Introducing the Band:
Your hosts Scot Bertram (@ScotBertram) and Jeff Blehar (@EsotericCD) with guest Bruce Edward Walker. He’s Midwest Regional Editor for The Center Square. He has written extensively on popular culture, literature and public policy for reference books, newspapers, magazines, and websites. He’s on Twitter at @bruceedwalker.
Bruce’s Music Pick: Warren Zevon
The show begins its 2021 finishing kick with a long-requested episode featuring the music and career of the great Warren Zevon. Zevon is an artist with passionate fans who, at the same time, also can prove to be difficult to grab onto for newcomers. We hope to provide a path.
As a singer/songwriter, Zevon can be difficult to pigeonhole. He’s a cynic, yes. He writes about portions of society -- outlaws, sociopaths, drug dealers, villains -- that many others might like to forget. He’s full of humor and wit. He writes biographical songs yet also has a wonderful way with literary narratives. He was a drunk. He recovered. He was a drunk again. Personal demons often got the best of him. Yet the work stands up.
As Scot mentions on the show, a trip through his discography is like a series of mini “We Are the World.” Zevon, for most of his career, was able to attract the biggest California rock stars and the best session musicians around to contribute to his albums. Hey, there's Bonnie Raitt! Lindsey Buckingham! Leland Sklar! Ben Keith! Don Henley! David Lindley! Jackson Browne! Linda Ronstadt! Jeff Porcaro! Steve Lukather! J.D. Souther!
The three of us have very different opinions on various portions of Zevon’s career, so this one can be a spicy listen. Send lawyers, guns, and money … and get ready for Warren Zevon.
Episode 76: Cam Edwards / Fountains of Wayne
Episode 75: Ben Domenech / The Who [Part 2]
Episode 74: Ben Domenech / The Who [Part 1]
Episode 73: Alfred Schulz / The Pogues
Episode 72: Sean Hackbarth / Tears for Fears
Episode 71: Brad Birzer / Rush
Episode 70: Vincent Caruso / Roxy Music
Episode 69: Jane Coaston / Jimi Hendrix
Episode 68: James Poulos / The Smashing Pumpkins
Episode 67: Ben Jacobs / Gram Parsons
Episode 66: Kevin Madden / The Cars
Episode 65: Anthony Fisher / Elvis Costello [Part 2]
Episode 64: Anthony Fisher / Elvis Costello [Part 1]
Episode 63: Jeff Dufour / Rolling Stones [Part 2]
Episode 62: Harry Khachatrian / Rolling Stones [Part 1]
Episode 61: Matt Welch / The Beach Boys [Part 2]
Episode 60: Matt Welch / The Beach Boys [Part 1]
Episode 59: Scot Bertram & Jeff Blehar / Soundtracks
Episode 58: Matt Murray / Randy Newman
Episode 57: Michael Brendan Dougherty / Ben Folds Five
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