Artist Of The Week 11/15/2010 Warren Zevon

[sactochris]

I think when it comes down to it, that Warren Zevon is without a doubt my favorite of the large group of singer-songwriters who made up the L.A. music scene in the uber fertile 1970's. He wrote an amazing cannon of songs that were sometimes autobiographical, and more often observational, that chronicled both the hedonistic life and times, and artistic expression that dominated that era.

He had floated around various music scenes after leaving home. He had spent time in New York, San Francisco, etc. He had recorded some sides as one half of a folk duo called Lyme & Cybelle, and had even written the B side, of The Turtles smash hit Happy Together. He recorded an album entitled Wanted Dead Or Alive, that was produced by svengali, Kim Fowley. He was the musical director for the last couple of tours by The Everly Brothers. He wrote jingles, and worked on longer instrumental compositions, all the while cranking out the songs that would appear on his debut LP released in 1976. And what a debut it was. It was a commercial failure, selling only 70 or 80 thousand copies but nobody could deny that he was a major talent who was writing from a unique perspective. His music is literate and intelligent. It at times oozes cynicism, but it also uses tenderness and hope and redemption, to tell great stories about weird people and funny places. Like a werewolf in London.

The second album, Excitable Boy, gave him a huge audience who ate up the tales of espionage, murder, rape and other forms of anti social behaviour. The tenderness and longing is still there on that album, but far too many people missed all that and just screamed for, and along to, the funny song about the werewolf. By the time he was ready to record his third proper studio album his old demons and his new success sent him spiraling out of control. By then he was a vodka guzzling, darvon addled mess.

He was still able to record, what I feel was one of his very best records, the criminally underrated, Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School. Don't let anyone tell you this record is crap. Listen for yourself. A few of these songs he would play for the rest of his life, songs like, Jungle Work, Play It All Night long, and the song Jeannie Needs A Shooter, co-written with some guy from New Jersey, named Bruce.

The tour for this album was responsible for one of the best live albums in the history of rock n roll, Stand In The Fire, which was recorded at The Roxy in L.A. He was also dangerously unstable by this time. It was all about Vodka, cocaine, and large caliber handguns for Warren by this time.

His label Elektra/Asylum was done with him. He owed them one more album, so he recorded his final E/A release, The Envoy(which has several very good songs on it) and was sent out on a solo tour in a unsucessful attempt to recoup the money spent on his final album. Then he just went away for a few years. He was living with a DJ in Philly. He said life was pretty normal. He spoke of eating cheesesteaks, and watching Sixers games, but this is widely considered to be the lowest, darkest, drunkest time of his life.

On March 19th, 1986 he achieved the sobriety that had for so long eluded him. He was sober for the next seventeen years. He signed a contract with Virgin records, then went into the studio and recorded what many hoped would be the album that would return him to the success of his Excitable boy heydey. Sentimental Hygiene, is loaded with great songs and lot's of very intersting sonic textures, courtesy of an almost absurd list of talented admirers headlined by some guy named Dylan. Warren showed up at the studio and the receptionist told him that Bob Dylan had came in to see him, and had stayed to wait for him to arrive. The record was not a big seller, but he was back, and he was sober.

The next record Transverse City, is also full of major industry heavyweights who were more than happy to lend their talents to try and help Warren further his career. It sold even fewer copies than SH had, and He was dropped by Virgin Records.

He was quickly signed to Giant Records, who released Hindu Love Gods, which is Warren, fronting R.E.M. on a bunch of old blues numbers, and a crackerjack version of Rasberry Beret. It's a very fun record to listen too. His first studio album for Giant was Mr Bad Example, It's uneven, but contains a few really good tracks. It was soon out of print. He released a very good live album called Learning To Flinch, that is just him solo, playing his songs on either piano or guitar. He was an amazing live performer. His final release for Giant was Mutineer in 1995. It was the poorest selling album in the career of a guy who was by now accustomed to not moving a lot of units.

