Browning, Boo. “Warren Zevon’s Turning Point.” Washington Post. April 18, 1980.
Browning, Boo. “Warren Zevon, All Shook Up.” Washington Post. January 9, 1981.
Cantin, Paul. “Warren Zevon Deconstructs Elvis.” JAM! Showbiz. March 10, 2000.
Charone, Barbara. “Warren Zevon: Excitable Boy.” Sounds. February 18, 1978.
Christgau, Robert. “Onward to Sarcasm.” Village Voice. June 23, 1987.
Christgau, Robert. “Warren Zevon: My Ride’s Here.” Rolling Stone. June 6, 2002.
Cocks, Jay. “Tales of the Neon Underworld.” Time. March 13, 1978.
Cocks, Jay. “Album Review: Warren Zevon: Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School.” Rolling Stone. March 6, 1980.
Considine, J. D. “Warren Zevon Finds Singular Success with Solo Tour.” Baltimore Sun. May 17, 1993.
Correa, Nina. “Waddy Wachtel: Creating ‘Werewolves of London.’” Waddywachtelinfo.com. 2008.
D’Agostino, John. “Solo Sparseness Helps, Hurts Zevon at Belly Up.” Los Angeles Times. August 14, 1992.
Doino Jr., William. “Warren Zevon’s Secret.” First Things. September 16, 2013.
Engemoen, Chip. “Record Review: ‘Excitable Boy’ Rockets Zevon.” Woodside World. April 7, 1978.
Fenton, James. “Between a Rock and a Hard Place.” Guardian. September 19, 2003.
Fergus, Jim. “After the Storm.” Rocky Mountain Magazine. December 1981.
Ferman, Dave. “It’s Not the Big Time, But It’s Zevon’s Way.” Sun-Sentinel. January 26, 1996.
Ferris, D. X. “Ray Manzarek on Working with Roy Rogers, Robbie Krieger, Sly Stone and Warren Zevon.” Ultimate Classic Rock. October 18, 2011.
Fremer, Michael. “The Fast Lane is History: Don Henley Has Found His Thrill Down at the Grill.” Music Connection. March 14–17, 1985.
Fretts, Bruce. “He Puts His Licks on ‘Route 66’: Rocker-Turned-Scorer Warren Zevon.” Entertainment Weekly. June 4, 1993.
Fishell, Steve. “Waddy Wachtel: Rock Sideman, Pop Producer, Touring Guitarist.” Guitar Player. October 1979.
Forte, Dan. “RX: Then Add Waddy Wachtel.” The Record. February 1983.
Gallucci, Michael. “The History of Warren Zevon on ‘David Letterman.’” Ultimate Classic Rock. May 19, 2015.
Gans, David. “Waddy Wachtel: Confessions of a ‘Mafia’ Guitarist.” Bam: The California Music Magazine. March 7, 1980.
Garry, Mac. “Warren Zevon.” ZigZag. October 1976.
Garry, Mac. “Behind the Scenes with Warren and Jackson (and Waddy Too).” ZigZag. December 1976.
Gevinson, Anita, and Jonathan Valania. “Rock ’n’ Roll: Rittenhouse Square’s Excitable Boy.” Philadelphia Magazine. May 8, 2008.
Gilbertson, Jon M. “Warren Zevon, Life’ll Kill Ya.” No Depression. February 29, 2000.
Giles, Jeff. “How a Warren Zevon Jam Session with R.E.M. Turned into ‘Hindu Love Gods.’” Ultimate Classic Rock.
Gilmore, Mikhail. “Warren Zevon Takes Control.” Rolling Stone. September 16, 1982.
Goldstein, Patrick. “Elektra Suffers New Shock.” Los Angeles Times. February 27, 1983.
Goldstein, Patrick. “Joe Walsh Jumps Elektra’s Ship.” Los Angeles Times. April 10, 1983.
Goldstein, Toby. “Warren Zevon: Life in the Mental Combat Zone.” Cream. August 1980.
Gregory, Sinda, and Larry McCafferty. “Thomas McGuane: The Art of Fiction, No. 89.” The Paris Review. Fall 1985.
Hasted, Nick. “Life’ll Kill Ya.” Uncut. September 2002.
Heim, Chris. “Hindu Love God Just One Reincarnation For Zevon.” Chicago Tribune. December 21, 1990.
Heim, Chris. “No More Mr. Sensitive Nice Guy For Warren Zevon.” Chicago Tribune. January 10, 1992.
Hessel-Mial, Michael. “Paul Muldoon: Surging Forward, Looking Back.” Emory Scholar. March 6, 2013.
Hilburn, Robert. “Elektra’s Comeback Kid: Bob Krasnow Turns Once Foundering Label into a Powerhouse.” Los Angeles Times. February 12, 1989.
