The Dirty Life and Times of Warren Zevon
Starred review from December 31, 2007
For those who know them, the brilliant, dark songs of Warren Zevon (1947–2003) inspire nothing short of adoration; for those who don't, this stunning biography of the irrepressible rock 'n' roll singer/songwriter should send them sprinting to the nearest record store. By taking an unexpurgated oral history approach to Warren's life, his former wife and lifelong friend, Crystal, has crafted a sharp, funny, jaw-dropping rock biography that's among the best of the subgenre. Provocative and unflinching, her account distills Warren's journal entries along with exhaustive interviews with 87 family members, business associates, band mates, fellow musicians and former lovers into a chronology that ranges from Warren's ancestry to his death, at age 56, from lung cancer. The impetus for the book was Warren himself—he implored Crystal to tell his story and to “promise you'll tell 'em the whole truth, even the awful, ugly parts.†The awful, ugly parts turn up often: Warren's addictions (to alcohol, drugs and sex), personal demons (intense obsessive compulsion and commitment phobia) and paternal shortcomings (to him, kids were nuisances) all get plenty of play here. But so does Warren's music, for which peers like Jackson Browne, Bruce Springsteen and Paul Shaffer offer plenty of insight. This top-notch biography is a must-read for fans, and a highly rewarding read for anyone interested in a close look at the life of a modern rock icon.