Adam Cohen (musician)

Last updated

Adam Cohen
Adam-cohen-1338115721.jpg
Background information
Born (1972-09-18) September 18, 1972 (age 52)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
GenresRock
OccupationSinger-songwriter
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, keyboards

Adam Cohen (born September 18, 1972) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. As a recording artist, he has released four major label albums, three in English and one in French. His album We Go Home was released on September 15, 2014. Currently residing in Los Angeles, he is also part of the pop rock band Low Millions from California.

Contents

He is the son of singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, and also the ambassador of the Cohen family to art exhibits of Leonard Cohen Art, attending and doing press and media for openings around the world for his father's paintings and drawings.

Early life

Cohen was born September 18, 1972, in Montreal, but spent many years of his childhood living with his American expat mother, Suzanne Elrod, in Paris and in the south of France, after his parents separated. [1] [2] He spent parts of his childhood on the Greek island Hydra, in Greenwich Village, and in Los Angeles. [3] Though he is attached to different parts of the world, he considers Greece to be his home. [4] He taught himself to play guitar, drums and piano by age 12. He worked as a roadie in 1990, and studied international relations at Syracuse University. He moved to Los Angeles in 1996 to focus on his music career, after having lived and played in bands in New York City. The demo that led to his signing his first record deal created a bidding war between Maverick, Capitol Records and Sony, Adam (then 26 years old) eventually signing with the same label as his father, Columbia Records.

Career

He was signed by Columbia Records in 1997. He achieved some success as a songwriter for other artists. He co-wrote "Lullaby in Blue", a song about a woman who gave up a child for adoption. Bette Midler recorded it for her album Bathhouse Betty and described it as her favorite on the album: "I've never heard a pop song about a person who gives their child up and is missing the child... The first time I heard that song, I burst into tears." [5]

His 1998 debut album was well regarded critically—Stephen Holden of The New York Times called it "grimly perceptive" and "a promising beginning". The album went on to produce a radio hit "Cry Ophelia" [6] which was well received and charted (Canadian radio charts in particular) but the project as a whole was not a big commercial success. [1] [7]

He decided to focus on French-language material and was signed to Capitol Records Canada, which released Mélancolista . Featured on this French language record is a popular duet with famous French actress Virginie Ledoyen (the song is entitled "Happiness", [8] evoking the well known duet between Serge Gainsbourg and Brigitte Bardot).

Representatives from Capitol inquired about English-language material, and soon after being signed to a deal for his French album, Adam traveled to New York to meet with executives from Manhattan Records. He was signed to a deal after 15 minutes of a solo acoustic performance; the deal led to the Low Millions project. [9]

Low Millions went on to have two charting hit songs at AAA radio in North America, with the songs "Eleanor" and "Statue".

Regarding the influence from his poet-balladeer father, Cohen has said, "He's tremendously helpful. Forget that I am his son. I was tutored in lyric-writing by Leonard Cohen and I had his sensibilities to draw upon. And I'm not just talking genetically. I could literally talk to the cat and he could lean over my notebook and point to a couple of phrases and say, 'These are strong, these are weak.' How can I consider myself anything but incredibly fortunate." [2] In addition to his father, he has said that his musical influences include Randy Newman, Serge Gainsbourg, Prince, and U2. [10] He characterized his French-language work as musically distinct from his English recordings, the former being more "sumptuous and cinematic", and sounding like "Sade—if she were a Frenchman". [1] In 2009, Adam recorded a cover of his father's song "Take This Waltz", which appeared on the benefit album War Child Presents Heroes .

In 2007, Cohen effectively quit the music business after deep disillusionment set in. Despite his having a few modest hits at radio and opportunities to tour the world, fame and fortune failed to materialize with the release of Cohen's three major-label albums, 1998's self-titled debut, 2004's French-language Mélancolista , and 2004's Ex-Girlfriends, which Cohen made with his band, Low Millions. "I was chasing a sound that was not entirely my own," Cohen says of his pop-rock efforts. "My goal wasn't to be good, my goal was to be successful."

Cohen's latest album We Go Home was released in September 2014.

He produced, and performed on, his father's 2016 album You Want It Darker, and produced and compiled a posthumous album of his father's work, the 2019 album Thanks for the Dance.