An excellent two disc anthology was released by Rhino Records in 1996. I'll Sleep When I'm Dead is a very good 44 track overview of his entire career up to that point. It even has some very good un-released material. It's an excellent place to start if you want check out Zevon's work. It's light years ahead of the compilation that Elektra rushed out, A Quiet Normal Life, after Werewolves Of London was used in the film Color Of Money.

It was another few years until Warren returned with a new album. he was now signed to Artemis Records, and in 2000 released Life'll Kill Ya, which is a very strong record full of songs written by an older and wiser Warren. The cynicism is still there, it's just not the main focus any longer. By now, most of his songs contained a very tender quality. The record again sold poorly.

He was back in 2001 with My Ride's Here, which ironically, is for the most part an album about coming to grips with you own mortality that was written and released well before he was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2002. He was given just a few months to live. He was around for another year. Long enough to slip into a scotch and morphine induced obvlivion for a short time. He was around long enough to see his daughter give birth to his twin grandsons. And also around long enough to finish one last album. The Wind, is loaded with special guests, but this time the guests are Warren's closest friends, the people who he had collaborated with for years. It's was tough for me to listen to that record. How can you not fall to pieces when you hear one of your heroes, who you know is about to die, sing Knocking On Heavens Door. The album was released on August 26, 2003, and twelve days later he was gone. The album was a fairly big seller, and was nominated for five Grammy's, winning two of them, but he wasn't around to enjoy any of this.

I can't stress enough what I genius I think this man was. (Genius, was also the title Rhino used for a second compilation they released in 2002) He was as Jackson Browne said "the first and foremost proponent of song noir" or even better, is this quote from Bruce Springsteen "The good, the bad, and the ugly... a moralist in cynic's clothing. He nails a part of the American charcter rarely captured in pop music"

I couldn't agree more. Now go buy some warren Zevon records people.

[Smitty]

first I had heard Warren Zevon past Werewolves & Hank Jr covers was his last appearance on David Letterman - it was one of the most honest pieces I have ever seen on television.






great writeup, sacto

[sactochris]

first I had heard Warren Zevon past Werewolves & Hank Jr covers was his last appearance on David Letterman - it was one of the most honest pieces I have ever seen on television.






great writeup, sacto

I finally watched his last Letterman appearance a few weeks ago. It was great.

[Clams]

Then he just went away for a few years. He was living with a DJ in Philly. He said life was pretty normal. He spoke of eating cheesesteaks, and watching Sixers games, but this is widely considered to be the lowest, darkest, drunkest time of his life.

I believe many Philadelphians would describe their time here in the same way.

Excellent write up, Sacto. I'm a casual Zevon fan and I've always wanted to dig deeper. I saw him at some small Jersey Shore bar in summer of 86, just him playing piano. He started talking about Jackson Browne this, Bruce Springsteen that, and my friend Joey calls out "name dropper!" Zevon just stopped, looked at him, smiled and said "aw fuck you!" and played his next song. Was highly amusing. I've heard that the bio written a couple of years ago by his ex-wife is really good too. As an aside, the Philly DJ was Anita Gevison (sp?) who was on 94.1 WYSP for years back in the 80's. I very much remember her daily lunchtime "Ask Anita" show, which was like a rock and roll call-in version of Dear Abby, before talk radio became all the rage.

[sactochris]

Then he just went away for a few years. He was living with a DJ in Philly. He said life was pretty normal. He spoke of eating cheesesteaks, and watching Sixers games, but this is widely considered to be the lowest, darkest, drunkest time of his life.

I believe many Philadelphians would describe their time here in the same way.

Excellent write up, Sacto. I'm a casual Zevon fan and I've always wanted to dig deeper. I saw him at some small Jersey Shore bar in summer of 86, just him playing piano. He started talking about Jackson Browne this, Bruce Springsteen that, and my friend Joey calls out "name dropper!" Zevon just stopped, looked at him, smiled and said "aw fuck you!" and played his next song. Was highly amusing. I've heard that the bio written a couple of years ago by his ex-wife is really good too. As an aside, the Philly DJ was Anita Gevison (sp?) who was on 94.1 WYSP for years back in the 80's. I very much remember her daily lunchtime "Ask Anita" show, which was like a rock and roll call-in version of Dear Abby, before talk radio became all the rage.

