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L.A. Rock Musician Warren Zevon Terminally Ill
Reuters Entertainment ^ | 9-12-02 | Anon

Posted on 09/12/2002 12:23:03 PM PDT by Pharmboy

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Acerbic singer-songwriter Warren Zevon, best known for the hit song "Werewolves of London," has been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer, his publicist said on Thursday.

"I'm OK with it, but it'll be a drag if I don't make it 'till the next James Bond movie comes out," Zevon, 55, joked in a statement, released by spokeswoman Diana Baron. (The next Bond film, titled "Die Another Day," comes out on Nov. 22.)

Zevon is spending his remaining weeks with his two adult children, son Jordan and daughter Ariel. He will shortly head to a Los Angeles studio to record a batch of songs, some written after he received his diagnosis last month, Baron said.

Although "Werewolves of London" was a top 10 hit in 1978, the Chicago-born Zevon spent his 33-year recording career as a cult artist, unleashing his sardonic hooks and observant lyrics on a series of acclaimed albums. He also worked with the likes of Jackson Browne, the Everly Brothers and members of R.E.M ( news - web sites).

Less prolific in recent years, Zevon released a new album in 2001, "My Ride's Here," featuring musical contributions from Irish poet Paul Muldoon, Hunter S. Thompson and novelist Carl Hiaasen, Zevon's fishing buddy.

He quit smoking about eight years ago, but his logo was a skull wearing sunglasses with a cigarette hanging out.

Raised in Arizona and California, Zevon studied music briefly after meeting Igor Stravinsky at high school. He taught himself to play guitar, started writing songs and playing in school bands.

His debut album, "Wanted -- Dead or Alive," came out in 1969. After it failed to make a splash, Zevon wrote jingles for wine ads and worked as a pianist and bandleader for the Everly Brothers, both together and separately.

His career received a boost in the mid-1970s when Linda Ronstadt recorded some of his songs, including the 1978 hit "Poor Poor Pitiful Me." His friend Jackson Browne produced Zevon's 1976 self-titled release, which won critical raves.

"Werewolves of London," about a "hairy-handed gent" with a taste for beef chow mein and pina coladas, appeared on his 1978 follow-up, "Excitable Boy."

A bout with alcoholism stalled Zevon's career until he released two albums in 1980. Zevon addressed his rehabilitation experience in such songs as "Detox Mansion" and "Trouble Waiting to Happen" on the 1987 release "Sentimental Hygiene," on which three members of then-cult band R.E.M. appeared.


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: lungcancer; rock; roland; zevon
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The author of "Roland the Headless Thomson Gunner" --we hardly knew ye. A sad day.
1 posted on 09/12/2002 12:23:03 PM PDT by Pharmboy
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To: Pharmboy
"Send lawyers, guns, and money. Dad, get me out of this."
2 posted on 09/12/2002 12:25:59 PM PDT by p. henry
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To: Pharmboy
Send doctors, guns and money!

Zevon rocks.

3 posted on 09/12/2002 12:26:03 PM PDT by dead
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To: Pharmboy
I went home with a waitress

The way I always do

How was I to know

She was with the Russians too

4 posted on 09/12/2002 12:27:55 PM PDT by freedomlover
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To: Pharmboy
A sad day indeed. : ( A great, timeless musician and lyricist.
5 posted on 09/12/2002 12:30:23 PM PDT by SteamshipTime
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To: Pharmboy
55 is it? Hate it when they are younger than I am. It's been happening more lately, must be a trend.
6 posted on 09/12/2002 12:32:04 PM PDT by RightWhale
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To: freedomlover
Excitable boy they all said;
Excitable boy.

You better stay away from him;
he'll rip your lungs out, Jim;
I'd like to meet his tailor.

Also wrote Ronstadt's "Poor, Poor
Pitiful Me."

Mad Vlad
7 posted on 09/12/2002 12:32:12 PM PDT by madvlad
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To: madvlad
Also wrote Ronstadt's "Poor, Poor Pitiful Me."

And, if I'm not mistaken, "I'll Sleep When I'm Dead."

8 posted on 09/12/2002 12:34:35 PM PDT by Lurking Libertarian
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To: p. henry
"Send lawyers, guns, and money."

These days we need smart bombs, guns and Rummy!

9 posted on 09/12/2002 12:34:58 PM PDT by Oschisms
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To: Pharmboy
The author of "Roland the Headless Thomson Gunner" --we hardly knew ye. A sad day.

I thought that was Elvis Costello? Did Zevon write it and Elvis record it?

10 posted on 09/12/2002 12:36:48 PM PDT by ClearCase_guy
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To: Vic3O3
Ping!
11 posted on 09/12/2002 12:39:07 PM PDT by dd5339
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To: Pharmboy
Bad Luck Streak At Dancing School
12 posted on 09/12/2002 12:42:13 PM PDT by montomike
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To: Pharmboy
Sad....accidently, like a martyr
13 posted on 09/12/2002 12:43:06 PM PDT by RJCogburn
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To: Pharmboy
He quit smoking about eight years ago,...

Lung cancer caught up with him after all that time?

14 posted on 09/12/2002 12:43:23 PM PDT by xJones
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To: Pharmboy
And his hair was perfect.
15 posted on 09/12/2002 12:45:37 PM PDT by Sloth
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To: Pharmboy
A musical melding of Hunter S. Thompson and Warren Zevon? That'll be something to hear!
16 posted on 09/12/2002 12:45:57 PM PDT by gracie1
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To: ClearCase_guy
Zevon wrote it and recorded it. I don't know if Elvis recorded it sometime later.
17 posted on 09/12/2002 12:46:49 PM PDT by PBRSTREETGANG
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To: ClearCase_guy
I thought that was Elvis Costello? Did Zevon write it and Elvis record it?

It originally appeared on Warron Zevon's Album with Wherewolves of London.

Never heard of an Elvis Costello version. With Elvis being so prolific a writer himself, I would be surprised if he did record a version of it. But it was written by Mr. Zevon.

18 posted on 09/12/2002 12:47:50 PM PDT by Michael.SF.
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To: Pharmboy
Well, he went down to dinner in his Sunday best
Excitable boy, they all said
And he rubbed the pot roast all over his chest
Excitable boy, they all said
Well, he's just an excitable boy

He took in the four a.m. show at the Clark
Excitable boy, they all said
And he bit the usherette's leg in the dark
Excitable boy, they all said
Well, he's just an excitable boy

He took little Susie to the Junior Prom
Excitable boy, they all said
and he raped her and killed her, then he took her home
Excitable boy, they all said
Well, he's just an excitable boy
After ten long years they let him out of the Home
Excitable boy, they all said
And he dug up her grave and built a cage with her bones
Excitable boy, they all said
Well, he's just an excitable boy

-- "Excitable Boy", Warren Zevon
19 posted on 09/12/2002 12:48:29 PM PDT by Illbay
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To: ClearCase_guy
It's on Zevon's "Excitable Boy" album along with "Werewolves".
20 posted on 09/12/2002 12:49:48 PM PDT by Illbay
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