Warren Zevon

[Fracktured]

I don't think I've ever heard Warren mentioned on here which would be odd considering the fact I believe he would appeal to many on the site. Warren had a propensity for wit and humor about death and politics that made him an unordinary pop song writer. I first heard him on a radio concert broadcasted in the Philadelphia area during his Excitable Boy tour. The Philly area embraced him in his early days and I believe he enjoyed playing there. I loved his first several albums but fell out of touch with his music for awhile. I still have never purchased a few of his albums and may have to rectify that in the near future. His song "Keep Me In Your Heart for a while" has to be one of the most sentimental endings to an album ever recorded. Wish I would have seen him in concert, but never got the chance.

[JKL2000]

Ive mentioned him on here a lot.

I only saw him live once, on the Envoy tour. Great show, in a college gym (Ithaca)!

[-=RTFR666=-]

Saw Warren once on a New Years's Eve in West Palm Beach FL. Early 90s. Transverse City's my favorite.

ETA: I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Life and Dirty Times of Warren Zevon is worth reading...

[Jerjo]

I've been a fan for a long time. I never got a chance to see him live but I always enjoyed his appearances on Letterman (and one hilarious episode of The Larry Sanders Show). He briefly studied under Stravinsky when he was in his early teens. I remember he wrote a piece for Playboy on how to test stereo equipment. He detailed how one of Stravinsky's pieces should sound on a great system, how each instrument should sound, etc. And then he said the next test would be to put on The Clash and if his ears bled, that'd be the system he'd buy. But until then he was spending spare cash on guns with Hunter S. Thompson. Witty, acerbic, sentimental, and a goddamn brilliant writer, not just with lyrics but with melodies and riffs.

Several years ago the Zevon family posted some shows on one of those live archive sites for free downloads. I got the one from 1988 show at the Hammersmith Odeon. It's pretty fantastic.

[SteveSly]

I am a huge Zevon fan. To me he is one of the best lyricists ever, and was also a great musician. I only got to see him once on the "Mr. Bad Example" tour. He was great. If you are a Zevon fan I would highly suggest the biography his wife wrote after he passed away. A very interesting read.

[JKL2000]

Ive mentioned him on here a lot.

I only saw him live once, on the Envoy tour. Great show, in a college gym (Ithaca)!

By the way, after this show he signed the back of my ticket stub, and was very friendly.

[Guitarplyrjvb]

Agree with all of the sentiments here. Great songwriter and lyricist. Not a great singer, but he can deliver his material in a charming, affecting way. I remember his comment on the Letterman show when asked in the face of his impending death if he had any advice for those he was leaving behind: "Enjoy every sandwich". Indeed!

[gpeccary]

Add me to the list. Great musician, hilarious writer, and took on his impending demise with tremendous dignity and grace. There is a doc out there where he invited the folks he loved playing with to do one last album with him, with the full disclosure it would be a goodbye. Very moving. Brave soul.

[Koreabruce]

Here's part 1 of his last Letterman appearance. Truly a brave and admirable man! Would that I could have this much courage and great attitude if I were ever to face a similar predicament.

[Koreabruce]

Part II: Mutineer

[Koreabruce]

Part III: Genius

[Koreabruce]

Part IV: Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner

[JKL2000]

I thought it was also great of Letterman to give him that forum and time to say goodbye. It was difficult (much more for him I'm sure), but it made it easier for everyone to see him perform a few more times, and to let him go.

[Fracktured]

Engine drivers headed north to pleasant stream


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