Hilburn, Robert. “The Key to Success Lies in the Mix.” Los Angeles Times. April 2, 2000.
Hinkley, David. “Zevon Takes Musical Detour with New Album.” Sun-Sentinel. December 26, 1990.
Holden, Stephen. “Warren Zevon at the Ritz.” New York Times. October 1, 1982.
Holden, Stephen. “Warren Zevon.” New York Times. June 5, 1986.
Holden, Stephen. “Nightmares of the Future As Seen by Warren Zevon.” New York Times. February 14, 1990.
Hughes, John. “Rock’s Mr. Bad Example On Lawyers, Sons and Money.” Sun-Sentinel. January 25, 1992.
Kinsey, Tara Christie. “Rave On, John Donne: Paul Muldoon and Warren Zevon.” Yellow Nib. Spring 2013.
Kot, Greg. “Ups and Downers: Warren Zevon Is Just As Carefree As He Ever Was.” Chicago Tribune. February 18, 1990.
Kutina, Scott E. “Waddy Wachtel.” International Musician and Recording World. February 1981.
Lannert, John. “Warren Zevon Kicks Off U.S. Tour with Carefree Show.” Sun-Sentinel. May 22, 1992.
Locey, Bill. “Tour de Farce: The Good Humor Man of Rock, with a New Batch of Backup Musicians, Is Coming to Ventura.” Los Angeles Times. November 8, 1990.
Mabe, Chauncey. “Warren Zevon Captures Spirit of a Dying Era with Album, Tour.” Sun-Sentinel. October 30, 1987.
Marcus, Greil. “Warren Zevon: Excitable Boy.” Village Voice. March 6, 1978.
Marsh, Dave. “Warren Zevon on the Loose in Los Angeles.” Rolling Stone. March 9, 1978.
Miller, Judith. “Song Inspired by Habib Urges, ‘Send the Envoy.’” New York Times. November 3, 1982.
Milward, John. “Rehabilitation Enriches Warren Zevon’s Music.” Philadelphia Inquirer. September 26, 1987.
Mitchell, Justin. “Warren Zevon Ready to Record Again.” Chicago Tribune. August 22, 1985.
Nelson, Paul. “Warren Zevon Comes Out of the Woods.” Village Voice. June 21, 1976.
Nelson, Paul. “Album Review: Warren Zevon: Excitable Boy.” Rolling Stone. March 23, 1978.
Nelson, Paul. “Warren Zevon: How He Saved Himself from a Coward’s Death.” Rolling Stone. March 19, 1981.
Newman, Melinda. “Zevon Revels in His Own Studio.” Billboard. April 22, 1995.
Nugent, Frank S. “‘Werewolf of London’ (1935) at the Rialto.” New York Times. May 10, 1935.
O’ Connor, Rob. “That’s Life.” Launch.com. December 29, 1999.
Palmer, Robert. “The Pop Life: Warren Zevon Album: Live, Raw, and Powerful.” New York Times. January 16, 1981.
Palmer, Robert. “Warren Zevon’s Checkered Career May Take a Happy Turn.” New York Times. July 18, 1982.
Pareles, Jon. “Warren Zevon.” New York Times. September 28, 1987.
Pareles, Jon. “Somewhere Between Irony and Identification.” New York Times. July 18, 1995.
Pareles, Jon. “An Excitable Werewolf, Still Howling.” New York Times. March 21, 2000.
Pareles, Jon. “Warren Zevon’s Last Waltz.” New York Times. January 26, 2003.
People staff. “Picks and Pans Review: Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School.” People. May 19, 1980.
Pollack, Andrew. “Music on Cable TV Provoking a Debate.” New York Times. November 29, 1982.
Pollak, Sally. “Unplugged in Peacham: Ariel Zevon Builds a Life in NEK.” Burlington Free Press. May 29, 2014.
Powers, Ron. “Zevon Likes Solo Touring.” Spokesman-Review. March 9, 1983.
Reid, Graham. “Warren Zevon: Tales from the Darkside.” New Zealand Herald. September 1992.
Robertson, Sandy. “Warren Zevon: The Envoy.” Sounds. August 7, 1982.
Rolling Stone staff. “Browne Remembers Zevon.” Rolling Stone. September 19, 2003.
Roeser, Steve. “Warren Zevon: Left Jabs and Roundhouse Rights.” Goldmine. August 18, 1995.
Roos, John. “Zevon Puts Excitable Days in Perspective.” Los Angeles Times. March 29, 2000.
Rosen, Craig. “Azoff’s Imprint Taking Giant Steps.” Billboard. October 12,
1991.
Silverman, David. “Warren Zevon’s Idea of Vacation Makes for One Refreshing Evening.” Chicago Tribune. November 18, 1988.
