Category Archives: Anjani Thomas

Thanks to apolinary polek for alerting Heck Of A Guy to the Anjani interview and concert available online today via a comment to yesterday’s post, DrHGuy’s Cyber-Bookmarks: 30 March 2007.

Lest anyone miss that comment, however, I’m duplicating it here:

Heck Of A Guy Coverage Of Anjani’s Warsaw Concert

This post turned out to be the first of a sequence of Heck Of A Guy blog entries dealing with the Leonard Cohen Presents Anjani concert that took place at the Agnieszka Osiecka Studio in Warsaw, Poland on 31 March 2007 and was broadcast live on Trójka Radio. Apolinary POlek alerted readers to the availability of the broadcast and provided links to photos and a recording of the pre-concert interview with Anjani and Cohen on the Trójka Radio site; he has also graciously shared his recordings of the concert itself.

Later Posts

• Anjani-Leonard Cohen March 31, 2007 Interview and Photos
• Online: Leonard Cohen’s Introduction Of Anjani’s Warsaw Concert
• The Best Leonard Cohen – Anjani Duet You’ve (Probably) Never Heard
• Tomorrow: The Other Leonard Cohen – Anjani Duet
• Another Leonard Cohen – Anjani Duet You’ve (Probably) Never Heard

Anjani and Anjani Thomas: An Aside On Names
Anjani and Anjani Thomas are, for the purposes of the Heck of a Guy blog, synonymous names, both of which refer to the exotically lovely, dulcet-voiced singer best known for her Blue Alert CD and her long-term relationship with Leonard Cohen. I include this clarification on posts about Anjani-Anjani Thomas in part for the purpose of what the folks at Wikipedia call disambiguation (i.e., to positively identify for the reader and remove any doubts the reader might have about which Anjani of all the possible Anjanis is being discussed) and in part to aid and abet the search engines. While a rose is, famously, a rose is a rose, a “tea rose,” for example, is not exactly the same as a “rose” – especially to a search engine. Searches that include “Anjani” as part of the search terms may not produce the same results as the same search terms other with “Anjani Thomas” substituted for “Anjani.” Should any other Anjani, say one who has not produced a CD called “Blue Alert” or one who has not been associated with Leonard Cohen for the decade, I promise to do my best to make that identification clear as well.

Hey, That’s Not A Bad Way To Say Goodbye

From Anjani To DrHGuy

Dearest HGuy,
Being that you’ve already heard my voice AND seen me in my knickers* whereas images of you on your site are curiously (coyly? purposely? blessedly?) absent, I am at a slight disadvantage in imagining your participation in the admittedly remote possibility of a night of wild debauchery with Tina and Tanita.

In any case, although I am unable to return your fervent declarations of adoration, may I take this moment to express my appreciation for your stalwart efforts to mine the innermost chambers of your psyche for the entire world to peruse? Please consider setting these couth illuminations into a book that I feel sure would make for pleasurable bathtime reading.

And now, a word from the poet:
Note from LC: When you next write heckofaguy, please thank him for his strenuous efforts on my behalf.

And if you would offline, care to send me your snail mail address, the poet would like to send you his latest literary offering Book Of Longing, just to show there are no hard feelings over your reckless communiqué.

As Ever,
AT

*I refer to page 4 of the Blue Alert cd booklet.

From DrHGuy To Anjani

Anjanikins,

Well, there is a photo of me located at the bottom of Da Boyz Are Back In Town, although it doesn’t feature me in your knickers, as intriguing as that thought may be. I fear that visualizing me will not do much in stimulating your orgiastic visions. For that, you might be well advised to substitute the image of the Mesomorph, AKA My Younger Son, who is the family jock (although I suppose you should wait a few months for him to turn 18 lest you run afoul of the thought police).

And, as it turns out, I’m familiar with page 4 of the Blue Alert cd booklet, although my viewing has always focused almost exclusively on your implied domestic skills. [Note To Readers: No, I’m not going to scan page 4 into the blog. That kind of thing is a private matter between Anjani and me – and the hundreds of thousands of folks who own the CD. Buy your own darn copy.]

I’ve been to splitsville¹ enough times to recognize a “Dear John/Dearest HGuy” letter, however gently and graciously written,² when I see one. This is, however, the first such goodbye missive I’ve received that included a consolation prize³ (“Thanks for playing, and you’ll receive the home version of our game.”), which is a classy touch. The gift of The Book Of Longing is much appreciated. I’d reciprocate in kind, but I suppose the collection of erotic limericks I’ve composed while in the throes of dating, Terse Verse: Perverse & Worse, is inappropriate at this point.⁴

Although I lament surrendering the notion of the two of us being immortalized in Chelsea Hotel No. 3 (which would have, naturally, spun off its own sequel, starring you, Tina, Tanita, and me in Chelsea Hotel Suite, Nos. 4-6), it’s a simple calculation to determine that my relationship with you has been more fun, far sexier, and much, much less costly than my first marriage and a high percentage of Match.com trysts. It has been, in fact, a hoot (maybe a hoot and a half).

