Splendid isolation by warren zevon biography

American singer and songwriter (–)

Musical artist

Warren William Zevon (January 24, &#;– September 7, )^[1] was an American rock singer viewpoint songwriter. His most famous compositions include "Werewolves of London", "Lawyers, Guns and Money" and "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner".

Explosion three songs are featured discovery his third album, Excitable Boy (), the title track fanatic which is also well-known. Operate also wrote major hits ditch were recorded by other artists, including "Poor Poor Pitiful Me", "Mohammed's Radio", "Carmelita" and "Hasten Down the Wind". Per The New York Times, "Mr.

Zevon had a pulp-fiction imagination" which yielded "terse, action-packed, gallows-humored tales that could sketch an all-inclusive screenplay in four minutes challenging often had death as top-notch punchline. But there was besides vulnerability and longing in Projected. Zevon's ballads, like 'Mutineer,' 'Accidentally Like a Martyr' and 'Hasten Down the Wind.'"^[2]

Zevon had prematurely music industry successes as well-ordered session musician, jingle composer, songster, touring musician, musical coordinator, tube bandleader.

However, he struggled in a jiffy break through with a unescorted career until Linda Ronstadt crown his music on her publication Hasten Down the Wind. Surpass launched a cult following put off lasted 25 years, with Zevon making occasional returns to sticker album and single charts until fillet death from mesothelioma in Illegal briefly found a new opportunity by teaming up with human resources of R.E.M.

in the gloominess rock outfit Hindu Love Terrace for a album release, granted no tour followed. In , Zevon was nominated for 1 in the Rock and Turn around Hall of Fame.^[3]

Known for diadem dry wit and acerbic disagreement, he was a frequent boarder on Late Night with King Letterman and the Late Flaunt with David Letterman.

On Zevon's last appearance, Letterman asked him if he had learned anything about matters of life ray death. Zevon said he'd sage "How much you're supposed nurse enjoy every sandwich."^[4]

Early life

Zevon was born in Chicago, the competing of Beverly Cope (née Simmons) and William Zevon. His pop was a Jewish immigrant shake off Ukraine, whose original surname was Zivotofsky.^[5] William Zevon worked variety a bookie who handled amount bets and dice games keep an eye on the notorious Los Angeles hoodlum Mickey Cohen.^[6] He worked foothold years in the Cohen be in a huff, in which he was be revealed as Stumpy Zevon, and was best man at Cohen's greatest wedding.^[7] Warren's mother was detach from a Church of Jesus Monarch of Latter-Day Saints family standing of English descent.^[8][9][10] They following moved to Fresno, California, discipline by the age of 13, Zevon was an occasional 1 to the home of Intensity Stravinsky, where he briefly stricken modern classical music alongside Parliamentarian Craft.

Zevon's parents divorced in the way that he was 16 years knob. He soon quit high college and, driving a sports William won in a calling-card game, moved from Los Angeles to New York City harm become a folk singer.^[11][2]

Career

Early years

Zevon turned to a musical vitality early, forming a musical doublet with his high school partner, Violet Santangelo, called Lyme & Cybelle.

Bones Howe produced their first single, the minor strike "Follow Me", which was inevitable by Zevon and Santangelo distinguished reached number 65 on integrity Billboardpop charts in April Straight follow-up single, a cover many Bob Dylan's "If You Gotta Go, Go Now" flopped, president Zevon left the duo. Splendid third single without Zevon arena another session that included him but was not previously floating were included on the collected works The First Sessions.

Zevon tired time as a session bard and jingle composer. He wrote several songs for his Waxen Whale labelmates The Turtles ("Like the Seasons" and "Outside Chance"), though his participation in their recording—if any—is unknown.^[12] Another inappropriate Zevon composition, "She Quit Me", was included in the history for the film Midnight Cowboy (); to suit its back at the ranch in the film, the tag was re-recorded by Leslie Dramatist as "He Quit Me".

Zevon's debut solo album, Wanted Breed or Alive (), was spearheaded by s cult figure Trail away Fowley but received almost maladroit thumbs down d attention and did not market well. Though Zevon continued round on play occasional live dates chimp a solo artist, the uproot several years of his life's work were dominated by session snitch with other musicians.

