Warren Zevon
More than nine months ago, a friend from where I was then working, suggested I listen to Warren Zevon. I had heard the name, but I didn't know that I had heard any of his songs. I was then preoccupied with moving house and did nothing about it, until we had settled in our new house, and something reminded me that I should check Warren out. After puzzling over which original album to get, and maybe pick a dud, I decided to go for the Best of....on the basis that if they weren't obviously good, then the rest was likely to be poor.
I got the CD, actually called The Best Of WARREN ZEVON Genius, and then the adventure began! It comprises 22 tracks, including only one song that I'd heard before - 'Werewolves Of London'. I'd heard it on the radio, liked it at the time, but hadn't even taken in who it was by.
The songs were all solely written by Warren, except some he co-wrote, and two are covers - 'A Certain Girl' (Allen Toussaint), 'Raspberry Beret' (Prince), but the quality of performance, range of sounds, scope of storytelling - often of dark subject matter - are quite amazing. What comes across is Warren's sharp wit, his exuberance, his versatility as a musician (vocals, keyboard, guitar, harmonica, also as arranger).
The songs are just so good. So unusual. 'Mr. Bad Example' is about just that, and it's funny, and then there's a song about a boxer in 'Boom Boom Mancini', or the beautiful Spanish guitar driven 'Carmelita' that marries romance and the destructiveness of heroin. Then there's 'Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner' - a tale of a mercenary where you just have to see how the story unfolds. I must have played 'Roland' 50 times or more already.
The thing is, I've listened to this CD straight through, from the middle, from near the end, on shuffle on the computer, and whichever way you listen to it, it's brilliant. And to think, I didn't know much at all about this artist. Some of that I would say had to do with airplay, or rather the lack of it. I know that people would have found it difficult to put these songs on the radio - "Excitable Boy' for instance, was just a bit too lyrically excitable!
It is weird for me to have 'discovered' an artist who has material spanning over 30 years, and to have missed those years. I suppose the way to think about it, is that I've a lot of catching up to do.
At the same time as becoming a fan, it was with sadness that I became aware that Warren died in 2003. He died of Mesothelioma (a form of cancer that affects the lining of the lung, caused by exposure to asbestos).
Although the word Genius in the CD could just refer to one of the songs on it, it's clearly also ambiguous that Warren was ... not much ambiguity really though, he was!
(Thanks Simon, for your recommendation to have a listen, all those month's ago).
I got the CD, actually called The Best Of WARREN ZEVON Genius, and then the adventure began! It comprises 22 tracks, including only one song that I'd heard before - 'Werewolves Of London'. I'd heard it on the radio, liked it at the time, but hadn't even taken in who it was by.
The songs were all solely written by Warren, except some he co-wrote, and two are covers - 'A Certain Girl' (Allen Toussaint), 'Raspberry Beret' (Prince), but the quality of performance, range of sounds, scope of storytelling - often of dark subject matter - are quite amazing. What comes across is Warren's sharp wit, his exuberance, his versatility as a musician (vocals, keyboard, guitar, harmonica, also as arranger).
The songs are just so good. So unusual. 'Mr. Bad Example' is about just that, and it's funny, and then there's a song about a boxer in 'Boom Boom Mancini', or the beautiful Spanish guitar driven 'Carmelita' that marries romance and the destructiveness of heroin. Then there's 'Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner' - a tale of a mercenary where you just have to see how the story unfolds. I must have played 'Roland' 50 times or more already.
The thing is, I've listened to this CD straight through, from the middle, from near the end, on shuffle on the computer, and whichever way you listen to it, it's brilliant. And to think, I didn't know much at all about this artist. Some of that I would say had to do with airplay, or rather the lack of it. I know that people would have found it difficult to put these songs on the radio - "Excitable Boy' for instance, was just a bit too lyrically excitable!
It is weird for me to have 'discovered' an artist who has material spanning over 30 years, and to have missed those years. I suppose the way to think about it, is that I've a lot of catching up to do.
At the same time as becoming a fan, it was with sadness that I became aware that Warren died in 2003. He died of Mesothelioma (a form of cancer that affects the lining of the lung, caused by exposure to asbestos).
Although the word Genius in the CD could just refer to one of the songs on it, it's clearly also ambiguous that Warren was ... not much ambiguity really though, he was!
(Thanks Simon, for your recommendation to have a listen, all those month's ago).
posted by Barrie Gordon at 8:29 AM
2 Comments:
Barrie, congratulations on discovering Warren Zevon! Are you aware that his ex-wife and lifelong friend, Crystal Zevon, wrote his biography this past year? It's called "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead."
Catstone,
As you don't appear to have a public email address or comments area on your blog, this will probably end up on my blog!... but anyway, thanks very much for your comment and given so quickly.
Since my rapid interest in Warren, I did look on the internet and read that there was a biography by his ex-wife. I understand that it's a 'warts n' all' account, with Warren having given permission for Crystal to say less savoury stuff as well.
Have you got the book, and is it as interesting as it sounds?
How did you come across my blog?
If you make further comments about Warren, use either the comments way or email the staringout@gmail.com address.
Kind regards,
Barrie
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