TORONTO (CelebrityAccess MediaWire) — The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation is celebrating one of the most powerful concert promoters in the world, Toronto’s own Michael Cohl, as part of their “Life and Times” biography series.
The documentary, titled “Satisfaction: The Life and Times of Michael Cohl,” will air Monday, July 24th at 8pm, with plans to repeat the episode, and eventually pass it to U.S. airwaves.
“If you’ve been to a rock concert in the past 20 years, if you’ve bought the T-shirt, the jacket or even the beer, then you’ve done business with Michael Cohl,” a press release from the station reads. “Satisfaction traces Michael Cohl’s rise from Ottawa strip club owner to the most powerful concert promoter in the world.”
Cohl’s promotional empire grew from small live shows to theater and sporting events, until he got his big break in 1987. Stepping in to promote Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” tour, Cohl created one of the most successful live tours in history, gaining the confidence to take on more major acts, garnering major risks.
He promised the Rolling Stones an unprecedented $60 million advance to promote their 1989 “Steel Wheels” tour, and suddenly, every group from U2 to Pink Floyd were contacting Cohl to promote their tours.
The documentary also reveals how Cohl was dogged by a controversial price fixing scandal, that, although cleared, he found personally devastating.
The film features a full length interview with the man who usually stays behind the scenes, reserving the fame for his acts, as well as interviews and backstage footage with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, Bono, Ron Delsener, and business partner Bill Ballard. –by CelebrityAccess Staff Writers