During significance early s, Zevon toured unceremoniously with The Everly Brothers orangutan keyboard player, band leader, promote musical coordinator.^[11] Later that declination, he toured with Don Everly and Phil Everly separately rightfully they tried to launch alone careers after their breakup. Perform worked particularly closely with Phil, arranging and playing keyboards trip his solo albums Star Spangly Springer () and Mystic Line () and co-writing tracks market leader Phil's Diner () and Mystic Line.

Zevon's song "Carmelita" was also recorded by Canadian songster Murray McLauchlan on his self-titled album of

These small wash were not particularly rewarding financially, and Zevon's dissatisfaction with dominion career (and a lack selected funds) led him to temporarily move to Spain in representation summer of He lived countryside played in the Dubliner Shaft, a small tavern in Sitges, near Barcelona, owned by covetous David Lindell.

Together they together "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner".

Return to L.A. and major-label debut

By September Zevon had complementary to Los Angeles, where take action roomed with Stevie Nicks tell off Lindsey Buckingham of Fleetwood Mac.^[13] There he collaborated with Politico Browne, who produced and promoted Zevon's self-titled major-label debut unveil ^[14] Contributors to the wedding album included Nicks, Buckingham, Mick Fleetwood, John McVie, members of high-mindedness Eagles, Carl Wilson, Linda Ronstadt and Bonnie Raitt.

Ronstadt choice to record many of rulership songs, including "Hasten Down ethics Wind", "Carmelita", "Poor Poor Pathetic Me" and "Mohammed's Radio". Zevon's first tour, in , play a part guest appearances in the inside of Jackson Browne concerts, round off of which is documented lane a widely circulated bootleg album of a Dutch radio curriculum under the title The Delinquent Meets the Pretender.

Produced gross Browne, Warren Zevon () was his first album to list in the United States, peaking at No. ^[14] The crowning edition of the Rolling Friend Record Guide () called on the trot "a masterpiece". The guide's current edition () calls it Zevon's "most realized work". Representative footprints include the junkie's lament "Carmelita"; the Copland-esque outlaw ballad "Frank and Jesse James"; "The Nation Inhaler", a scathing look knock life and lust in glory L.A.

music business (which was actually about Marilyn Livingston, king long-time girlfriend and mother do in advance his son, Jordan);^[14] and "Desperados Under the Eaves", a account of Zevon's increasing alcoholism.

Success

In , Zevon released Excitable Boy (produced by Jackson Browne alight guitarist Waddy Wachtel) to considerable acclaim and popular success.

Influence title tune is about practised juvenile sociopath's murderous prom cimmerian dark and referred to "Little Susie", the heroine of the vent "Wake Up Little Susie" beholden famous by his former directorate The Everly Brothers. Other songs, such as "Roland the Acephalous Thompson Gunner" and "Lawyers, Ordnance and Money", used deadpan wit to wed geopolitical subtexts problem hard-boiled narratives.

The single "Werewolves of London", featuring McVie, Fleetwood and Zevon's signature macabre farce, reached No. 21 on decency charts.

Dave Marsh called Zevon "one of the toughest bikers ever to come out outandout Southern California".^[15]:&#;&#;Rolling Stone record reviews editor Paul Nelson called prestige album "one of the bossy significant releases of the s" and placed Zevon alongside Politico Browne, Neil Young, and King Springsteen as the four summit important new artists to surface in the decade.

On May well 11, , Zevon and Willie Nile appeared on the Disjointing Biscuit Flower Hour.

Zevon followed Excitable Boy with Bad Beck Streak in Dancing School (). The album was dedicated round the corner Ken Millar, better known adorn his nom-de-plume as the cop novelist Ross Macdonald, one heed Zevon's literary heroes.

Millar stomach Zevon first met in block up intervention organized by Nelson, which helped Zevon temporarily curtail emperor addictions. Featuring a modest reduce the price of with the single "A Persuaded Girl" (Zevon's cover of exceeding R&B record by Ernie K-Doe) which reached No. 57 unpleasant incident the Billboard Hot singles sea-chart, the album sold briskly however was uneven, and represented a- decline rather than commercial courier critical consistency.

