"Warren Zevon" by WARREN ZEVON – June 1976 US and UK Asylum Records Debut Album – Inside "Original Album Series" - featuring Jackson Browne (Production, Playing, Backing Vocals), Waddy Wachtel and David Lindley, John David Souther, Phil Everly, Ned Doheny, Bonnie Raitt and Rosemary Butler, Bobby Keys, Don Henley and Glenn Frey of Eagles, Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac with The Sid Sharp Strings (March 2010 UK Asylum/Rhino 5CD Capacity Wallet with Mini LP Repro Artwork Card Sleeves) - A Review by Mark Barry...

 

 

 

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"... I'll Sleep When I'm Dead..."

 

I suspect like many collectors and music fans alike – I have a thing for lost albums. And frankly Frank, you could say that Warren William Zevon produced almost nothing but, despite his rightly lauded brilliance with a tune, wrapped up tight in witty and often ghoulish lyrics.

 

I've always had a thing for Zevon – a man who battled the demon drink and often lost to the detriment of his family and career – a desperado under the eaves who had surely stepped over too many junkies lying in seedy hotel doorways – shared stories with filthy winos and lived the wild mantra of his autobiographical song "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead".

 

Like Randy Newman, it's a testament to Warren Zevon's extraordinarily sharp and cutting songs that so many quality artists have covered him - Linda Ronstadt, Bob Dylan, Jimmy Buffett, Jackson Browne (his champion in life and death and the man who nabbed him a contract with Asylum Records when he was exiled in Spain singing in a bar called The Dubliner at the behest of another drunk who owned the joint), Counting Crows and even Ireland's Freddie White to name but a few. And while his "Excitable Boy" set from 1978 will probably be the most familiar album to people in this nifty Capacity Wallet - the stunning kick-ass live LP "Stand In The Fire" (recorded across five nights at The Roxy with a super tight band) is just one of the gems to discover in this cheap-as-a-politician’s-castle-moat-repair-bill 5CD mini box set.

 

But for now I want to talk about his real starter - "Warren Zevon" from 1976. I say real, because Imperial Records of the USA had issued "Wanted Dead Or Alive" in April 1970 as his official debut to a deafening thud from both the press and punters.  WZ despised it thereafter. In fact, he had been vocal about its shortcomings officially in interviews, especially when Pickwick Records reissued the unsanitary brute in 1978 on the back of his success with the "Excitable Boy" LP ("Werewolves Of London" put him on the map). So technically "Warren Zevon" isn't his debut proper I know, but it will always be so to me. An utterly brilliant and criminally forgotten album you need in your life. Frank and Jesse James – here we come a riding - time to look down the past...

 

UK released March 2010 (reissued September 2012) – "Original Album Series" by WARREN ZEVON on Asylum/Rhino 8122 79837 1 (Barcode 081227983710) is a 5CD Mini Box Set with 5" card repro sleeves and plays out as follows:

 

Disc 1 – "Warren Zevon" (38:28 minutes):

1. Frankie And Jessie James [Side 1]

2. Mama Couldn't Be Persuaded

3. Backs Turned Looking Down The Path

4. Hasten Down The Wind

5. Poor Poor Pitiful Me

6. The French Inhaler

7. Mohammed's Radio [Side 2]

8. I'll Sleep When I'm Dead

9. Carmelita

10. Join Me In L.A.

11. Desperados Under The Eaves

Tracks 1 to 11 are the debut album "Warren Zevon" – released June 1976 in the USA on Asylum 7E-1060 and in the UK on Asylum K 53039.

 

All of these "Original Album Series" sets are visually the same - a flimsy outer card slipcase houses 5 x 5" single card repro sleeves each aping the front and rear artwork of the original vinyl LPs. Each disc has generic Rhino colouring, song credits (including writers) and some basic recording info on the label – but that's it (no booklet). They look great it has to be said - space saving too for sure...

 

Audio-wise there's good news and bad news. In 2007 - Asylum/Rhino reissued "Excitable Boy" (1978), "Stand In The Fire" (1980) and "The Envoy" (1982) as first time CD Remasters with bonus tracks on each – but they have 'not' been used here (I own them and can immediately hear the difference). Having said that - the good news is that for the brilliantly recorded "Stand In The Fire" and "The Envoy" albums both of the non-remastered CDs don't represent such a dramatic dip in Audio quality (they sound pretty good and are more than acceptable). But "Excitable Boy" couldn't be more different. Like "Warren Zevon" and "Bad Lad Streak In Dancing School" - older non-remastered standard versions have been used in this box and subsequently the drop in Audio quality is very marked. When you hear the fantastic Dan Hersch and Bill Inglot 2007 Remaster of "Excitable Boy" (Asylum/Rhino 8122-79997-7 - Barcode 081227999773) – the Audio is awesome – all the power and muscle and clarity you would want from what is probably his best album.

