When they make a movie of one of Johnny’s books, I hope they use this tune. It’s written by Warren Zevon and Hunter S. Thompson, and has a paranoid feel on a blues riff. Voices of the dead, I guess. Rest In Peace, guys.
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As it turns out, I was in Aspen when Thompson killed himself. It was clear from the write-up in the local paper that he was a well-liked local character.
It goes without saying that “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas” runs in the blood of Wetmachine. Certainly an essential 20th century document. On my bookshelf it sits next to Kafka’s “The Trial.”
I saw Warren Zevon play at the Orpheum Theatre in Boston. I went by myself. Zevon was the headliner, but I wasn’t going to see him: the opening act was X (the only “name” band besides Zappa that I’ve seen perform more than 3 times.)
Anyway I was planning to leave after X, but figured I would stay for one Zevon song. So he sang a song and I liked it. Then he introduced his band with a little story that I found quite charming.
“I told people that I had put a band together and was going on tour
”’Who you got on drums?’
“’Ritchie Heywood’
”And they looked upon me with newfound respect.
“Bass?
”’Kenny Gradney’
“oooooooh
”’keyboards?
“’Bill Payne’”
And so on to introduce the rest of the band. Which is to say that his backing band was, more or less, Little Feat, the creators of Waiting for Columbus, perhaps the greatest rockaroll record of all time.
It was great concert.