Customer Reviews

Preludes: Rare and Unreleased Recordings

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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.

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.

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

The "rough" cuts on this disc are what always sold Warren as an artist. It's like the recently published bio says "Warren traveled his own road...it was un-paved."

My all time favorite on this disc is ROSARITA BEACH CAFE. Listen to it twice and it will run around in your head for weeks! Also moving up with a bullet in our house is STEADY RAIN. I really like the cut of JOIN ME IN L.A. also...muy blusie.

Yep, this is probably going to end up being my favorite Zevon CD. Until the next one (I hope there is another one, Jordan!) comes out.

I love the unreleased version of Werewolves of London even more than the familiar one. And the interview was somewhat eye-opening as to the personality of Zevon. Essential for any true fan of his work.

If stuff doesn't get released by the artist there is usually a reason. This is not clean-and-pretty Zevon. BUT its FUN Zevon. Disc one has my new favorite version of Werewolves of London. There's a lot of unusual stuff and its great for any Zevon fan. Disc two is an interview that shows off Zevon's cantankerous side. The interviewer asks questions like a high school reporter scoring his big break and doesn't really listen to the answers but still the interview is made all the more poignant by the fact that Zevon has little knowlege that he has so little time left. THe set is a must for Zevon fans but probably won't make any new ones.

You've probably seen other "b-side" or "demo" collections from other musicians. Sometimes there's the odd memorable tune or maybe an acoustic version of an old favorite. But more often than not those discs end up being just a bunch of stuff that was left off other albums because the songs weren't really up to snuff.

So when I first grabbed 'Preludes' off the shelf I had my doubts about the level of quality of the songs. But after reviewing the track listing and specifically the half-dozen songs that had never been released on any other Zevon recording... well, I was sold. And I am completely thrilled by the fact that this isn't just one of those collections of leftovers. It's much more vital than just a bunch of tracks from some old reel-to-reel tapes found in a storage unit. And yet that's just what these are. Warren's son Jordan describes finding just such a box and the result of going through the contents is what you find on this amazing collection.

By the middle of the first track on the first disc you will already be convinced that you're hearing a Zevon classic that somehow slipped past producers and record company execs when first recorded. You'll ask yourself, "why on earth wasn't this ever released?" Yes, it's that good of a song. If you're like me you'll be singing along by the end of it and quickly hitting the back button to hear it again.

Also on the first disc are solid recordings of well-known tracks like Hasten Down the Wind and Desperados Under the Eves. Though I challenge even the most well-listened Zevon fan to pick out Accidentally Like a Martyr when the track first begins. I had to check the disc case twice just to be sure I had the right song. It's a completely different reworking of what I thought to have been an amazing song to begin with. Best of all though is the fact that Warren doesn't ruin a classic, he simply creates another facet from which to view the original.

Disc 2 is quite different than what you're used from a collection of 'music' in that it only has three actual songs. The remainder is made up of spoken word tracks in which Warren covers topics such as songwriting, acting and his early career. This may seem unusual, but it works. Hearing Warren speak is fantastic as his voice and his thoughts are both consistently interesting. [...]

PRELUDES is an album of demos; make no mistake about it. The quality of some of these recordings is not the highest; all of them are flawed in some way--usually performance-wise. All of them sound unfinished, almost discarded.

So why is it that this collection is so damn good? Because it shows the crafting of one of rock's most talented performers. Warren Zevon was a singer/songwriter who stood out from his California peers of the time; he had an edge, a grittiness that would later show up in punk rock and grunge--this untamed honesty, this desire to tell a good story no matter who gets hurt in the process. These songs are all well-crafted, as shown by the fact that most of them ended up on Zevon albums. Those that didn't--those that got lost in time--are just as good. Listen to these tunes carefully, and you can hear Warren Zevon the man, and Warren Zevon the artist, becoming one and the same.

The second disc features intimate interviews circa LIFE'LL KILL YA. Two of the songs are taken from that album; the third is a brilliant acoustic performance of "Don't Let Us Get Sick." Obviously, the first disc is the greatest draw here; but listen to the second, so you get a better of picture of who Warren Zevon was, and where this brilliant artist was coming from.

Hopefully, more tunes Jordan Zevon un-earthed after his father's death will be put on albums; we could all use a little more Warren Zevon in our lives. We may not want it--we may be scared to death of it--but we do need it. Listen to any Zevon album, and you'll understand why.

I just started listening to Warren Zevon a couple months ago. Preludes was my second CD purchase. I bought it on a whim without knowing much about it. I have read reviews that indicate that Preludes is recommended to long time fans to complete a collection, but that newer fans may not appreciate it as much. However, I love this CD with all of its imperfect charm. Preludes was my first exposure to many of the classics like "Hasten Down the Wind" and "The French Inhaler" and I fell in love with them. It feels like I have known some of these songs forever. I actually like the Preludes version of "Werewolves in London" better than the radio version. This version of "Accidentally Like a Martyr" is almost a totally different song from the one that was previously released and I enjoy them both. "Studebaker" is a fantastic song and my only beef is that the song is not complete. Fortunately, you can hear a phenomenal version of the song recorded by Jordan Zevon on Enjoy Every Sandwich, a tribute album. The second disc contains interviews interspersed with songs from Life'll Kill You. It's good to hear his voice since he is gone. There is only one song in the whole set that I do not like--"Going All the Way." It sounds like the theme song from a creepy 60s TV show or movie. Otherwise, I recommend that all fans consider purchasing this CD. The unpolished nature contributes to its beauty and charm.

Starting with "Empty Hearted Town" a recording that evolved into "Empty Handed Heart" this look at Zevon's demos and unreleased songs definitely are of interest for anyone who appreciates the genius of this artist. There are some excellent never before released songs to be found here, like the painful pleading of "Steady Rain," the countrified story of "The Rosarita Beach Café", and the sadly funny "Studebaker" would have all found good homes on many of his albums. Not all the unreleased work are classics: "Going All The Way" sounds like a Bacharach/David mistake and "I Used to Ride so High" with its psychedelic sound and lyrics clearly demonstrate why Zevon didn't put them on his recordings.
The demos of songs that he recorded for his albums are also treats for fans. The stripped down "Join Me In L.A." is more interesting than the album version, the plaintive "French Inhaler" works very well as a acoustic ballad with just guitar and vocals, and the version of "Werewolves" found here is just nuts and immediately brought a smile to my face.
Even misfires like totally different versions of "Accidentally like a Martyr," and "Carmelita" with much bouncier melodies and sped up choruses reveal how much more effective they were with slower and more deliberate pacing.
The 2nd disc interviews are enlightening. They are all based on LIFE"LL KILL YOU and Zevon's intelligence and acerbic wit come through right from the beginning. His refusal to discuss religion is intriguing and you quickly learn he's a tough interview. Despite that there are plenty of interesting nuggets of info here; his defensiveness about the two sides of his song writing and battling against what people perceive about him make for some absorbing listening. A fan of Zevon's work really needs to own this; it's obviously not done to cash in on his passing, it's a loving look at another aspect of this artist's incredible imagination and talent.