatles Covers The Black Keys – She Said, She Said (2002) A gritty, stripped-down garage-rock take on The Beatles' psychedelic classic from Revolver. Siouxsie and the Banshees – Dear Prudence (1983) The Beatles' ballad morphs in goth-tinged new wave.. Gov't Mule – She Said, She Said / Tomorrow Never Knows (1998) A jam-band fusion of two Beatles tracks Fiona Apple – Across the Universe (1998) Slowed to a languid pace, Apple leans into the cosmic melancholy
We were in actual tears by the end of this episode. Kel takes us back to 1960 on the remote island of Hydra, where singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen first met and fell in love with Marianne Ihlen, a young mother from Norway. Although their paths didn't stay aligned forever, Leonard and Marianne never quite forgot each other– even in their very last days. Whether you're unfamiliar with Leonard's music (although everyone knows ‘Hallelujah') or a die-hard Cohen fan, there's a lot to learn from Leonard and Marianne's relationship. But first, Kel makes Mel and Kaitlyn correctly differentiate Leonard Cohen, Dustin Hoffman, and Al Pacino in a lineup. Later, she has a random rant about the Boygenius song “Leonard Cohen.” And we end it with a good cry… “It's time to laugh and cry, and cry and laugh about it all again.” Mentioned in Episode: Leonard Cohen, Dustin Hoffman, or Al Pacino? ***** This is a teaser for a bonus episode— the full episode is 2 hr 59 minutes long! You can listen to it in full on Patreon. About Significant LoversSignificant Lovers is a true-love podcast exploring couples throughout history and pop culture, hosted by cousins Kelly, Melissa, and Kaitlyn. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok @significantlovers, listen on YouTube, and contact us at significantlovers@gmail.com.Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976, allowance is made for ‘fair use' for purposes such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research. Fair use is permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
In a culture obsessed with comfort and stability, the idea of necessary breakdown feels almost revolutionary. Yet this ancient wisdom appears across traditions—from Leonard Cohen's "There's a crack in everything, that's how the light gets in" to Rumi's understanding that "the wound is the place where the light enters you." This week's conversation explores why our modern fear of breakdown might be preventing our greatest growth. Unlike previous generations who embraced adventure and uncertainty, we've traded our willingness to put "chips on the table" for the illusion of safety. But what if this very attachment to preserving our current forms—whether mental, emotional, or physical—is actually imprisoning the spirit within us? The discussion reveals how breakdown isn't destruction for its own sake, but rather the natural process that allows new life to emerge. Just as a seed must crack open to become a flower, and a caterpillar must dissolve into "goo" to become a butterfly, we too must be willing to let our outdated identities dissolve when they no longer serve our deeper purpose. Perhaps most importantly, this episode addresses the fear that letting go means losing our core principles or truth. The profound insight emerges: when we release what is false about ourselves, what remains is always the truth—solid, uncompromised, and eternal. The question becomes not whether we can afford to break down, but whether we can afford not to. Meditation Mount and HeartLight Productions are pleased to present Musings from the Mount – a weekly podcast with host Joseph Carenza and guests in conversation exploring a range of topics drawn from the Ageless Wisdom teachings. New episodes every Monday. If you enjoy this podcast, please consider donating at MeditationMount.org
Ever feel the pressure to peak in your 20s or 30s? In this solo, Lindsey gives us all permission to slow down and trust the timing of our lives. There is an ever-increasing expectation that success should be achieved in our youth, and Lindsey explains exactly why this is a faulty perception. Ahead, Lindsey challenges myths surrounding who we should be “by now,” sharing her evolution as a mother, a creative, and a spiritual woman. She invites you into her process of letting go, embracing the unknown, and savoring the ‘in-betweens' instead of anxiously chasing what's next. Lindsey also explores the power of divine timing, the misconception that youth is your creative peak, and the gifts of emotional growth. If you've ever wondered if you're “too late” or missing your purpose, this episode is a loving nudge to honor your soul's unique pace—it's for a reason! We also talk about: -Why your dreams + manifestations aren't reserved for your 20s + 30s -Releasing the anxiety of having to “figure it all out” ASAP -Embracing motherhood as a portal for creative expansion -How meditation + mindfulness anchor you during times of change -The myth of the “peak decade” + why your best years are always ahead -The power of process—and why rushing divine timing robs you of joy -Lessons from icons like Oprah, Leonard Cohen, and Toni Morrison -The link between aging, wisdom, and emotional regulation -How to find fulfillment by being present with what you've already created Resources: -Instagram: @lindseysimcik -YouTube: @NewMomOTB (Returns soon - stay tuned!) Sponsors: -Get our book, Almost 30: A Definitive Guide To A Life You Love For The Next Decade and Beyond, here: http://bit.ly/Almost30Book. LMNT | Go to DrinkLMNT.com/ALMOST30 and get a free sample pack with any order. That's 8 single serving packets FREE with any LMNT order. Just Thrive | Visit https://justthrivehealth.com/discount/almost30 and save 20% on your first 90 day bottle of Just Thrive probiotic with promo code: ALMOST30. Chime | Open your account in 2 minutes at chime.com/almost30. IQ Bar | Get 20% off all IQBAR products, plus get FREE shipping. Just text ALMOST to 64000 to get your discount. Ka'Chava | Go to https://kachava.com and use code ALMOST30 for 15% off your next order. Quince | Go to Quince.com/ALMOST30 for free shipping on your order and 365-day returns. Learn More: To advertise on this podcast please email: partnerships@almost30.com. -https://almost30.com/about -almost30.com/morningmicrodose -https://almost30.com/book Join our community: -facebook.com/Almost30podcast/groups -instagram.com/almost30podcast -tiktok.com/@almost30podcast -youtube.com/Almost30Podcast Podcast disclaimer can be found by visiting: almost30.com/disclaimer. Find more to love at almost30.com! Almost 30 is edited by Garett Symes and Isabella Vaccaro. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Bret McKenzie now mainly works on movie soundtracks, the Simpsons, Minecraft and the Muppets among them, which brings the pure delight of hearing his songs sung by Lady Gaga, Benedict Cumberbatch, Miss Piggy and Tony Bennett. He talks here about his early life in Wellington (ballet teacher Mum, racehorse trainer Dad), narrative comedy, songwriting heroes and his new album Freak Out City, and unravels New Zealand's double-edged sense of humour. Along with … … how Randy Newman pitches songs for soundtracks … “the test of a good song works is if it works with just one instrument” … lyrics he loved growing up like 16 Tons by Tennessee Ernie Ford – ‘Some people say a man is made out of mud/ A poor man's made out of muscle and blood' … Morrissey's wounded reaction to his sausage-firing Quilloughby on the Simpsons ‘Panic On The Streets Of Springfield' ... solving the “fun puzzles” of a song brief and writing for “donkeys who have a dream” … the ingenious humour of John Prine, Harry Nilsson and Leonard Cohen … the moment in his live shows where he asks the audience for a story and creates a song around it – “one woman suggested ‘falling out of love' with her husband standing right beside her” ... playing the local girls schools aged 15 as the drummer in a James Brown funk band … reworking rejected songs – “which was hard with one from Paddington with its multiple rhymes for marmalade and Peru” … Flight Of The Conchords lampooning the acts they loved (Bowie, Pet Shop Boys) and playing the O2 – “pretending to be a stadium band and the audience pretending to be a stadium audience” … live on-stage application of the John Lennon “pomegranate” lyric-solving technique … “Play like a used car salesman! I need a Steely Dan solo here!” Recording with LA session legends like Leland Sklar. Order Bret's ‘Freak Out City' album here: https://music.subpop.com/bretmckenzie_freakoutcityFind out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Tour dates and tickets …https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/bret-mckenzie-tickets/artist/5380913 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Bret McKenzie now mainly works on movie soundtracks, the Simpsons, Minecraft and the Muppets among them, which brings the pure delight of hearing his songs sung by Lady Gaga, Benedict Cumberbatch, Miss Piggy and Tony Bennett. He talks here about his early life in Wellington (ballet teacher Mum, racehorse trainer Dad), narrative comedy, songwriting heroes and his new album Freak Out City, and unravels New Zealand's double-edged sense of humour. Along with … … how Randy Newman pitches songs for soundtracks … “the test of a good song works is if it works with just one instrument” … lyrics he loved growing up like 16 Tons by Tennessee Ernie Ford – ‘Some people say a man is made out of mud/ A poor man's made out of muscle and blood' … Morrissey's wounded reaction to his sausage-firing Quilloughby on the Simpsons ‘Panic On The Streets Of Springfield' ... solving the “fun puzzles” of a song brief and writing for “donkeys who have a dream” … the ingenious humour of John Prine, Harry Nilsson and Leonard Cohen … the moment in his live shows where he asks the audience for a story and creates a song around it – “one woman suggested ‘falling out of love' with her husband standing right beside her” ... playing the local girls schools aged 15 as the drummer in a James Brown funk band … reworking rejected songs – “which was hard with one from Paddington with its multiple rhymes for marmalade and Peru” … Flight Of The Conchords lampooning the acts they loved (Bowie, Pet Shop Boys) and playing the O2 – “pretending to be a stadium band and the audience pretending to be a stadium audience” … live on-stage application of the John Lennon “pomegranate” lyric-solving technique … “Play like a used car salesman! I need a Steely Dan solo here!” Recording with LA session legends like Leland Sklar. Order Bret's ‘Freak Out City' album here: https://music.subpop.com/bretmckenzie_freakoutcityFind out more about how to help us to keep the conversation going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Tour dates and tickets …https://www.ticketmaster.co.uk/bret-mckenzie-tickets/artist/5380913 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Acclaimed director Amy Berg (“West of Memphis,” “Janis: Little Girl Blue”) set her sights on making a documentary about the beloved singer/songwriter Jeff Buckley some 15 years ago. Now, with her finely crafted new documentary, “It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley,” Amy delivers a fresh take on Buckley's remarkable music and a thoughtful look at his life and loves. Amy joins Ken on “Top Docs” to discuss Jeff Buckley's meteoric rise as a dynamic musical force in the ‘90s, whose sensitive and introspective lyrics ran counter to the grunge and metal scenes ascendant at the time. Jeff's influences, from Nina Simone to Led Zeppelin and Soundgarden, were surprisingly diverse. His voice — a powerful and haunting instrument in its own right — was unmatched. One listen of his soul-piercing version of Leonard Cohen's “Hallelujah” is all the proof you need of that. At the heart of the film is Jeff's complicated relationship with his dear mother, Mary, who granted Amy access to an incredible array of personal archival material, and with two of his girlfriends, who, collectively, provide insight into this complex young man. He took the music world by storm but had to battle his own demons… and left us all too soon. “It's Never Over, Jeff Buckley” is in release by Magnolia Films and opens in theaters nationwide on August 8th. Follow: @amy_berg on Instagram @topdocspod on Instagram and X “Top Docs” is now on YouTube! Hidden Gem: “The Cruise” The Presenting Sponsor of "Top Docs" is Netflix.
