Preludes: Rare and Unreleased Recordings

Warren Zevon | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (May 1, 2007)
• Original Release Date: 2007
• Number of Discs: 2
• Label: New West Records
• ASIN: B000NVIXJG
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (23 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #16,929 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

Disc: 1

1. Empty Hearted Town (3:05) (solo piano)

2. Steady Rain (4:23) (full band)

3. Join Me In L.A. (2:33) (solo guitar)

4. Hasten Down The Wind (2:34) (solo piano)

5. Werewolves Of London (3:36) (full band)

6. Tule's Blues (3:08) (solo piano)

7. The French Inhaler (3:34) (solo guitar)

8. Going All The Way (2:19) (full band)

9. Poor Poor Pitiful Me (3:12) (full band)

10. Studebaker (2:23) (solo piano)

See all 16 tracks on this disc

Disc: 2

1. I WAS IN THE HOUSE WHEN THE HOUSE BURNED DOWN (3:02)

2. Warren speaks on songwriting and the early days of his career (7:14)

3. Musings on mortality, song noir and The King of Rock n' Roll (5:07)

4. A chat about producers and the stark sounds on the album Life'll Kill Ya (5:09)

5. BACK IN THE HIGH LIFE (3:11)

6. Warren's take on Winwood's classic and Warren's inspirations (3:58)

7. Talk of TV, movies, acting and performing (5:14)

8. DON'T LET US GET SICK (3:10) (solo acoustic) Recorded live 12/3/99 at Austin City Limits Studios for 107.1 KGSR Radio Austin 9th Anniversary Concert

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

After Warren Zevon's death in 2003, his son Jordan was clearing out a storage space when he found a large stash of demos and home recordings Zevon had made before 1976. Winnowed down from many hours of tape, this selection is so satisfying you're left awaiting another volume almost instantly. Preludes has been generously packaged with a booklet overflowing with reminiscences and insight from peers and family, as well as a bonus disc with recent interview extracts and choice selections from 2000's Life'll Kill Ya. The rough sound quality is more than made up for by the performances. Highlights include a speedier, country-punk garage take on "Poor, Poor Pitiful Me" and the original demo of "Werewolves of London," here presented in a slowed-down reggae-ish (and campier) take. Only two of these 16 takes fall flat: the vocals on "Accidentally Like a Martyr" are just too bleak even for Zevon, while the faux-sunshine Eagles-y production on "Ride So High" is interesting but just too anachronistic. The versions of "French Inhaler" and "Carmelita" show Zevon in his angry, post-Dylan singer-songwriter style. It's reminiscent of the best John Cale solo recordings. Poignant, beautiful and bitter, it's no wonder the guy didn't fit in with his California contemporaries. As with Townes Van Zandt, there's something of a great short story in Zevon's songs; confronted with them in all their ragged, stripped-down glory, it's clear what a major talent he was. --Mike McGonigal

More from Warren Zevon

Stand in the Fire	The Envoy	Excitable Boy
Warren Zevon	The Wind	Genius: The Best of Warren Zevon

Product Description

Warren Zevon passed way from mesothelioma, a form of asbestos related lung cancer in 2003. A few months later, his son, Jordan, drove out to one of his dad's storage spaces in the San Fernando Valley to begin the sorting the process. He discovered over a 100 unreleased outtakes and demos in a piano-sized touring case.

Preludes features 16 of the best of these discovered recordings, including 6 unreleased tracks "Empty Hearted Town," "Going All The Way," "Steady Rain," "Stop Rainin Lord" "Studebaker" and "Rosarita Beach Café." All songs were recorded pre-1976. Other gems are previously unheard versions of "Werewolves of London" and "Accidentally Like A Martyr". The 2nd disc features an in-depth radio interview Warren did with Jody Denberg in 2000.

The deluxe 2CD package in a hardbound slipcase contains a 44-page booklet with dozens of family photos, all previously unpublished. Pictures are placed within excerpts from the forthcoming memoir I¹ll Sleep When I¹m Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon. Released by Ecco/Harper Collins.

See all Editorial Reviews

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Parting words from the past, May 2, 2007

By 

WTDK "If at first the idea is not absurd, the... (My Little Blue Window, USA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 50 REVIEWER)    (HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Preludes: Rare and Unreleased Recordings (Audio CD)

Warren Zevon was a complex guy. I only saw him in concert, heard his music, enjoyed his warped, brilliant, poetic sensibility and view of the world. This excellent collection of outtakes, previously unreleased demos and unreleased songs is just a sampling of his brilliant songwriting and performing skills. When his son Jordan went through his stuff after his death in 2003 he found a case full of reel-to-reel recordings, cassettes and other teasures. He and his sister Ariel have chosen to share these terrific demos with us his fans. While not every track is perfect (how could it be? These are demos!), it's that lack of perfection that makes this collection so perfect, so intimate; it's a performance by one man with no idea they would be released when he did them. As a result, Warren is presents his music without artiface--these songs are as naked and pure (in an emotional sense)as when he first conceived them. Listening to them is like being at the birth of greatness for the best songs on here.

