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| Jaxx |
One Cohl dude
Rock impresario gets inducted into Hall of Fame
By JANE STEVENSON -- Toronto Sun
Toronto concert promoter Michael Cohl is at it again.
"I'm trying to convince the Rolling Stones to tour," said Cohl, the man who coaxed the Brit rockers to end their acrimonious split in 1989, thus making a huge name for himself in the international music scene.
Cohl is being inducted into the Canadian Music Hall Of Fame this weekend as part of the Juno celebrations in St. John's, Nfld.
"It's not a done deal," he said of prospects for a 2002 Stones tour. "If it was a done deal we'd announce it. I'm hopeful."
Reports of another Stones tour -- following the wildly successful 1999 No Security trek -- began surfacing late last year. Both frontman Mick Jagger and guitarist Ron Wood said separately it would make sense, given 2002 is widely considered to be the band's 40th anniversary year. The group formed and played their first gigs in 1962, but didn't release their first single until 1963, shortly after drummer Charlie Watts joined the lineup.
"I don't think it's legitimately their 40th anniversary, but it's getting up there, yeah," Cohl said. "I think that would be 2003, according to my information."
>>>> Guitarist Keith Richards also has said that when the Stones do decide to tour, they would come to Toronto to rehearse first, as they've done twice in the past.
"It's all in discussion. It's possible ... Three times lucky. It's an ongoing thing. I'd hope to hear soon," said Cohl, who has produced tours for the likes of Pink Floyd, U2, David Bowie and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young over the past 30-plus years.
In his immediate future, however, is Juno weekend, where Cohl -- whose first concert was Buck Owens And The Buckaroos at Maple Leaf Gardens in March 1970 -- will be honoured tomorrow night. He is receiving the Walt Grealis Special Achievement Award at the Premier's Gala and Awards. Among the artists expected to pay their respects to Cohl via videotape are Jagger, Wood, Richards, U2, CSNY and Phil Collins.
Highlights are to be shown on Sunday night's national telecast of the Junos (8 p.m., CTV).
For Cohl, it's an honour.
"To me, I go about my business. I tend to be publicity shy. I tend to think and know what the people are really interested in are the artists, and that my job is basically backstage and in my office," he said. "So whenever you get recognized, it's a humbling experience."
Cohl's various achievements include creating Concert Productions International in 1973, which went through various incarnations -- BCL, The Next Adventure -- before being sold in 1998 to conglomerate SFX. Two years later SFX was bought by Clear Channel Entertainment.
Today, Cohl serves as a consultant to Clear Channel and has his own company, The Next Investment.
Cohl heads out to the East Coast today with wife Lori and their four children. The last time he was on The Rock was a lifetime ago.
"I don't know. It had to be for Bryan Adams. If it's less than 20 years I'll be shocked, and it could be 25 years. It's been a long time. We're going to go see if we can see some whales. I hear the icebergs are floating this week so we'll be watching some icebergs.
"And Lori wants to know where she can get some screech," he adds with a chuckle.
In Cohl's more distant future is a new business venture, Grand Entertainment, named after The Magic Christian's Sir Guy Grand, which he hopes to launch in the next year.
"It's just basically going to be a company that focuses on intellectual properties and the exploitation there-of," Cohl said. "So, it's simple. You start with a song and then you end up with a record, a T-shirt, a Web site, online stuff, a tour, a DVD and a TV show and etc., etc.
"It sounds simple but it ends up rather grand."
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| Lazy Bones |
Just going to copy this, Jaxx. Beat me to it! This article wasn't posted by canoe.ca first thing this morning. You're an animal..lol! |
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| Jaxx |
quote:
Lazy Bones wrote:
You're an animal..lol!
LOL. that's what HE said....  |
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| Stonesmillenium2001 |
I hope the tour happens quick. i am so happy. |
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