All-Ireland football hopes from Kenmare to Killybegs, Leonard Cohen's magical Lissadell concert, and more, with John Toal, Regina Devenney, John S Doyle, Tony Griffin, Noel King, Denise Blake and John Cooney
Episode Summary: In this deeply honest episode of The Advancing Women Podcast, we explore what it means to stop hiding the cracks—and start honoring them. Inspired by Leonard Cohen's iconic lyric, “There is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in” from his song Anthem (1992), we dig into the cultural and professional pressures that push us all, especially women , toward perfectionism as a form of self-protection. Through the lens of the Japanese art of Kintsugi—the practice of repairing pottery with gold lacquer, which highlights rather than hides breakage—and the concept of “Prove-It-Again” bias coined by sociologist Joan Williams in her book What Works for Women at Work(2014), this episode invites listeners to see their so-called imperfections not as flaws, but as places of power, healing, and light. Host Dr. Kimberly doesn't just speak about vulnerability—she practices it, sharing her own season of struggle and the truth that letting the light in starts with acknowledging - maybe even honoring - the cracks. In this episode, we unpack: The cultural myth of perfectionism—and who it really serves How gender bias reinforces the need to over-perform and under-rest What Kintsugi and Leonard Cohen's Anthem can teach us about resilience Joan Williams' research on the “Prove-It-Again” bias and how it impacts women at work References Williams, Joan C. and Rachel Dempsey. What Works for Women at Work: Four Patterns Working Women Need to Know. New York: New York University Press, 2014. (Chapter on “Prove-It-Again” bias) Cohen, Leonard. “Anthem.” The Future [Album], Columbia Records, 1992. https://youtu.be/1jzl0NlTmzY?si=S1wUBVh_7sXq_Wj3 Kintsugi: The Japanese Art of Precious Scars. [For readers, a good primer is by Bonnie Kemske, Kintsugi Wellness: The Japanese Art of Nourishing Mind, Body, and Spirit (2020)] Advancing Women Podcast (Spotify, iTunes) The Progress Principle https://open.spotify.com/episode/73WsiPl2cisLSd5XjZlco5?si=wfiNpNMPQpeWR9Cbl0tcAQ The Therapeutic Art of Kintsugi: Applying Japanese Pottery Repair Techniques to Personal Healing. Posted in: Mind/Body Medicine, Self-actualization, Spirituality (Guest post by Prudence Sinclair.) https://berniesiegelmd.com/the-therapeutic-art-of-kintsugi-applying-japanese-pottery-repair-techniques-to-personal-healing/ Let's Connect @AdvancingWomenPodcast Subscribe, rate, and share the podcast! Follow on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/advancingwomenpodcast/ Facebook https://www.facebook.com/advancingwomenpodcast/ More on Dr. DeSimone here! https://www.linkedin.com/in/kimberly-desimone-phd-mba-ba00b88/
How do you become religious? What is a conversion experience? Does it happen all at once or gradually? What's the point of religion, anyway? These are questions that JF (a Catholic) and Phil (a Zennist) have often been asked since starting Weird Studies, and in this episode they attempt some answers. Image: "Small Candle Flame" by Le Priyavrat, via Wikimedia Commons Sign up to attend Shannon Taggart's Lily Dale symposium, July 24-26 REFERENCES Ross Douthat, Believe Dogen, Shobogenzo New Atheism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Atheism Weird Studies, Episode 99 on “Wild, Wild Country” William James, Varieties of Religious Experience George Steiner, Real Presences Patrick Curry, Art and Enchantment Max Picard, The Flight from God Charles Taylor, A Secular Age James Carse, Finite and Infinite Games Richard Wagner, Ring Cycle Gilles Deleuze, The Logic of Sense Weird Studies, Episode 183 on “Siddhartha” Charles Sanders Peirce, American philosopher Leonard Cohen, “Hallelujah” Our Known Friend, Meditations on the Tarot Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Listen to an interview with the vocalist and lute player Joel Frederiksen. He'll be performing in Indiana with the Ensemble Phoenix Munich on July 11th and 13th as part of the Indianapolis Early Music Festival. Joel Frederiksen is internationally recognized for his interpretations of early music. For over 30 years, Frederiksen has dedicated his career to reviving and reimagining this repertoire. He has collaborated with many of the world's great early music artists, including Dame Emma Kirkby and Jordi Savall. Frederiksen has toured extensively throughout Europe, and North America. He's also the founder and artistic director of Ensemble Phoenix Munich, a group acclaimed for its historically informed interpretations of early music But Frederiksen isn't a strict traditionalist. In 2012, he gained notoriety for his album “Requiem for a Pink Moon: An Elizabethan Tribute to Nick Drake,” a project that blended the music of the British singer-songwriter Nick Drake, with the music from the English Renaissance. During his upcoming visit to Indianapolis, Frederiksen will perform music from his 2023 album “A Day with Suzanne, A Tribute to Leonard Cohen,” which features songs from the Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen fused with music of the French Renaissance.
How has the media distorted Israel's response to the October 7 Hamas attacks? In this powerful conversation from AJC Global Forum 2025, award-winning journalist and former AP correspondent Matti Friedman breaks down the media bias, misinformation, and double standards shaping global coverage of Israel. Moderated by AJC Chief Communications and Strategy Officer Belle Etra Yoeli, this episode explores how skewed narratives have taken hold in the media, in a climate of activist journalism. A must-listen for anyone concerned with truth in journalism, Israel advocacy, and combating disinformation in today's media landscape. Take Action: Take 15 seconds and urge your elected leaders to send a clear, united message: We stand with Israel. Take action now. Resources: Global Forum 2025 session with Matti Friedman:: Watch the full video. Listen – AJC Podcasts: The Forgotten Exodus: Untold stories of Jews who left or were driven from Arab nations and Iran People of the Pod: Latest Episodes: John Spencer's Key Takeaways After the 12-Day War: Air Supremacy, Intelligence, and Deterrence Iran's Secret Nuclear Program and What Comes Next in the Iranian Regime vs. Israel War Why Israel Had No Choice: Inside the Defensive Strike That Shook Iran's Nuclear Program Follow People of the Pod on your favorite podcast app, and learn more at AJC.org/PeopleofthePod You can reach us at: peopleofthepod@ajc.org If you've appreciated this episode, please be sure to tell your friends, and rate and review us on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Transcript of the Interview: Manya Brachear Pashman: I've had the privilege of interviewing journalism colleague Matti Friedman: twice on this podcast. In 2022, Matti took listeners behind the scenes of Jerusalem's AP bureau where he had worked between 2006 and 2011 and shared some insight on what happens when news outlets try to oversimplify the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Then in 2023, I got to sit down with Matti in Jerusalem to talk about his latest book on Leonard Cohen and how the 1973 Yom Kippur War was a turning point both for the singer and for Israel. Earlier this year, Matti came to New York for AJC Global Forum 2025, and sat down with Belle Yoeli, AJC Chief Strategy and Communications Officer. They rehashed some of what we discussed before, but against an entirely different backdrop: post-October 7. For this week's episode, we bring you a portion of that conversation. Belle Yoeli: Hi, everyone. Great to see all of you. Thank you so much for being here. Matti, thank you