Besides, as a little time passes my version of our history will inevitably expand to encompass all manner of anatomically challenging, imagination boggling saturnalia.

So, tell The Poet that The Doctor says “Hey” and “Thanks.”

Finally, I hope you’ll always remember this about me — that you have a moral obligation, should you, Tina, and Tanita hook up, to invite me. I, of course, will be in contact with you immediately, should I get to them first.

You are a heck of a gal⁵

Fondly,
HGuy

Anjani and Anjani Thomas: An Aside On Names
Anjani and Anjani Thomas are, for the purposes of the Heck of a Guy blog, synonymous names, both of which refer to the exotically lovely, dulcet-voiced singer best known for her Blue Alert CD and her long-term relationship with Leonard Cohen. I include this clarification on posts about Anjani-Anjani Thomas in part for the purpose of what the folks at Wikipedia call disambiguation (i.e., to positively identify for the reader and remove any doubts the reader might have about which Anjani of all the possible Anjanis is being discussed) and in part to aid and abet the search engines. While a rose is, famously, a rose is a rose, a “tea rose,” for example, is not exactly the same as a “rose” – especially to a search engine. Searches that include “Anjani” as part of the search terms may not produce the same results as the same search terms other with “Anjani Thomas” substituted for “Anjani.” Should any other Anjani, say one who has not produced a CD called “Blue Alert” or one who has not been associated with Leonard Cohen for the decade, I promise to do my best to make that identification clear as well.

1. I had assumed that no one has ever used “splitsville” outside an Archie & Jughead comic book, but Google gets 400,000 hits for the word. Go figure. [↩]
2. It could be so much worse. There’s a country-western song with the instructive title, “Get Your Tongue Out Of My Mouth, Because I’m Kissing You Goodbye” [↩]
3. I don’t think that residual tic over my left eye I’ve had since the ex-barrel racer and I broke up counts as a consolation prize [↩]
4. Tell you what, I had put together, for another occasion, a batch of prizes that were, inexplicably, never claimed. Take your pick of the loot list at And The Winner Is … [↩]
5. That’s official, by the way; I also own the heckofagal.com domain [↩]

Anjani Writes Again

Flaunting her perspicacity, Mrs. Linklater presciently posed this rhetorical question after reading my post, A Muse Amused?, which was itself written in response to the appearance of a comment by Anjani to a still earlier post I wrote lauding her album, Blue Alert:

Why does this all make me think of Pandora’s Box, as it were?

I’ll leave it to you, gentle reader, to supply your own rhetorical interpretation of and answer to Mrs. L’s query, but it does appear that the story isn’t over.

DrHGuy Promoted To Rascally Scamp

The latest episode in this mini-series has arrived in the form of this comment from Anjani
appended to Anjani: A Muse Amused?:

Dear HGuy,

I write regarding a number of points:

1. As a fellow proponent of proper syntax and spelling, kindly correct the typo in that comment from “my” to “me”

2. The Contact and Subscribe tabs at the top of the page don’t lead anywhere but home.

3. You rascally scamp! Never would I consider a fourway with Tina and Joan Jett…however, Tina and Tanita remain an intriguing possibility.

Yours Truly,
AT

Comment by anjani — August 12, 2006 @ 6:08 pm

To Recap: Anjani and DrHGuy

Anjani:
Anjani Thomas is an altogether impressive singer-songwriter, whose album, Blue Alert, has garnered critical acclaim and a growing audience. It has also become my personal soundtrack since I belatedly discovered it three weeks ago. The songs from Blue Alert, suffused with Anjani’s smoky voice, are simultaneously a seduction into and a requiem for love that the singer unflinchingly and, indeed, passionately advocates all the while acknowledging that love is, in the end, not only insufficient to rescue us from the human condition but is also itself a source of pain.

And, it must be said, or, at any rate, I’m certainly going to say it, Anjani is easy on the eyes.

DrHGuy
My primary occupation these days, on the other hand, is time dashing off posts on the decantation of ketchup, recipes for chocolate infused vodka, hacks for managing combination locks, the styles of bloggers in Ohioand Australia, the Gay Games Rowing Matches in Crystal Lake, and, on occasion, my admiration for and fantasies about gorgeous women who sing tremendous songs.

And my looks are, if not a burden on the the eyes, an acquired taste.

