Actually, as it happens, this was the first Album I ever owned (given to me by a Cousin in Toronto when aged 17) and of course, when we played it in Streamabout, everyone knew that 'Kid Rock' had written 'Werewolves of London' (and Sweet Home Alabama).
I blame the parents.
1978 and Zevon's third Album but his best. 'Werewolves of London' got it the attention and it's almost comic in parts (kinda' in a Frank Zappa way) but great songs. 'Roland the Headless Thompson Gunner' (see?), 'Excitable Boy' but the killer track really, is 'Tenderness on the Block' written with Jackson Browne who also had produced Zevon's earlier Albums.
(In fact, as an aside, Ireland's Freddie White does the best version of it and his Album 'Do you Do' is well worth checking out).
Anyway. John McVie and Mick Fleetwood (Fleetwood Mac) are on the record and so too, Jackson Browne, Linda Ronstadt (Zevon wrote 'Poor poor pitiful me'), JD Souther, Jennifer Warnes (on 'Excitable Boy'), Waddy Wachtel, Jeff Porcaro, Russ Kunkel and more really top names of the time.
Zevon was from Chicago, the son of a Russian Jewish immigrant and in fact, a his Dad was close confidante of gangster Mickey Cohen. Warren started by touring with The Everly Brothers (on keyboards) and then guested with Jackson Browne before going Solo.
He became alcoholic and a drug user, which made him recluse, but returned years later, unfortunately, not to major commercial success.
He suffered from obsessive disorders (and was a pal of Billy Bob Thornton who suffered similarly) collecting grey Calvin Klein T-shirts as well as developing a phobia for Doctors.
He died from Cancer (believed to be cause by an exposure to Asbestos in his youth) at 53 in 2006 in LA. He was so loved by the music industry you just have to look at the legends who played with him. Everyone from Springsteen to Neil Young.
This is a great record. Definitely worth the time but please, it wasn't Kid Rock who wrote Werewolves. Nope. It was the great, late Warren Zevon.
Previous "listen to's" you'll also find on this blog (you can search them in the Search top left on the Blog)......Donald Fagen 'The Nightfly': Supertramp 'Breakfast in America': George Michael 'Listen without predujice': Radiohead 'The Bends': Beyonce 'Lemonade' Album of the year 2016: Oddisee 'The mix Tape': Soul 11 Soul 'Club Classics': Jennifer Warnes 'Famous Blue Raincoat':Art Garfunkel 'Watermark': REM 'Out of Time': Van 'Keep me Singing': Frank Sinatra 'Songs for Swinging Lovers': Al Stewart 'Year of the Cat': Stevie Ray Vaughan 'Texas Flood':Frank Ocean 'Blond': Jimmy Buffett 'Son of a Sailor': Marc Cohn 'Marc Cohn': Bill Withers 'Complete Sussex and Columbia': Hendrix 'Electric Ladyland': ABC 'Lexicon of Love': Rickie Lee Jones 'Rickie Lee Jones': Billy Joel "Glass Houses": Rodriguez "Cold Fact": Prefab Sprout 'Steve McQueen'; Chet Baker 'Live 64-79'; The Stone Roses 'Stone Roses'; Joe Jackson 'I'm the Man'; Oasis 'Morning Glory'; Bob Dylan 'At The Budokan'; Van "It's too late to stop now Volume 2/3/4"; Air 'Moon Safari'; Talking Heads 'Stop Making Sense'; Lynyrd Skynyrd 'One for the road'; Marvin Gaye 'Whats Goin on'; Mercury Rev 'Deserters Songs'; Dave Matthews 'Crash'; Beyonce 'Lemonade'; Prince 'Sign O the times'; Daft Punk 'Random Access Memories'; Amy Winehouse 'Back to Black';Police 'Outlandos D'Amour'; Michael Jackson 'Off the Wall'; Carole King 'Tapestry'; Beatles 'Red Album'; Sex Pistols 'Never mind the Bollocks'; Sam Cooke 'Live at Harlem Square'; The Doors 'LA Woman'; Thin Lizzy 'Live & Dangerous'; Kendrick Lamarr 'Butterfly'; Aretha Franklin 'Amazing Grace'; Clapton '461'; Massive Attack 'Blue Lines'; The Clash 'London Calling'; Chris Isaak 'At The Filmore'; Bob Dylan 'Street Legal'; Bad Company 'Straight Shooter'; Jackson Browne 'Love is Strange'; Lou Reed 'Transformer'; Steely Dan 'AJA'; Stones 'Black+Blue'; Stephen Bishop 'Careless'; Nils Lofgren 'Night after Night'; Mike Oldfield 'Tubular Bells'; Neil Young 'Harvest'; Led Zep '4'; David Bowie 'David Live'; Van Morrison 'It's too late to stop now'; Wings 'Band on the Run'; Rod Stewart 'Atlantic Crossing'; Ryan Adams 'Heartbreaker'; Santana 'Essential'; Bob Dylan 'Desire'; Roxy Music 'For your pleasure'; Bob Marley 'Legend'; Stephen Fretwell 'Magpie'; James Taylor 'Sweet Baby James'; Deep Purple 'Machine Head'; Springsteen 'Darkness on the edge of town'; Leon Bridges 'Coming Home'; Eagles 'Hotel California'; Jungle; Aretha 'Soul Queen'; Neil Young 'After the Goldrush' ; Zappa 'Overnite Sensation'; Fleetwood Mac 'Rumours'; Keith Jarrett 'Koln Concert'; Doobies 'Southbound'; Stevie Earle 'I feel Alright'; Tom Waits 'Closing Time'; Pink Floyd 'Dark Side'; Van Morrison 'Moondance'; Eric Church 'Caught in the Act'; Randy Newman 'Little Criminals'; Elton John 'Madman across the water'; Patti Smith 'Horses'; Doobies 'Captain and Me'; Steely Dan 'Can't Buy a Thrill'.