for being here. Matti Friedman: Thanks for having me. Belle Yoeli: As you can tell by zero empty seats in this room, you have a lot of fans, and unless you want to open with anything, I'm going to jump right in. Okay, great. So for those of you who don't know, in September 2024 Matti wrote a piece in The Free Press that is a really great foundation for today's discussion. In When We Started to Lie, Matti, you reflect on two pieces that you had written in 2015 about issues of media coverage of Israel during Operation Protective Edge in 2014. And this piece basically talked about the conclusions you drew and how they've evolved since October 7. We're gonna get to those conclusions, but first, I'm hoping you can describe for everyone what were the issues of media coverage of Israel that you first identified based on the experience in 2014? Matti Friedman: First of all, thanks so much for having me here, and thanks for all of the amazing work that you guys are doing. So it's a real honor for me. I was a reporter for the AP, between 2006 and the very end of 2011, in Jerusalem. I was a reporter and editor. The AP, of course, as you know, is the American news agency. It's the world's largest news organization, according to the AP, according to Reuters, it's Reuters. One of them is probably right, but it's a big deal in the news world. And I had an inside view inside one of the biggest AP bureaus. In fact, the AP's biggest International Bureau, which was in Jerusalem. So I can try to sketch the problems that I saw as a reporter there. It would take me seven or eight hours, and apparently we only have four or five hours for this lunch, so I have to keep it short. But I would say there are two main problems. We often get very involved. When we talk about problems with coverage of Israel. We get involved with very micro issues like, you call it a settlement. I call it a neighborhood. Rockets, you know, the Nakba, issues of terminology. But in fact, there are two major problems that are much bigger, and because they're bigger, they're often harder to see. One of the things that I noticed at the Bureau was the scale of coverage of Israel. So at the time that I was at the AP, again, between 2006 and the very end of 2011 we had about 40 full time staffers covering Israel. That's print reporters like me, stills photographers, TV crews. Israel, as most of you probably know, is a very small country. As a percentage of the world's surface, Israel is 1/100 of 1% of the surface of the world, and as a percentage of the land mass of the Arab world, Israel is 1/5 of 1%. 0.2%. And we had 40 people covering it. And just as a point of comparison, that was dramatically more people than we had at the time covering China. There are about 10 million people today in Israel proper, in China, there are 1.3 billion. We had more people in Israel than we had in China. We had more people in Israel than we had in India, which is another country of about 1.3 billion people. We had more people in Israel than we had in all of the countries of Sub-Saharan Africa. That's 50 something countries. So we had more people in Israel than we had in all of those countries combined. And sometimes I say that to Jews, I say we covered Israel more than we covered China, and people just stare at me blankly, because it's Israel. So of course, that makes perfect sense. I happen to think Israel is the most important country in the world because I live there. But if the news is meant to be a rational analysis of events on planet Earth, you cannot cover Israel more than you cover the continent of Africa. It just doesn't make any sense. So one of the things that first jumped out at me– actually, that's making me sound smarter than I am. It didn't jump out at me at first. It took a couple of years. And I just started realizing that it was very strange that the world's largest organization had its largest international bureau in the State of Israel, which is a very small country, very small conflict in numeric terms. And yet there was this intense global focus on it that made people think that it was the most important story in the world. And it definitely occupies a place in the American political imagination that is not comparable to any other international conflict. So that's one part of the problem. That was the scope, the other part was the context. And it took me a while to figure this out, but the coverage of Israel is framed as an Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The conflict is defined in those terms, the Israeli Palestinian conflict, and everyone in this room has heard it discussed in those terms. Sometimes we discuss it in those terms, and that is because the news folks have framed the conflict in those terms. So at the AP bureau in Jerusalem, every single day, we had to write a story that was called, in the jargon of the Bureau, Is-Pals, Israelis, Palestinians. And it was the daily wrap of the Israeli Palestinian conflict. So what Netanyahu said, what Abbas said, rockets, settlers, Hamas, you know, whatever, the problem is that there isn't an Israeli=Palestinian conflict. And I know that sounds crazy, because everyone thinks there is. And of course, we're seeing conflicts play out in the most tragic way right now in Gaza. But most of Israel's wars have not been fought against Palestinians. Israel has unfortunately fought wars against Egyptians and Jordanians and Lebanese and Iraqis. And Israel's most important enemy at the moment, is Iran, right? The Iranians are not Palestinian. The Iranians are not Arab. They're Muslim, but they're not Arab. So clearly, there is a broader regional conflict that's going on that is not an Israeli Palestinian conflict, and we've seen it in the past year. If we had a satellite in space looking down and just following the paths of ballistic missiles and rockets fired at Israel. Like a photograph of these red trails of rockets fired at Israel. You'd see rockets being fired from Iraq and from Yemen and from Lebanon and from Gaza and from Iran. You'd see the contours of a regional conflict. And if you understand it's a regional conflict, then you understand the way Israelis see it. There are in the Arab world, 300 million people, almost all of them Muslim. And in one corner of that world, there are 7 million Jews, who are Israelis. And if we zoom out even farther to the level of the Islamic world, we'll see that there are 2 billion people in the Islamic world. There's some argument about the numbers, but it's roughly a quarter of the world's population. And in one corner of that world there, there are 7 million Israeli Jews. The entire Jewish population on planet Earth is a lot smaller than the population of Cairo. So the idea that this is an Israeli-Palestinian conflict, where Israelis are the stronger side, where Israelis are the dominant actor, and where Israelis are, let's face it, the bad guy in the story, that's a fictional presentation of a story that actually works in a completely different way. So if you take a small story and make it seem big. If you take a complicated regional story and you make it seem like a very small local story involving only Israelis and Palestinians, then you get the highly simplified but very emotive narrative that everyone is being subjected to now. And you get this portrayal of a villainous country called Israel that really looms in the liberal imagination of the West as an embodiment of the worst possible qualities of the age. Belle Yoeli: Wow. So already you were seeing these issues when you were reporter, earlier on. But like this, some of this was before and since, since productive edge. This is over 10 years ago, and here we are. So October 7 happens. You already know these issues exist. You've identified them. How