September 10, 2003

Warren Zevon, R.I.P.

Confession: I have a copy of Excitable Boy, probably purchased shortly after its release in 1978. I never listened to it thoroughly; for some reason it just didn't click with me. So I don't fit in with those who have sincerely felt the loss of Warren Zevon. I intend to give the album a fair listening now, if only because I've read so many heartfelt tributes to the man on other blogs.

Some of those tributes can be found here, here, here, here, here, and here.

Posted by Linkmeister at September 10, 2003 12:01 AM
Comments

Dave Barry's tribute to Zevon (via Electrolite) is worth a read, especially for the mental image of Stephen King belting out "Werewolves of London" with Zevon backing him up.

Posted by: Christina Schulman at September 10, 2003 05:21 AM

Warren Zevon had a bizarre sense of humor which is what attracted me to him. I also enjoyed watching him on Dave Letterman. I couldn't stay up late enough to see if Dave mentioned his death...
Do you know if he did by any chance?
Dave featured Warren as his only guest a few months ago. They spoke of life changing events in their lives........

Posted by: toxiclabrat at September 10, 2003 07:22 AM

There was a piece on NPR about Zevon and all these people trying to interview him, give him publicity - but it must have been so bittersweet that half the reason they were doing this (if not the primary one) was because he was dying and they wanted to get some of his words on tape/video/in print. Where were they while he was healthy and still making music? That must have been hard for him to take...

Posted by: batty at September 10, 2003 08:03 AM

Christina, thank you. Barry is so seldom serious, I'd forgotten he could be. That was a wonderful eulogy indeed.

Posted by: Linkmeister at September 10, 2003 10:13 AM

I agree about Dave Barry's eulogy. Near the end is an absolutely perfect capsulization of Zevon. Talking about the completion of his final album:

It may make him a bigger star than he ever was.

He'd have been amused by that.

Posted by: N in Seattle at September 10, 2003 01:50 PM

One of my favorite covers is Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner, which I've done a number of times. I love the ending...

Give the recording a fair listen; his lyrics are sarcastic and insightful at the same time.

Posted by: ruminator at September 11, 2003 04:02 AM