DrHGuy & Anjani Up In A Tree – OK, Up Two Different Trees

Then Anjani not only reads my review but responds with a couple of comments that could cause some men, one suspects, to succumb to a no longer master of ones domain situation:¹

I fully realize that a few lines in the comments section of a blog hardly constitutes a resurrection of the epistolary novel. But, let’s put this in context. I also wrote nice things about Dr. Demento, but does he drop me a line or ring me? Not a chance. And did whispering those sweet nothings about Neil Diamond, The Monkees, Nancy Sinatra, and, God forgive me, Britney Spears get me even a susurration in return? Not a sound. Has Dana Lyons sent an e-moo after I named Cows With Guns the best novelty song of all time? I haven’t herd a thing. And, I must admit, I’m a tad disappointed that Leonard Cohen, whom I have repeatedly promoted and financially supported in the retail marketplace, has, like Dr. Demento and the rest, not seen fit to zap a message my way or at least add a line or two of greeting to one of Anjani’s notes. How hard would it be for him to tell Anjani, “Hey, next time you write DrHGuy, tell him Lenny says ‘Howdy?’”

In fact, my overall experience with important or famous people is not encouraging. The sum and substance of my interactions with celebrities (using the most expansive definitions of “interactions” and “celebrities”) consist of

1. While riding in an elevator of the Maui Hyatt alone with Chevy Chase. I ventured a pun that he, drawing deeply from his spiritual core as well as his repertoire of acting skills, politely acknowledged, flashing what might have been a semi-snicker.
2. With 25 or so others, I shared a first class cabin on a midnight flight from LAX to Chicago with Stevie Wonder. He sang the departure notification, “I just called to say we’re departing, … . “ No kidding.
3. Also at the Maui Hyatt, the year Diet Coke was introduced, Coca-Cola took over the resort for their sales meeting and to keep the other guests happy despite the hassles inherent in sharing the grounds with several hundred folks from the Coca-Cola sales division, provided freebie bars and other accommodations. Julie and a friend discovered the CEO of Coca-Cola was staying on the same floor of the hotel as we were, and after a session at the open bar, determined that nothing would do but to serenade Coke’s CEO with their rendition of “I’d Like To Buy The World A Coke,” which they proceeded to do at the door of his suite. He was incredibly gracious. My contribution was that I didn’t disavow Julie or deny that was my wife.

Further, Anjani writes back in a manner sure to appeal to me (OK, anything from her short of “Drop dead, jerk” would be likely to appeal to me, but you know what I mean):

• Note that she drops the honorific, opting for the more intimate HGuy rather than DrHGuy. Can the use of an affectionately tinged “H” be far behind? And, as we all know, from “H” it’s only a short step down a slippery slope to Hunka Hunka Burning Love.
• She requests a small edit, noting her preoccupation, congruent with my own, for syntax and spelling. Be still, my heart.
• And, by the content and tone of her 3rd remark, I believe we can surmise that, as the lyrics of the title track of Blue Alert would have it,She breaks the rules so you can see
  She’s wilder than you’ll ever be

Or, as Spike Lee’s eloquent and subtle movie title phrased it, She’s Gotta Have It.

Let’s see, is there anything else? Well, she’s from Hawaii and, should her pipes fail her, she can always fall back on her training as a hula dancer. That’s security. She wears size 9.5 shoes.² When asked, “What does the word “Style” mean to you?” she answers “Discomfort and anxiety,”³ so we have that in common. And, her response to “What is your favourite travel destination?” is “Bed.”⁴ Again, we’re in synch.

That’s about it. It seems as though I’m forgetting something …

Oh yeah, I suppose some folks might find it kinda, sorta interesting that she happens to be in a long term professional and romantic relationship with an older man, Leonard Cohen, an artist I have openly and immoderately admired throughout my adult years.

Pretty heady stuff for a kid from the Ozarks – or Thebes.

Anjani and Anjani Thomas: An Aside On Names
Anjani and Anjani Thomas are, for the purposes of the Heck of a Guy blog, synonymous names, both of which refer to the exotically lovely, dulcet-voiced singer best known for her Blue Alert CD and her long-term relationship with Leonard Cohen. I include this clarification on posts about Anjani-Anjani Thomas in part for the purpose of what the folks at Wikipedia call disambiguation (i.e., to positively identify for the reader and remove any doubts the reader might have about which Anjani of all the possible Anjanis is being discussed) and in part to aid and abet the search engines. While a rose is, famously, a rose is a rose, a “tea rose,” for example, is not exactly the same as a “rose” – especially to a search engine. Searches that include “Anjani” as part of the search terms may not produce the same results as the same search terms other with “Anjani Thomas” substituted for “Anjani.” Should any other Anjani, say one who has not produced a CD called “Blue Alert” or one who has not been associated with Leonard Cohen for the decade, I promise to do my best to make that identification clear as well.

1. I must point out that problems with servers and coding notwithstanding, I remain master of the 1heckofaguy.com domain [↩]
2. Flare.com Interview, July 2006 [↩]
3. Ibid [↩]
4. Ibid [↩]