Warren zevon the french inhaler series#

“Backs Turned Looking Down The Path” combines further autobiographical detail with a country tinged arrangement.

It’s not easy to make a song that is both catchy and cathartic but Zevon does it brilliantly here. There’s a strong tune and chorus to offset the bitterness of the lyrics. The autobiographical “Mama Couldn’t Be Persuaded” is darker in tone but no less memorable. In it’s way it’s a homage to Phil and Don too. Apparently Zevon used to perform this with the Everlys long before it was committed to vinyl. With sharply observational/narrative lyrics and a stirring chorus it’s something of an epic and a memorable way to kick start an album. The song borrows from Aaron Copland’s “Rodeo” for some of it’s structures but is none the worse for that. “Warren Zevon” begins with Zevon’s paean to “Frank And Jesse James” casting the brothers as heroic Robin Hood figures in a mythic wild west. I have to say that I’ve thoroughly enjoyed rediscovering this music and had forgotten just how good this album is. “Warren Zevon” and “Excitable Boy” are generally held to be his high water marks although I must admit I’d not listened to him in years until this review copy of “Warren Zevon” dropped through my letter box. Although mainstream success largely eluded him the quality of his output was generally very high and he maintained a dedicated cult following. Zevon left Asylum after “The Envoy” and subsequently recorded for Virgin among others. There are also several “best ofs” available including “A Quiet Normal Life” (1986) and the doubles “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead” and “The Genius Of”. Ironically after year of commercial decline his final album was to be his biggest seller since “Excitable Boy”. There was then a flurry of new releases before Zevon’s untimely demise beginning with the prophetically titled “Life’ll Kill Ya” (2000), My Ride’s Here” (2002) and “The Wind” (2003).

The nineties were less productive with “Mr Bad Example” (1991) followed by the live acoustic “Learning To Flinch” (1993), an interesting retrospective of his career to date, and “Mutineer” (1995). This was followed by “Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School” and the live album “Stand In the Fire” (both 1980), “The Envoy” (1982), “Sentimental Hygiene” (1987) and “Transverse City” (1989).

Warren zevon the french inhaler series#

Despite his problems he produced a series of fine albums such as “Excitable Boy” (1978) which contained probably his most famous song “Werewolves Of London”. He had several spells in rehab for alcohol and drug abuse and died of cancer in 2003. Browne was to go on to produce the “Warren Zevon” album.Ī self destructive character Zevon had difficulty coping with success. It was Browne who helped Zevon to secure a contract with David Geffen’s Asylum label, ironically at a time when Zevon was thinking of quitting the business.

After “Dead Or Alive” sunk without trace Zevon worked as pianist and musical director for the Everly Brothers and also struck up a friendship with fellow songwriter Jackson Browne. Born in Chicago in 1947 he had a troubled childhood before moving to California and scrabbling around the music scene in Los Angeles. Zevon’s life story is well told by Bob Mehr in the CD booklet. Zevon was significantly different to the regular cast of California singer/songwriters that he was often associated with, due in part to his recording for the Asylum label, home of The Eagles, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt etc. Zevon mixed memorable melodies with barbed, often autobiographical lyrics that displayed intelligence, a sharp observational eye and a black sense of humour. A little known 1969 recording “Wanted Dead Or Alive” had long since been deleted and when “Warren Zevon” finally emerged the critics fell over themselves praising the “new discovery”. To all intents and purposes “Warren Zevon” was the singer/songwriter/pianist’s debut album. The latter stand up surprisingly well in their own right but we’ll come to those later. This double CD from Rhino offers a re-mastered version of Zevon’s classic 1976 album together with a bonus CD of demos and alternate versions.