I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon by Crystal Zevon Summary and Reviews
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Book Reviews of I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon
Book Review: Warren Zevon: Reprobate Alchemist
Summary: 4 Stars
I read this book again, as soon as I finished it the first time. To read it is like watching a head on collision between two SUVs. You don't want to watch, but something compels you to. We have all read of the life of rock and roll excess before, but for my money- nothing tops this. I've never read of someone with so much talent, genius even, who was so tortured. I thought I knew the guy from his music, which I've always enjoyed, but boy was I wrong. There's something appalling on every page.
And yet, despite it all, people really loved this guy. That is the miracle of this book. You feel it too. Whats fascinating is Warren's sobriety did not end his problems. He was a huge jerk at times, he hurt people close to him... It is amazing to me that he wanted it all told. He didn't want to go the " authorized biography" route. I read the book again because I felt Zevon might have benefited with a biography more analytical in approach. I'm sure that is coming.I wanted to try and remember everything. His life is that important.
Crystal Zevon is the real her of this book. I was so happy to see her get out of the marriage. That she conquered her own self destructiveness via alcohol is even more of a triumph. This book is unputdownable. Even though it is gruesome to read, it is unabashedly life affirming. A triumph.
Book Review: Werewolf Of LA
Summary: 4 Stars
If you listened to pop music in the '70s,this will fascinate you.Admittedly if you didn't,you may wonder what all the fuss is about.Zevon came from an unusual background,jewish father,mormon mother.He became a well established song writer and a minor rock star.It's astonishing how many well known well connected people he knew.I was especially struck by his playing backup for Phil Everley in a band with Lindsy Buckingham.Unforunately,Zevon was a human disaster.It's not merely that he was alcoholic to an absurd degree or drugged himself and womanized,truth is he was nasty and untrustworthy.If you doubt this just read the anecdotes where an old friend explains how zevon cheated him out of a song writing credit,the horrific accounts of domestic violence,his firing of a down on his luck manager,his apparent cheating of another song writing partner out of royalties and his all around sleazy treatment of women(in rather sharp contrast to his tendency to suck up to male writers) and you have an ugly piece of work.You feel sorry for him but i wonder whether you'd really want him around.Carl Hiasen's loyalty is admirable but i get the distinct feeling he didn't know Zevon nearly as well as he thought.Also Hiasen was "special".He was one of the male writers that Zevon treasured and i suspect he got the equivalent of special treatment.I suspect if you were a no one or a woman you got very different treatment.One reviewer comments on Zevons interest in Catholicism.Ialso found that interesting .I suspect he was grasping at something there and couldn't pull it off.I'm sceptical of the story that he was told there wasn't enough time to convert.I may be unfair but it sounds like an excuse.In all events i can't help but think that whatwas drawing him wasn't Gods aura but rather visions of Graham Greene,Waugh,Baudelaire and Rimbaud.(He probably would have loved Huysmans).Of course,if that's what gets you...Gods ways are indeed mysterious.By the way Crystal Zevon has done a great job here.Granted afew things are murky.What happened to Elmer?What happened to Waddy?Was warens mother actually a MORMON when he was growing up?The accounts of who or what Steve Cohen is were incoherent.In a book this long it's surprising to find these gaps. Book Review: Could have used more music
Summary: 3 Stars
This oral biography of Warren Zevon is an interesting but ultimately less than satisfying, view of a conflicted genius. Yes, genius. Many of his songs would stand with his contemporaries as incredible examinations of songwriting at its finest. The problem with this book is that the focus is on Zevon's prodigious drinking and serial sexual conquests; there seems to have been little time to actually create the music. Collected by Zevon's ex-wife, Crystal, this collection includes memories from throughout Zevon's life as well as excerpts from his diary. Many tales of his epic self-abuse and the consequences to his career and found within, but precious little about his creative process. The most effective commentators were musicians like Waddy Wachtel, Jorge Calderon, and Jackson Browne who were able to combine the tales of conflicted man with his musical talent. The few stories of how the music was created were captivating; the sexual escapades and drunken blackouts were not. There is an excellent examination of his last days that were not dealt with clearly in the VH1 documentary, his frantic effort to finish his last work and the desperate binge before his decision to stay alive long enough to see these grandchildren are moving and until a full scale biography is attempted, this is probably the closest fans will get to understanding this troubled and talented man.
Book Review: Where are the editors and fact checkers?
Summary: 3 Stars
I'm a huge Warren Zevon fan who found this book pretty engaging. I loved finding out about the origins of some of my favorite songs. I had no idea that Warren could be such a jerk at times, but like a lot of people who actually knew him (he shook my hand once after a 1984 show), I love him anyway. I've been relistening to my Warren Zevon CDs, and have recently given some CDs as gifts, wanting to turn people on to his amazing music.
But I was appalled at the sloppy editing in this book. "Boodle O'Bryant"? C'mon! Boudleaux Bryant is Nashville songwriting royalty! That's only one of many similar transgressions. Sorry, Mrs. Zevon, but you need much better editors.
Book Review: All the salty margaritas in Los Angeles...
Summary: 5 Stars
Warren's widow writes a refreshing book that is neither a tell-all nor is it a fawning paean to rock's answer to Hunter S. Thompson. She offers many surprises in the book: WZ stole (and later married) sidekick Waddy Wachtel's girlfriend; The Everly Brothers hired WZ to be their keyboard player/musical director without hearing him play a note; Igor Stravinsky was WZ's childhood piano teacher; Brian Wilson avoided WZ because Brian thought HE was nuts; and WZ was once named coroner of Aspen, Colorado. All that in the first 100 pages!
I will never forget the Warren Zevon solo concert at the old Bayou in Georgetown (Washington, DC) on Valentine's Day 1983. Three feet of snow on the ground, it was the last stop on his tour, and Warren said "it's the worst weather of our lives, we aren't going anywhere, so I will play until my fingers fall off." Sure enough, he played for many more hours and took requests from the audience. That is getting your concert money's worth!