How did I get hear? #12 - Ron Sexsmith on Warren Zevon’s self-titled (second!) album

I’d been aware of Warren’s music for quite some time (mostly things like “Werewolves Of London” or “Carmelita”), but for some reason I never took a deep dive until years later.

 

(Ron Sexsmith pic by  Alterna2/Xavi Torrent)

I was watching the Letterman show one night where Warren was his only guest. Apparently, Letterman was a long-time supporter of Zevon’s music and had invited him on many times in the past but this would be his final appearance. Warren was dying of mesothelioma but spoke quite candidly and bravely with Dave about his situation. I was just really struck by him and decided to go out and look for his latest record “My Ride’s Here” (which I thought had a great sort of “gallows humour” title).

Anyway, I found this album and listened to pretty much nothing else while out on tour. And while I was doing that I was also reading a biography on Warren called “I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead”, so basically I was going down the Zevon rabbit hole.

 

The book referenced many songs of Warren’s that I was unfamiliar with, so I was on a bit of a mission to find these songs after reading the stories behind them.

The next album I picked up was his self-titled one which I mistakenly assumed was his debut - it was actually his second album. But this record would go on to be my all-time favourite album.

 

It’s a bit of a loose concept album that seems to be about LA and all the delusion and heartbreak that go with it. The record begins with a Copeland-esque motif played on the piano that brings to mind the Wild West, and is later repeated on the final song “Desperadoes Under The Eaves”, although this time by a solemn string section.

 

Inbetween are songs that are full of humour and desperation and all sung with an exuberant delivery by Warren that makes me feel heroic whenever I hear it. Some of the songs seem quite personal while others feel observational. Being album about LA it also features are a star studded cast of contributions by the likes of Phil Everly, Stevie Nicks, Lindsey Buckingham, Bonnie Raitt, Don Henley, Glenn Frey and even Carl Wilson of The Beach Boys!

 

But none of these artists take away from what is essentially Warren’s world. As I’m writing this I now own pretty much every Zevon record and love them all for different reasons, but the “Warren Zevon” album remains my personal favourite “go to” record when I need to feel heroic while rocking out.

 

It’s been a life changing album for me.