The bio is indeed very good. It's well worth reading.

[Maluca3]

I've been wanting to read the bio. One of my buddies did and marveled at how pretty much anyone who ever loved Zevon agreed that he was a complete asshole, but a genius, and they loved him fiercely despite it all.

And, no, my tagline is not because Zevon is the artist of the week... it's been there since 3DD started.

[dime in the gutter]

great write up. everly bros.....cool. i learn new shit here all the time.

[Tequila Cowboy]

Great write up Sactochris. I miss Warren about as much as any fallen rocker. I don't go a week without Excitable Boy or Learning to Flinch and I don't go a month without Sentimental Hygiene or one of the others. I love the AotW feature.

[Tequila Cowboy]

Great write up Sactochris. I miss Warren about as much as any fallen rocker. I don't go a week without Excitable Boy or Learning to Flinch and I don't go a month without Sentimental Hygiene or one of the others. Thanks again.

[LuthierJustin]

[Steve French]

Then he just went away for a few years. He was living with a DJ in Philly. He said life was pretty normal. He spoke of eating cheesesteaks, and watching Sixers games, but this is widely considered to be the lowest, darkest, drunkest time of his life.

I believe many Philadelphians would describe their time here in the same way.

Excellent write up, Sacto. I'm a casual Zevon fan and I've always wanted to dig deeper. I saw him at some small Jersey Shore bar in summer of 86, just him playing piano. He started talking about Jackson Browne this, Bruce Springsteen that, and my friend Joey calls out "name dropper!" Zevon just stopped, looked at him, smiled and said "aw fuck you!" and played his next song. Was highly amusing. I've heard that the bio written a couple of years ago by his ex-wife is really good too. As an aside, the Philly DJ was Anita Gevison (sp?) who was on 94.1 WYSP for years back in the 80's. I very much remember her daily lunchtime "Ask Anita" show, which was like a rock and roll call-in version of Dear Abby, before talk radio became all the rage.

The bio is indeed very good. It's well worth reading.

its called "I'll sleep when I'm dead" and is written by Crystal his first wife. Its excellent. Has a contribution from Jordan too.

I remember listening to "Excitable Boy" when it arrived in our shithole town in 1978 or 1979, and I've loved it ever since. I'm also very fond of "Stand in the Fire". By the way, locally the rekkid lables are finding new creative ways to sell you stuff you already have: but they do five albums for the price of 1 CD: its great to fill in holes in your back catalog(ue).

The Enjoy Every Sandwich WZ covers album is very good also.



Here is the biography (free shipping too!)

http://www.bookdepository.co.uk/book/97 ... rren-Zevon

[Slipkid42]

I sure miss that rascal.
Thanks for the wonderful write-up & for joggin' my memory.

[Steve French]

DBT link:

zevon died of mesothelioma, which also killed Steve McQueen, who DBT wrote a song about.

[Tequila Cowboy]

The first time I heard Warren Zevon I was with a buddy and we went to his dope dealer's apartment. the place stunk of weed and Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner was playing loud as we walked in. I was blown away and the guy made me a cassette of Excitable Boy while we smoked.

[LuthierJustin]

[Clams]

that's some fucked up shit.

[Tyler]

One of my true all time favorites. I'd probably put him over Dylan most days (heresy, I know). The first album especially is just mindblowingly good. He was one of the few who excelled at writing lyrically AND instrumentally which made his stuff really stand out. Very few singer-songwriter types are anywhere close to where he was in terms of composistion, riffs, etc.

[beantownbubba]

I think that being lumped in w/ the "LA singer songwriter" crowd really hurt Zevon's chances for success. 'Cause he wasn't one of them, he was just friends w/ all of those folks and they all admired him. Zevon was a rocker and i think if he had been marketed that way the market would have understood and accepted him better. As it was, people didn't know what to expect and often reacted to him w/ "hmmm, interesting" rather than "Wow!"