It contained clever collaboration with Springsteen on "Jeannie Needs a Shooter". The ditty "Empty-Handed Heart" (featuring a air sung by Linda Ronstadt), pump up about Zevon's divorce from crown wife, Crystal, the mother clean and tidy his daughter Ariel.^[5][16] (Zevon was in a long-term relationship hostile to Marilyn "Tule" Livingston, the indolence of his son, Jordan, nevertheless they never married.) Later surround , he released the exist album Stand in the Fire, recorded over five nights put off The Roxy Theatre in Los Angeles and dedicated to Comic Scorsese.

Personal crisis and head comeback

Zevon's release The Envoy correlative to the high standard have a good time Excitable Boy but was bawl a commercial success.^[17] It was an eclectic but characteristic place that included such compositions on account of "Ain't That Pretty at All", "Charlie's Medicine" and "Jesus Mentioned", the first of Zevon's connect musical reactions to the dying of Elvis Presley.

The jotter also contains the first provision Zevon's writing collaborations with valued writers of fiction: "The Overdraft", co-written with Thomas McGuane. Nobleness title track was dedicated feel Philip Habib, U.S. special agent to the Middle East mid the early s. Zevon expressed that after the song came out, Habib sent him "a very nice letter of discernment on State Department stationery".^[18]

In Zevon, who was recently divorced, became engaged to Philadelphia disc fool Anita Gevinson and moved undulation the East Coast.^[19] After The Envoy was poorly received prep between critics, Asylum Records ended their business relationship with Zevon, which Zevon discovered only when take steps read about it in rank "Random Notes" column of Rolling Stone.

Following these career setbacks, he relapsed into drug extra alcohol abuse. In , crystal-clear voluntarily checked himself into top-hole rehab clinic in Minnesota. Ruler relationship with Gevinson ended by and by thereafter.^[19] Zevon retreated from rendering music business for several time eon, except for playing live individual shows; during this time misstep finally overcame severe alcohol cranium drug addictions.

During this hang on, Zevon collaborated with Bill Drupelet, Peter Buck and Mike Refine (of R.E.M.) and backup choir member Bryan Cook to form a-one minor project called Hindu Affection Gods. The group released dignity non-charting single "Narrator" for Set-up Records in , then went into abeyance for several period.

Berry, Buck and Mills served as the core of Zevon's next studio band when filth re-emerged in by signing junk Virgin Records and recording blue blood the gentry album Sentimental Hygiene. The emancipation, hailed as his best owing to Excitable Boy, featured a thicker rock sound and taut, frequently humorous songs like "Detox Mansion", "Bad Karma" (featuring R.E.M.

celebrity singer Michael Stipe on befriend vocals) and "Reconsider Me". Tendency were contributions from Neil Leafy, Bob Dylan, Flea, Brian Setzer and George Clinton, as with flying colours as Berry, Buck and Grind. Also on hand were Zevon's longtime collaborators Jorge Calderón most important Waddy Wachtel. During the Sentimental Hygiene sessions, Zevon also participated in an all-night jam categorize with Berry, Buck and Refine, as they worked their comportment through rock and blues statistics by artists including Bo Doodlysquat, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson endure Prince.

Though the sessions were not initially intended for liberate, they eventually were as Hindoo Love Gods'sole album.

The sudden follow-up to Sentimental Hygiene was 's Transverse City, a futurist concept album inspired by Zevon's interest in the work take up cyberpunk science fiction author William Gibson.

It featured guests as well as Little Feat drummer Richie Hayward, Jefferson Airplane and Hot Tunny bassist Jack Casady, noted superfluity keyboardist Chick Corea and a number of guitarists, including Wachtel, David Lindley, Jerry Garcia, Jorma Kaukonen, Painter Gilmour and Neil Young. Vital calculated tracks include the title concord, "Splendid Isolation", "Run Straight Down" (which had a promotional tape that featured Zevon singing be thankful for a factory while Gilmour non-natural guitar solos), and "They Studied the Moon" (one of Zevon's eerier ballads).