Discography

Albums

Solo

Album and detailsPeak positionsCertification
CAN
BEL
(Fl)
[11] 		BEL
(Wa)
[12] 		FR
[13]
Adam Cohen
  • Release date: July 28, 1998
  • Label: Columbia
 – – – –
Mélancolista
  • Release date: June 7, 2004
  • Label: Capitol / EMI (Canada)
 – – – –
Like a Man – – –CANADA: Gold [14]
We Go Home
  • Release date: September 15, 2014
  • Label: Rezolute Music / Cooking Vinyl
6 [15] 3793178

With Low Millions

Singles

Solo

  • "Cry Ophelia" from Adam Cohen
  • "Tell Me Everything" from Adam Cohen
  • "Happiness" from Mélancolista (featuring Virginie Ledoyen)
  • "What Other Guy" from Like a Man
  • "Like A Man" from Like a Man
  • "Sweet Dominique" from Like a Man
  • "The Stranger" from Like a Man
  • "We Go Home" from We Go Home
  • "Love Is" from We Go Home

Low Millions

  • "Eleanor" from Ex-Girlfriends
  • "Statue" from Ex-Girlfriends

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Serge Gainsbourg</span> French musician and actor (1928–1991)

Serge Gainsbourg was a French singer-songwriter, actor, composer, and director. Regarded as one of the most important figures in French pop, he was renowned for often provocative releases which caused uproar in France, dividing public opinion. His artistic output ranged from his early work in jazz, chanson, and yé-yé to later efforts in rock, zouk, funk, reggae, and electronica. Gainsbourg's varied musical style and individuality make him difficult to categorise, although his legacy has been firmly established and he is often regarded as one of the world's most influential popular musicians.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">France Gall</span> French singer (1947–2018)

Isabelle Geneviève Marie Anne Gall, known professionally as France Gall, was a French yé-yé singer. In 1965, at the age of 17, she won the tenth edition of the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Poupée de cire, poupée de son", representing Luxembourg. Later in her career, she became known for her work with singer-songwriter Michel Berger, whom she married in 1976. Her most successful singles include "Résiste", "Ella, elle l'a" and "Évidemment".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jarvis Cocker</span> British singer

Jarvis Branson Cocker is an English musician. As the founder, frontman, lyricist and only consistent member of the band Pulp, he became a figurehead of the Britpop genre of the mid-1990s. Cocker has also pursued a solo career, and for seven years he presented the BBC Radio 6 Music show Jarvis Cocker's Sunday Service.

Eamon Doyle, known mononymously as Eamon, is an American singer and songwriter. He is mainly known for his 2003 hit single "Fuck It ".

Patrick Ray Leonard is an American songwriter, keyboardist, film composer, and music producer, best known for his longtime collaboration with Madonna. His work with Madonna includes her albums True Blue (1986), Who's That Girl (1987), Like a Prayer (1989), I'm Breathless (1990) and Ray of Light (1998). He scored Madonna's 2008 documentary I Am Because We Are, played keyboards with her at Live Aid (1985), and was musical director and keyboardist on The Virgin Tour (1985) and the Who's That Girl World Tour (1987).

<i>Songs of Leonard Cohen</i> 1967 studio album by Leonard Cohen

Songs of Leonard Cohen is the debut studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, released on December 27, 1967, on Columbia Records. More successful in Europe than in North America, Songs of Leonard Cohen foreshadowed the kind of chart success Cohen would go on to achieve. It peaked at number 13 on the UK Albums Chart, spending nearly a year and a half on it. In the US, it reached number 83 on the Billboard 200.

<i>The Future</i> (Leonard Cohen album) 1992 studio album by Leonard Cohen

The Future is the ninth studio album by the Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, released in 1992. Almost an hour in length, it was Cohen's longest album up to that date. Both the fall of the Berlin Wall and the 1992 Los Angeles riots took place while Cohen was writing and recording the album, which expressed his sense of the world's turbulence. The album was recorded with a large cast of musicians and engineers in several different studios; the credits list almost 30 female singers. The album built on the success of Cohen's previous album, I'm Your Man, and garnered overwhelmingly positive reviews. The Future made the Top 40 in the UK album charts, went double platinum in Canada, and sold a quarter of a million copies in the U.S., which had previously been unenthusiastic about Cohen's albums.

<i>Songs from a Room</i> 1969 studio album by Leonard Cohen

Songs from a Room is the second studio album by Canadian musician Leonard Cohen, released in 1969. It reached No. 63 on the US Billboard Top LPs and No. 2 on the UK charts.

<i>Im Your Man</i> (Leonard Cohen album) 1988 studio album by Leonard Cohen

I'm Your Man is the eighth studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, released on February 2, 1988, by Columbia Records. The album marked Cohen's further move to a more modern sound, with many songs having a synthesizer-oriented production. It soon became the most successful studio album which Cohen had released in the US, and it reached number one in several European countries, transforming Cohen into a best-selling artist.

<i>Various Positions</i> 1984 studio album by Leonard Cohen

Various Positions is the seventh studio album by Leonard Cohen, released in December 1984. It marked not only his turn to a modern sound and use of synthesizers, but also, after the harmonies and backing vocals from Jennifer Warnes on the previous Recent Songs (1979), an even greater contribution from Warnes, who is credited with Cohen as vocalist on all of the tracks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Schlesinger</span> American musician (1967–2020)

Adam Lyons Schlesinger was an American musician, songwriter, composer, and record producer. He was a founding member of the bands Fountains of Wayne, Ivy, and Tinted Windows, and was also a member of the band Fever High. He also wrote songs for television and film, for which he won three Emmy Awards, a Grammy Award, and the ASCAP Pop Music Award, and was nominated for Academy, Tony, and Golden Globe Awards. He died of complications from COVID-19 at age 52.

