I'll Sleep When I'm Dead
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Prior to reading this book I only had a vague awareness of Zevons music and wouldn't call myself a fan. But this book really pulled me in and is to be enjoyed on it's own merits. What a life! A very honest ( cringingly so at points ) and loving account of a man who clearly had his demons and although Zevon comes across as a difficult, destructive and self centred man he clearly inspired love and loyalty from the people close to him. As the book concludes I couldn't help but feel a little sad and the account of Zevons srtuggle to complete his final album whilst battling cancer was very moving. The book has led me to seek out Zevons music which, like the man himself,is uprorious, funny, intimate, vulnerable, and intelligent.
Worth your time if only for his sons account of disposing of his dads porn collection after his death.
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Zevon - legendary songwriter
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Warren Zevon was one of the best singer-songwriters that ever lived and yet he isn't a household name and his songs are rarely heard. This book takes you through his "dirty life and times" and gives you the view points of the people who shared his life with him.
The book is a great read and very well put together, much like Warren's music. I recommend Warren's music to anyone - his songs always tell a story, even if we don't like to hear the message. He was pure "real life". Genius!
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Mr. Bad Example
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If you are not a fan (or, as he preferred, a 'customer') already, then this book is probably not the place to start. For those of us who followed his 'career' and stuck with him through the years, then this extraordinary book tells us just about all we need to know about he dirty life and times of Mr Warren Zevon, who was simply the most consistantly fascinating and talented songwriter of the rock era. Quite why he didn't become the star that, say, Bruce Springteen became is, in part, answered by this book.
He wanted to have the whole truth about his life (including 'the ugly stuff') to be published after his death, and his estranged wife, albeit lifelong friend, Crystal Zevon has done the man proud in meeting his wishes. She set about interviewing over 80 friends, collaborators, managers, lovers and relatives and has assembled the book from those direct quotations to present the story in a linear fashion, but from differing viewpoints. Not much is spared the reader; WZ was a man with a ferociously addictive personality, firstly to alcohol and drugs, and then, after giving up drink, to sex, all of which he consumed in Olympian quantities. As he says himself, 'I got to be Jim Morrison a lot longer than he did'.
His problems with relationships are also examined in forensic detail, most poignantly in comments from his children, who had to put up with a father who often ignored them. Thankfully, most of those rifts were healed by the time he died and the story ends with him cradling his twin grandsons a short time before he passed away.
If you don't know the man's work, then I urge you to discover it; almost uniquely, there are no poor albums in his discography, so dive in with confidence. Then this book will tell you all the rest you need to know.
This is a frequently uncomfortable read, but those of us familiar with his work and the rumours of his lifestyle will not be surprised by that. I doubt there has been any other rock biography quite like this, or any other subject who could have inspired it.
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MR. BAD EXAMPLE
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If he hadn't have been who he was, Warren Zevon would have had very few friends at all.
This is a compelling book for all fans of Zevon music - it just makes you want to listen to all the songs again and try to understand them a little more.
Lots of lows and just a few highs in the life of a man who was insecure and very unstable - but loved (pitied?) by most whom came into contact with him.
Crystal Zevon has put together a wonderful collection of words and photographs - it's compulsive reading and difficult to put down.
How does Warren come across? A complete bastard who uses and abuses people and substances - a loyal friend a some - a person of weird habits and tastes.....but then anyone who knows his music wouldn't have it any other way.
He's the kind of guy you wish you could have known - in a dangerous sort of way - a bit like playing with fire....you know you'll get burned - but the temptation is too much.
All the greats die young - and usually sell more of their music post mortem than when alive. Warren will be jamming with the best of them now - he was an absolute genius above all else. Bob Hewitt 2nd July 2007. North Wales UK.
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Warren Zevon's life captured
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Do you ever get depressed browsing through the music sections in book shops? Thick tombs of Bob Dylan, Jim Morrison analysed to death & so-called musicians writing their memoirs after 5 seconds of fame. Well here at long last we have a quite brilliant book about the GREAT Warren Zevon, wonderfully put together by Crystal Zevon containing superb photos of Warren's life - the book vividly reveals the complex man that was Warren Zevon. What comes through in this book is the high regard fellow songwriters held Warren, Warren's sense of humour and of course his records that stand right up there with any fellow song writer of the last 30 years. As Bruce Springsteen says 'Zevon nails a part of the American character rarely captured in pop music'. Buy this book and then buy the back catalogue - Warren's story and music should be heard.
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