Warren Zevon died yesterday. Steve Rhodes has the news here. He lived four times longer than was predicted when his cancer was announced a year ago (almost to the day) - that, and the amazing accomplishment that is his new album The Wind, amounts to a near-total victory over entropy. We have covered Warren and his struggle in some detail here. Please take some time to give a great singer-songwriter-personality-musician his due.
DIG (The Australian Broadcasting Corporation's internet radio station) has put up the transcript of an interview with Warren as a mark of respect on his passing.
Warren Zevon hastens down the wind, 1947-2003
Naturally, the "Excitable Boy" makes it onto mix CDs for all the young nephews. This song is like catnip for 10 year old boys.
Posted in Blogcritics on September 9, 2003 03:08 AM
Zevon passes
Mater sent me an email to note that ">Warren Zevon has succumbed to cancer. It is pretty impressive that he lasted this long, since doctors gave him until last December to live. On Saturday, I bought his swansong The Wind,...
Posted in Blogcritics on September 8, 2003 01:16 PM
"The Wind" by Warren Zevon
Forget about his condition: Warren Zevon's last CD is a great work of rock and roll from a great musician.
Posted in Blogcritics on September 5, 2003 10:45 PM
Inside/Out: Warren Zevon
I saw the documentary last night on VH1. It was touching, powerful, and very sad. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's release of The Wind, but it's going to be 'difficult' listening. (First posted on Mark Is Cranky)...
Posted in Blogcritics on August 25, 2003 10:37 AM
Warren Zevon The Wind
A great profile of Warren Zevon, who is still alive even though he was given three months to live (I hope he asked for a second opinion and didn't pay the first doctor) in the New York Observer. He has...
Posted in Blogcritics on August 13, 2003 05:41 PM







Article comments
1 - Hazy Dave
Just to add another interesting link, ESPN dot com is reprinting a reliably mythological Hunter S. Thompson column from a couple years ago, describing a short visit to Woody Creek by Mr. Zevon...
http://espn.go.com/page2/s/thompson/
2 - Natalie Davis
Way to go, Eric. And condolences. I know you are at least as big a fan of Warren as I am.
3 - Eric Olsen
Thanks Nat, I am sad but it has seemed inevitable for so long that now I am ready to simply be a fan again.
4 - Natalie Davis
I know what you mean. I do hope they rerun that Letterman appearance. Warren was terrific, and thankfully Dave (and Mr. Z) kept the proceedings from becoming maudlin.
5 - Eric Olsen
I want to see that and the VH1 thing again. Although there is usually a kneejerk reaction to such circumstances, I really am beginning to think Warren belongs in the Rock Hall, although it will take a long time. I get the sense he may come into appropriate appreciation over time a la the Velvet Underground. They don't go much for singer-songwriters, though. We'll see.
6 - Natalie Davis
I want to see that VH1 show for the first time. Not having cable is a pain sometimes. And I believe WZ deserves being in the HOF for talent's sake. You're right about singer-songwriters getting short shrift there. That's right... you live in Cleveland. I got to see the HOF when last I visited there. It was much better than I had anticipated, but it would be even better with Warren enshrined.
7 - Jim Carruthers
Of course you all know what this means,
California is going to slide into the Ocean.
8 - Natalie Davis
Dave Letterman is one class act. He just gave a lovely monologue on Warren and what he meant as a human being, musician, and part of the "Late Show" family. He showed a clip of the October show where WZ advised us all to "enjoy every sandwich." And Paul and the band are playing Zevon songs all show long. I love it when Dave digs down deep and talks from the heart. And also when he goes nuts, as he did when he went directly from his emotional remembrance to a clip showing Dubya spitting and then said, "Hope you enjoyed that, Warren!" (That sound you're hearing isn't people booing. It's folks going, "Daaaaaaaaave...")
9 - Al Barger
Turn them speakers up full blast
Play it all night long
10 - Eric Olsen
Link box looks great P, thanks!
11 - Steve Rhodes
Dave Barry writes about Zevon including when he performed with the Rock Bottom Remainders.
And you can watch last night's Letterman monologue here (just click on Sept. 8). And this is from an AP story:
12 - Eric Olsen
Very nice Steve, thanks
13 - Gus
Warren Zevon was a master writer and singer. I am very saddened by his death as he was one of if not my favorite performer. I have every album he put out except for The Wind which I will purchase as soon as I am able. To me and many of my friends this is a great loss to the music world it is akin to the death of John Lennon, George Harrison or Elvis. What made Warren so great was his unique style, that was tell it like it is and completely his and only his.
14 - Fred Scott
WARREN ZEVON will remain one of the most provocative
and wise song writers/story tellers of all time. i have all of his albums including his VH1 biography and "the wind" soundtrack and they sound absolutely amazing as anything else he's written. But the wind I take more heart to because it was the last words running through his heart and mind before he passed away. He was definitely very strong in finishing this album which makes it so beautiful. Warren you will not be forgotten...."play it all night long"
15 - Eric Olsen
very glad to see Warren get some love - thanks FRed! It's been almost exactly two years of neglect on this one