warren zevon archivs hasten down the wind

WARREN ZEVON ARCHIVS HASTEN DOWN THE WIND TV

Fans who've stuck with him over the decades know that his work is mixed they've heard stronger songs on two of his overlooked recent albums: 'Life'll Kill Ya' and 'My Ride's Here.' He's a cult figure, an acquired taste, a musician's musician. But Zevon never seemed too concerned about selling product in the first place. Suppose 'The Wind' arrived with an unknown name on the CD's cover, no fat press kit and none of the tragic back story? Devoid of its weight as a pre-posthumous album, would it still find fans? More satisfying are the album's straight-up blues, 'Rub Me Raw,' and the dirgelike 'Prison Grove.' There's also a cover of Bob Dylan's 'Knockin' on Heaven's Door,' which comes off as a pat choice, but resonates with new meaning.Ĭontext here is everything. I'm starting to fall in love with you'? When Zevon sings of partying till 6 a.m., though, it can be read as an act of defiance: keeping one foot on the dance floor while the other's in the grave. How many times have you heard some variation of 'Twelve o'clock, one o'clock, two. He pulls it off with the rave-up 'Disorder in the House,' which offers apocalyptic glimpses of homeland insecurity: 'We've let the demons loose / The big guns have spoken / And we've fallen for the ruse.'Īnother singalong number, 'The Rest of the Night,' is undercut by trite lyrics. On the CD, Zevon tries to reprise his party-animal past in a couple of songs.

But for the most part he's having a good time with his pals - including David Letterman and Dave Barry - and bonding with his grown daughter (who recently gave birth to twin boys) and son. When the camera catches him indulging in a cigarette, he doesn't deny that his love of Silk Cuts and illegal smoking materials probably hastened his demise. Once a great champion of dangerous excess, Zevon, 56, has been sober for nearly two decades and says he quit smoking several years ago. Even Billy Bob Thornton, a longtime friend of Zevon who is better known for acting than singing, contributes background vocals. Several of his peers were happy to pitch in - Bruce Springsteen, Jackson Browne, Emmylou Harris and Stevie Nicks among them. The show and album also prove that composing your own obituary doesn't have to be a morbid affair. As a documentary subject, Zevon is engaging and smart, just like his best songs. The making of the album is chronicled in the first installment of a new VH1 series, 'Inside Out,' which premieres tonight.

On the disc's opener, 'Dirty Life & Times,' Zevon wins a cheap grin with lines like 'I'm looking for a woman with low self-esteem.' But the final, spare ballad is likely to move fans to tears when Zevon sings, 'Keep me in your heart for a while.' 'The Wind' is a sometimes raucous, sometimes touching mix of folk, blues and rock. It's as if he willed himself to finish 'The Wind' to fulfill a pledge he made in song long ago: 'I'll sleep when I'm dead.'Īs a coda to his long career, this disc serves notice: Zevon was no one-hit novelty act, though the larger public may have perceived him as such. He had to tape a couple of songs at home when he grew too sick to make it into the studio. During these sessions he was numbed by morphine, his voice strained by pain, his body wasting away. The album is uneven, offering only echoes of the artfulness we've come to expect from Zevon, who penned such classics as 'Poor Poor Pitiful Me' and 'Hasten Down the Wind.' Still, let's give the man a break. But he isn't the type to tolerate phony praise or pathos, so we'll offer none for 'The Wind.' As the years rolled on, he released some good albums that not many people bought, and that's too bad. Proving, once again, the old showbiz adage: Death - even a death foretold - can be a good career move.Ī singer-songwriter with a gift for mordant humor, Zevon has never recaptured his 1970s 'Werewolves of London' heyday.

WARREN ZEVON ARCHIVS HASTEN DOWN THE WIND TV

His Feelings About The Rhino Records 2 CD Anthology Of His Work, The Size Of His Audience, Having His Music Used On TV Shows And Movies, Acting, Performing And The Response To 'Don't Let Us Get Sick'.Last year, after doctors doomed him with a diagnosis of inoperable lung cancer, Warren Zevon headed straight to the studio to record a final album, 'The Wind,' invited VH1 to do a show about it and garnered a lot of publicity.

His Take On Steve Winwood's Classic, The Split Personality, Images And Inspirations In His Compositions. Musings On Mortality, Song Noir, Religion In His Music And The King Of Rock N'Roll.Ī Chat About The Producers Of 'Life'll Kill Ya', The Album's Stark Sound And Other Singers Covering His Songs. Warren Speaks On Songwriting And The Early Days Of His Career I Was In The House When The House Burned Down

Warren zevon archivs hasten down the wind