Singer/songwriter Warren Zevon dies at 56
09-08-03, 06:27 AM
#1
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Singer/songwriter Warren Zevon dies at 56
Sad news 
Singer/songwriter Warren Zevon dies
Singer/songwriter Warren Zevon dies
Warren Zevon, who struggled with terminal cancer while finishing his latest album, The Wind, died Sunday in his sleep at his home in West Hollywood, Calif., a spokesman said. Zevon was 56. He was the author of such wry tunes as Werewolves of London and I'll Sleep When I'm Dead.
His illness, diagnosed a year ago, resonated in the lyrics of his new album. He beseeched in the fragile Please Stay, "Will you stay with me to the end?"
Zevon succumbed to mesothelioma, a rare lung cancer usually linked to asbestos.
Housebound because of his illness, Zevon finished The Wind by recording his last session at his home. He lived long enough to see his daughter Ariel give birth to twin boys in June.
His illness, diagnosed a year ago, resonated in the lyrics of his new album. He beseeched in the fragile Please Stay, "Will you stay with me to the end?"
Zevon succumbed to mesothelioma, a rare lung cancer usually linked to asbestos.
Housebound because of his illness, Zevon finished The Wind by recording his last session at his home. He lived long enough to see his daughter Ariel give birth to twin boys in June.
09-08-03, 09:11 AM
#8
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"When I was young, the sky was full of stars. I watched them burn out one by one."
-"Heartache Spoken Here" from Mr. Bad Example
R.I.P. Old Velvet Nose
09-08-03, 09:25 AM
#9
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RIP
I couldn't imagine how I would handle something like knowing I was dying/going to die, but at least he finished his album and saw his grandchildren arrive.
I can't imagine Dave not mentioning this tonite. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if he didn't rebroadcast Warren's epsiode..
I couldn't imagine how I would handle something like knowing I was dying/going to die, but at least he finished his album and saw his grandchildren arrive.
I can't imagine Dave not mentioning this tonite. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me if he didn't rebroadcast Warren's epsiode..
09-08-03, 12:24 PM
#11
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His last appearance on Letterman was very touching. Dave basically let him have the show. I believe he was the only guest and he played several songs. Dave is a very classy guy, he will either have a good tribute for him or cancel the show and replay his last appearance. If he doesn't cancel, I'd imagine his show will be rebroadcast in the near future.
Zevon was a good guy and it's always nice when they are ready to go.
Zevon was a good guy and it's always nice when they are ready to go.
09-08-03, 02:59 PM
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My Zevon story:
Fall of '84; the height of Born in the USA. On the other end of the scale, Zevon is playing solo at the Paradise (tiny club) in Boston. My bud and I end up paying a little over face out front at the last minute; by the time we get in there are no seats left, so we're leaning on the back wall dead center. Zevon comes on, and after his first song sees us leaning in the back. He calls us down to the bottom step and says 'Grab a seat'. We spent the entire show sitting at his feet, chatting with him between songs. Never in my life have I ever seen anyone strum a guitar as hard as he did that night; I could never figure out why he wasn't breaking more strings. He was beating on that thing.
I've seen Clapton twice in clubs (Metro in '86), and sat front row for Bruce several times on the Joad tour, but none of those compared to the sheer power that Zevon displayed that night on both the piano and the guitar.....
Fall of '84; the height of Born in the USA. On the other end of the scale, Zevon is playing solo at the Paradise (tiny club) in Boston. My bud and I end up paying a little over face out front at the last minute; by the time we get in there are no seats left, so we're leaning on the back wall dead center. Zevon comes on, and after his first song sees us leaning in the back. He calls us down to the bottom step and says 'Grab a seat'. We spent the entire show sitting at his feet, chatting with him between songs. Never in my life have I ever seen anyone strum a guitar as hard as he did that night; I could never figure out why he wasn't breaking more strings. He was beating on that thing.
I've seen Clapton twice in clubs (Metro in '86), and sat front row for Bruce several times on the Joad tour, but none of those compared to the sheer power that Zevon displayed that night on both the piano and the guitar.....
09-08-03, 03:23 PM
#15
DVD Talk Limited Edition
I agree with you on the power of his playing. I saw him on the "Learning To Flinch" tour several times and always stood front center. My best experience was at a fundraiser for his longtime friend (who's thanked in the liner notes for "The Wind") Steve Cohen. I paid $50 to go to the fundraiser at a small club here in Memphis where there were about 80 people having cocktails at one end and Zevon playing to me and a couple other diehards at the other end. I was able to stand about seven feet from him and make requests directly as the night went on. I saw him about six times, but that was the most special.
09-08-03, 10:55 PM
#17
DVD Talk Hall of Fame
Well Dave spent a good 10 minutes talking about Warren, showed a clip from his last appearance. Their musical guest for the night will be Warren Zevon, and all night long Paul is playing Warren Zevon music.
Very touching. You'd never see Leno get choked up on the air. It's nice that Dave is comfortable enough for that.
Very touching. You'd never see Leno get choked up on the air. It's nice that Dave is comfortable enough for that.
09-09-03, 09:31 PM
#20
Originally posted by shaun3000
Very touching. You'd never see Leno get choked up on the air. It's nice that Dave is comfortable enough for that.
Very touching. You'd never see Leno get choked up on the air. It's nice that Dave is comfortable enough for that.
But there have been a few times since Leno took over The Tonight Show where he has been visibly emotional about something--the only times I can think of are when he was talking about the (at the time) recent deaths of his father and mother.
That said, I know what you guys are saying about Dave.
I left a "Monday Night Football in high-def" get-together early last night just to get home and watch Dave's show to see what he had to say about Zevon, and I'm not even all that familiar with Zevon outside of "Werewolves of London" and his illness.
Very classy, and it reminded me a lot of his comments during the first show back after 9/11 two years ago.
Sorry that this post is more about the late-night hosts than Warren Zevon.
Rest in peace.
09-13-03, 10:45 PM
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Originally posted by Virex
But there have been a few times since Leno took over The Tonight Show where he has been visibly emotional about something--the only times I can think of are when he was talking about the (at the time) recent deaths of his father and mother.
But there have been a few times since Leno took over The Tonight Show where he has been visibly emotional about something--the only times I can think of are when he was talking about the (at the time) recent deaths of his father and mother.
I finally got to listen to The Wind the other night. What a superb album. It was hard to listen to Keep Me in Your Heart without having to suck back a tear.