would you describe because obviously we have a lot of feelings about this, but like, strictly as a journalist, how would you describe the coverage that you've seen since during October 7, in its aftermath? Is it just these issues? Have they? Have they expanded? Are there new issues in play? What's your analysis? Matti Friedman: The coverage has been great. I really have very I have no criticism of it. I think it's very accurate. I think that I, in a way, I was lucky to have been through what I went through 10 or 15 years ago, and I wasn't blindsided on October 7, as many people were, many people, quite naturally, don't pay close attention to this. And even people who are sympathetic to Israel, I think, were not necessarily convinced that my argument about the press was right. And I think many people thought it was overstated. And you can read those articles from 2014 one was in tablet and one was in the Atlantic, but it's basically the two chapters of the same argument. And unfortunately, I think that those the essays, they stand up. In fact, if you don't really look at the date of the essays, they kind of seem that they could have been written in the past year and a half. And I'm not happy about that. I think that's and I certainly wrote them in hopes that they would somehow make things better. But the issues that I saw in the press 15 years ago have only been exacerbated since then. And October seven didn't invent the wheel. The issues were pre existing, but it took everything that I saw and kind of supercharged it. So if I talked about ideological conformity in the bureaus that has been that has become much more extreme. A guy like me, I was hired in 2006 at the AP. I'm an Israeli of center left political leanings. Hiring me was not a problem in 22,006 by the time I left the AP, at the end of 2011 I'm pretty sure someone like me would not have been hired because my views, which are again, very centrist Israeli views, were really beyond the pale by the time that I left the AP, and certainly, and certainly today, the thing has really moved what I saw happening at the AP. And I hate picking on the AP because they were just unfortunate enough to hire me. That was their only error, but what I'm saying about them is true of a whole new. Was heard. It's true of the Times and CNN and the BBC, the news industry really works kind of as a it has a herd mentality. What happened was that news decisions were increasingly being made by people who are not interested in explanatory journalism. They were activists. Activists had moved into the key positions in the Bureau, and they had a very different idea of what press coverage was supposed to do. I would say, and I tried to explain it in that article for the free press, when I approach a news story, when I approach the profession of journalism, the question that I'm asking is, what's going on? That's the question I think you're supposed to ask, what's going on? How can I explain it in a way that's as accurate as as possible? The question that was increasingly being asked was not what's going on. The question was, who does this serve? That's an activist question. So when you look at a story, you don't ask, is it true, or is it not true? You ask, who's it going to help? Is it going to help the good guys, or is it going to help the bad guys? So if Israel in the story is the villain, then a story that makes Israel seem reasonable, reasonable or rational or sympathetic needs to be played down to the extent possible or made to disappear. And I can give you an example from my own experience. At the very end of 2008 two reporters in my bureau, people who I know, learned of a very dramatic peace offer that Prime Minister Ehud Olmert had made to the Palestinians. So Olmert, who was the prime minister at the time, had made a very far reaching offer that was supposed to see a Palestinian state in all of Gaza, most of the West Bank, with land swaps for territory that Israel was going to retain, and a very far reaching international consortium agreement to run the Old City of Jerusalem. Was a very dramatic. It was so far reaching, I think that Israelis probably wouldn't have supported it. But it was offered to the Palestinian side, and the Palestinians rejected it as insufficient. And two of our reporters knew about this, and they'd seen a map of the offer. And this was obviously a pretty big story for a bureau that had as the thrust of its coverage the peace process. The two reporters who had the story were ordered to drop it, they were not allowed to cover the story. And there were different explanations. And they didn't, by the way, AP did not publish the story at the time, even though we were the first to have it. Eventually, it kind of came out and in other ways, through other news organizations. But we knew at first. Why were we not allowed to cover it? Because it would have made the Israelis who we were trying to villainize and demonize, it would have made Israel seem like it was trying to solve the conflict on kind of reasonable lines, which, of course, was true at that time. So that story would have upended the thrust of our news coverage. So it had to be made to go away, even though it was true, it would have helped the wrong people. And that question of who does this serve has destroyed, I want to say all, but much, of what used to be mainstream news coverage, and it's not just where Israel is concerned. You can look at a story like the mental health of President Biden, right. Something's going on with Biden at the end of his term. It's a huge global news story, and the press, by and large, won't touch it, because why? I mean, it's true, right? We're all seeing that it's true, but why can't you touch it? Because it would help the wrong people. It would help the Republicans who in the press are the people who you are not supposed to help. The origins of COVID, right? We heard one story about that. The true story seems to be a different story. And there are many other examples of stories that are reported because they help the right people, or not reported because they would help the wrong people. And I saw this thinking really come into action in Israel 10 or 15 years ago, and unfortunately, it's really spread to include the whole mainstream press scene and really kill it. I mean, essentially, anyone interested in trying to get a solid sense of what's going on, we have very few options. There's not a lot, there's not a lot out there. So that's the broader conclusion that I drew from what I thought at the time was just a very small malfunction involving Israel coverage. But Israel coverage ends up being a symptom of something much bigger, as Jews often are the symptom of something much bigger that's going on. So my problems in the AP bureau 15 years ago were really a kind of maybe a canary in the coal mine, or a whiff of something much bigger that we were all going to see happen, which is the transformation of the important liberal institutions of the west into kind of activist arms of a very radical ideology that has as its goal the transformation of the west into something else. And that's true of the press, and it's true of NGO world, places like Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International, which were one thing 30 years ago and are something very different today. And it's also true of big parts of the academy. It's true of places like Columbia and places like Harvard, they still have the logo, they still have the name, but they serve a different purpose, and I just happen to be on the ground floor of it as a reporter. Belle Yoeli: So obviously, this concept of who does this serve, and this activist journalism is deeply concerning, and you actually mentioned a couple other areas, academia, obviously