Composer Philip Glass tells of his final conversation with Leonard Cohen

American composer Philip Glass has revealed details about the last time he spoke to Leonard Cohen just before the singing legend died.

Interviewed by The Big Issue magazine, he said: “The last time I spoke to him I asked him when he was next coming to New York. I hadn’t seen him in a while.

“He said, ‘This old car isn’t leaving the garage again’. At the time I didn’t really understand him. I think he was really saying goodbye. I never saw him again. He died about a week later.”

Speaking about his regrets in life, Glass said: “I would have liked to have had more time to get to know my father. He was killed by a car when he was 67. Not that old. He didn’t get out of the way quickly enough and someone knocked him down.

“But generally, I don’t look back on my life. I think about what I’m doing next week. I just don’t look through the rear view mirror.”

Glass said there were still things he wanted to do, but admitted that at the age of 80 he was “running out of time”.

He added: “If I’m going to write 12 more symphonies I better get going.”

The Big Issue magazine, which is sold to help the homeless, is on sale from Monday.