Two discs one featuring 16 (19 if you get this through Best Buy as there are three bonus tracks on their edition)tracks of the essence of the Mutineer. We get demos for "Join Me in L.A.", "Hasten Down the Wind", "The French Inhaler", "Poor Poor Pitiful Me", "Carmelita", "Desperados Under the Eaves" all of which appeared on Warren's second released album ("Warren Zevon"). We also get an early version of "Werewolves of London" (which is better than the outtake on the newly remastered edition of "Excitable Boy"), demos for "Tule's Blues" (written for Warren's first wife and which appeared on Zevon's first album and again reworked slightly on the expanded "Excitable Boy"), "Frozen Notes" (only on the Best Buy edition-originally slated for "Excitable Boy" and on that expanded edition)and "Empty Hearted Town" some elements of which ended up reworked for Warren's classic ballad "Empty Handed Heart" for "Bad Luck Streak in Dancing School". Some of these recordings are pulled from acetates (records pressed before as demos or for the artist to listen to after recording but not for general release)and we're privilaged to get to hear many of these rare recordings.

The previously unreleased songs are terrific. While some are works in progress, others sound like they were ready for the next step--a full band work out. Since these demos are pre-1976 (according to the excellent booklet that comes with this released Jordan Zevon states that there are no credits for where, when and with whom many of these tracks were recorded), perhaps some of them were originally intended for the unreleased second album that Bones Howe produced or they fell by the wayside when Warren's "Warren Zevon" and "Excitable Boy" albums received critical acclaim and public acceptance. Either way "Steady Rain", "Going All The Way", "Studebaker", "The Rosarita Beach Cafe", "Stop Rainin' Lord" (and on the Best Buy editions "Workin' Man's Pay", "Some Kind of Rider")all of these are gems even if they are diamonds in the rough. Hearing "Desperado Under the Eaves" without the overdubbed strings and with just drums, a bit of guitar, organ, backing vocals and Warren's vocal is a delight as it's one of my favorite songs.

The second disc features "I Was in The House When The House Burned Down" and Warren's terrific take on Steve Winwood and Will Jennings' "Back in the High Life Again" from "Life'll Kill Ya". We also get about 30 minutes of an interview conducted by Jody Denberg to promote "LKY". We also get "Don't Let Us Get Sick" a live performance of Warren recorded for KGSR Radio Austin's 9th Anniversary Concert. Warren's interviews were always fun to listen to and this one is no exception. While you might listen to this disc less than the first one, it's still a nice extra here.

One of my treasured memories was seeing Warren at the Old Waldorf in San Francisco, California where he held court playing for an intimate group of fans. It was one of many concerts but it was my first show with Warren and as a result is special. Hearing this reminds me of that show and how much I'll miss not being able to look forward to new music from him. It was the perfect venue for Warren's music. He'll be missed but with this release you can sit down with him and listen as he develops his craft and plays a concert just for you.

Also recommended: I'll Sleep When I'm Dead: The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon

Music: The Wind, Stand in the Fire,Warren Zevon, Excitable Boy,The Envoy, Sentimental HygieneLife'll Kill Ya

Rock on Warren.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ernie Pouttu, May 2, 2007

By 

Ernie Pouttu (Akron, OH USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Preludes: Rare and Unreleased Recordings (Audio CD)

I just picked this up last night thinking that this would relly be suitable for a loyal Warren Zevon fan like me. But what I discovered was really incredible versions of previously released songs and previously unreleased songs that in my opinion are terrific. For anyone that has the DVD of the making of The Wind, this two CD set is a must. Add in the great interviews on the second CD (which I already had from a prior special release) and you have a great package that will be enjoyed by WZ fans and those are coming later to the party. PS Take some time to read the liner notes as they add another perspective to a truly multitalented singer songwriter.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Vintage Zevon, July 19, 2007

By 

Johnno (Narangba Q Aust) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Preludes: Rare and Unreleased Recordings (Audio CD)

This is a collection of old tapes and interviews. It is not what I would suggest for someone checking him out for the first time. For the Warren "virgin"(not many around him by the sound of it) I would suggest "Warren Zevon" and "Exciteable Boy".

But for a long term diehard customer like me, then what you do is play Preludes, and read "Sleep When I'm Dead". Then it all makes sense.... or not.

Much of it is demo quality, but good listening. And gives an insight into the man, and how he built his songs.

Ownership is compulsory