we're in that a lot right now in terms of what's going on campus. So I guess a couple of questions on that. First of all, think about this very practically, tachlis, in the day to day. I'm a journalist, and I go to write about what's happening in Gaza. What would you say is, if you had to throw out a percentage, are all of them aware of this activist journalist tendency? Or you think it's like, like intentional for many of them, or it's sort of they've been educated that way, and it's their worldview in such a way that they don't even know that they're not reporting the news in a very biased way. Does that make sense? Matti Friedman: Totally. I think that many people in the journalism world today view their job as not as explaining a complicated situation, but as swaying people toward the correct political conclusion. Journalism is power, and the power has to be wielded in support of justice. Now, justice is very slippery, and, you know, choosing who's in the right is very, very slippery, and that's how journalism gets into a lot of trouble. Instead of just trying to explain what's going on and then leave, you're supposed to leave the politics and the activism to other people. Politics and activism are very important. But unless everyone can agree on what is going on, it's impossible to choose the kind of act, the kind of activism that would be useful. So when the journalists become activists, then no one can understand what's what's going on, because the story itself is fake, and there are many, many examples of it. But you know, returning to what you asked about, about October 7, and reporting post October 7, you can really see it happen. The massacres of October 7 were very problematic for the ideological strain that now controls a lot of the press, because it's counterintuitive. You're not supposed to sympathize with Israelis. And yet, there were a few weeks after October 7 when they were forced to because the nature of the atrocities were so heinous that they could not be ignored. So you had the press covering what happened on October 7, but you could feel it. As someone who knows that scene, you could feel there was a lot of discomfort. There was a lot of discomfort. It wasn't their comfort zone, and you knew that within a few weeks, maybe a month, it was gonna snap back at the first opportunity. When did it snap back? In the story of the Al Ahli hospital strike. If you remember that a few weeks in, there's a massive global story that Israel has rocketed Hospital in Gaza and killed about 500 people and and then you can see the kind of the comfort the comfort zone return, because the story that the press is primed to cover is a story about villainous Israelis victimizing innocent Palestinians, and now, now we're back. Okay. Now Israel's rocketing hospital. The problem was that it hadn't happened, and it was that a lot of stories don't happen, and they're allowed to stand. But this story was so far from the truth that even the people involved couldn't make it work, and it had to be retracted, but it was basically too late. And then as soon as the Israeli ground offensive got into swing in Gaza, then the story really becomes the same old story, which is a story of Israel victimizing Palestinians for no reason. And you'll never see Hamas militants in uniform in Gaza. You just see dead civilians, and you'll see the aftermath of a rocket strike when the, you know, when an Israeli F16 takes out the launcher, but you will never see the strike. Which is the way it's worked in Gaza since the very end of 2008 which is when the first really bad round of violence in Gaza happens, which is when I'm at the AP. As far as I know, I was the first staffer to erase information from the story, because we were threatened by Hamas, which happened at the very end of 2008. We had a great reporter in Gaza, a Palestinian who had always been really an excellent reporter. We had a detail in a story. The detail was a crucial one. It was that Hamas fighters were dressed as civilians and were being counted as civilians in the death toll, an important thing to know, that went out in an AP story. The reporter called me a few hours later. It was clear that someone had spoken to him, and he told me, I was on the desk in Jerusalem, so I was kind of writing the story from the main bureau in Jerusalem. And he said, Matti, you have to take that detail out of the story. And it was clear that someone had threatened him. I took the detail out of the story. I suggested to our editors that we note in an Editor's Note that we were now complying with Hamas censorship. I was overruled, and from that point in time, the AP, like all of its sister organizations, collaborates with Hamas censorship in Gaza. What does that mean? You'll see a lot of dead civilians, and you won't see dead militants. You won't have a clear idea of what the Hamas military strategy is. And this is the kicker, the center of the coverage will be a number, a casualty number, that is provided to the press by something called the Gaza health ministry, which is Hamas. And we've been doing that since 2008, and it's a way of basically settling the story before you get into any other information. Because when you put, you know, when you say 50 Palestinians were killed, and one Israeli on a given day, it doesn't matter what else you say. The numbers kind of tell their own story, and it's a way of settling the story with something that sounds like a concrete statistic. And the statistic is being, you know, given to us by one of the combatant sides. But because the reporters sympathize with that side, they're happy to play along. So since 2008, certainly since 2014 when we had another serious war in Gaza, the press has not been covering Gaza, the press has been essentially an amplifier for one of the most poisonous ideologies on Earth. Hamas has figured out how to make the press amplify its messaging rather than covering Hamas. There are no Western reporters in Gaza. All of the reporters in Gaza are Palestinians, and those people fall into three categories. Some of them identify with Hamas. Some of them are intimidated by Hamas and won't cross Hamas, which makes a lot of sense. I wouldn't want to cross Hamas either. So either. And the third category is people who actually belong to Hamas. That's where the information from Gaza is coming from. And if you're credulous, then of course, you're going to get a story that makes Israel look pretty bad. Belle Yoeli: So this is very depressing. That's okay. It's very helpful, very depressing. But on that note, I would ask you so whether, because you spoke about this problem in terms, of, of course, the coverage of Israel, but that it's it's also more widespread you talk, you spoke about President Biden in your article, you name other examples of how this sort of activist journalism is affecting everything we read. So what should everyone in this room be reading, truly, from your opinion. This is Matti's opinion. But if you want to you want to get information from our news and not activist journalism, obviously The Free Press, perhaps. But are there other sites or outlets that you think are getting this more down the line, or at least better than some, some better than others? Matti Friedman: No, it's just The Free Press. No. I mean, it's a question that I also wrestle with. I haven't given up on everyone, and even in publications that have, I think, largely lost the plot, you'll still find good stuff on occasion. So I try to keep my eye on certain reporters whose name I know. I often ask not just on Israel, but on anything, does this reporter speak the language of the country that they're covering? You'd be shocked at how rare that is for Americans. A lot of the people covering