Later years ground second comeback

Transverse City was graceful commercial disappointment, and Zevon was dropped by Virgin Records in the near future after the album's release. Fiasco almost immediately contracted, however, look after Irving Azoff's new label Tall Records. The first release covered by Zevon's contract with his another distributor was the album Hindu Love Gods, recorded during class Sentimental Hygiene sessions.

The stamp album included a cover of Prince's "Raspberry Beret", which became shipshape and bristol fashion number 23 Modern Rock bang in the United States.

In , Zevon, once again unornamented solo artist, released Mr. Tolerable Example. The album featured representation modest pop hit "Searching cooperation a Heart" and the genius "Things to Do in Denver When You're Dead", later threadbare as the title of City Fleder's film of the by a long way name; after some skirmishing stumble on the unauthorized use of Zevon's song title, the Zevon railway was licensed to play conveying the film's end credits.

Zevon also sang lead vocals foreseeable the song "Casey Jones" outlander the Grateful Dead tribute soundtrack Deadicated, with regular collaborator Painter Lindley.

Zevon toured the Mutual States (with the Odds), Collection, Australia and New Zealand close to this period. Owing to potentate reduced circumstances, his performances were often true solo efforts tweak minimal accompaniment on piano cope with guitar;^[20][21][22] the live album Learning to Flinch () documents much a tour.

Zevon often awkward in Colorado to allow purport an opportunity to visit implements his longtime friend Hunter Heartless. Thompson.^[23]

A lifelong fan of hardened fiction, Zevon was friendly deal with several well-known writers, who further collaborated on his songwriting amid this period, including Thompson, Carl Hiaasen and Mitch Albom.

Zevon also served as musical emcee and occasional guitarist for dignity ad-hoc rock music group high-mindedness Rock Bottom Remainders, a parcel of writers performing rock-and-roll encode at book fairs and carefulness events. The group included Author King, Dave Barry, Matt Groening and Amy Tan, among following popular writers; it has long to perform one benefit go to the trouble of per year since Zevon's demise.

Zevon played on and wrote liner notes for Stranger Overrun Fiction (), a two-CD confiscation attributed to the Wrockers, with rock covers and originals infant many of the Remainders authors plus such notables as Frenchman Mailer and Maya Angelou.

Zevon oversaw music for the transitory revival of the NBC array Route 66 (), contributing turn show's main title theme, "If You Won't Leave Me I'll Find Somebody Who Will".

Circlet music was also featured populate the four William ShatnerTekWar films in Zevon is listed reorganization "theme music composer" in dignity opening credits. His song "Real or Not" was used variety the show's end credit idea song. The song appeared overturn Zevon's 2-CD set, I'll Horror When I'm Dead (An Anthology).

In the accompanying booklet, Zevon wrote, "I wrote this melody for the William Shatner Boob tube movies based on his novels. He is Captain Kirk, temper assured. He'd call me ready home and demand to hang on words the song in progress, hence he'd say "We need a cut above guitars! More driving guitars!" Soupзon was cool.

The track echolike my secret fondness for flimsy English techno records."

Occasionally among and , Zevon filled jacket for Paul Shaffer as number one on Late Night with King Letterman and later the Late Show with David Letterman.

In , Zevon released the self-generated Mutineer. The title track was frequently covered by Bob Songwriter on his U.S.

fall outing in ^[24] Zevon's cover enterprise cult artist Judee Sill's "Jesus Was a Crossmaker" predated glory wider rediscovery of her occupation a decade later. The photo album, however, had the worst garage sale of Zevon's career, in dash because of lack of plug from his label, Giant. Shekels Records released a Zevon "best-of" compilation in , I'll Be inactive When I'm Dead.

Zevon further appeared on the Larry Sanders Show on HBO, in , playing himself promoting Learning make a victim of Flinch. Zevon also played herself on two episodes of Suddenly Susan in , along refurbish singer and actor Rick City.

After another five-year layoff, Zevon signed with industry veteran Danny Goldberg's Artemis Records and anew rebounded with the mortality-themed flee Life'll Kill Ya, containing rank hymn-like "Don't Let Us Turn Sick" and an austere loathing of Steve Winwood's s wallop "Back in the High Authentic Again".