To me, Zevon's version of "Knockin on Heaven's Door" is almost a little miracle because it "should" be totally maudlin and sentimental, but it's not. It hits hard, but w/ soul, not schmaltz.

Very nice write up, Sacto! And thanks for that early career background. Like Dime, i didn't know any of that.

[Smitty]

To me, Zevon's version of "Knockin on Heaven's Door" is almost a little miracle because it "should" be totally maudlin and sentimental, but it's not. It hits hard, but w/ soul, not schmaltz.

the whole "The Wind" album maintained its integrity when it probably shouldn't have. It definitely had some sentimental parts, but (maybe its a testament to Warren) it never seemed forced or comes off more graceful than morbid. The guest stars sound genuine also, not like some kind of gimmick.

[beantownbubba]

To me, Zevon's version of "Knockin on Heaven's Door" is almost a little miracle because it "should" be totally maudlin and sentimental, but it's not. It hits hard, but w/ soul, not schmaltz.

the whole "The Wind" album maintained its integrity when it probably shouldn't have. It definitely had some sentimental parts, but (maybe its a testament to Warren) it never seemed forced or comes off more graceful than morbid. The guest stars sound genuine also, not like some kind of gimmick.

True. And if u see the documentary about the making of the album/Zevon's last months, you can see it go down just that way.

[sactochris]

Very nice write up, Sacto! And thanks for that early career background. Like Dime, i didn't know any of that.

I could of gone on and on about his early years. I didn't even get to the part about Stravinsky. I knew I was going to go album by album in my write up so I just did the broad strokes. The early part of his life is fascinating. He also hung out with David Marks, who was in the early line up of the Beach Boys. You have to read the bio.

[cortez the killer]

Artist of the Week? What asshole came up with this lame idea? Anyone who knows anything knows it's all about pedestals.

[beantownbubba]

Artist of the Week? What asshole came up with this lame idea? Anyone who knows anything knows it's all about being pedantic.

Fixed.

[cortez the killer]

Artist of the Week? What asshole came up with this lame idea? Anyone who knows anything knows it's all about being pedantic.

Fixed.

While we are on the subject of "pedantic," B.U. dropped football in '97. If you wanna play a know-it-all, ya gotta at least have your facts straight big boy.

[beantownbubba]

Artist of the Week? What asshole came up with this lame idea? Anyone who knows anything knows it's all about being pedantic.

Fixed.

While we are on the subject of "pedantic," B.U. dropped football in '97. If you wanna play a know-it-all, ya gotta at least have your facts straight big boy.

What can i say? Time flies when you're not playing football.

[Flea]

It's a fucking shame that Zevon semi- got his shit together and died, while Britney Spears flashed her kitty, shaved her head, checked into rehab, and survived to record another day.

[Slipkid42]

It's a fucking shame that Zevon semi- got his shit together and died, while Britney Spears flashed her kitty, shaved her head, checked into rehab, and survived to record another day.

Brit's kinda young still. She's prolly got some more fuckin' up to do before she gets it right.
I had this buddy named Eddie. Eddie was a supreme fuckup who had dropped outta school, and let drugs and alcohol ruin his marriage and life. By his mid 30s Eddie had gotten his shit together and reconnected w/his daughter and was even lookin' healthy. He was drivin' to work one morning and a trailer haulin' a tractor, broke off its hitch somehow and flipped up and through his windshield. I miss Eddie and I miss Warren Zevon, but I am thankful for the times they gave me.

[sg207]

Bump.

I just finshed the biography, and it is an excellent read. It's brought me into exploring some of his lesser known stuff from after he became sober, and I must say, I can't believe I never got into it before.

[Penny Lane]

Bump.

I just finshed the biography, and it is an excellent read. It's brought me into exploring some of his lesser known stuff from after he became sober, and I must say, I can't believe I never got into it before.

one of my favorite bios..

[RolanK]

Need to get hold of that bio. One of my favorite songwriters.