 

But what you get here is a weedy audio effort and unfortunately "Warren Zevon" and "Bad Luck..." are the same. Don't get me wrong – they're acceptable (crank them) - and at roughly two quid per CD – bloody good value for money. But if Rhino had only used the three Remasters they already have and done two new ones for "Warren Zevon" and "Bad Luck..." – what an "Original Album Series" addition this would have been. It's a point worth pointing out. Now let's get to the other good news – the musical quality of what's actually on offer...

 

The debut album features an astonishing list of guest musicians. Check out the backing vocalists alone - Phil Everly of The Everly Brothers on "Frank And Jessie James" and "Hasten Down The Wind", Jackson Browne on "Mama Couldn't Be Persuaded" and "Desperados Under The Eaves" (also plays piano "Join Me In L.A."), Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks of Fleetwood Mac on "Mohammed's Radio" (Lindsey also sings on "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" and plays Guitar on "Backs Turned Looking Down The Path"), Bonnie Raitt and Rosemary Butler sing on "Join Me In L.A." while Glenn Frey and Don Henley of The Eagles sing on "The French Inhaler" (Frey also plays guitar and does Harmony Vocals on "Carmelita") and Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys is just one of the voices behind "Desperados Under The Eaves". Ace horn player Bobby Keys of Rolling Stones fame provides Saxophone on "Mohammed's Radio" and "Join Me In L.A." - while stalwarts of the Jackson Browne band Waddy Wachtel and David Lindley play guitars and fiddle.

 

Jackson Browne had gotten a contract with David Geffen and his Asylum Records – so produces as well as plays. Despite the lack of a balls-to-the-wall Remaster, if you crank the gorgeous "Hasten Down The Wind", you can clearly appreciate the Phil Everly vocal. And for some reason there is kick-ass audio on the fabulous "Poor Poor Pitiful Me" – hardly surprising that Linda Ronstadt did this dodgy-girlfriend-habits Rocker on her 1977 album "Simple Dreams" and even issued it as a 45-single. And check out his sleazy bedroom tale of "The French Inhaler" – drugs and wine and flowery lines – an actress ending up with someone different every night – all these people with no home to go to – Eagles Glenn Frey and Don Henley adding hugely to a wall of epic voices while Waddy Watchel rips into his Guitar. Another pretty face that looks so wasted – devastated – it’s such a brilliant depiction of hopes dashed and yet somehow it has hope in it.

 

Crank the mariachi sway of "Carmelita" – all strung out on heroin on the outskirts of town – and you will be rewarded with Glenn Frey of Eagles giving it accompanying guitar and the most subtle don’t get in the way harmony vocals. You can hear Bonnie Raitt and Rosemary Butler give it full moon rising backing vocals on "Join Me In L.A." – a sinister wake-up song about the lure of drugs with Ned Doheny on Guitar while Bobby Keys waxes on his Saxophone. "Desperados Under The Eaves" is epic-stuff – staring down into his empty coffee cup in the foyer of a California Motel that doesn’t care juts as long as he pays his bill (Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys part of the huge voices backing WZ up). It finishes what you know is a brilliant real debut.

 

You could argue that it's better to buy the 2007 Asylum/Rhino versions of "Excitable Boy", "Stand In The Fire" and "The Envoy" for the vastly improved audio and excellent bonus tracks (they're easily available and reasonably priced too). But you would miss out on the "Warren Zevon" and "Bad Luck Streak In Dancing School" albums - must-owns in their own mixed-up way.

 

"...Well I pawned my Smith Corona...and I went to meet my man...he hangs down on Elverado Street by the Pioneer Chicken Stand..." - Zevon sang on the strangely uplifting "Carmelita" – the kind of song few other artists could have pulled off so convincingly. Pathos, humanity, weakness of the spirit, saviors in the shadows - he empathized with the lot.

 

Despite his well-documented flaws and often dangerous relationship foibles - Zevon was a special kind of songwriter and I know why Jackson Browne championed him in life and afterwards (to this day JB apparently plays one of his songs in his live sets). 

 

Dig in and discover why...and I envy you the bruising...