Ukraine have no idea what language they speak in Ukraine, and just as someone who covers Israel, I'm aware of the low level of knowledge that many of the Western reporters have. You'll find really good stuff still in the Atlantic. The Atlantic has managed, against steep odds, to maintain its equilibrium amid all this. The New Yorker, unfortunately, less so, but you'll still see, on occasion, things that are good. And there are certain reporters who are, you know, you can trust. Isabel Kirchner, who writes for The New York Times, is an old colleague of mine from the Jerusalem report. She's excellent, and they're just people who are doing their job. But by and large, you have to be very, very suspicious of absolutely everything that you read and see. And I'm not saying that as someone who I'm not happy to say that, and I certainly don't identify with, you know, the term fake news, as it has been pushed by President Trump. I think that fake news is, you know, for those guys, is an attempt to avoid scrutiny. They're trying to, you know, neuter the watchdog so that they can get away with whatever they want. I don't think that crowd is interested in good press coverage. Unfortunately, the term fake news sticks because it's true. That's why it has worked. And the press, instead of helping people navigate the blizzard of disinformation that we're all in, they've joined it. People who are confused about what's going on, should be able to open up the New York Times or go to the AP and figure out what's going on, but because, and I saw it happen, instead of covering the circus, the reporters became dancing bears in the circus. So no one can make heads or tails of anything. So we need to be very careful. Most headlines that are out there are out there to generate outrage, because that's the most predictable generator of clicks, which is the, we're in a click economy. So I actually think that the less time you spend following headlines and daily news, the better off you'll be. Because you can follow the daily news for a year, and by the end of the year, you'll just be deranged. You'll just be crazy and very angry. If you take that time and use it to read books about, you know, bitten by people who are knowledgeable, or read longer form essays that are, you know, that are obviously less likely to be very simplistic, although not, you know, it's not completely impossible that they will be. I think that's time, that's time better spent. Unfortunately, much of the industry is kind of gone. And we're in an interesting kind of interim moment where it's clear that the old news industry is basically dead and that something new has to happen. And those new things are happening. I mean, The Free Press is part of a new thing that's happening. It's not big enough to really move the needle in a dramatic way yet, but it might be, and I think we all have to hope that new institutions emerge to fill the vacuum. The old institutions, and I say this with sorrow, and I think that this also might be true of a lot of the academic institutions. They can't be saved. They can't be saved. So if people think that writing an editor, a letter to the editor of the New York Times is going to help. It's not going to help. Sometimes people say, Why don't we just get the top people in the news industry and bring them to Israel and show them the truth? Doesn't help. It's not about knowing or not knowing. They define the profession differently. So it's not about a lack of information. The institutions have changed, and it's kind of irrevocable at this point, and we need new institutions, and one of them is The Free Press, and it's a great model of what to do when faced with fading institutions. By the way, the greatest model of all time in that regard is Zionism. That's what Zionism is. There's a guy in Vienna in 1890 something, and his moment is incredibly contemporary. There's an amazing biography of Herzl called Herzl by Amos Elon. It's an amazing book. If you haven't read it, you should read it, because his moment in cosmopolitan Vienna sounds exactly like now. It's shockingly current. He's in this friendly city. He's a reporter for the New York Times, basically of the Austro Hungarian empire, and he's assimilated, and he's got a Christmas tree in his house, and his son isn't circumcised, and he thinks everything is basically great. And then the light changes. He notices that something has changed in Vienna, and the discourse about Jews changes, and like in a Hollywood movie, the light changes. And he doesn't try to he doesn't start a campaign against antisemitism. He doesn't get on social media and kind of rail against unfair coverage. He sits down in a hotel room in Paris and he writes this pamphlet called the Jewish state, and I literally flew from that state yesterday. So there's a Zionist model where you look at a failing world and you think about radical solutions that involve creation. And I think we're there. And I think Herzl's model is a good one at a dark time you need real creativity. Belle Yoeli: Thank God you found the inspiration there, because I was really, I was really starting to worry. No, in all seriousness, Matti, the saying that these institutions can't be saved. I mean the consequences of this, not just for us as pro-Israel, pro-Jewish advocates, but for our country, for the world, the countries that we come from are tremendous. And the way we've been dealing with this issue and thinking about how, how can you change hearts and minds of individuals about Israel, about the Jewish people, if everything that they're reading is so damaging and most of what they're reading is so damaging and basically saying there's very little that we can do about that. So I am going to push you to dream big with us. We're an advocacy organization. AJC is an advocacy organization. So if you had unlimited resources, right, if you really wanted to make change in this area, to me, it sounds like you're saying we basically need 15 Free Presses or the new institutions to really take on this way. What would you do? What would you do to try to make it so that news media were more like the old days? Matti Friedman: Anyone who wants unlimited resources should not go into journalism. I have found that my resources remain limited. I'll give you an answer that is probably not what you're expecting or not what you want here. I think that the fight can't be won. I think that antisemitism can't be defeated. And I think that resources that are poured into it are resources wasted. And of course, I think that people need legal protection, and they need, you know, lawyers who can protect people from discrimination and from defamation. That's very important. But I know that when people are presented with a problem like antisemitism, which is so disturbing and it's really rocking the world of everyone in this room, and certainly, you know, children and grandchildren, you have a problem and you want to address it, right? You have a really bad rash on your arm. You want the rash to go away, and you're willing to do almost anything to make it go away. This has always been with us. It's always been with us. And you know, we recently celebrated the Seder, and we read in the Seder, in the Haggadah, l'chol dor vador, omdim aleinu l'chaloteinu. Which is, in every generation, they come at us to destroy us. And it's an incredibly depressing worldview. Okay, it's not the way I wanted to see the world when I grew up in Toronto in the 1990s. But in our tradition, we have this idea that this is always gonna be around. And the question is, what do you do? Do you let other people define you? Do you make your identity the fight against the people who hate you? And I think that's a dead end. This crisis is hitting the Jewish people