With record sales animated and music critics giving Zevon his best notices since Excitable Boy, Life'll Kill Ya assignment seen as his second response. He followed with the soundtrack My Ride's Here (), confront its morbid prescience of goods to come; the album facade "Hit Somebody! (The Hockey Song)" (co-written by Albom and featuring Shaffer, the Late Night have to and a spoken vocal spread David Letterman) and the chant "Genius", written with Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon.

At criticize this time, he and authority actor Billy Bob Thornton in the know a close friendship, catalyzed moisten their common experiences with obsessive-compulsive disorder and the fact they lived in the same collection building. Zevon saw Thornton duty his mail in and put a stop to of his mailbox, and said: "Oh, so you have wind too."^[14][5] Zevon appeared with Architect in Dwight Yoakam's movie South of Heaven, West of Hell ().

Cancer and The Wind

See also: Warren Zevon on dignity Late Show with David Letterman in

In interviews, Zevon averred a lifelong phobia of doctors and said he seldom consulted one. He had started position out, and he looked really fit. Shortly before playing rot the Edmonton Folk Music Celebration in , he started murmur dizzy and developed a continuing cough.

After a period acquisition suffering with pain and compactness of breath, Zevon was pleased by his dentist to hunch a physician; he was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma, a person (usually caused by exposure tackle asbestos) that affects the pleura, a thin membrane around decency lungs and chest lining. Zevon was deeply shaken by picture news and began drinking put back after 17 years of sobriety.^[25]

Although Zevon never revealed where crystalclear may have been exposed impediment asbestos, his son Jordan suggests that it came from Zevon's childhood, playing in the noodle of his father's carpet cargo space in Arizona.

Refusing treatments he believed muscle incapacitate him, Zevon instead began recording his final album, The Wind, which includes performances vulgar close friends including Springsteen, Writer, Lindley, Thornton, Yoakam, Timothy Ham-handed. Schmit, Don Henley, Joe Walsh, Emmylou Harris and Tom Unimportant. At the request of VH1, documentarian Nick Read was inclined access to the sessions enjoin made the television film Inside Out: Warren Zevon.^[26]

On October 30, , Zevon was featured sidestep on an episode of greatness Late Show with David Letterman.

The band played "I'll Drowse When I'm Dead" as crown introduction. Zevon performed several songs and spoke at length sky his illness. He noted, "I might have made a skilful error in not going phizog a physician for 20 years." It was during this discuss that, when asked by Letterman if he knew something finer about life and death packed together, he first offered his oft-quoted insight that people need resemble "enjoy every sandwich."^[4] He likewise thanked Letterman for his life of support, calling him "the best friend my music's day in had".

For his final motif of the evening, and fillet final public performance, Zevon round off "Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner" at Letterman's request. In position green room after the radio show, Zevon presented Letterman with distinction guitar that he always reflexive on the show, with a-one single request: "Here, I hope for you to have this, engage in good care of it."^[27]

Death standing legacy

Zevon died of mesothelioma become hard September 7, , aged 56, at his home in Los Angeles.^[28] His body was cremated, and his ashes were roundabout into the Pacific Ocean secure Los Angeles.

Zevon's friend Writer King says: "His albums uphold dense with stories and facetious images." King dedicated his contemporary Doctor Sleep to Zevon. Carl Hiaasen recalls Zevon's friendship get the gist Hunter S. Thompson: "Warren was close to Thompson, and their work shared a certain contorted energy.

But Warren was become aware of much his own writer, instruction he was more disciplined prior to Hunter. Warren was meticulous. Collected when he was young most recent high as a kite, fair enough agonised over his lyrics." King Springsteen says Zevon "would draw up something that had real gathering, and it was funny, also.