<i>Histoire de Melody Nelson</i> 1971 studio album by Serge Gainsbourg

Histoire de Melody Nelson is a 1971 concept album by French singer and songwriter Serge Gainsbourg. Produced by Jean-Claude Desmarty, the album was released on March 24, 1971 through Philips Records. Its narrative follows an illicit romance which develops between the middle-aged narrator and fourteen-year-old girl Melody Nelson, portrayed on the album and its cover art by Gainsbourg's then-partner Jane Birkin.

"Bird on the Wire" is a song written by Canadian musician Leonard Cohen, which became one of his signature songs. It was recorded 26 September 1968 in Nashville and included on his 1969 album Songs from a Room. A May 1968 recording produced by David Crosby, titled "Like a Bird", was added to the 2007 remastered CD. Judy Collins was the first to release the song on her 1968 album Who Knows Where the Time Goes. Joe Cocker also covered the song on his second studio album the following year and his version reached #78 in Canada.

Happiness is an emotional state characterized by feelings of enjoyment, pleasure, and satisfaction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">First We Take Manhattan</span> Song by Leonard Cohen

"First We Take Manhattan" is a song written by Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen. It was originally recorded by American singer Jennifer Warnes on her 1986 Cohen tribute album Famous Blue Raincoat, which consisted entirely of songs written or co-written by Cohen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comment te dire adieu</span> French adaptation of the song "It Hurts to Say Goodbye"

"Comment te dire adieu" is a French adaptation of the song "It Hurts to Say Goodbye". It was originally recorded by Françoise Hardy in 1968.

The Penelopes are a French indie pop/electronic band from Paris, consisting of Axel Basquiat and Vincent T. They have recently relocated to London. Though the band is a duo, they have additional musicians on bass, guitar and drums for live performances. The Penelopes are also award-winning film composers, remixers, producers, and DJs.

<i>Songs from the Road</i> (Leonard Cohen album) 2010 live album by Leonard Cohen

Songs from the Road is a live album by Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen. Released on September 14, 2010, it is his twentieth album.

<i>LHomme à tête de chou</i> 1976 studio album by Serge Gainsbourg

L’Homme à tête de chou is a concept album by Serge Gainsbourg, released on Philips Records in 1976.

<i>Thanks for the Dance</i> 2019 studio album by Leonard Cohen

Thanks for the Dance is the fifteenth and final studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter Leonard Cohen, released posthumously through Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings on November 22, 2019. It is the first release following Cohen's death in November 2016, and includes contributions from various musicians, such as Daniel Lanois, Beck, Jennifer Warnes, Damien Rice and Leslie Feist. The song "The Goal" was released with the announcement of the album, on September 20, 2019.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Farber, Jim (January 1, 2005). "Birth of a ladies' man: Singer-songwriter Adam Cohen is proud to be a chip off the old block". New York Daily News . p. 16.
  2. 1 2 Kelly, Brendan (May 2, 2004). "Adam Cohen following in famous father's footsteps". CanWest News Service. p. 1.
  3. ↑ Takiff, Jonathan (September 2, 2004). "Versatile Adam Cohen readies albums: One, in his name, will be in French; the other is called 'Ex-Girlfriends'". Philadelphia Daily News . p. 69.
  4. ↑ BBC Radio 4, Midweek, January 28, 2015, interviewed by Libby Purves
  5. ↑ Newman, Melinda (September 5, 1998). "Midler makes Warner Bros. debut with 'Bathhouse Betty'". Billboard . Vol. 110, no. 36. pp. 15–16.
  6. ↑ Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine : "Adam Cohen - Cry Ophelia". YouTube .
  7. ↑ Holden, Stephen (November 2, 1998). "New pop music for middle age". The New York Times . p. E1. Retrieved April 10, 2008.
  8. ↑ "Happiness- Adam Cohen feat. Virginie Ledoyen - YouTube". YouTube . Archived from the original on April 12, 2016. Retrieved November 20, 2016.
  9. ↑ Hochman, Steve (August 1, 2004). "Pop eye: Adam Cohen's 'divide and conquer' strategy". Los Angeles Times . p. E46.
  10. ↑ Gold, Kerry (February 2, 2005). "The second coming of Adam Cohen". The Vancouver Sun . p. D1.
  11. ↑ "Adam Cohen discography". ultratop.be/nl/. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 8, 2014.
  12. ↑ "Adam Cohen discography". ultratop.be/fr/. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 8, 2014.
  13. ↑ "Adam Cohen discography". lescharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved October 8, 2014.
  14. ↑ "Canadian album certifications – Adam Cohen – Like a Man". Music Canada.
  15. ↑ "Weekly Music Sales Report and Analysis: 25 September 2014 | Alan Cross". September 26, 2014.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.