Stewart, Andy. “Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch.” AudioTechnology. Issue 53.
Sullivan, Jim. “Warren Zevon Flinches at a Life Without Humor.” Boston Globe. 1993.
Tarson, Steve. “Zevon’s Musical Parchment Leans Toward the Madcap.” Sun-Sentinel. August 1, 1986.
Thelen, Christopher. “Learning to Flinch.” Daily Vault. March 7, 1993.
Thompson, Hunter S. “Champions Roy and Zevon.” ESPN.com. May 28, 2001.
Valania, Jonathan. “An Excitable Boy, They All Said.” Philadelphia Weekly. November 20, 2002.
Washburn, Jim. “Over-Amped Zevon Can’t Make Up the Distance.” Los Angeles Times. March 26, 1990.
Weingarten, Marc. “A Literary Answer to Lyricist’s Block: Musician/Bookworm Warren Zevon Recruits Famous Authors for Lyrics on a New Album.” Los Angeles Times. May 16, 2002.
Willman, Chris. “Zevon Back on the Satire Trail.” Los Angeles Times. June 11, 1987.
Wolff, Carlo. “Zevon Takes Shots at Guns, Politicos.” Akron Beacon Journal. October 12, 1987.
Zeller, Craig. “Warren Zevon: The Envoy.” Cream. November 1982.
BOOKS
Avery, Kevin. Everything Is an Afterthought: The Life and Writings of Paul Nelson. Seattle: Fantagraphics, 2011.
Brown, Garry. Colorado Rocks!: A Half-Century of Music in Colorado. Portland: Westwinds Press, 2004.
Christgau, Robert. Rock Albums of the ’70s: A Critical Guide. Da Capo Press, 1990.
Christgau, Robert. Christgau’s Record Guide: The ’80s. Da Capo Press, 1994.
Christgau, Robert. Christgau’s Consumer Guide: Albums of the ’90s. New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 2000.
Cohen, Mickey. In My Own Words: As Told to John Peer Nugent. Prentice-Hall, 1975.
Davis, Stephen. Gold Dust Woman: The Biography of Stevie Nicks. New York: St. Martin’s Press, 2017.
Fink, Mitchell. The Last Days of Dead Celebrities. Miramax, 2006.
Gevinson, Anita. You Turn Me On, I’m a Radio: My Wild, Rock ’N’ Roll Life. Self-published, 2012.
Goldberg, Danny. Bumping Into Geniuses: My Life Inside the Rock and Roll Business. New York: Gotham, 2009.
Griffin, Kathy. Kathy Griffin’s Celebrity Run-Ins: My A–Z Index. New York: Flatiron Books, 2016.
Gruel, George. Lawyers, Guns and Photos. New York: Big Gorilla Books, 2012.
Hjortsberg, William. Jubilee Hitchhiker: The Life and Times of Richard Brautigan. Counterpoint, 2013.
Hoskyns, Barney. Hotel California: The True-Life Adventures of Crosby, Stills, Nash, Young, Mitchell, Taylor, Browne, Ronstadt, Geffen, the Eagles, and Their Many Friends. Wiley, 2007.
Hoskyns, Barney. Waiting for the Sun: A Rock & Roll History of Los Angeles. Backbeat Books, 2009.
Kubernik, Harvey. Canyon of Dreams: The Magic and Music of Laurel Canyon. Sterling, 2012.
Nolan, Tom. Ross Macdonald: A Biography. Scribner, 1999.
Priore, Domenic. Riot on Sunset Strip. Jawbone Press, 2007.
Ronstadt, Linda. Simple Dreams: A Musical Memoir. Simon & Schuster, 2013.
Tereba, Tere. Mickey Cohen: The Life and Crimes of LA’s Notorious Mobster. ECW Press, 2012.
Thornton, Billy Bob, and Kinky Friedman. The Billy Bob Tapes: A Cave Full of Ghosts. William Morrow, 2012.
Torry, Beef (ed.). Conversations with Thomas McGuane (Literary Conversations Series). University Press of Mississippi, 2006.
Walker, Michael. Laurel Canyon: The Inside Story of Rock-and-Roll’s Legendary Neighborhood. Faber & Faber, 2007.
Yandolino, Frank. Frank & Charli: Woodstock, True Love, and the Sixties. Skyhorse Publishing, 2016.
Zevon, Crystal. I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon. Ecco, 2008.
MISC.
Ancestry.com
Archive.org
Federal Bureau of Investigation file, William Zevon, 1970–1991.
Warren Zevon Video LP, Sony, 1982, VHS.
VH1 (Inside) Out—Warren Zevon: Keep Me in Your Heart, Artemis Records, 2004, DVD.