at a moment when many of us don't know who we are, and I think that's why it's hitting so hard. For my grandfather, who was a standard New York Jew, garment industry, Lower East Side, poor union guy. This would not have shaken him, because he just assumed that this was the world like this. The term Jewish identity was not one he ever heard, because it wasn't an issue or something that had to be taught. So if I had unlimited resources, what I would do is I would make sure that young Jewish people have access to the riches of Jewish civilization, I would, you know, institute a program that would allow any young Jewish person to be fluent in Hebrew by the time they finish college. Why is that so important? Why is that such an amazing key? Because if you're fluent in Hebrew, you can open a Tanakh, or you can open a prayer book if you want. Or you can watch Fauda or you can get on a plane to Israel and hit on Israeli guys. Hebrew is the key to Jewish life, and if you have it, a whole world will open up. And it's not one that antisemites can interfere with. It does not depend on the goodwill of our neighbors. It's all about us and what we're doing with ourselves. And I think that if you're rooted in Jewish tradition, and I'm not saying becoming religious, I'm just saying, diving into the riches of Jewish tradition, whether it's history or gemara or Israel, or whatever, if you're if you're deep in there enough, then the other stuff doesn't go away, but it becomes less important. It won't be solved because it can't be solved, but it will fade into the background. And if we make the center of identity the fight against antisemitism, they've won. Why should they be the center of our identity? For a young person who's looking for some way of living or some deep kind of guide to life, the fight against antisemitism is not going to do it, and philanthropy is not going to do it. We come from the wisest and one of the oldest civilizations in the world, and many of us don't know how to open the door to that civilization, and that's in our hands. And if we're not doing it, it's not the fault of the antisemites. It's our own fault. So if I had unlimited resources, which, again, it's not, it's not going to happen unless I make a career change, that's where I would be putting my effort. Internally and not externally. Belle Yoeli: You did find the inspiration, though, again, by pushing Jewish identity, and we appreciate that. It's come up a lot in this conversation, this question about how we fight antisemitism, investing in Jewish identity and who we are, and at the same time, what do we do about it? And I think all of you heard Ted in a different context last night, say, we can hold two things, two thoughts at the same time, right? Two things can be true at the same time. And I think for me, what I took out of this, in addition to your excellent insights, is that that's exactly what we have to be doing. At AJC, we have to be engaging in this advocacy to stand up for the Jewish people and the State of Israel. But that's not the only piece of the puzzle. Of course, we have to be investing in Jewish identity. That's why we bring so many young people to this conference. Of course, we need to be investing in Jewish education. That's not necessarily what AJC is doing, the bulk of our work, but it's a lot of what the Jewish community is doing, and these pieces have to go together. And I want to thank you for raising that up for us, and again, for everything that you said. Thank you all so much for being here. Thank you. Manya Brachear Pashman: If you missed last week's episode, be sure to tune in as John Spencer, Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at West Point, breaks down Israel's high-stakes strike on Iran's nuclear infrastructure and the U.S. decision to enter the fight.
This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit andrewsullivan.substack.comPaul is a writer, an editor, and an old friend. He's a regular contributor to The New Yorker and a senior fellow in Georgetown's Berkley Center for Religion, Peace, and World Affairs. He's the author of The Life You Save May Be Your Own and Reinventing Bach, and his new book is The Last Supper: Art, Faith, Sex, and Controversy in the 1980s.For two clips of our convo — on Martin Scorsese's extraordinary religious films, and the strikingly resilient Catholicism of Andy Warhol — head to our YouTube page.Other topics: Paul raised in upstate NY as a child of Vatican II; his great-uncle was the bishop of Burlington who attended the 2nd Council; Thomas Merton and Flannery O'Connor as formative influences; working in publishing with McPhee and Wolfe; Cullen Murphy on the historical Christ; Jesus as tetchy; Czesław Miłosz; Leonard Cohen making it cool to be religious; the row over The Last Temptation of Christ and Scorsese's response with Silence; Bill Donahue the South Park caricature; Bono and U2; The Smiths; The Velvet Underground; Madonna and her Catholic upbringing; “Like A Prayer” and “Papa Don't Preach”; her campaign for condom use; when I accidentally met her at a party; Camille Paglia; Warhol the iconographer; his near-death experience that led to churchgoing; Robert Mapplethorpe; S&M culture in NYC; Andres Serrano's “Piss Christ”; Jesse Helms' crusade against the NEA; Sinead O'Connor's refusal to get an abortion; tearing up the JP II photo on SNL; the sex-abuse crisis; Cardinal O'Connor; the AIDS crisis; ACT-UP's antics at St. Patrick's Cathedral; the AIDS quilt as a cathedral; and Paul's gobsmacking omission of the Pet Shop Boys.Coming up: Edward Luce on the war with Iran, Walter Isaacson on Ben Franklin, Tara Zahra on the revolt against globalization after WWI, Thomas Mallon on the AIDS crisis, and Johann Hari turning the tables to interview me. (NS Lyons indefinitely postponed a pod appearance — and his own substack — because he just accepted an appointment at the State Department; and the Arthur Brooks pod is postponed because of calendar conflicts.) Please send any guest recs, dissents, and other comments to dish@andrewsullivan.com.
What do Andy Warhol, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan, Flannery O'Connor, and Bono all have in common? According to writer and cultural historian Paul Elie, they're “cryptoreligious.” Their art isn't about affirming doctrine—it's about invoking mystery, longing, and spiritual disquiet. In a culture where religious belief is often either rigidly defined or entirely dismissed, these artists dwell in the in between. They don't preach—but they provoke. Their work invites us into important questions, questions to which the artists themselves often don't have answers. This week, Russell Moore talks with Paul Elie, author of The Life You Save May Be Your Own: An American Pilgrimage—Russell's favorite biography—and the new book The Last Supper: Art, Faith, Sex, and Controversy in the 1980s. Together they explore how religion haunts the work of artists like Dylan (especially his “Christian era”), Cohen (“Hallelujah”), singer Sinéad O'Connor (her unforgettable Saturday Night Live moment), and even Andy Warhol's more-than-15 minutes of fame. If you've ever felt as if a song lyric or a painting was almost a prayer—or wondered why some of our greatest artists can't seem to stop brushing up against the divine—this conversation is for you. Resources mentioned in this episode or recommended by the guest include: The Last Supper: Art, Faith, Sex, and Controversy in the 1980s by Paul Elie The Life You Save May Be Your Own: An American Pilgrimage by Paul Elie Special offer for listeners of The Russell Moore Show: Click here for 25% off a subscription to CT magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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