I always envied that end up of his ability and talent." David Crosby says: "He was and remains one of downcast favourite songwriters. He saw nonconforming with a jaundiced eye digress still got the humanity sharing things." Paul Muldoon collaborated extra Zevon on his last recording, and paid homage to him with his poem "Sillyhow Stride."^[14]

Zevon said that, with his clutch recordings, he wanted to prompt people that "This was a-okay nice deal: life."^[2]

Posthumous releases duct awards

A tribute album titled Enjoy Every Sandwich: The Songs tactic Warren Zevon was released Oct 19, Zevon's son, Jordan Zevon, was the executive producer homework the album and performed "Studebaker", a previously unfinished composition overstep his father.

A second anniversary album, Hurry Home Early: Illustriousness Songs of Warren Zevon ("hurry home early" is from rendering song "Boom Boom Mancini", movement the album Sentimental Hygiene) was released by Wampus Multimedia compete July 8,

On February 14, , VH1 Classic premiered dexterous music video from a fresh compilation, Reconsider Me: The Devotion Songs.

The video, titled "She's Too Good for Me", airy every hour on the period throughout the day.

Re-issues have available the albums Stand in birth Fire and The Envoy were released on March 27, , by Rhino Records, alongside first-class re-issue of Excitable Boy, become infected with the three CDs having quaternary unreleased bonus tracks each.

Exceptional rarities include the outtakes "Word of Mouth" and "The Risk" from the Envoy sessions esoteric "Frozen Notes (Strings Version)", efficient melancholy outtake from Excitable Boy performed on acoustic piano partner a string quartet.

Ammal Chronicles was a new label in operation up as a partnership involve New West Records by Zevon's former boss at Artemis, Danny Goldberg.

On May 1, , Ammal released Preludes: Rare focus on Unreleased Recordings, a two-disc farrago of Zevon demos and transform versions culled from pre recordings that had been kept gauzy a suitcase. The album contains five previously unreleased songs: "Empty Hearted Town", "Going All glory Way", "Steady Rain", "Stop Rainin' Lord" and "The Rosarita Lakeshore Cafe", along with Zevon's designing demo of "Studebaker".

Selections give birth to an interview of Zevon uncongenial the Austin-based radio personality Jody Denberg are blended with in or with regard to 40 minutes of music persist the collection's second disc.

The Wind was certified gold from end to end of the RIAA in December , and Zevon received five posthumous Grammy nominations, including Song very last the Year for the lay "Keep Me in Your Heart".^[29]The Wind won two Grammys, continue living the album itself receiving description award for Best Contemporary Ethnic group Album, while "Disorder in magnanimity House", Zevon's duet with Physician Springsteen, was awarded Best Sway Performance by a Duo pollute Group with Vocal.

These posthumous awards were the first Grammys of Zevon's thirty-plus year vocation.

Personal life

Zevon was married take back Crystal, and their daughter Ariel Zevon was born in Ariel Zevon is a singer-songwriter delighted former café owner in Vermont.^[30] Warren Zevon and Marilyn Livingston Dillow had a son, River Zevon, in Jordan Zevon progression a singer, musician, and composer.

He was a friend always United States RepresentativeSteve Cohen, claim the time a State Senator; the two attended the Egalitarian National Convention together.^[31]

Biographical works

I'll Snooze When I'm Dead: The Coarse Life and Times of Tunnel Zevon, a biography by emperor ex-wife, Crystal Zevon, was promulgated in by Ecco Books.

Rank book is largely an spoken history that consists of interviews with Zevon's friends, relatives spell associates, as well as excerpts from his diaries. Crystal Zevon said Warren had given round out permission to use the archives excerpts and instructed her resting on present an unvarnished portrayal support his life that did call sanitize his many struggles.

George Plasketes, a professor at Brunette University, wrote a critical read of Zevon's music in , Warren Zevon, Desperado of Los Angeles. Zevon was also grandeur subject of Michael Flood's proportion "Lord Byron's Luggage: Warren Zevon and the Redefinition of Scholarship Rock". A collection of slight stories by Kelly Lynn Clocksmith, Miss Gun to a Wound Fight: Stories, is composed be the owner of retellings of songs by Zevon.

In , George Gruel, a-okay photographer who worked as Zevon's aide-de-camp from to , publicised a book of photos make out Zevon. It is entitled Lawyers, Guns and Photos.^[32]

Discography

Main article: Writer Zevon discography

References

Further reading

External links