William “Stumpy” Zevon. Throughout his career in organized crime, Warren’s father’s specialties included running numbers and fencing losers’ collateral valuables for underground poker parlors. Arrested many times but never incarcerated, his son inherited Stumpy’s natural abilities for smooth talking—and his temper.
(Photo courtesy of the Federal Bureau of Investigation)
Warren on a smoke break outside the Roxy, home to what many critics and fans regard as his greatest live performance, 1981’s
Stand in the Fire.
In full “Song Noir” mode, circa 1978.
(© 2018 George Gruel. Courtesy of the private collection of George Gruel)
Warren at his Yamaha grand piano in the Zorada house that he shared with actress Kim Lankford and road manager George Gruel. Gruel recalled laying under the piano, smoking a joint, and listening to Warren lose himself in his long-in- progress symphony.
(© 2018 George Gruel. Courtesy of the private collection of George Gruel)
For 1980’s “Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School,” Warren initially wanted a music video with a roomful of ballerinas to match the song. The record label didn’t go for it, but his idea was worked into the 1980 album’s cover.
(© 2018 George Gruel. Courtesy of the private collection of George Gruel)
During his turbulent time in Philadelphia, Warren slowly began to mold his new “heavy metal folk” persona, circa 1984.
(© 2018 George Gruel. Courtesy of the private collection of George Gruel)
Warren’s handwritten sheet music for “Accidentally Like a Martyr.”
For the single release of 1978’s “Werewolves of London,” Elektra/Asylum had fun with promotional materials. A few lucky fans were able to snag genuine silver bullets, the only known force powerful enough to stop a rampaging werewolf running amok in Los Angeles.
(© 2018 George Gruel. Courtesy of the private collection of George Gruel)
During the 1960s, former Beach Boys guitarist David Marks became a close friend and early mentor to Warren. Aside from acting as his personal escort around the sex, drugs, and rock and roll of the downtown LA scene, Marks introduced Warren to psychedelic rock, British blues, and, ultimately, the Everly Brothers.
(Photos Courtesy of the Marks Family Archives—All Rights Reserved)
Warren and Julia Mueller dated for over two years; she was the last of his fiancées. Seen here in 1992.
Unless he was snapping the photo himself, Warren was selective over who would grab a surprise candid. Julia Mueller made the cut. Circa 1992.
(From the private collection of Julia McNeal)
Stills from Warren’s music video for “Searching for a Heart,” 1991.
(From the private collection of Julia McNeal)
Warren liked to call Julia Mueller his “chicken,” and on the occasions she wasn’t on the road with him he’d find the strangest postcards with her “spiritual animal” in various compromised positions.
(From the private collection of Julia McNeal)
In the late 1990s, Ryan Rayston became like the sister Warren never had. Seen here after a disastrous trip to the movies that soon found the two trapped in a broken elevator for hours, Rayston was one of the only intimate friends who could talk Warren down from a panic attack.
Even amid a massive migraine, Warren could strike a pose to get Rayston laughing.
(From the private collection of Ryan Rayston)
“If you looked up the word ‘autonomy’ in the dictionary, it would be a picture of me wearing a fishing cap.” Circa 1997.
(From the private collection of Ryan Rayston)
Warren with friend and neighbor Billy Bob Thornton—seen here during sessions for Warren’s final album, The Wind, in 2002.
(From the private collection of Ryan Rayston)
Warren initially met country star and actor Dwight Yoakam through mutual friend Billy Bob Thornton. Seen here during the 2003 session for The Wind, Yoakam not only appeared on a few of Warren’s later albums but also gave him a role in his independent western drama South of Heaven, West of Hell.
(From the private collection of Ryan Rayston)
Warren and his younger cousin during a visit on the Mr. Bad Example tour.
Whenever Warren was in real trouble he would reach out to his cousin, Dr. Sandford Zevon.
(From the private collection of Lawrence B. Zevon and Family)
Warren’s scowl is unmistakable in the first row, bottom left. Fairfax High School band club, “Wind & Percussion Section,” 1964.
(From the private collection of Lawrence B. Zevon and Family)
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
Only in seeing this project completed am I fully aware how many friends, family members, and enthusiastic advocates played crucial roles in its completion—and I am humbled and surprised to find that they are not only my own, but Warren Zevon’s, as well. In no short order, I would like to thank the following people who, over the course of seven years, aided and abetted this first-time author in bringing his hero’s story to light:
First and foremost, my parents, only one of which is here to see this volume’s completion; thank you, Dad, for your unending encouragement and advice—and my love of music; this book is dedicated to my late mother, who was the greatest influence in inspiring and fostering my love of writing and the arts; I hope you’d approve of the final work. My brothers, Sean and Brandon, sister Leyla, and nieces Kylah and Sera; my second parents, Aunt Deedee and Uncle Bill, and their children, who are my own second set of siblings, Michael and Megan.
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